Two Canadian cruisers have filed separate lawsuits against Royal Caribbean Group for negligence over a salmonella outbreak during an Alaska cruise last year.
Tierny Patterson and Nicole Singh both filed notices of civil claim in the B.C. Supreme Court. They cite similar stories of illness aboard Radiance of the Seas.
Singh’s claim alleges that the cruise ship’s medical staff were not sufficiently equipped to provide the required medical care.
She alleged she was “isolated to her room as she was viewed to be a biohazard.”
Pattison’s complaint says she became ill with diarrhea, stomach cramps, and dehydration, and consulted a doctor after disembarking the cruise in Vancouver.
Tests later revealed she had contracted salmonella.
A few days later, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the outbreak was caused by salmonella, affecting more than 8% of the ship’s passengers.
The week-long cruise, carrying 2,172 guests, took place in September 2024.
Three crew members were also taken ill. This was Royal Caribbean’s final cruise of the 2024 Alaska season.
Lawsuits Claim Cruise Line Negligence
The two women allege negligence and breach of duty to passengers. They are both seeking pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.
During the outbreak, Royal Caribbean said it took immediate action to contain it by increasing cleaning and disinfection measures and isolating ill guests.
Following the outbreak, Cruise Radio heard from passengers who suggested that many who had fallen ill avoided seeking medical care on board the ship due to the potentially high cost of treatment.
One passenger told our tip line, “Many people did not go to the medical center onboard because they were afraid of the cost.”
While cruise ship outbreaks involving norovirus have been frequent so far this year, Salmonella outbreaks are rare.
Between 2019 and 2023, only one such outbreak was reported to the CDC.
