ADA Guidelines Sinking Cruise Lines
		A Florida woman who was promised a wheelchair-accessible cabin successfully sued Premier Cruises under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), contending that her cabin and other areas of the ship did not provide access. Although the case is on appeal (and is expected to go as high as the Supreme Court), the number of ADA-related complaints against cruise lines has soared since the ruling that ships docking in U.S. ports must follow ADA guidelines. One estimate is that complaints have jumped by 250 percent since December 1999, even though cruise lines have traditionally been exempt from many U.S. rules due to foreign registry. The decision means that cruise lines – most of which already have made some disability-related modifications – will have to do more to retrofit ships already in service to avoid further lawsuits. Royal Caribbean estimates the cost could amount to tens of millions of dollars. Adaptations could involve widening hallways and pathways, posting additional signage, modifying gangways, and redesigning doorways to eliminate wheelchair obstacles. A panel is currently formulating exact guidelines, which will be released at the end of the year. For more information on the ADA, contact your lawyer.

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