Cruise lines have developed a negative reputation in the past couple of years due to news reports of people falling overboard, cruise ship fires, and more recently in 2020, they were the center of attention early on in the coronavirus pandemic as cruise passengers were denied entry at various ports around the world due to fear of spreading the virus. Cruise ships also have a bad reputation for their impact on the environment.
Tragic Accidents On Board Holland America Cruise Ships
Headlines in recent years have not helped the general public to have a lot of confidence in Holland America Lines. In 2019 a Holland America cruise ship crashed into another vessel in Canada while coming into dock early one May morning. The accident was confirmed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. Six stateroom verandas were damaged in the collision above the waterline. Thankfully there were no injuries reported. However, passengers on board were certainly rattled after the event. Tragically, the year before, in early November 2018, a passenger was killed onboard Holland America Lines’ Maasdam when she fell between a tender and the cruise ship. Witnesses claim that the seas were very rough and that the staff was incompetent and unable to assist the woman, who was traveling alone.
History of Holland America Cruise
Holland America is one of the world’s oldest cruise lines. Founded in 1873 as the Dutch American Steamship Company, it was originally a shipping and passenger line headquartered in Rotterdam that provided cruise services to the Americas. Sailing began between Rotterdam and New York in 1872. Later on, Holland America added services that took passengers to South America as well as Baltimore, Maryland. In 1899, the company began a cargo service to New York, so it was in the business of transporting not only people but cargo. But the company didn’t offer its first vacation cruise until 1895. Its second vacation cruise was from New York to the Holy Land in 1910.
However, you may hear that Holland America is actually one of the youngest cruise ship companies. That’s because it was bought by Carnival Cruise lines, which is a much younger company, and now operates as a subsidiary of them.
When You Need A Maritime Personal Injury Lawyer
According to Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A., you have a right to receive compensation if you have been injured while on board a Holland America Cruise ship, or if a loved one was injured or killed, such as your child. Holland America Lines cruise ships are Dutch vessels that operate mostly in international waters by a company that is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, but owned by a Miami-based firm. This can make maritime cases very difficult to litigate. Personal injury cases are handled a little differently on land. If you are injured on the property of a business in your hometown, then you would file a claim there. But when a cruise ship is operating under different jurisdictions, you will need a seasoned maritime law professional to handle your complex cruise ship injury claim. There is a statute of limitations on your case, so you will want to hire an attorney right away who can begin working on your case and help you to file before time is up.