A cruise is supposed to feel easy: sunshine, open water, and time away from everyday life. When that trip turns into a scene of fear, violation, or violence, it can shake every part of your life.
If you were assaulted on a cruise ship as a passenger or a crew member, you’re dealing with more than physical harm. You might be worried about your safety, nervous about facing the cruise line, and unsure where to turn once you’re back home.
At Stabinski Law, we don’t treat you like a case file. You get real attention from real lawyers. Our Miami cruise ship sexual assault attorneys and cruise ship assault lawyers handle claims involving:
- Sexual assault on a cruise ship
- Physical assault on a cruise ship
- Assaults involving crew members, passengers, or security staff
Many cruise tickets require lawsuits to be filed in Miami. Our firm has deep roots here, and we handle cases for people who live in Florida, other states, and other countries.
Sexual Assault on Cruise Ships: What Survivors Should Know
Cruise lines promote a safe, carefree image. Yet public data tells a different story. Reports filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act show that sexual violence remains one of the most frequently reported crimes on cruise ships.
These incidents keep happening for several reasons:
- Isolated spaces: Cabins, crew areas, storage rooms, and poorly lit corridors create privacy for attackers.
- Alcohol service: Onboard bars and late-night parties often lead to impaired judgment and vulnerable passengers.
- Power imbalance: Crew members often hold keycards, authority, or access that lets them isolate a guest or co-worker.
- Weak security presence: Limited patrols and blind spots in camera coverage create more opportunities for attackers.
None of that excuses an assault. Cruise lines have a duty to put safety first, to screen staff, train them properly, and respond when something goes wrong.
Common Sexual Assault Scenarios We See
Every story is different, but certain patterns show up again and again in cruise ship sexual assault cases:
- Crew member assaulting a passenger: A housekeeper, bartender, entertainment worker, or other crew member uses a keycard, job role, or familiarity to corner a guest in a cabin, crew corridor, or secluded area.
- Passenger assaulting another passenger: An acquaintance met in a bar, club, hot tub, or pool follows a guest back to their room, or corners them on a deck, stairwell, or elevator. Alcohol often plays a role.
- Assaults involving minors: A child or teenager is harmed in a youth program, kids’ club, or area where adults should be supervising and protecting them.
- Crew-on-crew sexual assault: One crew member attacks another in staff quarters, break areas, or workspaces. These cases come with special concerns about job security and retaliation.
Our Miami cruise ship sexual assault attorneys talk through the details with care and confidentiality. You set the pace. We guide you on the legal side so you’re not facing a giant cruise line alone.
Why Miami Is Often the Legal Venue
Passengers often learn, after an assault, that their cruise ticket includes pages of fine print. Inside that contract, cruise lines often:
- Require lawsuits to be filed in Miami federal court (even when the passenger lives far away)
- Set very short notice deadlines for claims, sometimes six months
- Limit the time to file a lawsuit, often to one year
Those time limits can be harsh. Speaking with a Miami cruise ship sexual assault lawyer early can protect your rights. Our firm understands these ticket provisions and how they play out in real cases.
If you live out of state or outside the U.S., you don’t have to handle this alone from thousands of miles away. We regularly help cruise passengers and crew who return home after their trips.
Physical Assault on a Cruise Ship
Cruise ship assault isn’t limited to sexual assault. Physical attacks can leave serious injuries and long-term trauma.
If you are searching for a physical assault on a cruise attorney in Miami, you need someone who understands both maritime rules and serious cruise ship injury claims.
Here’s what we see:
- Fights in bars, clubs, lounges, or pool decks
- Attacks in stairwells, elevators, or outside cabins
- Group assaults or “brawls” at events or parties
- Violent confrontations involving security staff
- Rough handling while a guest or crew member is being removed or restrained
Alcohol service, poor crowd control, or lack of security presence often plays a role. Cruise lines can be held responsible when they fail to staff properly, monitor trouble spots, or step in when warning signs appear.
How These Cases Are Investigated
After a cruise ship assault, security staff often move quickly. They typically:
- Take statements from those involved
- Take photos of injuries or the scene
- Review limited surveillance footage
- Prepare internal reports
At the same time, victims can feel rushed, confused, or pressured to sign documents or “resolve” the matter before leaving the ship. Once passengers leave the ship, access to witnesses, crew, and evidence can shrink fast.
This is where a Miami cruise ship assault attorney helps. At Stabinski Law, we:
- Step in early to request that the cruise line preserve surveillance video, keycard data, and reports
- Advise you before you sign statements or releases
- Communicate with the cruise line and its insurers so you aren’t dealing with them on your own
Assaults Against Crew Members: Your Rights Matter, Too
Crew members often work long hours, live where they work, and share tight quarters with co-workers from many different backgrounds. That environment can lead to:
- Harassment and sexual assault in crew cabins or shared spaces
- Assault by supervisors or co-workers
- Retaliation fears when someone speaks up
- Pressure to keep quiet or “handle it internally”
Many crew members also live far from Florida and worry that speaking to a lawyer will put their jobs at risk. Our cruise ship assault attorneys in Miami talk plainly about your rights, your choices, and how to move forward in a way that protects you as much as possible when it comes to workplace sexual abuse.
How Maritime Law Applies to Crew
Crew members working at sea often qualify as “seafarers” under maritime law. That status can give them rights to:
- Medical treatment
- Maintenance and cure in certain situations
- Compensation for assaults connected to unsafe shipboard conditions
We explain these rights in plain language. You should know what the law offers, what the cruise line is likely to argue, and how we can push back.
How Evidence Works in Cruise Ship Assault Cases
Evidence on a ship doesn’t look like evidence in a typical land-based case. The most common sources:
- Keycard records showing when a door opened and who used a card
- Surveillance video from hallways, decks, clubs, and other common areas
- Incident reports prepared by security, medical staff, or supervisors
- Medical records from the ship’s medical center or a port clinic
- Witness statements from other passengers or crew members
Cruise companies often control much of this information. A Miami cruise ship sexual assault attorney needs to act quickly with written preservation requests and, when needed, legal action to secure records and video before they disappear.
What to Do After a Cruise Ship Sexual Assault or Physical Assault
Right after an assault, your priority is your safety and health. If you can, try to:
- Get to a safe location away from the attacker
- Seek medical care on the ship or at the next port
- Ask for a sexual assault examination or rape kit if you were sexually assaulted
- Save clothing, bedding, and other items that might contain evidence
- Take photos of visible injuries and the area where the assault occurred
Do your best to ask for copies of any medical documents or basic visit summaries. If you are sent to a hospital in port, ask for your records there as well.
Do Not Rely Solely on Cruise Security
Ship security has a role, but its employer is the cruise line. Their internal investigation often focuses on protecting the company and limiting exposure.
Victims sometimes:
- Feel pressure to give a quick “official” statement
- Get asked to sign forms they haven’t fully read
- Are urged to accept a credit, voucher, or small payment
You have every right to pause and talk to a lawyer first. Once you leave the ship, you also have the right to contact a Miami cruise ship sexual assault lawyer who looks out only for you.
Contact a Miami Cruise Ship Sexual Assault Lawyer Early
A conversation with a lawyer does more than explain your situation. It can protect your claim from the start.
At Stabinski Law:
- You speak with an attorney, not a call center
- The managing partner reviews new assault and sexual assault inquiries
- We offer free, confidential consultations
- We charge no fees unless we recover compensation for you
If you prefer to speak in Spanish, we have Spanish-speaking attorneys and staff ready to help.
Compensation We Pursue for Assault Survivors
No amount of money erases what happened. The goal is to ease financial strain, support your recovery, and hold the cruise line accountable when their choices contributed to your harm.
Compensation can include:
- Medical expenses, including hospital care, surgery, and follow-up treatment
- Therapy, counseling, and trauma-related care
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity for passengers and crew
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life and impact on relationships
- Travel and lodging costs linked to medical visits or court appearances
Courts sometimes consider punitive damages when conduct from the cruise line or its employees crosses certain lines. We talk through what might apply in your case and set expectations based on real experience, not marketing slogans.
How Our Miami Cruise Ship Assault Attorneys Handle Your Case
We keep things simple and personal:
1. Free consultation with an attorney: You walk us through what happened. We ask careful, respectful questions. You can talk from home by phone or video.
2. Evidence preservation: We send written requests to the cruise line to preserve CCTV, keycard logs, witness details, and security reports.
3. Investigation and case building: We collect medical records, speak with witnesses when possible, and review ticket terms, contracts, and incident reports.
4. Handling cruise line and insurer contact: We deal with claim departments and defense lawyers. You don’t have to return calls from adjusters or company representatives on your own.
5. Settlement discussions: If the cruise line wants to talk resolution, we negotiate from a trial-ready position and advise you on any offers.
6. Filing suit in Miami federal court if needed: When asettlement won’t achieve a fair result, we file and litigate in the courts where these cruise claims belong.
Personal Attention Sets Us Apart
Some firms run high-volume practices. That’s not how we work.
- We limit the number of cases we accept so clients get the attention they deserve
- Attorneys stay involved and accessible
- We keep you updated and explain each step in plain language
For us, you’re a person who went through something serious, not a statistic or a file number.
Support for Out-of-State and International Cruise Passengers
Many cruise passengers leave Florida long before they think about legal help. That’s common, and it’s not a barrier.
We routinely represent:
- Visitors from other states who sailed from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or nearby ports
- International passengers who returned home after a cruise
We can handle most steps remotely:
- Phone or video meetings
- Electronic signatures on documents
- Secure sharing of medical records and other evidence
You don’t have to travel back to Florida for every stage of the case. If a court appearance becomes necessary, we will talk it through in advance so there are no surprises.
Bilingual Support for Survivors and Their Families
Our Miami community includes many Spanish-speaking families. Stabinski Law reflects that reality.
- Our attorneys and staff speak Spanish
- We can handle your case from start to finish in English or Spanish
- Family members who feel more comfortable in Spanish can join calls and meetings
You should never feel like a language barrier stands between you and justice.
Why Survivors Choose Stabinski Law
People who come to us after a cruise ship sexual assault or physical assault often share similar concerns:
- “Will the cruise line take me seriously?”
- “Will anyone listen to my side instead of treating me like a problem?”
- “Will I ever speak directly with my lawyer?”
Our answer is simple: you will. We bring decades of trial experience, deep knowledge of injury and maritime claims, and a commitment to hands-on service.
Free, Confidential Consultation
If you or a family member suffered sexual assault or physical assault on a cruise ship, you don’t have to handle this alone.
Call Stabinski Law today for a free, confidential consultation with a Miami cruise ship sexual assault attorney or cruise ship assault lawyer. You pay no fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Reach out by phone or through our online form. Let’s talk about what happened, what you need right now, and how we can help you move forward.
