by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 4:00 PM ET, Wed January 10, 2024
American Cruise Lines has agreed to make its fleet and its itineraries more accessible to wheelchair users under a newly announced settlement with the United States Attorney’s Office.
The cruise line—which offers domestic river and coastal cruises throughout the country—has 18 months to come up with a remediation plan, according to an announcement from Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, where American Cruise Lines is headquartered.
“American Cruise Lines has worked closely with the government and will continue to accommodate all our guests on board,” said Alexa Paolella, a spokeswoman for American Cruise Lines.
The U.S. Department of Justice received six complaints that the cruise line’s ships were not “accessible to or usable by individuals with disabilities who use wheelchairs,” according to the statement.
Passengers who used wheelchairs also reported not feeling safe during embarkation and disembarkation processes; they also claimed the cruise line did not provide wheelchair-accessible ground transportation during shore excursions. These allegations represented violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects people with disabilities from discrimination.
Under the settlement, the cruise line has agreed to make all 17 of its vessels more wheelchair-accessible, as well as implement standards and policies that “provide greater access” during its cruises, per the statement. More specifically, the company has agreed to establish an accessible website, assign an ADA compliance officer and adopt ADA-compliant staff trainings; it will also create publicly available accessibility request and reservation procedures and offer portable communication devices to alert deaf passengers to emergencies.
The cruise line has been working cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to make the changes without litigation.
“Businesses are required, under the ADA, to appropriately serve a diverse customer base, ensuring that individuals are able to access and enjoy restaurants, service establishments, retail stores and other places of public accommodation,” said Avery. “That includes cruise ships. We appreciate American Cruise Lines’ commitment to increasing access to its ships for individuals with physical disabilities and mobility challenges.”
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
