Cruise Passenger Protection Act Proposed

In 2010, Congress passed and President Obama signed The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act which required protective measures for cruise ship passengers. (See: Tiffany Peyroux, The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 Founders on Its Maiden Voyage, 13 L.M.L.J. 74 (2013)). Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) has introduced Senate Bill 1502 entitled the "Cruise Passenger Protection Act of 2017." The purpose of the Act is to improve passenger vessel security and safety. It would apply to any passenger vessel with the capacity to carry 250 passengers or more with on board sleeping facilities. The Act would apply to vessels which embark or disembark at a U.S. port and not engaged in coastwise trade. Vessels operated by the United States or any state of the U.S. The proposed legislation includes a provision which requires the Secretary of Transportation to develop standards for use by an owner of a passenger vessel to provide a prospective passenger with a summary that highlights key terms in the passage contract and before such terms are binding with a statute of limitations of not less than 3 years. Violation of the provisions carry with it civil penalties and a criminal penalty for willful violation. A copy of the bill may be found following this URL:https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-115s1502is/pdf/BILLS-115s1502is.pdf