Passage Contract - have you read it? are you ok with this?

[g8way2go]

Before I can print my boarding pass and luggage tags I need to accept the passage contract. Am I the only one who is uneasy with the wording of this contract? After the concordia cruise ship incident, I really do not like signing a contract that states I cannot participate in a class action law suite ...no matter what happens, no matter who is at fault. (item 15) If there is a problem you have no time to deal with it, get your head around all the ramifications, and seek legal council before the deadline to proceed is past. Don't get me wrong - I have never gone to court for anything and do not want to ...but it seems we are signing a contract on the assumption that nothing will go wrong so the details do not matter. Surely there are people in the legal profession that read these threads that can offer some reassurance ...to go ahead and click "accept" the contract?

[highheel girl]

You don't have a choice.

No sign no cruise.

[rkmw]

Before I can print my boarding pass and luggage tags I need to accept the passage contract. Am I the only one who is uneasy with the wording of this contract? After the concordia cruise ship incident, I really do not like signing a contract that states I cannot participate in a class action law suite ...no matter what happens, no matter who is at fault. (item 15) If there is a problem you have no time to deal with it, get your head around all the ramifications, and seek legal council before the deadline to proceed is past. Don't get me wrong - I have never gone to court for anything and do not want to ...but it seems we are signing a contract on the assumption that nothing will go wrong so the details do not matter. Surely there are people in the legal profession that read these threads that can offer some reassurance ...to go ahead and click "accept" the contract?

 

no need to panic, just think how many ships there are and how many people cruise....you'll be fine

[bphman]

What would you propose to do? I have never read a contract presented to me that I liked. These are always one sided and Princess isn.t going to change it. And, if there were a case, it would be up to a judge to decide whether it is binding.

[Pam in CA]

Sign or sail. Your choice.

[Cruise Junky]

You don't have a choice.

No sign no cruise.

 

^^ What she said

[Woobstr112G]

Sign or sail. Your choice.

 

I agree.....:):):)

 

Bob

[MicCanberra]

It is sign and sail.If not too bad.

Although, if anything does happen (hope not) and it is Princess's fault, then I am sure the lawyers will be able to punch holes into it and overide the contract.:D

[Loonbeam]

Contracts like these for the most part designed to protect the vendor. Not you. If you think these are bad don't read the airline ones. Or for some of the software and websites you may use.

[Iamcruzin]

A class action lawsuit allows a group of people to sue for a common interest. Does the contract prohibit you from a personal injury lawsuit? If not that’s the way I would go for negligence.

[fishywood]

Contracts like these for the most part designed to protect the vendor. Not you. If you think these are bad don't read the airline ones. Or for some of the software and websites you may use.

 

Exactly. "Arbitration in lieu of litigation" clauses are everywhere. Very likely you have also agreed to one with your cellular carrier, your auto club--and the travel agent you booked your cruise with!

[Loonbeam]

Actually it does. As noted, you agree to arbitration in lieu of litigation. Note that in cases of gross negligence on the part of the vendor, certain contract limitations can be overturned.

 

A class action lawsuit allows a group of people to sue for a common interest. Does the contract prohibit you from a personal injury lawsuit? If not that’s the way I would go for negligence.

[Redwing55]

Why is suing a solution to any incident?

[MicCanberra]

Travel Insurance, - let their lawyers fight the cruiselines' lawyers.:D

[Times Prince]

Before I can print my boarding pass and luggage tags I need to accept the passage contract. Am I the only one who is uneasy with the wording of this contract? After the concordia cruise ship incident, I really do not like signing a contract that states I cannot participate in a class action law suite ...no matter what happens, no matter who is at fault. (item 15) If there is a problem you have no time to deal with it, get your head around all the ramifications, and seek legal council before the deadline to proceed is past. Don't get me wrong - I have never gone to court for anything and do not want to ...but it seems we are signing a contract on the assumption that nothing will go wrong so the details do not matter. Surely there are people in the legal profession that read these threads that can offer some reassurance ...to go ahead and click "accept" the contract?

Any voyage is totally exempt from unforeseen circumstances, most of which are outside the cruise line's control.

 

Ultimately it is your choice whether to cruise and avail yourself of the services or not, and whether to protect yourself from the unforeseen via travel insurance. It is safer than getting into your automobile.

 

Cruise or Cruise Not. It is your choice.

 

My choice is to cruise, relax and enjoy.

[caribill]

Any contract that you, as a consumer, need to agree to has absolutely nothing in it to benefit you. This includes:

a) Car rental contracts

b) Apartment rental contracts

c) Airline contracts

d) Credit card contracts

e) Mortgage contracts

f) Dry cleaning contracts

g) Cable TV contracts

h) Internetc provider contracts

i) Contracts with a lawyer

and, of course,

j) Cruise contracts

[Iamcruzin]

Actually it does. As noted, you agree to arbitration in lieu of litigation. Note that in cases of gross negligence on the part of the vendor, certain contract limitations can be overturned.[/quote

Thanks for clearing that up. I realize the contract is to protect the cruise line and since there is nothing in that contract that would prevent me from signing it I never read it through.

]

[g8way2go]

Travel Insurance, - let their lawyers fight the cruiselines' lawyers.:D

 

 

That makes sense and offers the reassurance I was looking for. Thank you everyone for responding. As you said we have no choice if we want to sail ...and I certainly want to sail!

[jimandtoni]

Actually it does. As noted, you agree to arbitration in lieu of litigation. Note that in cases of gross negligence on the part of the vendor, certain contract limitations can be overturned.[/quote

]

Exactly right. It is NOT a legally binding contract. If you have ever competed in an athletic event outside of high school or college, you signed a similar waiver of rights. It is NOT binding in case of gross negligence. It is done to discourage a certain number of persons from even attempting a law suit. It is done for the same reasons some insurance companies at first deny all claims. A per centage of clients will accept that and not take it any further. No one should be concerned.

[hospvol]

At any rate, the lawyers are the ones that benefit in a class action law suit.

[caribill]

At any rate, the lawyers are the ones that benefit in a class action law suit.

 

That's the truth.

 

A typical settlement would be each member of the class action would get $100 off a future cruise and the lawyers would get $5,000,000 cash plus expenses.

[MicCanberra]

Exactly right. It is NOT a legally binding contract. If you have ever competed in an athletic event outside of high school or college, you signed a similar waiver of rights. It is NOT binding in case of gross negligence. It is done to discourage a certain number of persons from even attempting a law suit. It is done for the same reasons some insurance companies at first deny all claims. A per centage of clients will accept that and not take it any further. No one should be concerned.

Agree, standard cover for any company, to ward off ambulance chasers.:D

[Loonbeam]

Actually I want to be clear. It IS a legally binding contract, UNLESS you can prove in court that the other party was not acting in good faith and therefore breached the terms and obligations of the contract (the intentional gross negligence exception among others). It's a fairly high legal standard to meet. There are some other ones, but pretty much all variations on good faith issues.

 

Exactly right. It is NOT a legally binding contract. If you have ever competed in an athletic event outside of high school or college, you signed a similar waiver of rights. It is NOT binding in case of gross negligence. It is done to discourage a certain number of persons from even attempting a law suit. It is done for the same reasons some insurance companies at first deny all claims. A per centage of clients will accept that and not take it any further. No one should be concerned.