Can I Sue the Cruise Line for My USVI Excursion Injuries?

 Posted on June 11, 2025 in Personal Injury

Several major cruise lines visit the U.S. Virgin Islands. While their ships are docked, tourists often take advantage of various excursions, like parasailing and scuba diving. Many travelers believe that booking an excursion directly through a cruise line guarantees safety and accountability. While it may seem logical that the cruise line could be held responsible if you are injured during an excursion, the legal reality can be more complicated.  

If you were injured during an excursion, you need the assistance of our knowledgeable St. John personal injury attorneys. We can investigate your accident, determine fault, establish liability, and help you secure as much compensation as you deserve.

What Are Common Excursion Injuries?

One of the most common types of excursion injuries involves falls. People often slip on wet boat decks, loose gravel, or uneven steps during outdoor tours. These falls can lead to broken bones, cuts, or head injuries. Poor lighting or a lack of handrails can make the risk even worse.

Water-based excursions come with their own set of dangers. Accidents can happen when tour operators do not provide proper safety gear, use defective harnesses, or fail to explain risks. Tourists may be hurt while snorkeling, jet skiing, parasailing, or swimming. Cuts from coral, boat propeller injuries, and near-drowning incidents are serious risks on these types of outings.

Transportation during excursions can also lead to injuries. Many tours involve vans, buses, or open-air vehicles. If a driver speeds, takes sharp turns too quickly, or drives on unsafe roads, accidents can happen.

Why Is the Cruise Line Not Automatically Liable for Excursion Injuries?

Even though the cruise line arranges the booking, excursions are often run by independent businesses. In many cases, the cruise line will try to avoid liability by claiming it only served as a middleman and that the tour operator is fully responsible. Whether you can sue the cruise line for an injury that happened during an excursion depends on several details, including who operated the activity, what the cruise line knew, and what was included in the fine print of your booking agreement.

Sometimes, excursions are operated by cruise line employees. In that case, the cruise line could be liable for your injuries.

If the cruise line continued working with a third-party tour company that had a poor safety record or had received complaints about dangerous conditions, you may be able to establish that the cruise line was negligent. Promoting unsafe operators, failing to inspect excursions, or not warning passengers about known risks are negligent actions. Negligence is the basis for most personal injury claims.

Where the injury happened also plays a role. If your accident happened in the U.S. Virgin Islands, local personal injury laws may apply. These laws allow injured individuals to seek compensation when someone else’s carelessness caused harm. However, the cruise line may have included terms in your passenger agreement that limit your ability to hold it accountable for your injuries.

It is possible that more than one party can be held liable for your injuries. The cruise line, excursion operators and companies, equipment manufacturers or inspectors, and other drivers are examples. We will evaluate every party involved in your excursion and seek to hold all at-fault parties accountable.

Why Do I Need a Local Lawyer for a USVI Excursion Injury Case?

Personal injury cases must follow the rules of the territory, including filing deadlines and court procedures. A local lawyer knows which laws apply and how to use them to protect your rights.

A lawyer based in the U.S. Virgin Islands will already be familiar with the companies that run tours and activities. That can make it easier to investigate what went wrong, find witnesses, and gather the evidence needed to build a strong case.

Because we are based in the USVI, we can work directly with local courts and medical providers. Having someone on the ground makes the process faster and more efficient, especially if you have already returned home.

Speak to Our Skilled St. Croix Tourist Accident Attorneys

When your cruise turns from a fun vacation to a painful experience after an excursion injury, our dedicated St. Thomas personal injury lawyers can help you obtain maximum compensation. Contact Colianni & Leonard LLC at 340-719-1766 or online to schedule your free consultation today.