A lawsuit was filed against Carnival Corporation and Fathom Travel for alleged discrimination in their Cuban cruise. The lawsuit details that two Cuban-Americans were declined of reservations over their Cuban birth.
According to Cruise Law News, the lawsuit said that the cruise lines violated the civil rights of two Cuban-American passengers by denying their reservations on the Adonia just because they were born in Cuba. The lawsuit filed by law firms of Koyzan, Tropin and Throckmorton and Robert Rodriguez seeks a class action certification.
Travel Weekly reported that Amparo Sanchez and Francisco Marty were the ones deprived of their civil right outlined in Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating on the basis of national origin. The suit said that Sanchez and Marty contacted Carnival separately to reserve a Fathom cruise and because of their 'heavy accent,' they were asked about their national origin. This led to them not being able to travel in the Fathom due to their country of origin. Carnival Corp. which owns the Fathom brand said "It is our hope and intention that everyone can travel and we will continue to pursue a change in the regulation that puts cruising on the same footing as aircraft travel is today in Cuba."
Meanwhile, USA Today wrote that Robert Rodriguez, one of the lawyers of the plaintiff, said he was shocked when his clients explained that they were told by a booking agent that they couldn't purchase the trip since they are Cuabans. Rodriguez said "The more I started researching this, the more I became upset. I was surprised and let down."
However, Carnival said it was forced into the decision by the government of Cuban which prohibits people born in Cuba to return to the island by sea but not by air. The suit names Carnival Corp and Fathom Travel Limited Corp as defendants. It seeks a judgment based on the defendants' conduct and asks for a jury trial.
