ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney Cruise Line is facing four lawsuits from guests who claim they contracted COVID-19 while on their Disney Fantasy voyage last March.
Each of the suits alleges Disney would not allow them to cancel or postpone their trips despite both coronavirus concerns and that they were traveling with family members who have an autoimmune disease or health conditions.
"Left without any option" and having "trusted" Disney to not put them in harm's way, each plaintiff says they still followed through with their trip between March 7-14.
Jana Olsen claims she and her child contracted the virus while on the cruise ship, which later led her husband Scott to test positive for the virus.
But according to the lawsuit, Olsen and her child tested positive on May 1, 2020, while her husband tested positive on March 28.
All others who filed suit, Judy Parkin, Kailee Taylor and Krystal Skinner and her children also claim to have contracted COVID-19 on the Disney Fantasy, later testing positive on April 15.
Each lawsuit makes reference to the plaintiffs experiencing symptoms such as body aches, cough, fever, loss of smell, chills, etc.
Guests also allege those on the ship were allowed to congregate in close proximity for the buffet and group dining experience and that at no time did Disney enact a quarantine or insert physical distancing measures.
The main complaint appears to be the accusation that Disney Cruise Line “allowed passengers to fully participate in the subject cruise as if there was no COVID-19 outbreak or threat thereof aboard the vessel.”
The company doesn't agree with the accusations made.
“Our thoughts continue to be with those around the world who have been affected by COVID-19. We disagree with the allegations and will respond to them in court. No guests or Crew reported symptoms of Covid-19 while aboard the Disney Fantasy during the March 7, 2020," Disney Cruise Line spokesperson Cynthia Martinez said.
"Disney Cruise Line communicated health and safety information with guests in advance of and during their sailing and had numerous protocols in place at the time.”
The company says all guests were offered an opportunity to change their reservation up until the day before their ship was set to embark and receive a 100-percent cruise credit.
It also says that prior to boarding, guests completed health screenings, were given information about the ship's COVID protocols and encouraged multiple times while sailing to contact the medical center if they felt unwell.
Buffet service was suspended on March 12, according to the Disney Cruise Line.
Overall, similar lawsuits claim Disney failed to protect guests and that the cruise line "knew of the dangerous conditions associated with COVID-19, including its extreme contagiousness, before the subject voyage."
The U.S. Department of State did not issue guidance for Americans, particularly those with underlying health conditions, to not travel by cruise ship until one day after the Disney Fantasy set sail.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued the initial "No Sail Order" on March 14. Massive cruise ships have been kept at port ever since with only a few cruise lines eyeing May 2021 for a return to the open seas.
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