Looking to sue Carnival, Carnival Cruise Line? Small claims court is an option, and you may have others…
Carnival Cruise Lines is one of the biggest cruise lines in the world, which often means that they leave the well-being of their customers by the wayside in pursuit of greater profit. If you have an issue with Carnival and want to sue them, you’ve probably already noticed a roadblock: your contract says you can’t.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t sue the cruise line giant in small claims court.
For starters, think about whether your claim will qualify for small claims court in the first place. Small claims courts always have maximum dollar amounts for claims that can be brought forward. Double-check with your state, as the range is usually between $2500 and $10,000.
You should also think about the type of relief you are seeking. Monetary awards are dollar value payments while equitable awards might be any nonmonetary solution. The former is usually all that small claims courts will let you win.
In the event that your claim won’t work with small claims court based on the above aspects, you can also pursue arbitration against Carnival using NAM, the National Arbitration and Mediation company. This is the organization that Carnival and other cruise lines use for mediation purposes to settle disputes.
On the other hand, if you do find that you can bring a small claims court forward, it’s time to spell out your demands. This is important because you are legally required to ask the organization you are suing to solve the problem before the claim is pressed.
Write a demand letter in simple and straightforward terms. Tell Carnival who you are, explain your grievance, and demand a solution. Just remember to be polite and honest about everything on the letter.
After writing, send the demand letter to Carnival. Make sure it’s a hard copy, and keep a copy for yourself for legal purposes. You can mail the letter to Carnival at:
3655 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, FL 33178
If Carnival doesn’t acquiesce to your requests, you can fill out the paperwork necessary to press a small claims court lawsuit.
Again, check with your state to see what forms you need to fill out to file your claim. You can locate which forms you need to fill out based on your state’s court website. Whatever you fill out, make sure you keep a few extra copies for your own records.
After this, go ahead and file your court forms with the small claims court in question. This will usually require you to show up during specific hours and days to hand over the forms physically. However, some places may allow you to email or fax the forms over. Be prepared to pay a small fee to complete your claim process.
Additionally, you’ll need to let Carnival know that you plan to sue them in small claims court. All you have to do is deliver a copy of the filed papers mentioned above to Carnival. The state court website should have instructions for the delivery of these forms.
Just be sure to follow them to the letter – claims can be and are dropped because people don’t follow the rules perfectly!
Lastly, just be sure to show up on your court date after filing your forms and serving Carnival. Double-check that you know which courthouse you need to go to and be sure to have a copy of all your forms and other evidence to back up your case against Carnival.
Present your case as best you can. If you’re lucky, Carnival may not even show up to oppose you!
Ready to sue Carnival Cruise lines in small claims court?
If this sounds too hard and expensive, try consumer arbitration instead…
The Ultimate Guide to Consumer Complaints
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