Looking to sue Holland America? Small claims court is an option, and you may have others…
Holland America doesn’t always treat their customers the way they deserve. But pursuing justice can be difficult since most cruise line contracts prevent you from bringing a full lawsuit against them. However, you may still be able to handle your grievance by taking Holland America to small claims court.
The first thing you need to do is determine whether your grievance will qualify for a claim in small claims court. Why does this matter? Small claims courts usually have maximum dollar sizes for the claims you can bring forward. It depends on your state, but the claims are usually between $2000 and $10,000.
You must also consider what type of relief or award you want to seek. Monetary awards are those usually granted by small claims courts. Equitable awards don’t deal with monetary arrangements, and they’re not usually handled by small claims court. If your claim is both below $10,000 in value and monetary, you probably qualify.
But if your claim doesn’t qualify for small claims court, you might still have an alternative. You can pursue arbitration through the National Arbitration and Mediation company, which is what virtually all major cruise lines use for settling disputes.
If you’ve decided to go ahead with your small claims court lawsuit, it’s time to write out your demands. You need to legally ask Holland America to handle your grievance before suing them, so go ahead and write out a letter to get your bases covered. The letter doesn’t have to be very long, but it should be explicit in your demands and how your demands can be solved.
Write the letter and mail a hard copy to Holland America at this address:
Holland America
450 Third Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119
You should also keep a copy of the letter for your own records.
Next, you’ll need to fill out paperwork to properly sue Holland America in small claims court. The actual forms you’ll need to fill out will vary depending on your state’s rules, so head to your local small claims court’s website to complete everything that’s required.
You’ll also probably need to fill out multiple copies of all the documents – lots of states request between three or four copies in total.
Then it’s time to file your court forms. Chances are you’ll need to physically head down to the courthouse during a specific timeframe (i.e. business hours), although a few courts might allow you to electronically submit the forms.
Regardless most courts will require you to pay a small fee for filing. Again, all the details are on your court’s website, including the possibility of a fee waiver if you don’t have much of an income.
At this point, you’re almost done, but you still need to actually serve Holland America performs to let them know they’re being sued. Your court website should have the exact instructions necessary to serve your forms to Holland America. Be sure to follow these to the letter – most courts can and will drop your claim if you don’t file and serve your forms absolutely perfectly.
At this point, all you need to do is memorize your court date and place and show up on time. Be sure to bring all the documentation you need to properly represent your case and support your arguments. If Holland America doesn’t show up, all the better for you – it’s a chance to say your side of the story without them presenting counterarguments.
Ready to sue Holland America 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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