Looking to sue Royal Caribbean? Small claims court is an option, and you may have others…
Royal Caribbean, despite the name, oftentimes make their guests feel anything but royal. If you have a legitimate grievance against Royal Caribbean and the way they’ve treated you on your recent cruise, then it might be a good idea to pursue a resolution through small claims court.
Suing Royal Caribbean can be a time-consuming ordeal, so be sure that your claim qualifies for small claims court before starting the process. To do this, determine whether your claim fulfills the following two criteria:
If your claim doesn’t fulfill one or both of the above requirements, you might still be able to pursue arbitration against Royal Caribbean through the National Arbitration and Mediation company. This company settles disputes between companies and cruise lines like Royal Caribbean all the time.
If you’ve found that your claim does qualify for small claims court, it’s time to begin. The first thing you need to do is write a demand letter that spells out all your problems with Royal Caribbean or their operation and ask for a resolution. The letter doesn’t have to be extremely formal; just keep it simple and outline your demands as clearly as possible. Then mail the letter to Royal Caribbean using this address:
Royal Caribbean
1 Black Falcon Ave
Boston, MA 02210
Before mailing, make sure to keep a few copies on hand for your records and in case you need to prove that you sent the letter in the first place.
If Royal Caribbean doesn’t respond to your demand letter, you can officially begin the process of filing a small claims court lawsuit. You can do this by checking your local small claims court website and filling out all the required forms they stipulate. These usually need to be filled out in either triplicate or up to four or five times for filing purposes and so you can keep a copy for your own records.
Filling out the forms is only the first half of the process: next, you need to file. You usually need to file your small claims court lawsuit forms in person at your courthouse, although a few places might allow you to submit them electronically. You’ll also usually need to pay a small fee, though this can occasionally be waived if you can prove that you’re low-income.
Additionally, check your court website for details on how to serve the forms to Royal Caribbean. This informs the cruise line that they’re being sued in small claims court. You have to get it correct or your claim might get thrown out, requiring you to start the whole process over again. Make sure that you get all the forms perfect and don’t fill out anything incorrectly.
After filing, all you have to do is wait for your court date to show up and prepare your documentation for your case. Put together the strongest case for your grievance against Royal Caribbean as you can to stand the best chance of winning your claim. Sometimes big cruise companies like Royal Caribbean don’t bother showing up to small claims court cases at all, which is great news for you.
Ready to sue Royal Caribbean 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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