Looking to sue Seabourne Cruise Lines? Small claims court is an option, and you may have others…
Seabourne Cruise Lines have a lot to offer, but they’re not always on your side. If their customer service representatives have ever given you trouble or if they have withheld your money through false advertising or an error on their part, you might have a case in small claims court.
Before you begin the process of actually suing Seabourne in small claims court, you should determine whether your claim will qualify for it. In a nutshell, small claims courts usually only handle claims that are between $2000 and $10,000 in value, with the actual limit varying from state to state.
Additionally, most legal claims can award either monetary or equitable (i.e. nonmonetary) damages or rewards. Small claims courts only handle the former, with a few exceptions. Check with your state laws and courthouse website to determine whether your claim qualifies for small claims court before proceeding.
If your claim doesn’t qualify, you can still pursue an arbitration session with Seabourne via the National Arbitration and Mediation company. They handle disputes for many major cruise lines.
If your claim does qualify, it’s time to write out your demands and send them to Seabourne in a formal letter. This accomplishes two things:
Writing the letter doesn’t have to be a big deal. You can keep your demands short and to the point, and there’s no set limit for how long the letter needs to be. Just outline your problems and suggested solutions and send the letter to Seabourne at:
Seabourn
450 Third Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119
It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of this letter for your records.
When Seabourne doesn’t reply to the demand letter, you can proceed with the small claims court filing process. To do this, head to the small claims court in your area and fill out the required court forms. These may also be on the court website. Either way, be sure to fill out everything correctly, and do it three or four times to save a copy for your own records and for court requirements.
Next, it’s time to file those forms with your small claims court. The process for this will usually require that you show up in person between certain business hours, although a few courthouses are updating their processes to account for digital filing. Double-check with your court website for the details.
There’s usually a small fee for filing the forms, but there are waivers for this fee if you can prove to the court that you don’t have a high income.
You’ll also need to serve your forms to Seabourne to let them know they’re being sued in small claims court. It’s important that you do this perfectly, as any breach in protocol could result in your lawsuit being thrown out by your small claims court.
At this point, all that’s left is to attend your court date with Seabourne at the set date and time that you should receive upon successfully filing and serving your forms. Be sure to get the date and time right so you show up promptly, and have all the documentation and evidence you need to support your case. Present yourself as best you can and you’ll stand a good chance of succeeding in your fight against Seabourne.
Ready to sue Seabourne 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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