American Cruise Lines Lawsuits: ADA, Employment, and Jones Act Cases

American Cruise Lines, the Guilford, Connecticut-based U.S.-flagged river and coastal operator, has been the subject of several lawsuits and regulatory actions over the past decade, including a Department of Justice settlement over wheelchair accessibility, multiple employment suits, and a Jones Act case the company itself filed against a federal decision favoring a Viking-linked competitor. The disputes span federal disability law, wage and hour claims, civil rights litigation, and consumer complaints about cancellation policies.

ADA Settlement With the Department of Justice

In January 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced a settlement with American Cruise Lines covering accessibility failures on all 17 of the company’s passenger vessels at the time. The DOJ found that the company had not made its ships fully accessible to wheelchair users, had not provided safe boarding and disembarking procedures for those passengers, and had not offered wheelchair-accessible ground transportation during shore excursions.¹

Under the agreement, American Cruise Lines had 18 months to submit a comprehensive remediation plan for federal review before starting renovations. The company also agreed to adopt ADA-compliant policies and staff training, appoint a dedicated ADA compliance officer, build an accessible website and reservation system, and provide portable communication devices to alert deaf passengers during shipboard emergencies.² The settlement resolved the allegations without formal litigation, but the DOJ kept authority to investigate future complaints, conduct periodic reviews, and file civil suits if violations continued.¹

Employment Lawsuits

Unpaid Overtime Class Action

Stewards aboard the company’s ships filed a class action in 2015 alleging that American Cruise Lines had failed to pay overtime and minimum wages required under federal law. The case, McCormick, et al. v. American Cruise Lines Inc. (No. 3:15-cv-00741), was brought in the District of Connecticut by plaintiffs Nicole McCormick, Jesus Estrada, and Justice Kimmons.³ The company agreed to a $1 million settlement in 2016.⁴

Fair Credit Reporting Act Suit

In August 2023, a plaintiff named Kirk filed Kirk v. American Cruise Lines, Inc. (No. 3:23-cv-01057-VAB) in the District of Connecticut, alleging the company violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act during hiring. The complaint said American Cruise Lines rescinded a conditional job offer based on a background report that contained inaccurate criminal record information and omitted a gubernatorial pardon, and that the company never provided a copy of the report or a summary of FCRA rights before taking the adverse action.⁵ The parties settled in August 2025 for an undisclosed amount.⁶

Religious Discrimination Over a Vaccine Mandate

Former riverboat captain Richard Weyland sued the company in July 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, alleging constructive discharge and religious discrimination. Weyland, who described himself as a devout Baptist, said American Cruise Lines denied his request for a religious exemption from its 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate and that he was effectively forced out. He sought more than $1.8 million in lost wages, benefits, relocation expenses, emotional distress, and punitive damages.⁷

On September 3, 2025, U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove allowed the case to proceed against the company while dismissing company president Charles Robertson as a defendant. He ordered 120 days of limited discovery to determine whether the suit, filed roughly three years after Weyland’s departure, fell within the statute of limitations.⁷

Sex Discrimination Suit

In January 2026, a plaintiff named Price filed a Title VII sex discrimination suit against the company. Price v. American Cruise Lines, Inc. (No. 3:26-cv-00108) is pending in the District of Connecticut before Judge Omar A. Williams. In its March 2026 answer, the company identified its corporate parent as Fleet Blue, Inc. Discovery is set to close in November 2026, with a trial-ready date of March 31, 2027.⁸

Jones Act Challenge Against a Viking Charter

American Cruise Lines was the plaintiff in one of its most consequential cases. In American Cruise Lines v. United States, the company challenged a federal decision that let a foreign-linked competitor operate on the Mississippi River.

The dispute centered on a charter between River 1, LLC, a subsidiary of American shipbuilder Edison Chouest Offshore, and Viking USA LLC, a subsidiary of the Swiss company Viking River Cruises. River 1 built and crewed the vessel while Viking handled onboard entertainment and commercial operations. In March 2022, the U.S. Maritime Administration classified the arrangement as a “time charter,” which enjoys blanket federal approval, rather than a “bareboat charter,” which would have amounted to an impermissible transfer of vessel control to a foreign entity under the Jones Act.⁹

American Cruise Lines argued the charter was a bareboat arrangement in disguise because Viking absorbed standard operating costs, bore business risks and liability for passenger misconduct, and could request the removal of the vessel master. The company also said MARAD had not followed proper notice-and-comment procedures under the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.¹⁰

On March 15, 2024, the Second Circuit rejected American Cruise Lines’ arguments and affirmed MARAD’s decision. The court found River 1 kept exclusive possession and control of the vessel, providing the crew, overseeing the vessel master, and handling day-to-day maintenance. The panel also held that MARAD had satisfied the NDAA’s procedural requirements.⁹ The ruling validated a model in which a foreign company can enter the U.S. river cruise market by partnering with a domestic firm that retains ownership and control, and the opinion noted Viking’s plans to expand into other markets where it would compete directly with American Cruise Lines, including the Snake River.¹¹

Consumer Complaints Over Cancellations and Advertising

Outside of formal litigation, the company’s Better Business Bureau profile lists 46 complaints filed over a three-year period, with 21 closed in the most recent 12 months. Product issues account for 30, mostly disputes over cancellation and refund policies, and nine complaints allege misleading sales and advertising.¹²

A recurring theme involves the company’s “Cancel For Any Reason” plan. Customers have alleged sales staff described it as insurance offering a full refund, when in practice it operates as a non-refundable fee waiver with restrictive terms, including a 24-hour full-refund window and per-person administrative fees they said were not disclosed at booking. Some complainants reported losing more than $12,000 after canceling for medical emergencies and receiving only a courtesy discount on a future cruise.¹³ Advertising complaints include allegations that a stateroom marketed at 350 square feet measured closer to 230, and that a free-airfare and $1,000-credit promotion was not honored on certain cruises.¹² The company has responded that its policies are “transparent, well publicized, and available to all guests” and that it must apply cancellation terms uniformly.¹⁴

What the Passenger Ticket Contract Limits

Anyone considering a claim against American Cruise Lines should read the Terms and Conditions of Passage first, because they narrow the options considerably. All claims must be brought in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, or in a state court in New Haven County if federal jurisdiction is unavailable, and the contract is governed by U.S. maritime law.¹⁵

Passengers waive their right to a jury trial unless state law prohibits such a waiver, and they waive participation in class actions. Personal injury or death claims require written notice within six months and a lawsuit within one year. All other claims require notice within 30 days and suit within six months. Baggage liability is capped at $100 per passenger, and the company disclaims liability for emotional distress unless it results from physical injury, the actual risk of physical injury, or intentional conduct.¹⁵

1
U.S. Department of Justice. American Cruise Line Agrees to Improve Fleet Accessibility in ADA Settlement
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New Haven Register. American Cruise Lines Guilford Wheelchair Access
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Top Class Actions. American Cruise Lines Settles Unpaid Overtime Class Action Lawsuit
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Law360. River Cruise Co. Agrees to Pay $1M to Settle Wage Claims
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Law360. Conn. Cruise Co. Sued Over Employment Background Checks
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Asurint. Cruise Line Settles FCRA Claims
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Lexington KY News. Federal Judge Allows Religious Discrimination Suit by Ex-Riverboat Captain Who Declined COVID Shot to Proceed
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PACER Monitor. Price v. American Cruise Lines, Inc.
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Justia. American Cruise Lines v. United States, No. 22-1029
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Courthouse News Service. Swiss Company Rightly Controls Mississippi River Cruise Ship, Second Circuit Rules
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FindLaw. American Cruise Lines v. United States
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Better Business Bureau. American Cruise Lines BBB Complaints
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Better Business Bureau. American Cruise Lines BBB Complaints – Page 3
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Better Business Bureau. American Cruise Lines BBB Complaints – Page 2
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American Cruise Lines. Terms and Conditions