Judge Considering Lawsuit Against Carnival Cruise

Two Cuban Americans are suing the cruise line for initially saying it was adhering to Cuban policy which forbids nationals to return to the island via sea.

Carnival is now saying the trips will not take place unless the policy changes.

But the plaintiffs lawyer, Tucker Ronzetti says their new proposal is just as discriminatory.

“Basically saying maybe we’ll allow Cuban-born Americans to get in the ship but they won’t be able to get off the ship, you can look at the island from your window but you won’t be able to enjoy all the services that everyone else will enjoy…it’s still a situation where Cuban-born Americans are being treated differently, they’re not enjoying the full measure of equality that they’re entitled too under the Civil Rights Act.”

Ronzetti says a judges’s order is necessary. “If they truly intend for Cuban-born Americans to be treated equally, they should without hesitation allow the judge to execute a consent order and they’re just simply unwilling to do that.”

The judge has yet to make a ruling.

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MIAMI (AP) — Two Cuban-American men are asking a Miami federal judge to guarantee they will not suffer discrimination on upcoming Carnival Corp. cruises to Cuba.

Carnival announced it will allow Cuban-born people to book passage on the trips, set to begin May 1. The company is negotiating with Cuba to change its policy prohibiting nationals from departing or returning to the island by sea. Carnival says if no agreement is reached, it will delay the first cruise in more than 50 years between the U.S. and Cuba.

One of the men’s attorneys said at a hearing Thursday that a judge’s order is necessary to ensure Carnival does not change its decision. Carnival says the decision will not change. The judge did not immediately rule. The exiles filed a lawsuit claiming Carnival’s previous adherence to the Cuban policy was discriminatory.

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