Proposed cruise ship bill of rights

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - On Sunday, Senator Charles Schumer released a proposal that would ensure cruise ships have sanitary conditions, backup power, and medical staff on board to avoid any more future failures.

The proposed "Cruise Ship Passenger Bill of Rights" is modeled on the Airline Passenger Bills of Rights, already passed into law.

It also includes ships that are registered in a foreign country.

Criteria for the Cruise Ship Passenger Bill of Rights include:

1. The right to disembark a docked ship if basic provisions cannot adequately be provided onboard
2. The right to a full refund for a trip that is abruptly canceled due to mechanical failures
3. The right to full-time, on board professional medical attention in the event of a major health crisis
4. The right to real-time information updates as to any adjustments in the travel plan of the ship in the event of a mechanical failure or emergency
5. The right to a ship crew that is properly trained in emergency and evacuation procedures
6. The right to backup power in the case of a generator failure

Schumer's proposal is based on multiple horrifying and dangerous incidents that occurred on international cruise ships.

He is also calling on the Secretary of State and the International Maritime Organization to open an investigation regarding the problems with the "flagged" countries of cruise ships that serve U.S. passengers.

“Cruise ships, in large part operating outside the bounds of United States enforcement, have become the wild west of the travel industry, and it’s time to rein them in before anyone else gets hurt,” said Schumer. "This bill of rights, based on work we've done with the airline industry, will ensure that passengers aren't forced to live in third world conditions or put their lives at risk when they go on vacation."

Past cruise ship failures that sparked Schumer's proposal include: the 2010 Carnival Splendor ship fire; reports of 16 outbreaks to the U.S Centers for Disease Control in 2012; the February 2013 fire on a Carnival Triumph ship; and a gastrointestinal virus affecting over 100 passengers on a Royal Caribbean ship.

The most recent reported events happened on board the Triumph, the Dream, and the Legend cruise ships where passengers lived in horrifying conditions for days.

According to the Senate Commerce Committee, at least 90 serious events have occurred on Carnival cruise ships in the past five years.

The senator is also calling on the Secretary of State to negotiate with countries that host cruise ships U.S. passengers use to adopt the rights.