Cruise Passenger Protection Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
In Committee
Summary
Bolsters cruise passenger consumer protections. The bill would create a new Office of Maritime Consumer Protection, require clear ticket summaries, set public incident and complaint reporting, ban predispute arbitration and class-action waivers, and establish victim support services and stricter enforcement.
Show full summary
- Passengers and families: Would require owners to give a formatted contract summary before a binding ticket, post the summary on booking sites, and publish monthly complaint and incident data by vessel.
- Victims and relatives: Would create a Director of Victim Support Services with a 24/7 toll-free hotline, require written rights summaries and immediate confidential support, and coordinate with DOJ, embassies, and local service providers.
- Owners, operators, and law enforcement: Would require owners to notify the FBI and U.S. consulate within 4 hours for incidents involving U.S. passengers, tighten surveillance and video-retention rules to as long as 1 year, and allow civil penalties up to $25,000 per day and criminal penalties up to $250,000 or 1 year imprisonment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
24/7 victim help and faster reporting
The bill would create a Director of Victim Support Services with a 24/7 toll‑free number. The office would help arrange counseling, legal advocacy, and reporting support for U.S. citizen passengers who report covered incidents. Cruise owners would have to call the FBI within 4 hours of learning of such an incident, and contact the U.S. consulate within 4 hours after the next port arrival. An interim director would be named in 30 days and a permanent director in 180 days. DOT would study having trained victim‑support staff on board and report to Congress within one year.
Clearer cruise contracts and complaint tools
This bill would set up a new DOT office to handle cruise passenger complaints and enforcement. It would create a toll‑free hotline and an online incident website that lists complaints and alleged crimes by ship and updates at least monthly. Cruise lines would have to post these links on booking pages and boarding papers. DOT would set a short, plain summary for ticket contracts, including a lawsuit deadline of at least three years, and lines would have to give this before terms are binding. An advisory group would help pick the key contract terms and would report within a year.
No forced arbitration in cruise tickets
This bill would ban ticket terms that block class actions before a dispute happens. Arbitration would be allowed only if everyone agrees in writing after a dispute starts. Courts, not arbitrators, would decide if arbitration applies. These rules would apply to contracts signed or renewed on or after enactment.
Stronger medical and safety rules onboard
If enacted, ships would need enough qualified medical staff as set by regulation, and all crew would need basic life support and CPR training. Passenger‑facing crew on trips to or from U.S. ports would have to meet English listening and speaking tests; these rules would start 180 days after enactment. Investigators would be able to access ship logs no matter where kept, and key video would be kept for one year after the voyage, with some records kept five years. The Coast Guard would issue interim retention rules in 180 days and final rules in one year. Ships would also log each crew entry to staterooms and review access rules yearly.
Tougher enforcement against noncompliant cruise lines
The bill would allow civil fines up to $25,000 per day and criminal fines up to $250,000, plus up to one year in prison for willful violations. Homeland Security could withhold or revoke a ship’s clearance and deny U.S. entry if an owner breaks the law or fails to pay penalties. Federal agencies would share needed information to enforce these rules, without waiving legal privileges. The Secretary could waive a specific requirement but must record and justify each waiver. The bill would also remove a $50,000 exception from the enforcement text.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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