Date Posted: November 21, 2024, 07:33h.
Last Updated On: November 21, 2024, 07:33h.
P&O Cruises faces an upcoming class-action lawsuit for allegedly using “predatory” tactics to entice passengers to gamble in its casinos. The British cruise operator is also accused of unlawfully detaining passengers onboard when they couldn’t settle their debts, as reported by The Daily Mail.
In May, 45-year-old Australian Shane Dixon tragically died after jumping overboard from the Pacific Adventurer cruise ship during its return to Sydney Harbour. Dixon, who was struggling financially and lost AU$9,000 (US$5,800) in the ship’s casino, had booked the cruise with his mother and brother to lift their spirits after recent family losses.
‘Inundated’ with Complaints
Following Dixon’s death, Australian law firm Carter Capner Law, set to file the lawsuit, received numerous complaints. The firm’s director, Peter Carter, noted that P&O had made some changes in response to negative publicity after the incident but continued to encourage excessive gambling by offering perks and credit beyond passengers’ means.
A potential complainant shared that P&O allowed him to gamble AU$6,000 (US$4,000) days after Dixon’s death, despite having only AU$2,000 in his account.
The passenger unknowingly accumulated losses, believing the casino was only withdrawing available funds, leading to a three-hour onboard detention upon return to Sydney, only released after threatening to swim ashore.
‘Against the Law’
Another passenger was enticed to gamble by P&O with a free cruise, unlimited alcohol, dinners, and AU$5,000 daily credit, despite existing gambling debts. Upon attempting to disembark, he was held onboard until signing an acknowledgment of his AU$25,000 (US$16,000) debt, which he couldn’t pay.
“These actions, preventing passengers from leaving the ship and pressuring them at the port about settling casino debts, are not just morally wrong but also illegal,” Carter stated.
P&O Cruises will undergo rebranding to Carnival Cruise Line next year.