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Costa Offers Survivors 30% Off... a New Cruise

Victims slams 'insulting' compensation, plan class action lawsuit

By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 23, 2012 2:31 AM CST | Updated Jan 23, 2012 5:30 AM CST
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(Newser) – The cruise line that operated the doomed Costa Concordia has a strange way of compensating the victims of its shipwreck—30% discounts off a future cruise, provided survivors stick with Costa Cruises, reports the New York Daily News. “The company is not only going to refund everybody, but they will offer a 30% discount on future cruises if they want to stay loyal to the company,” said a spokesman for the cruise line. There's been no word of any refunds for flights customers have bought for future Concordia cruises.

“It is a ridiculous and insulting offer,” says one survivor. Instead, lawsuits are being launched against Costa Cruises in Italy and the US, with 100 survivors expected to join a class action suit against the company this week in Miami. Passengers in the Miami lawsuit are seeking about $160,000 each, which would total $513 million for all 3,206 passengers. Costa Cruises also denied yesterday reports it had unregistered passengers on the Concordia, according to the New York Times.

The cruise ship Costa Concordia lies on its side off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, yesterday.
The cruise ship Costa Concordia lies on its side off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, yesterday.   (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
maddog1950
Jan 23, 2012 11:54 AM CST
Talking about a corp. living is a different universe. WTF
miamisun
Jan 23, 2012 11:47 AM CST
Companies do not care about your safety or rights anymore. Someone I know had his brakes done at a very high end dealership. He left with his elderly mother in the cat and the brakes did not work, but luckily he did not crash. He towed it back to the dealership and they offered a 20% discount. It is a sad state of affair we are in here. 
LoginsSuck
Jan 23, 2012 11:31 AM CST
Just once I would like to see a business do the right thing. This cruise line knows it is responsible directly for the accident as it was responsible for employing the captain and ensuring the passengers safety by employing proper trained staff. Any actions of staff are on behalf of the company. Thus there is a personal liability of the captain/crew and a liability of the corporation's (apparently they are people too). Yes sure there is a chance they could get a judge and jury to relieve them of that liability. We all know who is responsible. Do the right thing and offer the survivors and victim's families a reasonable amount of compensation for their loss, pain & suffering. Refund and 30% off a future cruise is not a reasonable compensation. Don't make them go through a long trail and high court/lawyer fees to get a small portion with the lawyers walking away with the bulk of the money. Why not just give them each a fair offer. Yes it costs money to the company, but that is the price of doing business. If you are willing to risk to make money, you should also assume the risk if things go bad and pay out the money. Besides, the company should have insurance to cover this type of accident. The insurance company takes on the risk when selling policies to clients. This is one they should rightfully pay and not fight. That is the purpose of insurance. I am guess that the insurance co said fight it or we won't pay.
Money • Health • World

 
Italy • shipwreck • class action lawsuits • Costa Cruises • Costa Concordia

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