Florida Passenger Sues Royal Caribbean After Trip and Fall on Utopia of the Seas Promenade Deck

Teresa Coble, a resident of Florida, has initiated a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The civil action, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-20316, asserts that Coble sustained severe orthopedic injuries during a January 2025 voyage aboard the Utopia of the Seas. The complaint alleges that the cruise line failed to maintain a safe walkway on the vessel’s popular Promenade Deck, allowing a dangerous trip hazard to threaten the safety of passengers enjoying their vacation.

Passenger Alleges Serious Injury Caused by Poorly Marked Sign Leg on Crowded Promenade Deck

The lawsuit details the events of January 22, 2025, a sea day where the ship was fully populated with passengers. According to the complaint, Coble was walking along the Promenade Deck, also known as Deck 5, in the early afternoon. The area is described as being heavily crowded with shops, dining venues, and décor designed to visually stimulate and distract passengers. The plaintiff alleges that while navigating this high-traffic area, she tripped over a leg protruding from a “Utopia” sign that had been placed on the floor.

Coble claims that the hazard was virtually invisible due to the conditions maintained by Royal Caribbean. The complaint states that the sign leg was a neutral color that blended seamlessly with the neutral-colored flooring, lacking any contrasting paint or tape to make it distinguishable. Furthermore, the plaintiff asserts that the lighting in the area was low and that the environment was filled with visual distractions that diverted attention away from the floor. Consequently, she did not see the obstruction before the fall occurred.

Lawsuit Claims Crew Members Admitted Knowledge of Prior Trip and Fall Incidents on Utopia of the Seas

A significant portion of the complaint focuses on Royal Caribbean’s alleged knowledge of the dangerous condition. Following the incident, Coble sought treatment at the ship’s onboard medical facility. The filing alleges that during her treatment, a ship nurse identified as Leonor explicitly informed the plaintiff that she was not the first passenger to trip and fall over the Utopia sign leg and that she would likely not be the last. This admission is cited in the lawsuit as evidence that the cruise line had actual notice of the hazard yet failed to take corrective action.

Despite the alleged history of similar accidents involving the sign, the lawsuit argues that Royal Caribbean did not place barricades around the object or install warning signage to alert pedestrians. The plaintiff contends that the cruise line had policies in place regarding trip hazards and the placement of warnings but failed to follow its own internal safety protocols. The complaint suggests that the cruise line prioritized aesthetics over safety by allowing a camouflaged tripping hazard to remain in a crowded thoroughfare without adequate safeguards.

Complaint Charges Royal Caribbean with Negligent Training and Failure to Maintain Safe Walking Areas

The legal action brings three counts of negligence against the cruise line, including vicarious liability, direct negligence, and failure to train. Coble’s legal counsel argues that Royal Caribbean breached its duty of reasonable care by selecting and installing a sign with a protruding leg in a walkway used by thousands of passengers. The filing accuses the defendant of failing to paint the sign leg a contrasting color, failing to monitor the area for hazards, and failing to provide a safe path of travel.

Additionally, the lawsuit asserts that Royal Caribbean was negligent in its training of crew members. The plaintiff alleges that the cruise line did not adequately instruct its staff on how to identify trip hazards, how to properly place barricades, or how to ensure lighting levels were sufficient for passenger safety. The complaint argues that if the crew had been properly trained to recognize the danger posed by the non-contrasting sign leg, they would have taken steps to block off the area or warn passengers, thereby preventing the accident.

Plaintiff Seeks Compensation for Broken Shoulder and Ongoing Medical Treatment Following Cruise Injury

As a result of the fall, Coble alleges she suffered significant physical trauma, specifically a broken right shoulder involving a rotator cuff tear and a SLAP tear. The complaint also lists bruising to her ribs, knees, and arms. The plaintiff claims that the severity of the shoulder injury required surgical intervention and that she remains in post-surgical therapy with continuing symptoms. She has reportedly been advised that additional surgery may be necessary in the future.

The lawsuit seeks damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of the capacity for the enjoyment of life, medical expenses, and the loss of the value of her cruise vacation. Coble asserts that her injuries are permanent and continuing in nature. The complaint emphasizes that the cruise line’s failure to address a known hazard directly caused these life-altering injuries.

Contact a Royal Caribbean Promenade Deck Injury Lawyer If You Were Injured Due to Trip Hazards

Cruise lines have a responsibility to keep high-traffic areas like promenade decks free from hidden dangers and trip hazards. When a cruise ship operator places signs or décor in walkways without proper visibility or warnings, they put passengers at risk of serious injury. If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to a trip and fall accident on a Royal Caribbean ship or another vessel, you may have grounds for a legal claim. Our experienced maritime injury attorneys are ready to review the details of your incident and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship injury attorney.

Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.