New York Passenger Sues Princess Cruises After Slip and Fall on Wet Pool Deck Flooring Aboard Majestic Princess
Eileen Forgione, a resident of New York, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd. in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-26869-JEM, alleges that Forgione sustained severe and permanent physical injuries after slipping on an unreasonably slippery, wet pool deck surface aboard the Majestic Princess during a fourteen-day cruise sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Cruise Passenger Injured on Majestic Princess Deck Seventeen Pool Area Due to Slippery Decking Without Warning Signs
According to the filed complaint, the incident occurred on February 4, 2026, at approximately 4:30 p.m. while Forgione was traversing the Deck 17 pool area aboard the vessel. As she walked across the outdoor space, she suddenly slipped and fell onto what she alleges was an unreasonably slick surface. Following the fall, she observed a large puddle measuring approximately two feet by two feet across the walkway. The flooring in the subject area was made of a synthetic wood-like material, believed to be manufactured by API S.p.A. or Bolidt, which is installed across outside decks and pool areas throughout the fleet. Forgione asserts that this synthetic material turns unreasonably slippery when wet, creating a hidden hazard that is not readily open or obvious to ordinary cruise passengers. Princess crew members placed no wet-floor signs, cones, barriers, or warnings near the puddle, nor did any shipboard personnel provide verbal cautions to approaching guests.
Princess Cruise Lines Accused of Notice After Earlier Wet Pool Deck Slip and Fall Accidents on Fleet Vessels
The complaint asserts that Princess Cruise Lines had actual or constructive notice of the hazardous flooring conditions long before this incident occurred. To demonstrate prior notice of the slippery nature of this specific synthetic deck material, the filing references several earlier passenger injury lawsuits filed in federal court against Princess Cruise Lines. In Squires v. Princess Cruise Lines, a passenger suffered serious harm after slipping on excessive water across the Deck 16 pool deck of the Majestic Princess. In Barton v. Princess Cruise Lines, another passenger sustained severe injuries slipping on slick pool deck flooring aboard the same vessel. Additionally, in Charow v. Princess Cruise Lines, a guest was badly injured when rainwater rendered the Deck 17 pool area dangerously slippery on the Royal Princess, a sister ship sharing substantially identical design specifications. The lawsuit emphasizes that internal safety meetings, audits, incident reports, and past litigation placed the operator on notice that its chosen deck surfaces become hazardous in the presence of water.
Lawsuit Alleges Defective Deck Flooring Selection, Poor Drainage, and Inadequate Anti-Slip Materials
Beyond maintaining an unsafe walking surface, Forgione alleges that Princess Cruise Lines failed to exercise reasonable care during the design, specification, and installation phases of the pool deck flooring. Because cruise ships are custom built, the operator exercises ultimate contractual authority to inspect, approve, or reject flooring materials, drainage layouts, and surface textures. The complaint asserts that pool decks routinely and foreseeably encounter standing water, yet the cruise line selected synthetic materials that lack adequate wet coefficient of friction. Princess could have opted for rubberized coatings, specialized marine-grade composite surfaces, effective non-skid treatments, or recessed drainage systems to mitigate water pooling, but instead installed a synthetic wood surface known to become dangerously slick when wet, in contravention of maritime safety protocols and industry guidelines such as ASTM and SOLAS standards.
Crew Attendant Stood Feet Away from Puddle Without Cleaning or Warning Approaching Cruise Guests
The lawsuit includes allegations of general negligence and vicarious liability against Princess Cruise Lines based on the conduct of a shipboard pool attendant. According to court documents, an assigned crew member tasked with maintaining and drying the area was standing roughly five to ten feet away from the puddle prior to the fall. This crew member allegedly had a direct line of sight to the standing water, had access to caution cones, and was specifically scheduled to keep the deck clean and dry, yet failed to intervene or notify guests before the fall took place. The filing notes that the attendant immediately cleaned and dried the two-foot puddle right after Forgione went down, establishing that shipboard staff were aware of the hazard but delayed routine maintenance.
Passenger Seeks Damages for Fractured Arm, Torn Shoulder, Knee Damage, and Diminished Cruise Value
As a direct consequence of the incident, Forgione suffered multiple severe injuries, including a left distal-radius fracture, a torn left shoulder, and injuries to her left knee. The lawsuit details extensive medical care, persistent physical pain, emotional distress, physical impairment, and permanent limitation of mobility. In addition to past and future medical expenses and permanent impairment, Forgione seeks compensation for the lost value of her fourteen-day cruise vacation and associated travel costs. Her complaint brings formal counts for negligent maintenance, negligent failure to warn, negligent design and material selection, and general negligence under respondeat superior.
Contact a Cruise Ship Pool Deck Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer If You Were Hurt Aboard a Vessel
Cruise ship operators have a legal duty under maritime law to exercise reasonable care, regularly inspect pool areas, warn guests of known hazards, and install slip-resistant deck materials.
If you or a loved one suffered broken bones, shoulder injuries, or other harm in a pool deck slip and fall accident on a cruise, consult an experienced maritime injury lawyer to protect your legal rights and explore your options for financial recovery. Please contact us now to discuss your cruise ship injury claim.
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.
