"If a volcano were to erupt, clearly that isn't negligence on anyone's part, that's nature," said Kritzman, a former general counsel with Norwegian Cruise Line. "It all depends on what the cruise knew, and when they knew it." On its website, Royal Caribbean does not identify the company that ran the White Island excursion. Passengers would have to show Royal Caribbean did not take proper care to vet the operator, lawyers said. Royal Caribbean is using the act of God defence against a class action about a powerful storm in 2016 that hit the ship Anthem of the Seas off the eastern United States.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 13, 2019 00:45 UTC