Tasmanian dozen primed to join Ruby Princess cruise ship lawsuit

Hundreds of people have signed up as part of a massive lawsuit being prepared against the operators of the coronavirus-affected cruise ship Ruby Princess.

TWELVE Tasmanians who were passengers on the Ruby Princess cruiseliner and were exposed to coronavirus health risks are among hundreds of people poised to launch legal action against the ship’s operator.

Four Tasmanian couples, plus family members of passengers who became sick after the cruise, or who died due to the effects of a coronavirus infection, are seeking legal advice against Ruby Princess operator, Princess Cruises.

Practice leader of Shine Lawyers’ Class Actions, Vicky Antzoulatos, told the Sunday Tasmanian “hundreds of passengers” from Australia and overseas had so far contacted the legal firm.

“We are preparing the case and the legal documents to file in the coming weeks,” she said.

Hobart man Ulbe “Bill” Springer, who contracted coronavirus as a passenger on the Ruby Princess in early March, is in discussions with Shine Lawyers.

“The reason that I am quite angry about the whole thing is that there was obviously an issue on the previous cruise and both Princess Cruises and NSW Health made the decision to allow our cruise to still go ahead,” Mr Springer, 65, said.

“I do feel that the cruise should not have been allowed to go ahead ... I can’t say what information was shared between Princess [Cruises] and NSW Health, so until that information comes to light, I can only apportion equal blame to both.”

Ruby Princess cruise ship passenger Bill Springer. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

The Ruby Princess COVID-19 outbreak has been linked to more than 700 cases and 22 deaths.

Tasmania’s first three coronavirus fatalities – two people at the North West Regional Hospital, and 81-year-old Len Fisher at Royal Hobart Hospital – had been passengers aboard the Ruby Princess.

HOW CORONAVIRUS SPREAD THROUGH NORTH-WEST HOSPITAL

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein this month said investigations into a deadly coronavirus cluster in the North-West found that the Ruby Princess was the most likely cause of the outbreak. Healthcare staff infected through treating two returned and infected passengers then passed on the virus to other staff and patients.

Shine Lawyers’ Ms Antzoulatos said passengers believed they were not alerted to the risks of COVID-19 on the Ruby Princess.

“The main concern has been that Princess Cruises did not, at any stage, warn passengers about the risks they faced in getting on that ship,” she said.

“They were left completely in the dark about the risks of contracting coronavirus. It is likely that Carnival [Australia] knew about the risks given their experiences with the Diamond Princess and Grand Princess.

“As a result, passengers were not given any opportunity to protect themselves whether by wearing masks, social distancing or isolating themselves.”

NSW Police and Australian Defence Force Military Police are seen in front of The Ruby Princess cruiseliner which remains docked at Port Kembla, Wollongong, Sunday, April 19, 2020. A criminal investigation has been launched into how cruise line operator Carnival Australia was allowed to disembark Ruby Princess passengers in Sydney, resulting in several deaths and COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the country. The Ruby Princess was due to depart Port Kembla today. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING

Mr Springer, of Lindisfarne, sailed on the Ruby Princess with a family group of six including his wife from March 8 to March 19.

He contracted coronavirus while on the ship, but did not show any symptoms of illness until back in Hobart on March 21. He was tested the next day, then health officials confirmed on March 23 he had the virus.

However, he considers himself fortunate, given the toll the virus took on other passengers.

“I class myself as one of the lucky ones, as I only had one visit to the hospital for a lung X-ray and, as this was basically clear, I was released to go back home that day,” Mr Springer said.

“[I had] only minor symptoms, being a tightness in my chest, fairly persistent mild headache and other than that, being quite lethargic.”

Mr Springer came out of home isolation on April 10 and has since been cleared to return to work.

He said he was determined to see improvements in cruise industry procedures.

“I just want there to be a process where a ship that was already infected cannot be allowed to start another cruise,” he said.

“It is only since the whole Ruby Princess-coronavirus saga that I realised how many Tasmanians were on that cruise and I’m sure we all share varying degrees of concern regarding the whole episode.”

When contacted by the Sunday Tasmanian, Princess Cruises said it was waiting for the NSW Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess to run its course.

“Princess Cruises does not intend to comment on the self-serving assertions of a class action law firm, or while the NSW Commission of Inquiry is in progress where the facts in relation to Ruby Princess will be established,” the spokesman said.