The Independent reports an American school teacher cruising with his family was ejected from the Jewel of the Seas. His compulsory expulsion came after he produced and distributed a one-page flier to fellow passengers at one of the champagne-fuelled art auction after he did an internet search of allegations made against Park West Galleries, which is facing a number of lawsuits accusing it of selling over-priced or fake prints on cruise ships for more than a decade. As a result, the passenger was told that he had broken RCCL’s guest conduct policy and would be ejected when it docked in Oslo July 26th. The dispute, which the passenger insists amounts to a breach of his right to freedom of expression, left him with a £450 ($750) bill for a hotel and air tickets back to London, where he was reunited with his wife and two children and his elderly parents, who had stayed on board to avoid the cost of extra flights. He told The Independent yesterday: "What happened to me was outrageous. All I did was distribute information. I overheard the claims being made for the art on sale at this auction and was curious about the company behind it." After a search on Google on my laptop I found the details of the various lawsuits and media reports that there have been about this company. I felt that people attending these auctions had a right to know that there were these claims just so they could make up their own minds. I went out of my way to say these were just allegations. "Royal Caribbean obviously took a different view. I was shocked that because we were in international waters, they were able summarily inform me I had to leave the ship. One minute I was playing table tennis with my son, the next I was being escorted away by the Oslo police." The passenger, who said he only became aware of the claims against Park West after boarding the ship, printed off 50 copies of his leaflet before distributing it to passengers shortly before one of the auctions began. Two hours later he was called to the ship’s administration offices and told complaints had been made against him by passengers concerning the flyer.

Independent News

Source: Events at Sea

[ 08-01-2009: Message edited by: dmwnc1 ]

It is obviously not wise exercising one freedom of speach when you are bound by a cruise lines terms and conditions of travel. He should have stood outside the dock gate giving out leaflets, before or after the cruise, if he felt he must, NOT during the cruise!

[ 08-07-2009: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cunard Fan:
Does the Freedom of Speech actually exist on a non American ship?

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Freedom of Speech is not exclusive to Americans.

Well I agree with the others. BUT I believe 1 warning to stop with his action would be better then removing him from the cruise. Now it looks at least to me RCCL (this could happen on any other line) Have no answer to difficult questions about art auctions and the allegation's be made in the recent past. Maybe time to stop these irritating copy sale auctions.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cunard Fan:
Does the Freedom of Speech actually exist on a non American ship?

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No, of course not. The United States of America is the only Land of the Free. Everywhere else in the world, man is in chains. As soon as a cruise ship leaves US territorial waters, passengers lose all their human rights and must do exactly as the captain orders. No wonder so many of them jump over the side.

[ 08-09-2009: Message edited by: greybeard ]

quote:

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Originally posted by greybeard:

No, of course not. The United States of America is the only Land of the Free. Everywhere else in the world, man is in chains. As soon as a cruise ship leaves US territorial waters, passengers lose all their human rights and must do exactly as the captain orders. No wonder so many of them jump over the side.

[ 08-09-2009: Message edited by: greybeard ]

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Just as I thought!