PASSENGERS SUE OVER PORT CHARGES.Byline: Associated Press Cruise ship passengers have filed suit against seven of the nation's largest cruise lines, alleging their bills were padded with inflated port charges. The lawsuits, filed in state courts in California, Florida, New York Florida is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:
Alleging negligent misrepresentation misrepresentation In law, any false or misleading expression of fact, usually with the intent to deceive or defraud. It most commonly occurs in insurance and real-estate contracts. False advertising may also constitute misrepresentation. , unjust enrichment and deceptive business practices, the suits seek class-action status on behalf of all passengers who traveled on any of the defendant lines and paid the port charges within the last four years. Defendants are Carnival Cruise Lines This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. , Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Kloster Cruise Ltd.'s Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in Miami, Florida. It is most well known for its Freestyle Cruising, which means that there are no set times or seating arrangements for meals, nor is formal attire required. , Holland America Line Holland America was founded in 1873 as the Dutch-America Steamship Company, a shipping and Passenger line. Because it was headquartered in Rotterdam and provided service to the Americas, it became known as Holland America Line (HAL). , Princess Cruises and Renaissance Cruises. They account for about 75 percent of the 4 million passengers whose cruises originated in the United States, according to the New York law firm of Zwerling, Schacter, Zwerling & Koppell, one of the five firms representing the plaintiffs. ``They are using this as a revenue source, and not as a pass-through by government authorities,'' said New York attorney Joseph Lipofsky, who represents the plaintiffs. The cruise industry defends the fees, noting that the costs are not listed as ``port taxes'' but ``port charges,'' a blanket term intended to cover the numerous charges imposed by federal, state and foreign governments. The lawsuits allege the cruise lines collect well over $250 million a year in port charges. The companies either refused comment, couldn't be reached or referred comment to the International Council of Cruise Lines The International Council of Cruise Lines is a non-profit trade association which represents the interests of 16 passenger cruise lines. External links
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