PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Norwegian Cruise Line announced Wednesday that it will begin employing certified lifeguards on all cruise ships in its fleet.
Lifeguards will begin working on Norwegian's four largest ships -- Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Epic -- this summer. The remaining fleet will be staffed with lifeguards by early 2018.
Recommended Videos
The announcement comes more than a year after a Local 10 News report about the drownings or near drownings of children on cruise ships in recent years.
Valentina Azzia filed a lawsuit demanding that cruise lines staff lifeguards at children's pools.
Azzia said she and her family traveled from Italy to Port Everglades for a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas in January 2015 when her 4-year-old son nearly died after she lost sight of him in the toddler pool. He was found at the bottom of the water in a nearby current pool, and passengers jumped in to perform CPR.
"I think families should know that they are taking this risk," Azzia told Local 10 News last year.
Royal Caribbean said in February that it would begin staffing at least one lifeguard at every pool by June 15.
In addition to staffing lifeguards, Norwegian will also begin offering complimentary life vests for adults and children on the cruise line's four largest ships.
"Norwegian has stationed pool monitors on our largest ships since 2015, and we are now taking further steps to ensure the safety of our youngest guests with the addition of certified lifeguards across our fleet," Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement. "While parents are always the first line of supervision when it comes to water safety, we felt it was important to provide this added measure across our fleet."
A spokeswoman for Carnival Cruise Line told Local 10 News that there are no plans to add lifeguards to its fleet.
"Currently, all ships in the Carnival fleet provide complimentary life vests for use in ships' pools, as well as information concerning the limitations of these vests to ensure continued heightened safety awareness," Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said. "Upgraded safety nets, which are used when pools are closed, along with pool safety language in safety briefings and information cards on pool safety provided to parents of children under 12 are part of our ongoing initiatives."