SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; references. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—COVERED PASSENGER VESSEL CONSUMER SERVICE 
AND PROTECTION 
Sec. 101. Covered passenger vessel consumer service improvements. 
Sec. 102. Cruise line passenger bill of rights; advisory committee for covered 
passenger vessel consumer protection. 
Sec. 103. Assistance to victims of crimes on board certain passenger vessels. 
Sec. 104. Clerical amendments. 
TITLE II—CRUISE VESSEL PASSENGER IMPROVEMENTS 
Sec. 201. Cruise vessel chapter organization, application, and definitions. 
Sec. 202. Crime reporting and public notice. 
Sec. 203. Crime prevention, documentation, and response requirements. 
Sec. 204. Passenger vessel security and safety requirements. 
Sec. 205. Enforcement. 
Sec. 206. Technical and conforming amendments. 
TITLE I—COVERED PASSENGER 
VESSEL CONSUMER SERVICE 
AND PROTECTION 
SEC. 101. COVERED PASSENGER VESSEL CONSUMER SERV-
ICE IMPROVEMENTS. 
Subtitle II is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘PART L—OFFICE OF MARITIME CONSUMER 
PROTECTION 
‘‘CHAPTER 161—OFFICE OF MARITIME 
CONSUMER PROTECTION 
‘‘16101. Definitions. 
‘‘16102. Application. 
‘‘16103. Office of Maritime Consumer Protection. 
‘‘16104. Covered passenger vessel consumer service improvements. 
‘‘16105. Invalidation of pre-dispute arbitration and class action waiver clauses 
in certain contracts relating to covered passenger vessel trans-
portation. 
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‘‘§ 16101. Definitions 
‘‘In this chapter: 
‘‘(1) APPLICABLE PASSENGER.—The term ‘ap-
plicable passenger’ means a passenger on a covered 
passenger vessel who is a citizen of the United 
States. 
‘‘(2) ASSISTANT
GENERAL
COUNSEL.—The 
term ‘Assistant General Counsel’ means the Assist-
ant General Counsel for the Office of Maritime Con-
sumer Protection. 
‘‘(3) COVERED PASSENGER VESSEL.—The term 
‘covered passenger vessel’ means a passenger vessel 
or small passenger vessel to which this chapter ap-
plies, in accordance with section 16102 of this title. 
‘‘(4) KEY TERMS.—The term ‘key terms’ in-
cludes terms related to undisclosed costs and fees, 
indemnification, waivers, limitations on liability, no-
tice of claim and actions, time limitations, arbitra-
tion, forum, and jurisdiction. 
‘‘(5) OFFICE.—The term ‘Office’ means the Of-
fice of Maritime Consumer Protection. 
‘‘(6) OWNER.—The term ‘owner’ means the 
owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or 
other individual in charge of a vessel. 
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‘‘(7) PASSAGE CONTRACT.—The term ‘passage 
contract’ means a binding agreement for passage on 
a covered passenger vessel. 
‘‘(8) 
SECRETARY.—Notwithstanding 
section 
2101 of this title, the term ‘Secretary’ means the 
Secretary of Transportation. 
‘‘§ 16102. Application 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—This chapter applies to pas-
senger vessels and small passenger vessels. 
‘‘(b) FEDERAL AND STATE VESSELS.—This chapter 
does not apply to— 
‘‘(1) a vessel of the United States operated by 
the Federal Government; or 
‘‘(2) a vessel owned and operated by a State. 
‘‘§ 16103. Office of Maritime Consumer Protection 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Office of the General Counsel of the Department of 
Transportation an Office of Maritime Consumer Protec-
tion. 
‘‘(b) HEAD.—The Office shall be headed by the As-
sistant General Counsel for the Office of Maritime Con-
sumer Protection. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The Office shall— 
‘‘(1) serve as the primary entity of the Depart-
ment of Transportation with respect to consumer 
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protection issues relating to covered passenger ves-
sels (unless otherwise provided under law), includ-
ing— 
‘‘(A) carrying out the requirements of this 
chapter; 
‘‘(B) providing assistance to the industry 
regarding compliance assistance under this 
chapter; 
‘‘(C) processing consumer complaints re-
garding the requirements of this chapter and 
other consumer complaints regarding covered 
passenger vessels; 
‘‘(D) inspecting covered passenger vessels 
to ensure that owners of such vessels have 
knowledge of the consumer protection require-
ments that apply; 
‘‘(E) investigating potential consumer pro-
tection violations regarding maritime travel; 
and 
‘‘(F) pursuing enforcement of such viola-
tions; and 
‘‘(2) serve as the implementing office for the 
duties of the Secretary under section 102 of the 
Cruise Passenger Protection Act of 2024. 
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‘‘§ 16104. Covered passenger vessel consumer service 
improvements 
‘‘(a) PASSAGE CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS.— 
‘‘(A) PASSENGER
VESSELS.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date on which the advi-
sory committee makes its recommendations 
under section 102(b)(6)(C) of the Cruise Pas-
senger Protection Act of 2024, the Secretary, 
acting through the Assistant General Counsel, 
shall develop standards for use by an owner of 
a covered passenger vessel that is a passenger 
vessel or, subject to subparagraph (B), a small 
passenger vessel, to provide a prospective appli-
cable passenger with a summary that highlights 
key terms in the passage contract and is pro-
vided before such terms are binding. 
‘‘(B) SMALL
PASSENGER
VESSELS.—The 
Secretary shall determine the extent to which 
standards developed under subparagraph (A) 
shall apply with respect to passage contracts for 
small passenger vessels. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the stand-
ards under paragraph (1), the Secretary may consult 
with other Federal agencies, persons with expertise 
on admiralty and maritime law, consumer advocates, 
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industry representatives, and such other persons as 
the Secretary considers necessary. 
‘‘(3) STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.—The statute 
of limitations for filing a lawsuit against the owner 
of a covered passenger vessel, which shall not be 
shorter than 3 years, shall be clearly identified in 
the passage contract described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(4) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The standards de-
veloped under paragraph (1) shall include rec-
ommendations regarding— 
‘‘(A) style, formatting, and placement that 
ensures that the summary is conspicuous; and 
‘‘(B) terminology that ensures that the 
summary is— 
‘‘(i) clear, unambiguous, and unmis-
takable; and 
‘‘(ii) to the greatest extent possible, 
uniform, concise, and not complex. 
‘‘(5) PERIODIC REVIEW.—The Secretary shall 
periodically review and update, as appropriate, the 
standards developed under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(6) REQUIREMENTS.—Beginning on the date 
that is 180 days after the date on which the stand-
ards are developed under paragraph (1), an owner of 
a covered passenger vessel shall— 
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