Cruise line ordered to pay dead passenger's family $4.8m

A federal jury says Royal Caribbean Cruises owes $A4.8 million to the family of a passenger who died during an Alaskan cruise.

The jury returned its verdict Thursday in Miami federal court.

Court records show Richard Puchalski was with his family on the Explorer of the Seas in 2016.

A civil complaint says the 70-year-old Wisconsin man visited the ship’s infirmary with shortness of breath and later collapsed after being treated and sent back to his cabin.

The complaint successfully argued the ship’s medical staff made errors that led to Puchalski’s heart attack being fatal.

Jurors found Royal Caribbean to be 70 per cent at fault for the approximately $A48,000 in medical expenses and $A6.8 million in loss of companionship and pain and suffering.

“Until the cruise line industry makes the long-overdue, necessary changes to the standard of care, more families will suffer these life changing tragedies, and we will continue to file these lawsuits and present to juries these obvious cases of negligence," the family's lawyer told Miami Herald.

Royal Caribbean representatives say they plan to appeal the decision.

"We respectfully disagree with the outcome of this case. We are considering our legal options, and we intend to appeal the decision,” a spokesman said.

- With AP