Terms and rules

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Cruising Earth website, registering an account, or clicking “I Agree” where applicable, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Rules (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Service. Continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of these Terms, including any updates as described in the “Amendments to Terms” section.

Definitions

• Content: Any text, images, videos, or other materials submitted, uploaded, or posted by users on the Service.
• Service: The Cruising Earth website, community forums, ship tracking tools, and all associated features and functionalities.
• Offensive Content: Material that is defamatory, obscene, harassing, discriminatory, promotes violence or hate speech, or violates applicable laws.
• User: Any individual or entity accessing or using the Service.

Age Restriction

Users under 13 years of age are prohibited from using the Service in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If you are under 18, you must obtain parental or guardian consent to use the Service.

General Rules

You must agree to and follow these rules to use the Service:

• Illegal Activities: Do not engage in any illegal activities. Violations may result in account suspension, permanent banning, or reporting to relevant authorities.
• Harmful Conduct: Do not engage in activities that exploit, harm, or threaten to harm children or any individual. Such actions may lead to immediate account termination and reporting to law enforcement.
• Spam: Do not send spam, duplicative, or unsolicited messages to other users. Accounts engaging in such behavior may be disabled without notice.
• Offensive Content: Do not post or link to offensive content, including material that is defamatory, obscene, harassing, discriminatory, promotes violence or hate speech, or violates applicable laws. Such content may be removed, and accounts may be suspended or banned.
• Unauthorized Content: Do not post content for which you lack the right to post, including copyrighted material without permission. Violators may face account suspension and liability for monetary damages or criminal prosecution.
• Account Sharing: Do not share your Cruising Earth account with others. Accounts found to be shared may be banned, along with any associated accounts.
• Multiple Accounts: Do not create multiple accounts for the same person. Multiple accounts may be deleted without notice, and the user may be banned.
• Trolling or Flaming: Do not engage in trolling, flaming, harassment, bullying, or posting content intended to provoke or disrupt. Such behavior may result in content removal and account suspension or banning.
• Security Breaches: Do not attempt to bypass site security, moderation systems, or access restrictions. Violations may lead to immediate account termination and IP address restrictions.
• Unauthorized Automation: Do not use bots, scripts, or automated systems without prior written approval from Cruising Earth. Unauthorized use may result in account deletion and IP banning.
• Business Usernames: Do not use your business name, employer’s name, website, or similar as your username. Such accounts may be deleted without notice to prevent advertising abuse.
• Legible Formatting: Do not post in all capitals, excessively large fonts, or disruptive colors. Use legible fonts and sizes to maintain thread flow, or posts may be removed by moderators.
• Signature Use: Do not use signatures for advertising or spam. Keep signatures non-disruptive in size and content, as they may be hidden by members if deemed offensive.
• English Language: Do not post public content, including posts, titles, signatures, or attachments, in any language other than English. Non-compliant content may be removed without notice.
• Commission Links: Do not post commission, referral, or affiliate links. Links suspected of being such will be removed, and accounts may be suspended.
• Cross-Posting: Do not post duplicate threads or posts, or link to existing threads/posts, to gain additional exposure. Such content may be removed, and accounts may face moderation action.
• Paid Posts: Do not offer or receive compensation for posts, reviews, or recommendations. Violators may have posts removed and accounts suspended.
• Proxy Posting: Do not post on behalf of banned members in any public or private manner. Accounts engaging in proxy posting may be banned.
• Sensitive Content: Do not share classified, restricted, or non-public information, such as details about military ships, naval operations, or vessel locations. Such content will be removed, and accounts may be terminated.
• Censor Evasion: Do not attempt to bypass censors by altering words or URLs (e.g., using spaces, dots, or substituted characters). Contact us if you believe a word or URL is unjustly censored.
• Bumping: Do not post useless information or one-liners to keep threads active or bring them to the top of forums. Such content may be removed at moderators’ discretion.
• Firsthand Experience: Do not recommend, praise, or belittle businesses, products, or services without firsthand experience. Non-compliant posts may be removed without notice.
• Cruising Earth Copyright: Do not copy or repost Cruising Earth content without prior written permission. If permission is granted, you must cite Cruising Earth as the source and, for online reposting, include a hyperlink to the original source page.
• Unauthorized Advertising: Do not post advertisements unless processed through our advertising system. Contact us for advertising inquiries.
• Link Approval: Cruising Earth reserves the right to approve or deny any outside links, including those to cruising-related sites, questionable content, or promotional links outside our advertising system.
• Rule Debates: Do not post public discussions debating site rules or moderator actions. Address concerns privately by contacting us.
• Staff Abuse: Do not abuse Cruising Earth staff or management in any form. Violations may result in account suspension or banning.
• Post Editing: Review posts before submission, as you have only 5 minutes to edit them afterward. After this period, editing is no longer permitted.
• Content Moderation: Report objectionable content using the “Report” button beneath the specific post, resource, or media. Moderators may remove, edit, move, or close any content item at any time for any reason, noting that it is impossible to review all submissions.

User Responsibilities and Liabilities

You agree to comply with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws and regulations when using the Service. You are solely responsible for your conduct and any Content you submit. You shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Cruising Earth, its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees from any claims, damages, losses, or liabilities, including monetary damages and potential criminal prosecution, arising from your use of the Service, your Content, or your violation of these Terms, including copyright infringement.

Content Ownership and Licensing

By submitting Content to Cruising Earth, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such Content throughout the world in any media now known or hereinafter devised, in connection with the Service. You warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to the Content you submit, that the Content is accurate, and that it does not infringe on any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights, or cause injury to any person or entity. You agree to indemnify Cruising Earth and its employees, agents, officers, directors, contractors, suppliers, and representatives against any claims, liabilities, damages, actions, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your Content, including claims of intellectual property infringement.

Third-Party Verification

Content you submit may be sent to third-party verification services (including, but not limited to, spam prevention services). Cruising Earth is not responsible for any user-generated content or the actions of third-party services.

Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of the Service is subject to our Privacy Policy, available at https://www.cruisingearth.com/community/help/privacy-policy/. We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for European Union users and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents, where applicable. You acknowledge that personal data you submit may be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Do not submit Content you consider private or confidential. For privacy-related inquiries, contact us.

Accessibility

We strive to make the Service accessible to all users in compliance with applicable accessibility laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you encounter accessibility issues, please contact us.

Termination and Account Suspension

We may suspend or terminate your account or access to the Service at our sole discretion, with or without cause, including for violations of these Terms. This may include warnings, account suspension, permanent banning, or IP address restrictions. Upon termination, your account data and Content may be deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy. You may request account deletion by contacting us. Termination does not relieve you of any obligations under these Terms.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, We, Cruising Earth or Our Vendors or Service Providers (Collectively, “We” or “Us”), shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising from your use of the Service, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. We are not responsible for user-generated content, service interruptions, or errors in the Service. All content expresses the views of its author only, and We do not endorse or take responsibility for such views.

In no event shall the aggregate liability of any of us exceed the greater of (a) the total amount paid or payable to Raptive by you for the Website during the six-month period prior to the act, omission, or occurrence giving rise to such liability; or (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100). The limitations of this subsection shall apply to any theory of liability, whether based on warranty, contract, statute, tort, or otherwise, and whether or not the parties have been informed of the possibility of any such damage, and even if a remedy set forth herein is found to have failed its essential purpose.

Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by Cruising Earth. Cruising Earth has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We do not warrant the offerings of any of these entities or their websites. You acknowledge and agree that Cruising Earth shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available on or through any such third-party websites or services. We strongly advise you to read the terms and conditions and privacy policies of any third-party websites or services that you visit.

DMCA Notice and Procedure

You may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by providing our Copyright Agent with the following information in writing (see 17 U.S.C. 512(c)(3) for further detail):

• An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright’s interest.
• A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed, including the URL (i.e., web page address) of the location where the copyrighted work exists or a copy of the copyrighted work.
• Identification of the URL or other specific location on the Service where the material that you claim is infringing is located.
• Your address, telephone number, and email address.
• A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
• A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf. You can contact our Copyright Agent via our contact form.

Disclaimer of Warranties

Your use of the Service is at your sole risk. The Service is provided on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or course of performance. Cruising Earth, its subsidiaries, affiliates, and licensors do not warrant that: (a) the Service will function uninterrupted, secure, or available at any particular time or location; (b) any errors or defects will be corrected; (c) the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components; or (d) the results of using the Service will meet your requirements.

Exclusions

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages. Accordingly, some of the limitations in the “Disclaimer of Warranties” and “Limitation of Liability” sections may not apply to you.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Plano, Texas. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved through binding arbitration in Plano, Texas, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, except where prohibited by law. Arbitration shall be conducted on an individual basis, and you waive any right to participate in a class-action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

Binding Arbitration (“Arbitration Agreement”)

1. Applicability of Arbitration Agreement. You agree that any dispute or claim against us, or our vendors or service providers(collectively, “We” or “Us”), related in any way to your access or use of this website, to these Terms, or to any aspect of your relationship with Us, will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that (1) you may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify, so long as the matter remains in such court and advances only on an individual (non-class, non-representative) basis; and (2) you or We may seek equitable relief in court for infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights (such as trademarks, trade dress, domain names, trade secrets, copyrights, and patents). You agree that you must commence any arbitration or other claim within one (1) year after the dispute arises; otherwise, the claim is permanently barred, which means that you will no longer have the right to assert a claim regarding the dispute. This Arbitration Agreement will apply, without limitation, to all claims that arose or were asserted before the effective date of these Terms or any prior version of this Arbitration Agreement.
   
   You agree in advance that you will not participate in or seek to recover monetary or other relief in any lawsuit filed against Us, alleging class, collective, and/or representative claims on your behalf. Instead, by agreeing to arbitration, you may bring your claims against any of Us in an individual arbitration proceeding (except for any Batch Arbitration, as described below). If successful on such claims, you could be awarded money or other relief by an arbitrator. You acknowledge that you have been advised that you may consult with an attorney in deciding whether to accept these Terms, including this Arbitration Agreement.
   
   The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this Arbitration Agreement.


2. Process. To begin a claim, you must first send a letter describing your claim in detail, including your name and contact information, your legal claim, the specific facts giving rise to your claim (including the date(s) and amount(s) of any relevant transaction or interaction with us), and the requested relief, to legal@cruisngearth.com. You and We agree to attempt in good faith to negotiate an informal resolution of your claim. If a resolution is not reached within thirty (30) days, you may commence an arbitration action as set forth herein. The arbitration will be conducted by JAMS, an established alternative dispute resolution provider. Disputes involving claims and counterclaims under $250,000, not inclusive of attorneys' fees and interest, will be subject to JAMS's most current version of the Streamlined Arbitration Rules and procedures available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-streamlined-arbitration/; all other claims will be subject to JAMS's most current version of the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-comprehensive-arbitration/. JAMS's rules are also available at www.jamsadr.com or by calling JAMS at 800-352-5267. If JAMS is not available to arbitrate, the parties will select an alternative arbitral forum. You may choose to have the arbitration conducted remotely, based on written submissions, or in person at a mutually agreed location. We will be entitled to make an offer of judgment in the arbitration proceeding. If the offer of judgment is not accepted, and the award is not more favorable than the unaccepted offer, you will be solely responsible for all costs incurred by Us after the offer of judgment is made to the extent permitted by applicable law. Any judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.


3. Fees. If the arbitrator finds that you cannot afford to pay JAMS's filing, administrative, hearing, and/or other fees, and you cannot obtain a waiver from JAMS, we will pay them for you. If the arbitrator determines the claims are frivolous, you agree to pay Us our attorneys’ fees and costs in the arbitration, to the extent permitted by applicable law.


4. Authority of Arbitrator. The arbitrator, and not any federal, state, or local court or agency, will have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute related to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of this Arbitration Agreement, including, but not limited to, any claim that all or any part of this Arbitration Agreement is void or voidable. The arbitration will decide the rights and liabilities, if any, of you and Us. The arbitration proceeding will not be consolidated with any other matters or joined with any other cases or parties. The arbitrator will have the authority to grant motions dispositive of all or part of any claim. The arbitrator will have the authority to award monetary damages and to grant any non-monetary remedy or relief available to an individual under applicable law, the arbitral forum's rules, and these Terms (including the Arbitration Agreement). The arbitrator will issue a written award and statement of decision describing the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based, including the calculation of any damages awarded. The arbitrator has the same authority to award relief on an individual basis that a judge in a court of law would have. The award of the arbitrator is final and binding upon you and Us.


5. Waiver of Jury Trial. You and We hereby waive any constitutional and statutory rights to sue in court and have a trial in front of a judge or a jury. You and We are instead electing that all claims and disputes will be resolved by arbitration under this Arbitration Agreement, except as specified in Section (a) above. An arbitrator can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court and must follow this Agreement as a court would. However, there is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is subject to very limited review.


6. Waiver of Class or Consolidated Actions. Except with respect to Batch Arbitration (as defined below), all claims and disputes within the scope of this Arbitration Agreement must be arbitrated on an individual basis and not on a class basis, only individual relief is available, and claims of more than one customer or user cannot be arbitrated or consolidated with those of any other customer or user. In the event that this subparagraph is deemed invalid or unenforceable neither you nor We are entitled to arbitration and instead claims and disputes will be resolved in a court as set forth in these Terms.


7. Batch Arbitration. You and We agree that, in the event that there are fifty (50) or more individual requests for arbitration of a similar nature filed against Us within an approximately (30) thirty-day period (or otherwise in close proximity) regardless of the state(s) in which such claims are filed, JAMS will administer all such similarly situated arbitration demands on a collective basis as a single, consolidated arbitration (subject to a single set of fees, proceeding schedule, and, if required, hearing) before a single arbitrator in accordance with the requirements outlined elsewhere in this section, provided that – in the event that the arbitrator deems it impracticable or inequitable to administer all such claims collectively in a single arbitration – (s)he may group demands for arbitration into groups of not fewer than twenty (20) matters, plus a remainder group as needed (or as otherwise deemed by the arbitrator to be practicable, equitable, and in best keeping with the spirit of this provision) and arbitrate each group of matters as a single, consolidated arbitration (either structure a “Batch Arbitration”). You and We agree (1) to work with JAMS in good faith to facilitate the resolution of disputes on a Batch Arbitration basis and (2) that requests for arbitration are of a “similar nature” if they arise out of the same event, agreement, or factual scenario and raise the same or similar legal issues and seek the same or similar relief. Disagreements over the applicability of this Batch Arbitration process will be settled in a single, consolidated arbitration proceeding that includes all affected parties and is resolved by a single arbitrator subject to the requirements of this section. This Batch Arbitration provision shall in no way be interpreted as authorizing a class or collective arbitration or action of any kind, or any suit or arbitration involving joint or consolidated claims, under any circumstances other than those expressly set forth in this section.


8. Severability. If any part or parts of this Arbitration Agreement are found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable, then such specific part or parts will be of no force and effect and will be severed, and the remainder of the Arbitration Agreement will continue in full force and effect.


9. Survival. This Arbitration Agreement will survive the termination of your relationship with Us.


10. Modification. Notwithstanding any provision in these Terms to the contrary, We agree that if We make any future material change to this Arbitration Agreement, it will not apply to any individual claim(s) for which that you had already provided notice to Us.

Consent to Data Collection

These Terms of Service incorporate our Privacy Policy, which discloses how we, our vendors, and our service providers collect and use data when you use the Site and/or mobile applications. You hereby consent to the collection and use of data by us, our vendors, and our service providers as described in the Privacy Policy (including any links to other policies therein). You can revoke this consent at any time by following the opt-out instructions in the Privacy Policy or clicking the provided links on the Site.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Amendments to Terms

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time. If a revision is material, as determined at our sole discretion, we will provide at least 30 days’ notice prior to any new terms taking effect. Notice will be provided via email to registered users or through a prominent notification on the Service. Non-material changes may take effect immediately upon posting. By continuing to access or use our Service after any revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the new Terms, you are no longer authorized to use the Service. For questions about changes to these Terms, please contact us.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us.

Adopted: November 6, 2011
Last Updated: April 23, 2026