By Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

CAPTIONCourtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line has agreed to pay $100,000 to nine cruisers with disabilities who allegedly were discriminated against on one of its ships.

The U.S. Justice Department, which announced the settlement on Monday, had sued the line on behalf of the cruisers, five of whom are deaf and four of whom use wheelchairs.

The Justice Department says in a statement that the five deaf cruisers did not receive interpreters and other auxiliary aids, or a closed caption TV, while on voyages around Hawaii on a Norwegian ship, and "thus were unable to enjoy the activities on board the ship or the shore excursions because they could not understand what was going on and communicate effectively."

The agency says the four cruisers who use wheelchairs did not get accessible buses between the airport, ship and hotel, and on shore excursions; had to wait hours for an accessible bus at times; were unable to go on shore excursions because of the lack of an accessible bus; were charged extra for accessible transportation; and/or were not allowed to get on and off the bus during a shore excursion even though the bus was accessible.

The Justice Department sued Norwegian under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Justice Department says that in addition to the cash payment to the nine cruisers, a proposed consent decree with Norwegian includes requirements that the line:

-- have an access desk to handle requests for reasonable accommodations from passengers with disabilities before sailing.

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