The U.S. Supreme Court case Douglas Spector, et al. v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd., 2004 revolved around the issue of whether foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in American waters were subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plaintiffs, a group of disabled individuals and their companions, alleged that they faced discrimination on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship due to inaccessible facilities and surcharges for disability-related services. The defendant argued that as a foreign corporation operating under Bahamian law, it was not subject to ADA regulations. In its decision, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Spector and his co-plaintiffs stating that Title III of ADA does apply to foreign ships in U.S waters but cautioned against applying all provisions if they interfere with internal affairs or structure of the vessel which might impact international obligations or maritime laws.

In the dissenting opinion for Douglas Spector, et al. v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd., Justice Thomas argued that Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not apply to foreign-flagged cruise ships in international waters. He reasoned that applying U.S law to these vessels would interfere with the internal affairs and operations of a ship registered under another country's flag, which is against international maritime law principles. Furthermore, he pointed out that Congress did not explicitly state in ADA legislation that it should apply extraterritorially or on foreign-flagged ships - an omission he believed was intentional due to potential conflicts with other nations' laws and sovereignty rights over their vessels. Therefore, according to Justice Thomas's interpretation, Norwegian Cruise Line as a foreign entity operating outside U.S jurisdiction was exempt from complying with ADA requirements.