Generally, yes, but in the UK, no.
The Athens Convention 1974 applies to the “international carriage” of passengers by sea. It provides for a two year time limit for bringing claims against the carrier (reduced from 3 years under English law generally).
The Athens Convention was brought into law in the United Kingdom by the Merchant Shipping Act 1979. This applied the terms of Athens Convention to all passengers on international voyages, departing from or bound for the UK.
However, in 1987 the UK government the ‘Domestic Carriage Order’[1] was brought into force, which extended the Athens Convention cover to all passengers on voyages which begin and end within the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
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[1] The Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea (Domestic Carriage) Order 1987