“Choose Fun”, More Like “Choose Poop” The Carnival Poop Cruise of 2013
By Miami Cruise Ship Injury Lawyer Alex Perkins
As a Miami cruise ship injury lawyer with over 25 years of experience and millions of dollars in recoveries for my clients, I’ve seen the cruise industry’s highs and lows. Few incidents, however, have left as indelible a mark as the infamous Carnival Poop Cruise of 2013. Worse, most were left with little to no true recourse for compensation due to the little dirty secret of the cruise industry—the fine print of the terms and conditions in the ticket contract.
The Carnival Triumph, now sailing as the Carnival Sunrise after a name change akin to the witness relocation program to protect the ship’s true identity, became a household name for all the wrong reasons when an engine room fire left it stranded in the Gulf of Mexico, turning a dream vacation into a nightmare for over 4,000 passengers and crew. With the recent release of Netflix’s Trainwreck: Poop Cruise documentary on June 24, 2025, this fiasco is back in the spotlight, reminding us of the little control and rights passengers have over their voyages, especially when things go wrong. Overall, in this humble cruise lawyer’s opinion, this incident and the subsequent documentary is a useful tool to help educate passengers of the disproportionate relationship between the cruise line and the passenger and how there is a dark side two cruising with legal implications. At Perkins Law Offices, we specialize in holding cruise lines accountable, and this case underscores why experienced cruise accident lawyers are essential.
The “Poop Cruise” Nightmare Aboard the Carnival Triumph
The Carnival Poop Cruise: What Happened?
On February 7, 2013, the Carnival Triumph set sail from Galveston, Texas, for a four-day cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. The outbound journey was filled with the usual sun-soaked revelry, but on February 10, disaster struck. A fire in the aft engine room, later traced to a fuel leak from a poorly maintained diesel generator, knocked out the ship’s power and propulsion. The vessel was left adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, with no air conditioning, limited food, and—most notoriously—non-functioning toilets. Sewage overflowed into cabins and hallways, earning the voyage its grim nickname, the “Poop Cruise.” Passengers were forced to use biohazard bags for sanitation, sleep on decks to escape the stifling heat, and endure days of uncertainty.
As a Carnival cruise injury lawyer, and just from a human perspective, this wasn’t just a small inconvenience—it was a preventable crisis that you couldn’t pay me to endure. Carnival’s own records, later revealed in related investigations and court cases, showed the ship had a history of fuel leaks and overdue maintenance. A disaster waiting to happen. The Bahamas Maritime Authority, due to the ship’s Bahamian flag, confirmed the fire stemmed from a preventable mechanical failure for five harrowing days, passengers and crew endured conditions that led to physical injuries, emotional trauma, and health risks, including infections. Slip and falls on the wet dirty floor and no lights led to injury for very unlucky passengers. However, for passengers who wanted to take legal action for having a “poopy” cruise there was no significant recourse because the ticket contract terms and conditions contained a waiver for any class action lawsuits as well as for claims arising from unseaworthiness type claims leading to a ruined cruised. Only personal injury claims for physical injury are permissible pursuant to the ticket’s fine print.
The “Poop Cruise” Nightmare: A 6-Day Ordeal Aboard the Carnival Triumph
How the Fun Ship Cruise Turned Into a Floating Poop Ship Making Maritime History
In February 2013, what was supposed to be a relaxing four-day getaway quickly turned into a nightmare for more than 4,200 passengers and crew aboard the Carnival Triumph—now notoriously known as the “Poop Cruise.” When an onboard fire disabled the ship’s propulsion system and critical power supplies, it set the stage for one of the most talked-about disasters in modern cruise history.
⚠️ Day 1: Engine Fire Sparks Chaos
Just one day after leaving Galveston, Texas, an engine fire broke out in the aft engine room. Though the fire was extinguished without injuries, the damage it left behind was catastrophic. The ship lost power, air conditioning, refrigeration, and sewage systems—leaving passengers stranded in the Gulf of Mexico. At First engineers thought it could be fixed once the engine room cooled down, but when they were able to get in to the equipment room, they saw all of the main power cables were burnt to a crisp. Not only where the lights and air condition out the toilets did not flush, and there was no Wi-Fi service.
Day 2–6: A Descent Into Squalor
With no power, toilets began overflowing. Passengers were forced to defecate in red plastic bio hazard bags and urinate in showers. Human waste ran down cabin walls and pooled in hallways. Makeshift tents appeared on deck as rooms became uninhabitable due to stifling heat and unbearable stench. There was no air circulation due to a lack of power to the HVAC system.
Food became scarce. The limited supplies had to be rationed, leading to long lines and rising tempers. Hygiene was nearly impossible to maintain, and morale plummeted as the cruise dragged on. Many passengers feared for their health and safety, calling it a “hell cruise” or a “floating petri dish.”
No Quick Rescue
With the ship adrift, it did get resupplied by a sister ship called the Carnival Liberty. Passengers on the Liberty were partying as Carnival Triumph passengers suffered. It was said that there wasn’t a feasible way to transfer the Triumph passengers to the Carnival Liberty which was already at capacity. Apparently no functioning anchors would make any type of transfer via tender too dangerous. Perhaps that is why Carnival did not send an empty ship to rescue them. Carnival likely did some sort of calculus that it would be too dangerous to transfer passengers ship to ship mid ocean using tenders, even though they do that when they go to a destination that does not have a large enough port. To me, the solution would have been to send an empty ship and to ferry passengers with tenders like water taxis, much like they do when they go to small islands, such as Rendezvous Cay in Belize. However, to give Carnival the benefit of the doubt, I do not have all the details, so this is only Monday morning quarterbacking. Perhaps the seas were too rough and they did the calculation that it was more dangerous to do that then keep people on board. Maybe they didn’t have any available ships and did not want to cancel another cruise for financial reasons. It seems like being trapped on board without adequate running water, air condition and supplies was a huge risk anyway, especially for elderly and those folks traveling with small children and infants.
In any event, tugboats were called out from the closest port, which was Mexico, but as the ship started to drift north, an audible was called to tug the ship to Mobile, Alabama. The tugboats were slow to arrive, and the ordeal stretched on. Carnival promised updates, but communication was limited and inconsistent. When the tugboats arrived, that’s when the poop cruise really got worse because the ship tilted, emptying nonworking, toilets, pipes and showers full of pee and poo. Extra in urine were filling the hallways and dripping down the walls. It took five grueling days before the ship was finally towed to Mobile, Alabama, where passengers disembarked—many vowing never to cruise again.
Netflix’sPoop Cruise:
Fast forward to 2025, and Netflix’s Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, part of its Trainwreck docuseries, has thrust this debacle back into public consciousness. Directed by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker James Ross, the 55-minute documentary premiered on June 24, 2025, and has already been streamed over 7.3 million times, according to Netflix’s data. Ross masterfully balances humor and horror, weaving together passenger footage, crew interviews, and media accounts to recreate the chaos. Key contributors include passenger Devin Marble, whose vlogs provided a raw window into the crisis, and Jen Baxter, Carnival’s cruise director at the time, who highlighted the crew’s heroic efforts to maintain order.
The documentary’s production leaned heavily on archival material, including passenger-submitted videos and photos from the disaster investigation. They tracked down insiders and sorted through a trove of evidence to craft a light narrative but as cute and funny as the documentary was, this was a catastrophe for some folks. There were injuries on this cruise and some emergency air lifts.
The decision to provide an open bar as a consolation prize for the miserable guests also was said to be a bad move by Carnival. This proved to be a mistake, with fights, unruly drunk passengers, and more pee and poop.
From Scandal to Streaming: Netflix Documentary
The incident gained international media attention and sparked outrage, lawsuits, and an overhaul of safety practices in the cruise industry.
The documentary helped shined a light on The lack of passenger rights and systemic failures, including Carnival’s lack of preparedness, poor sanitation protocols, and corporate spin. A topic that I discussed all the time with my clients and sometimes have a hard time conveying. But now I may just show them this documentary. It also help illustrate the emotional and psychological toll such a bad cruise experience can have on those onboard—many of whom still carry the trauma today. Many of these people were not physically injured. So imagine it’s easier for representatives of the Cruise line that I negotiate with regularly how my clients who suffer an injury as a result of the negligence of the cruise line feel.
Carnival’s Response and Reputational Fallout
The Carnival Poop Cruise was a public relations disaster for Carnival Cruise Line. Dubbed the “complete media bloodbath” by The Guardian, the incident transformed Carnival’s “Fun Ships” image into a punchline. The company responded by offering passengers a full refund, and a measly $500 per person, transportation reimbursements, and a free future cruise. What a generous compensation package! Carnival invested heavily in damage control, spending $115 million to refurbish the Triumph and renaming it the sunrise. It also spent an additional $500 million across its fleet for fire prevention, redundancy, and safety upgrades. In this cruise lawyer’s opinion, Carnival was lucky the disaster didn’t have more dire consequences or even a mass casualty event.
The Triumph’s rebranding as the Carnival Sunrise following a major overhaul, was a direct response to the negative publicity. After al who the heck in their right mind would want to go on that ship after feces and urine infested every corner of the ship. The name change aimed to distance the ship from its infamous past, but as acruise ship injury lawyer, I know where the bones are buried and this documentary will help me explain to new clients that cruise lines care about profits over people. The incident fueled skepticism about cruise ship safety and sanitation, with some potential cruisers hesitant to book even years later. Carnival’s statement to PEOPLE in 2025 emphasized that the incident was a “teachable moment,” noting that over 53 million guests have sailed safely with them since 2013. Yet, the Netflix documentary’s viral success has reignited scrutiny, reminding consumers of the risks when cruise lines cut corners.
Legal Fallout & Carnival’s Response
Carnival offered refunds, free cruises, and an empty gesture of $500 per person in compensation. Lawsuits followed, alleging negligence and unsafe conditions. While the courts eventually dismissed most claims due to maritime law limitations and the disclaimers in the ticket, the damage to Carnival’s reputation was done.
In response, the cruise line upgraded emergency power systems, revamped crisis protocols, and pledged to restore public trust. Still, the shadow of the “Poop Cruise” continues to haunt the brand more than a decade later with help from the documentary.
Legal Ramifications and Why You Need a Carnival Cruise Lawyer
As a Miami cruise ship injury lawyer, I’ve represented countless clients against cruise giants like Carnival, and the Poop Cruise underscores the importance of legal recourse and to understand that the cruise ticket can severely limit certain causes of action in court. Lawsuits for personal injury against Carnival Cruise Lines as well as its subsidiary Princess Cruises must be filed in Miami’s Southern District of Florida.
At Perkins Law Offices, we understand the pitfall and limitations that come with cruise tickets and general maritime law. Our firm has secured significant settlements against Carnival and other cruise lines, navigating the fine print that often traps unsuspecting victims. The Poop Cruise lawsuits revealed Carnival’s prior knowledge of maintenance issues, strengthening negligence claims. However, some cases, like one dismissed by the Eleventh Circuit, failed due to missed filing deadlines, highlighting the need for experienced cruise accident lawyers. If you or a loved one suffered physical or emotional injuries on a cruise, our team at Perkins Law Offices can help. We’ve litigated against Carnival for decades, ensuring clients receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The film’s success ensures the Poop Cruise remains a cautionary tale, urging cruisers to go into a cruise knowing they have little to no control and help when out at sea, and possibly limited rights for legal recourse upon their return without a good cruise ship injury lawyer.
FAQs Section
Can I sue a cruise line for getting sick or injured on board?
Yes. If the cruise line failed to provide a safe environment or acted negligently, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit under maritime law.
What compensation can I receive for a cruise ship injury?
You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and future care costs.
Is there a time limit to file a cruise injury claim?
Yes. Most cruise lines, including Carnival, include a one-year statute of limitations in their ticket contracts. It’s crucial to contact a maritime attorney immediately.
What should I do if I was hurt or traumatized during a cruise?
Document everything—photos, medical records, witness accounts—and report the incident to the cruise staff. Then contact an experienced maritime lawyer as soon as possible the Perkins Law Offices rated among the best, personal injury lawyers in Miami
Why choose Perkins Law Offices for cruise injury claims?
We’re a Miami-based law firm with years of experience handling high-profile cruise injury cases. Our team understands the complexities of maritime law and fights aggressively for passenger rights.
Were You Injured or Traumatized on a Cruise Ship? Know Your Rights.
The Carnival Triumph incident highlights how cruise lines can fail their passengers in moments that matter most. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury, illness, or emotional distress due to unsafe cruise ship conditions—whether on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or any other line—you may be entitled to compensation.
At Perkins Law Offices in Miami, we specialize in maritime personal injury law, helping cruise ship passengers fight back after negligence or corporate misconduct. From broken bones and infections to psychological trauma and unfit living conditions, we’ve represented victims in high-profile cases just like this.
As a Carnival cruise lawyer, I see this as an opportunity for passengers and my future clients to reassess their rights. While the Poop Cruise is 12 years past, similar incidents—slip and falls, mechanical failures, medical malpractice, food poisoning and food allergies, drownings or sexual assaults—continue to plague cruise lines. Our firm stands ready to fight for justice, just as we have for clients across Miami, Florida, and beyond. We represent passengers from all over the world.
Contact Perkins Law Offices Today
The Carnival Poop Cruise is a stark reminder of the cruise industry’s need to prioritize passenger safety. At Perkins Law Offices, we’ve spent 25 years holding cruise lines accountable, recovering millions for victims of negligence. If you’ve been injured on a Carnival ship or any cruise line, don’t let tight deadlines or complex contracts stop you from seeking justice. Call us at (305) 741-5297 or email perkins@perkinslawoffices.com for a free consultation. As your Miami cruise ship injury lawyer, I’ll fight to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Visit perkinslawoffices.com to learn more about our proven track record and client-focused approach. Let’s make sure your next cruise is remembered for the right reasons
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