what happened to carnival triumph cruise ship

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Carnival Triumph disaster: A drama of discomfort

On Friday morning we finally saw them, those wretched refugees of the Carnival Triumph, after five days stranded at sea. They disembarked the floating Port-a-John on which they had been imprisoned, some wearing white cruise line bathrobes to protect themselves against the unexpected chill, kneeling to kiss the ground as they came ashore.

“United States,” a woman in a floppy hat breathed ecstatically to a television reporter. “Ain’t nothing better.”

A cruise represents not only a vacation, but a very specific kind of vacation. One books it when one does not want to have to decide, or plan, or worry, or change money, or get tetanus shots. The people who would take a cruise have considered hiking through Nepal, cycling through Norway, staying at quaint little flophouses in Eastern Europe — it's not like they don't know those travel options exist — and thought, "No." They do not believe that getting your wallet stolen in Mexico City is "a good story."

I have cruised, and I loved it, and so I say fondly: A cruise ship’s passenger log is comprised entirely of the exact demographic that is least prepared for a cruise to go to pot. A cruise is a giant boat full of your mother-in-law. Your mother-in-law does not belong in the wild.

What happened: Midway through a four-day Mexican cruise, the Triumph's engine room caught fire, the ship lost power, and then suddenly it was just drifting, somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. A four-day trip became an eight-day one. A 102,000-ton boat , the length of three football fields and containing 4,000 passengers, was reduced to Huck Finn's raft. It took three days for some gallant little tugboats to tow it into port in Mobile, Ala. There was nothing for watchers at home to do but imagine the hellscape aboard the doomed vessel.

But now the survivors are back, ready to share what really happened. On the "Today" show, Matt Lauer encouraged two female passengers to tell him everything . But everything, edited. "Not too graphic," he warned them. This was, after all, a morning show. The women appeared briefly flummoxed, trying to figure out how to tell a G-rated version of the story.

“It was, like, post-natural disaster,” Julie Billings said finally. “But stuck on a boat.”

Excuse us, Matt Lauer, but how could the story not be graphic? The filth, the waste, the rapid decline, is precisely what made the saga so horrifying for viewers and readers at home. We hung onto every bleated-out text message of despair, every description of what they were eating, and where they were sleeping, and where their waste went. (In red plastic bags. Marked with hazardous-waste symbols. Left outside state rooms. In ice buckets. We saw pictures.)

It was a drama, but not of danger. It was a drama of discomfort.

The smell. Just think of the smell. Skip this paragraph if you don't want to think of the smell. The unrefrigerated food and the unrefreshed bodies, the uncirculated dankness of the cabins, so filthy that passengers began sleeping on deck chairs instead, lugging their pillows to some high-thread-count open-air slumber party.

“I’m just happy to be alive,” a woman told “Good Morning America.”

Hell is other people. Hell is other people on a boat. What will it take before we accept this? After David Foster Wallace writes about it in an erudite essay ? After a Concordia captain abandons his sinking ship? After a New York Times reporter mentions that his journey on the classy Cunard was delayed for several hours so workers could scrub the ship down after a norovirus outbreak?

It’s over now, all over.

Carnival put the passengers on buses, heading either to New Orleans or to their origin point of Galveston, Tex. The company had promised to cover all travel expenses home. And to give each passenger $500 in compensation.

As well as a credit. A credit for another cruise.

Carnival Cruise Line plans massive makeover of 19-year-old Carnival Triumph

A Carnival cruise ship that dates to the 1990s is about to be reborn. 

The 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph next spring will undergo a makeover so big the line plans to rechristen the vessel with a new name: Carnival Sunrise.

Announced on Tuesday, the overhaul will take place over two months at a dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, and cost nearly $200 million – one of the priciest cruise ship makeovers on record. Completed in 1999, Triumph cost $420 million to build (about $620 million in today's dollars).  

"It's really a transformation of the ship, so we feel it merits the renaming," Carnival Chief Operations Officer Gus Antorcha told USA TODAY in advance of the announcement. "I think for her guests it'll feel like a new ship."

The makeover will include the addition of 115 cabins, the revamping of all existing cabins and the addition of a dozen food and drink outlets.

 In the plans is the addition of a new deck-top recreation area with a suspended ropes course, basketball court and miniature golf course. The ship also will get a new water park area with two massive slides. 

RELATED:  The early icons of the Carnival fleet  

Carnival has undertaken a ship overhaul on this scale once before. In 2013, the line spent $155 million on a months-long, bow-to-stern makeover of its 1996-built Carnival Destiny. The ship also was renamed and now sails as the Carnival Sunshine.    

Antorcha said the positive feedback the line received after the Destiny-to-Sunshine transformation was an impetus for the overhaul for Triumph. 

"Guests rave about the Carnival Sunshine," he noted. 

Like Destiny before its transformation, Triumph lacks the array of deck-top fun zones and interior dining and lounge concepts found on newer Carnival ships. The makeover will "put a ship into our fleet that has as many features as newer ships, and I think guests react to that," Antorcha said.  

Carnival currently operates 26 vessels with several more on order. 

New eateries planned for the soon-to-be-named Sunrise include Cucina del Capitano, an Italian restaurant that already is on many Carnival ships, and Carnival's signature Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. The vessel also will get a Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse — a casual open-air eatery created in partnership with Food Network star Guy Fieri. It's a concept just debuting on Carnival ships.

In addition, the overhaul will bring a version of Carnival's Bonsai Express sushi outlet and a new multicourse dining experience called The Chef's Table. A new poolside "lido marketplace" with sandwiches, pizza and other quick bites also is planned, and there will be an expanded version of the line's coffee bar, JavaBlue Cafe.  

The transformation will include the addition of an adults-only retreat called Serenity and an expanded spa. Retail spaces will be expanded and kids areas modernized. 

The dry dock work will begin March 1 at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz and end in late April. Following a renaming ceremony, the newly christened Sunrise will sail out of Norfolk, Virginia, and New York City. It'll move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in October.

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Infamous Carnival Triumph ready to sail again

Just months after an engine fire aboard the ship left its passengers adrift without adequate food or bathrooms , the Carnival Triumph is ready to set sail today on a sold-out cruise from its home port of Galveston.

"We're really excited and we're here to have fun," Renzo Bomalaya, a bartender aboard the newly refurbished Carnival Triumph, told TODAY.

Back in February, a failed propulsion system stranded the Triumph's more than 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members in the Gulf of Mexico. The lack of power, or a working sewage system, or air conditioning forced passengers to drag their mattresses onto the deck and construct makeshift tents out of their bedsheets, in order to escape the stench below deck.

"The worst part is the bathrooms," one woman who was aboard called in at the time to say. "There's no water. You can't really flush, so everyone's going in little plastic baggies and putting it outside their rooms."

But after three and a half months of upgrades and repairs that cost $115 million, that deck formerly littered with beleaguered passengers is ready for good times again. The Triumph is about to relaunch.

"The main pool area," said CEO Garry Cahill, as he took TODAY on a tour of the ship. "This entire area has been completely redone."

Captain Mark Jackson, VP of technical operations for Carnival, said in a videotaped statement that they upgraded their fire suppression system and detection system as well. "We added an additional generator, so in the unlikely event that we lose power on board, we're still able to provide power to guest services, such as elevators, toilets, fresh water," said Jackson.

Today, the nearly 900-foot vessel departs from Galveston, TX on a sold-out, four-day cruise to Mexico. On Monday, the ship embarks on another sold-out cruise. Fares have been discounted on the newly refurbished vessel, which can hold up to 2758 passengers and 1100 crew members.

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Cruise damage control: Carnival’s reputation foundering along with stranded Triumph

Based on accounts by some passengers of fetid conditions aboard the stricken Carnival cruise liner Triumph, cleaning up the vessel is likely to take a lot of work. The job pales in comparison, though, to the all-hands-on-deck effort it will take to scrub the tarnish off the company’s reputation.

“With something this big, when it happens, it gets the enormous press coverage,” Peter G. Whelpton, a cruise industry consultant, said. “It definitely will affect Carnival… I think they’ll see a short-term dip in their bookings.”

The Triumph, being pulled by a trio of tugboats, is scheduled to limp into Mobile, Ala., sometime Thursday night. Its stranding is expensive for Carnival already.

The company canceled a total of 14 future trips during what would normally be the industry’s high season in the United States. Yesterday, Carnival announced that the cost of these disruptions and repairs will drive down earnings per share by between eight and 10 cents for the first half of the company’s fiscal year.

Related story: Stricken cruise liner limps toward port, should arrive Thursday night

In all likelihood, the cost will be higher because that calculation doesn’t factor in the business Carnival may lose because of the damage its reputation has suffered, said Morningstar analyst Jaime Katz.

“My guess is that there will be a few more pennies down the road thanks to the publicity,” she said. “It’s definitely going to cause a little bit of a PR headache for them.”

Carnival’s public image has hit some stormy seas over the past few years. An engine room fire that crippled the Carnival Splendor in 2010 and last year’s disastrous sinking of the Costa Concordia (a Carnival-owned line) were followed by another fire last March, this time aboard the Costa Allegra in the Indian Ocean.

Americans make up almost two-thirds of cruise travelers around the world, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. Luckily for Carnival, only about one in five people associated the Concordia disaster with its parent company, according to Ipsos Loyalty, a division of market research firm Ipsos.

“The public’s memory is short,” Whelpton said, especially when an incident takes place a continent away.

The plight of the Triumph, on the other hand, is playing out in real time via anxious text messages and Tweets sent by passengers on their cell phones. One passenger told TODAY on Thursday t hat food was scarce, water was in the cabins and toilet facilities were virtually nonexistent, comparing the squalid conditions on the stranded ship to those inside the Superdome in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Related: Are you earning minimum wage? We want to hear from you.

Carnival has said that the crews are doing the best they can and it has disputed passenger accounts.

“Every decision we’ve made since Sunday morning is to ensure the safety of our guests and get them home as quickly as possible,’’ Gerry Cahill, CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, said in a news conference.

It has also confirmed that fewer than two dozen public toilets are working for the 4,000 people on board.

Of the 3,143 passengers aboard, most are Americans, which Whelpton said increases interest in the story.

“This seems to be a really high number of people that are affected,” said Andrea Stokes, vice president in the travel and leisure group at Ipsos Loyalty. "This is not good to have this many people affected.”

Another factor that will keep the incident in people’s minds for a while is plans by the National Transportation Safety Board, U.S. Coast Guard and the Bahamas Maritime Authority (where the vessel is flagged) to investigate the fire.

Some critics have charged in the past that the cruise industry is too lightly regulated, since the multinational nature of the business means that carriers often don’t need to comply with domestic rules and requirements on labor, safety and other issues.

Carnival’s latest incident comes at an otherwise positive time for the cruise industry. Bookings on CLIA member vessels rose from 16.3 million in 2011 to an estimated 17.2 million last year. “CLIA member lines have experienced an average annual passenger growth rate of 7.2 percent since 1980,” the group said in a report this month.

Whelpton said the cruise industry tends to be “recession-proof,” and Carnival still has plenty of ardent fans. Skirmishes played out on its Facebook page as loyalists defended the cruise line, suggesting that passengers on board the stricken vessel were exaggerating the severity of the conditions so they could angle for a bigger payout (passengers are already getting $500 in addition to refunds and a discount on a future cruise).

While this subset of customers won’t abandon it, less brand-loyal cruisers might be more likely to drift away from Carnival for their next vacation. Travelers who have never cruised — a “key market” for the industry, according to Stokes — are most likely to be put off the idea of cruising altogether.

“Where this might have a negative effect more would be on people who have never cruised,” she said.

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Carnival, passengers in court over disabled ship

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MIAMI (AP) — About three dozen passengers who sailed on the ill-fated Carnival Triumph cruise ship that drifted at sea for days are hoping to collect thousands of dollars apiece as a result of lingering medical and mental problems they say were caused by their nightmarish experience.

Their lawsuit, the first to go to trial since the February 2013 cruise, is being vigorously defended by Miami-based Carnival Corp., which contends the passengers cannot show such problems as kidney stones, post-traumatic stress disorder and scratchy throats are linked to unsanitary conditions or the fire that disabled the engine. At stake is perhaps millions of dollars, as well as the industry’s restrictive policy — printed on each ticket — that governs the kinds of lawsuits passengers can file.

“Ships shouldn’t catch fire in the middle of the sea for no reason,” said Robert Peltz, a Miami maritime attorney not involved in the Triumph case.

Again and again during the three-week trial, Triumph passengers have told their story to Senior U.S. District Judge Donald Graham, who is hearing the case without a jury. Testimony is expected to wrap up this week, and Graham could decide whether the passengers deserve any damages at any time.

According to Carnival, at least nine other Triumph lawsuits are pending in South Florida federal court, including a proposed class-action that seeks to represent all of the roughly 3,000 passengers aboard the ship. Attorneys involved in the current trial say its outcome could affect what happens in these other cases, although the legal claims are somewhat different.

Carnival tickets require lawsuits against the world’s largest cruise line to be filed only in South Florida federal court. The tickets also state that passengers agree they can’t bring a class-action lawsuit, but some lawyers are challenging that based on negligence claims.

The 893-foot (272-meter) Triumph left Galveston, Texas on Feb. 7, 2013, for a four-day cruise highlighted by a stop in Cozumel, Mexico. After departing Cozumel, a fire broke out at about 5 a.m. in the ship’s engine room Feb. 10. It left the ship without engine power and most of its electricity, forcing passengers to endure human waste running down hallways, limited water supplies, noxious odors and extreme heat.

After about five days in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship was finally towed to Mobile, Alabama, and the weary, bedraggled passengers disembarked Feb. 14. Carnival sought to make amends by offering each passenger a $500 check, a voucher for a future cruise, refunds of most on-board expenses and reimbursement for transportation, parking and so forth.

For many of the passengers, those offers were an insult and multiple lawsuits were filed seeking millions of dollars in damages. In the current trial, Judge Graham has ruled that passengers cannot collect punitive damages and may only get damages for past and future medical costs that are conclusively linked to what happened on the Triumph.

Many of the 33 passengers involved in the trial complain of lingering emotional issues such as PTSD, anxiety and depression; some have physical ailments they blame on squalid conditions, including leg pain, diarrhea, upper respiratory problems and even aggravated hemorrhoids.

Larry Poret, who took the cruise with his then-12-year-old daughter Rebecca, said he remains scarred by how frightened she was, especially trying to sleep out on deck in pitch black nights.

“Something that was supposed to be so much fun turned out to be a nightmare. I felt like I let my daughter down,” Poret said. “You just can’t get it out of your mind.”

Most of the passengers are seeking $5,000 in damages a year from Carnival for the rest of their lives, claiming they will need continuous medical monitoring because of what happened aboard ship. They want the money in lump sums based on government tables estimating their life expectancies.

An expert witness for the passengers, Dr. Ernest Schiodo, testified that each person’s health problems were “caused by the exposure or aggravated by the exposure” to the Triumph’s horrific conditions, including the human waste.

Carnival attorney Curtis Mase has asked Graham to reject all of the damage claims. In court papers, Mase said the passengers either haven’t proved their health issues are linked to the Triumph cruise or haven’t shown they suffer from any lingering problems at all.

In the aftermath, Carnival announced a $300 million program to add emergency generators, upgrade fire safety and improve engine rooms on all 24 of its ships. The cruise line also said it would repay the U.S. government an unspecified amount for the costs to taxpayers of responses to disabling accidents on the Triumph and a previous disabled ship, the Splendor.

What Happened to the Carnival Cruise Ship Triumph?

By Michael Ferguson

Carnival Cruise Ship Triumph was a cruise ship that sailed for Carnival Cruise Line from 1999 to 2019. In February 2013, the ship was involved in an engine room fire that left it disabled and adrift in the Gulf of Mexico. The incident caused a public outcry, leading to the ship being scrapped in 2019 after two decades of service.

The Triumph had been sailing from Galveston, Texas to Cozumel, Mexico on February 10th, 2013 when an engine room fire caused a power outage in the vessel. The fire was extinguished by the crew and there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported. However, the power outage left the ship without air conditioning, working toilets, and other basic services.

The Triumph drifted for five days before it was towed by tugboats to Mobile, Alabama on February 14th. During this time passengers endured extreme discomfort due to the lack of power and sanitation onboard. Passengers reported sleeping on deck due to intense heat inside cabins and being served cold food with limited options.

The incident sparked widespread media coverage and criticism of Carnival Cruise Line’s handling of the situation. An investigation revealed that poor maintenance had led to the engine room fire and that there had been numerous previous issues with the vessel’s equipment and safety standards. This resulted in Carnival being fined $20 million for violations of U.S. maritime law and having its fleet inspected for safety violations by federal regulators.

Following this incident, Carnival announced plans to retire Triumph from service in November of 2013 but it continued sailing until October 2019 when it was finally scrapped at a Turkish shipyard for recycling purposes.

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DISASTER TIMELINE: How Carnival Went From 'Fun Ship' To 'Poop Cruise'

Over its 41 years, Carnival Cruise Line has had a checkered past. In its heyday, Carnival was the cruise brand known for innovation, but more recently it has become known as the brand with PR disasters to deal with.

Click here for the disaster timeline >

Last week, Carnival's 'Triumph' ship was towed into Mobile, Alabama after almost a week stuck at sea due to an engine fire.

The testimonies from the passengers are truly disgusting : Hallways were flooded with human waste, there was no A/C or running water, and passengers were left to survive on limited food and water. The Triumph was given the nickname "poop cruise" because passengers were forced to use the bathroom in bags.

But do these PR crises have a lasting effect? According to Jaunted , trips aboard 'Triumph' can already be booked for as early as April of this year. That's only two months after passengers said that the floors were "flooded with sewer water."

This type of disaster is not new for Carnival. It experienced very similar situations in 1998, 1999, and 2010. And let's not forget about the Costa Concordia disaster in Italy last year in which the ship capsized, killing 32 passengers . (Carnival owns Costa Concordia).

It has also had to deal with circumstances of passengers jumping overboard to their deaths. 

But with every PR disaster in Carnival's history, it has also experienced record-breaking good moments.

Carnival was the original brand to pioneer the concept of shorter, less expensive cruises. It built the first ship to weigh more than 100,000 tons, as well as the world's first non-smoking ship.

The cruise company's on-board service has won numerous awards , including three Cruise Critic Editor's Picks —best new ship, best bar, and best value in 2012.

Carnival Cruise Lines was founded by Ted Arison in 1972.

Ted Arison, the son of a multi-millionaire shipping magnate, was born in Israel in 1924. He immigrated to the U.S. in the early 50s and co-founded Norwegian Cruise Lines in 1966.

He then went on to found his own cruise company, Carnival Cruise Lines, six years later.

Carnival was originally a subsidiary of American International Travel Service (AITS), but in 1974, Arison bought Carnival for $1 , along with $5 million in assumed AITS debt.

By the late 1980s, Arison was reportedly one of the world's richest men , with a personal fortune estimated to be between $6 and $10 billion.

His family still  owns the Miami Heat . He was the man responsible for bringing the team to South Florida.

Carnival's first-ever voyage got off to a bad a start.

According to Carnival's website , in 1972 " the company’s first cruise ship, the TSS Mardi Gras, runs aground on a sandbar during its inaugural voyage."

But by the early 80's, things started improving.

In 1984, Carnival became the first cruise line to advertise on network television. Kathie Lee Gifford, then Kathie Lee Johnson, was the company's first spokesperson.

The 1980s was a great time for Carnival.

In 1982, the 'Tropicale' ship debuted, representing the first new ship the industry had seen in years.

Two years later, Carnival launched the first network-wide advertising campaign in the industry.

This video  is one of the original commercials Carnival ran. It features Kathie Lee Johnson, aka Kathie Lee Gifford.

In the late 80s, Carnival was carrying more passengers than any other cruise line, making it "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line." The brand still uses this phrase as its tagline.

In 1987, Carnival completed an initial public offering of 20 percent of its common stock.

The cruise line was able to generate around $400 million from its IPO . 

This money would help it buy new ships, as well as acquire other brands.

In 1989, it made its first acquisition — the Holland America Line.

In the 90s, Carnival began launching newer, bigger ships, including the world's first non-smoking vessel.

In 1997, Carnival launched 'Destiny,' the first cruise ship in the world to weigh more than 100,000 tons. 

One year later, Carnival launched 'Paradise,' the first non-smoking cruise ship in the world.

But with these breakthroughs also came the company's first major PR nightmares. 

In 1998, there was a fire onboard the Carnival 'Ecstasy.'

In July 1998, soon after 'Ecstasy' departed from Miami, a fire started in the main laundry room .

As the ship was attempting to re-dock at the Miami port, it lost propulsion power and began drifting off course. Sound familiar?

It took six tugboats to fight the fire and pull the ship to shore. Eight passengers and 14 crew members were injured. It cost $17 million to repair the ship .

Then there was another fire on another ship in 1999.

A little over a year later, the Tropicale's engine room caught fire, leaving the ship in the path of Tropical Storm Harvey.

The ship's captain, Vito Riccio, told the St. Petersburg Times that he didn't relay information about the fire to the passengers for fear that they would then panic and jump overboard.

In 2005, the company was both praised and criticized for its Katrina-related efforts.

While the early 2000s were relatively uneventful for the brand, things changed after Hurricane Katrina when the U.S. government signed a six-month contract with Carnival . Under the agreement, Carnival received $236 million in exchange for three ships to be used as temporary housing for Katrina victims. 

The ships were docked along the Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas coastlines.

Despite Carnival's honorable intentions, the contract was highly criticized because Carnival was earning more money than it normally would have had the ships been used as vacation spots. Many of the ships were also mostly empty.

Between 2006 and 2007, two separate passenger deaths caused another PR dilemma for the brand.

In May 2006, a Philadelphia man jumped off his balcony on Carnival's 'Legend' after an argument with his wife. The tragedy happened off the coast of Bermuda. 

A little over a year later, an 18-year-old from Houston also jumped to his death from a Carnival ship. According to the Houston Chronicle , his jump may have been premeditated.

The economic downfall of 2008 did not bode well for Carnival or the rest of the cruise ship industry.

In April 2008, Micky Arison, the chairman of Carnival Corp. & plc, announced that the brand would not be ordering any new U.S. ships until the American economy improved.

In 2009, Carnival's largest "Fun Ship" was retired.

'Dream,' the largest of the "Fun Ship" line, was retired in 2009. It was also the largest ship ever built by the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri.

In November 2010, another Carnival cruise ship had a fire on board.

The generator room on Carnival's 'Splendor' caught fire, causing the ship to lose power.

According to CBS News , 4,500 passengers were trapped at sea for over 24 hours with very little food and no A/C or hot water.  The ship was towed to San Diego.

Once again, sound familiar? 

For the next couple of years, Carnival avoided major PR disasters.

In October 2012, 'Spirit' launched, becoming the company's first ship to sail through Australian waters, as well as the largest ship to cruise to Australia year-round.

'Spirit' is too large to fit under the bridge to Carnival's cruise terminal , so it is docked separately.

The brand also signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for both a 99,000-ton ship for its Holland America Line and a 135,000-ton ship for its Carnival Cruise Line. 

According to Breaking Travel News , Giuseppe Bono, chief executive of Fincantieri, said, “These additional orders bring the total number of ships we have built for Carnival Corporation to 61 and confirm Fincantieri’s world leadership in the cruise ship sector even at a time of slowing demand.”

In January 2012, a Costa Concordia ship owned by Carnival struck a rock off the coast of an Italian island.

Thirty passengers aboard the Costa Concordia lost their lives, and as of December 2012, two were still missing.

Because the ship wreckage is in a nationally protected marine park and coral reef, removing the wreckage has proven difficult and costly . 

According to 60 Minutes, the cleanup will cost $400 million.

Hundreds of passengers and up to 1,000 businesses on the Italian island have sued or are in the process of suing Carnival . 

Carnival's most recent PR fiasco may be the last straw for many of Carnival's loyal customers.

After almost a week of being stranded with no running water or air conditioning, passengers who suffered aboard the 'Triumph' ship are already starting to sue Carnival over the conditions they endured.

Making things even worse, one of the buses carrying rescued passengers from Mobile to New Orleans broke down.

Carnival has already offered passengers a refund, cruise credit, and $500, but this disaster may prove too big to be solved with money. 

The engine fire that caused the horrible conditions is still under investigation, and it may take months to find the cause.

Despite Carnival's recent problems, the brand is still used by almost 50 percent of worldwide cruise passengers.

According to Cruise Market Watch, the worldwide cruise industry is an estimated $36.2 billion business.

Current data shows a 4.5 percent increase in revenue from 2012 figures.  

There has also been a 3.3 percent increase in yearly passengers since 2012.

This chart shows the revenues of the worldwide cruise industry. Each color represents a different parent company. Subsidiaries of Carnival  Corp. & plc (CCL) are the red dots. Subsidiaries of CCL's major competitor, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL), are shown in dark blue. All other brands, including MSC Cruises and Norwegian, are shown in light blue.

CCL serves 48.4 percent of total worldwide cruise passengers. RCL serves 23.3 percent, and all other brands combine to serve 28.3 percent of cruisers.

You've seen how Carnival has operated over the years...

Now see the augmented reality campaigns brands are using today  →

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Did the Carnival Cruise Ship 'Triumph' Overturn and Sink?

"jokes are created by users." but not necessarily good jokes., published nov. 7, 2018.

About this rating

On 7 November 2018, a brief article published on the "prank" web site React365 reported that the Carnival cruise ship Triumph had overturned and sunk off the coast of Mexico:

The Carnival cruise ship Triumph ran aground and overturned after striking an underwater rock off the coast of Mexico while coming into port the evening of November 5th 2018 resulting in 32 deaths. There may have been additional people not listed as on board, so the death toll could possibly be higher. The search for bodies was canceled after a small tropical storm came in and resumed the morning of the 6th. Scuba teams are still recovering bodies, stay connected for any new information pertaining to this devastating accident.

This was not a genuine news report, and the included picture did not show the Carnival cruise ship Triumph sinking off the coast of Mexico in November 2018.

This photograph depicts the Costa Concordia , a luxury cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, Italy, in January 2012. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 32 people:

On January 13, 2012 the Italian cruise ship, which was carrying 4,200 people, collided with rocks just off the coast of the Mediterranean island, Giglio. The impact tore a 230-foot gash into the ship's hull, eventually making it capsize. Thirty-two people died in the disaster, while the others were successfully evacuated. On February 11, 2015, the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, was sentenced to a prison term of 16 years and one month for, among other things, negligent homicide.

Carnival's website for their Triumph cruise ship does not show anything out of the ordinary. It lists no reports about an alleged sinking, and potential customers can still book trips on the cruise ship.

React 365 is a "prank" web site that provides users with a template to create their own fake news stories in order to trick their friends on social media. A disclaimer at the bottom of the site reads: "This website is an entertainment website, jokes are created by users. These are humorous jokes, fantasy, fictional, that should not be seriously taken or as a source of information."

Boesalager, Matern.   "Ship to Wreck: Grim, Beautiful Photos of the Costa Concordia."     Vice .   29 January 2016.

Fox News .   "Court Hears How 32 Died in Costa Concordia Shipwreck."     17 July 2013.

By Dan Evon

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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Carnival Triumph, the 'poop cruise' ship, passes new CDC sanitary inspection

Popular Carnival cruise ship fails CDC sanitary inspection

Carnival Triumph, the 'poop cruise' ship, fails latest CDC sanitary inspection.

The Carnival Triumph earned a rare distinction back in November: a failing grade from sanitation inspectors.

The Triumph — the same ship that ferried hundreds of passengers on an infamous “poop cruise” back in 2013 — scored a 78 out of a possible 100 during the Nov. 11 inspection, which is 8 points short a passing grade, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s report , released last week.

This effectively made the Carnival Triumph the second Carnival vessel to fail an inspection in 2017, after the Carnival Paradise scored an 83 in July, the Miami Herald reported. The Paradise earned a 96 in a re-inspection a few months later.

The Triumph underwent a recent re-inspection and received a passing score of 98 out of 100.

GASTROENTERITIS OUTBREAK ON SEA PRINCESS CRUISE SICKENS 200 PASSENGERS

The Carnival Triumph was cited for numerous violations in a Nov. 11 report from inspectors at the CDC. In 2013, a troubled voyage on the same liner was dubbed "the poop cruise" after the ship lost power and experienced issues with sewage. (Reuters)

The initial violations observed by the CDC inspectors aboard the Triumph in November included flies in the food prep area; food-contact surfaces and dishwashing equipment that were “excessively soiled” with debris; a water fountain soiled with an “orange/yellow residue” on the spouts; and dairy items like milk, yogurt and Brie cheese being stored at temperatures above 41 degrees F.

The Triumph was also cited for faulty tiles, grouting and machinery in the food-prep areas; condensation issues in food storage areas; and maintaining the pool’s water level at “2 inches below skim level,” among other violations that contributed to a failing score.

“As far as a large ship, I couldn’t tell you the last time this happened,” cruise expert Stewart Chiron, aka “The Cruise Guy,” told the Herald. “That’s how rare this is.”

FATAL TOUR BUS ACCIDENT IN MEXICO SPARKS CONCERN OVER CRUISE-SANCTIONED ACTIVITIES

Carnival submitted a corrective action statement less than a week after its initial inspection, detailing how it went about resolving each violation listed in the CDC’s report.

Jennifer De La Cruz, a spokesman for Carnival Cruise Lines, has since released a statement outlining Carnival’s intentions to remedy the Triumph’s violations.

"Following Carnival Cruise Line’s established policies and procedures, corrective action was taken immediately and a corrective-action report has been provided to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which administers the Vessel Sanitation Program. Carnival has requested re-inspection as soon as possible," said De La Cruz in a statement obtained by Fox News.

“The health and well-being of our guests and crew is Carnival Cruise Lines’ highest priority, and on the extremely rare occasion when one of our ships has an unsatisfactory score, we initiate immediate and aggressive corrective action and closely examine the factors involved to ensure full understanding among all team members.”

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This wouldn’t be the first time sanitation issues put the Carnival Triumph in the news. While at sea with over 4,200 passengers in February 2013, the ship lost power due to a fire in the engine room, leaving the ship adrift off the coast of Mexico. Passengers later reported sewage backing up onto the floors , leading the media to dub the voyage “the poop cruise.”

Other liners, including the Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas and Princess Cruise Line's Sun Princess made news in late 2017 due to outbreaks of gastroenteritis among passengers, with around 200 coming down with stomach issues on each respective liner during voyages in Dec. 2017 and early Jan. 2018.

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What happened to Carnival Destiny? Visiting a Cruise Legend in Photos

Doug Parker

• December 18, 2023

What happened to Carnival Destiny ? The record-breaking cruise ship that was the first to exceed 100,000 gross registered tons was a significant vessel in maritime history, recognized as a pioneering ship of its time for its size and innovative design.

This article will take you on a journey through time aboard the world’s once-largest cruise ship.

Carnival Destiny was the namesake of the Destiny class for Carnival Cruise Line, whose largest ships at the time were the 70,000-ton Fantasy class .

Launched in 1996 , Carnival Destiny was a marvel of engineering and design with never-before-seen features, including the longest waterslide at sea, revolutionary for its time and set the foundation for today’s massive water parks.

When it was launched, the vessel held the Guinness World Record for being the largest passenger ship. However, it was surpassed by the Grand Princess, which weighed 109,000 tons, a few months later. Nowadays, Royal Caribbean’s mega-ships are even bigger, exceeding 200,000 gross registered tons.

Significance of the Destiny Class

The Destiny class set a new standard for Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet and the cruise industry. It marked the advent of the era of “mega-ships” in the cruise industry, shaping these floating resorts’ future design and capabilities.

The introduction of Carnival Destiny showed ships could cater to massive resorts and feature a complex variety of onboard amenities and engineering prowess that guests had never experienced at sea.

Ships in the Destiny Class

These sister ships followed Carnival Destiny’s successful blueprint, further solidifying the Destiny class’s legacy in the cruise world.

The Destiny class served as the foundation for larger ships in the Carnival fleet , beginning with the 110,000-ton Conquest in 2002, the 130,000-ton Dream in 2009, and the 133,500-ton Vista in 2016. All of these ships, in one form or another, were based on Carnival Destiny’s user-friendly design and layout.

Carnival Destiny Onboard Experiences

As a prototype ship, Carnival Destiny provided various options and amenities for dining, entertainment, relaxation, and accommodation to ensure a memorable experience for travelers.

It featured the line’s first two-level main dining rooms – with servers traversing the upper level via escalators, a Carnival first–and the fleet’s largest poolside Lido restaurant. An expansive spa offering panoramic views of the sea was incorporated as well.

Interestingly, the ship initially included swim-up bars where guests could enjoy a drink without leaving the pool. However, the feature was soon abandoned due to the crew’s inability to deliver consistent service standards. 

Designed by longtime Carnival interior architect designer Joe Farcus , Carnival Destiny’s decor, while more subdued than other Carnival Cruise Line ships, was still quite colorful and dramatic, reminiscent of the over-the-top “entertainment architecture” concept that was the signature element of the fleet.

Dining, Beverage, and Entertainment Options

The Carnival Destiny offered multiple dining and beverage venues to cater to different tastes and preferences. 

In addition to the first two-deck-high main dining rooms, Carnival Destiny introduced the line’s first sports bar, wine bar, cigar bar, and two-level dance club , among other spaces for guests to enjoy

For those seeking entertainment and fun activities, the ship featured the largest main theater of any Carnival ship, accommodating upwards of 1,400 guests with then-new features like stage risers, lasers, and other high-tech innovations to present elaborate production shows. 

It also boasted the largest casino in the fleet and acres of cantilevered, teak-planked decks for sunning and relaxing, as well as Carnival’s legendary deck and sailaway parties.

Known for its family-friendly features, one of the most talked-about amenities was a 214-foot-long water slide full of twists and turns that took center stage on Lido Deck.  

Another abandoned feature was a glass dance floor on the upper level of the dance club, which, suffice it to say, gave guests on the first level quite a show from below. The glass dance floor was eliminated in dry dock and not repeated on subsequent Carnival new builds. 

An Internet cafe and shipboard WiFi were added during a later refurbishment, considered cutting-edge at the time. 

Staterooms and comfort

Carnival Destiny boasted 1,321 staterooms and suites in various accommodation categories, from interior to spacious balconies and suites. Each room was designed to provide comfort and convenience, ensuring a restful haven for guests after a day of activities.

The ship also featured upgraded linens and amenities, including the Carnival Comfort Bed, to enhance the onboard sleeping experience (guests could even purchase the bed on board or once they got home).

Operational challenges and incidents

Carnival Destiny faced various operational challenges, including mechanical and technical issues and necessary safety repairs and updates.

In early 2000, Carnival Destiny suffered a breakdown, leaving it adrift near the Turks and Caicos Islands during a seven-day Caribbean cruise from Miami to San Juan with 2,956 passengers and 1,063 crew members on board.

The issue stemmed from a malfunction in the ship’s propulsion system, specifically the cyclo converters responsible for transmitting electricity to the propulsion motor.

Even as engineers worked to diagnose the problem, a second cyclo converter failed. Five engineers, including representatives from ABB Marine and Lloyds of London, were dispatched to assist.

The ship experienced ongoing propulsion issues , with its final problem just days before departing to Europe for the Carnival Sunshine conversion.

Adding Balcony Cabins

Given the popularity of balcony cabins in the 2000s, Carnival Destiny received the addition of 48 private balconies to staterooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and 230 square feet.

Final Voyage of Carnival Destiny 

Carnival Destiny’s last series of voyages from Miami garnered attention as the ship prepared for a major transition. After a history of serving millions of satisfied passengers, it embarked on an 18-night transatlantic cruise to Italy, marking the end of its service as Carnival Destiny. 

Forty-nine days later, the ship would emerge from the shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, as Carnival Sunshine then returned to the Caribbean following a 16-night transatlantic cruise in late 2013. 

It kept Carnival Destiny’s pioneering ways, operating from various ports, including New Orleans, Port Canaveral, and Charleston.  

What happened to Carnival Destiny?

Cruise ships historically last around 30 years before they are sold or scrapped. Around the 15-year mark, cruise lines typically begin evaluating the ship’s consumer appeal and planning what the back half of its life will look like.

Carnival decided to go all-in on the refurbishment of Carnival Destiny, which underwent a substantial $155 million refit, one of the largest shipboard renovation projects in history.

The changes in the ship’s design were so pronounced that Carnival Destiny was renamed Carnival Sunshine .

The refit process gave the ship a new identity and introduced Fun Ship 2.0 features (Carnival branding launched in 2011 aboard Carnival Liberty) that significantly enhanced guests’ onboard dining and entertainment experiences.

The Refit Process

The ambitious refit of Carnival Destiny took place in a drydock at Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain. Over 49 days, the ship was meticulously refurbished and emerged with not just a new name but a series of structural and design transformations, including a stunning three-deck-high signature waterfall feature, that redefined its offerings. 

The extensive upgrades included the addition of 141 new staterooms and suites, new dining and entertainment spaces and technological enhancements throughout the vessel.

Fun Ship 2.0 Features

Fun Ship 2.0 features introduced on the Carnival Sunshine raised the bar for entertainment and dining on the high seas. These enhancements included new dining venues like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, RedFrog Rum Bar, and Alchemy Bar and entertainment options such as Playlist Productions, and Hasbro, The Game Show. 

Delayed Launch

Following a fire on Carnival Triumph that garnered international headlines, the debut of Carnival Sunshine was delayed by several weeks to redesign its engine spaces and add a variety of fire-protection features, part of a $300 million fleetwide safety upgrade.  

Impact on Carnival’s Fleet Evolution

Carnival Destiny’s conversion to Carnival Sunshine significantly influenced Carnival Cruise Lines’ approach to expanding and modernizing its fleet. 

The Destiny class marked a pivotal shift towards larger and more amenity-filled vessels by paving the way for successive classes of ships and leaving a lasting legacy through its innovative design.

RELATED: History of Carnival Cruise Line

The conversion proved so popular that Carnival extended the concept to Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory , each undergoing similar, albeit smaller, renovations costing tens of millions of dollars. 

Carnival Sunshine was among its first “Fun Ships” to incorporate the brightly-hued resort-style design of the line’s newer ships. 

The over-the-top decor designed by Joe Farcus was eliminated from the ship and set the stage for toned-down interiors on future Carnival refits.

Introduction of Newer Ship Classes

Carnival Cruise Lines has consistently worked on introducing advanced ships to replace older models, each offering a step up in size, features, and passenger amenities. 

Most notably, the introduction of the 110,000-ton Carnival Conquest class in 2002, which was essentially Carnival Destiny with an additional mid-ship section incorporated during design and construction, further expanded these offerings, moving the company toward larger ships that could cater to the growing demand for innovative and diverse cruise experiences, particularly the family cruise market And it has only grown from there. 

Legacy of the Destiny Class

Carnival Destiny was not merely a ship but a forerunner that inspired a series of transformative design improvements within the fleet. As the first passenger ship to surpass 100,000 gross tons, it established a blueprint for future vessels for Carnival and other industry operators.

For instance, the Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory evolved into Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Radiance , respectively.

These transformations included multimillion-dollar refits and name changes, reflecting Carnival’s commitment to delivering up-to-date, feature-rich cruising experiences. 

The innovation brought by the Destiny class continues to resonate through the fleet, including introducing new flagship vessels bearing iconic names, such as the Mardi Gras .

Carnival Sunshine Tour [VIDEO]

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the carnival sunshine last refurbished.

Carnival Sunshine’s last dry dock took place in 2021. However, the major refurbishment took place in April 2013, where it received a complete transformation and exciting upgrades, including adding new features and amenities.

What is Carnival Sunshine’s passenger capacity?

Carnival Sunshine has a passenger capacity of approximately 3,000 guests, which allows for a comfortable and spacious cruise experience.

How does Carnival Sunshine differ from Carnival Destiny?

Carnival Sunshine differs from Carnival Destiny because it boasts modernized facilities, additional dining options, and enhanced entertainment venues.

What are some cabins to avoid when booking a room on Carnival Sunshine?

Avoiding cabins directly under the lido deck or near elevators or other high-traffic areas is generally recommended, as they may experience more noise disruptions.

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Carnival Cruise Line currently has 24 cruise ships in service. Carnival Cruise Line is the largest cruise company in the world, based on passengers carried, and the flagship brand of Carnival Corporation & plc. Known as “America’s Cruise Line” for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other  cruise line .

The Newest Carnival Ships On Order

Carnival has made things a little confusing for Cruise Addicts by completely renaming and refurbishing some of its older vessels. If that wasn’t confusing enough, they have recently moved and renamed several ships from the Costa brand to Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival also has plans to move more Costa ships to Carnival in the future. In brief, not every new ship is brand new.

This guide will give you some insight into what is actually Carnival’s newest Carnival cruise ships. This also includes also ships that are currently under construction as well as ships that have been refurbished and renamed.

Let’s explore the upcoming additions to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.

Carnival Jubilee – 2023

Carnival Jubilee  is under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Her delivery date is expected to be in early December 2023 .

She will be the newest ship in the  Excel class , Carnival Jubilee will share many of the same features guests love on  Mardi Gras  – including the award-winning  BOLT, The Ultimate Sea Coaster . She will also feature unique experiences and signature venues of her own.

Carnival Jubilee will begin sailing from  Galveston  in December of 2023 and will offer seven-day Western Caribbean cruise vacations with stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), Honduras.

Carnival Firenze – 2024

The ship will feature the cruise line’s new  Carnival Fun Italian Style  experience, which debuts with the June 2023 arrival of  Carnival Venezia  in  New York . Carnival Fun Italian Style incorporates Carnival’s signature high-energy environment, friendly team members and many familiar venues, plus several new, creative concepts – from Italian-themed restaurants, bars and entertainment .

Carnival Firenze  will join the fleet in spring 2024 after being transferred from sister brand Costa Cruise Lines. She will sail from  Long Beach, Calif.  The ship will offer a variety of cruises year-round, with sailings set for popular destinations in  Baja , California and the  Mexican Riviera . This ship sailed under the name Costa Firenze with Costa and is also a Vista Class ship and sister to the Costa Venezia which has already joined the Carnival fleet.

Previously known as Costa Firenze, this is also a Vista-class ship , and a sister ship to Costa Venezia, which will have joined the Carnival fleet a year prior. Both of these ships are retaining their Costa funnels and a will have modified hull art as a nod to their Italian roots and unique style.

The Newest Carnival Ships Sailing in 2023

Discover the latest and greatest Carnival ships that are currently out at sea. Check out the list below, starting with the newest addition.

Carnival Venezia – 2023

Carnival Venezia  was initially launched in 2019 for Costa Cruises and is 133,500 GRTs and carries 4,977 passengers. She is considered part of the  Venice Class  and was the former  Costa Venezia .

Carnival Celebration – 2022

Carnival Celebration is the second ship in the popular  Excel Class  and sister to  Mardi Gra s. She carries 5,282 passengers (based on two per cabin). The Godmother of the ship is Cassidy Gifford.

The ship takes her name from a former Carnival cruise ship,  Celebration , that was part of the  Holiday class . The name also pays homage to the companies long history as the ship was delivered during  Carnival Cruise  Line’s 50th birthday year.

Carnival Luminosa – 2022

Carnival Luminosa  was originally launched in 2008 for Costa Cruises and is 92,600 GRT’s and carries 2,826 passengers. She is considered part of the  Spirit Class  and was the former  Costa Luminosa .

Mardi Gras – 2021

The Mardi Gras is a ship belonging to Carnival’s Excellence Class, also known as Excel Class, and is the sister ship of Carnival Celebration. With a capacity of 5,282 passengers based on double occupancy, it is named after a former Carnival cruise ship that sailed for two decades. The Miss Dominican Republic , Kimberly Jiménez, is the ship’s godmother.

Mardi Gras made history by being the first ship in North America to run on Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). Additionally, it features BOLT, the Ultimate Speed Coaster, which is the first-ever roller coaster on a ship.

Mardi Gras is also the only ship name in the current Carnival Cruise Line fleet without including the word Carnival. This honors Carnival’s original  Mardi Gras  that first sailed for the brand on March 11, 1972.

Carnival Panorama – 2019

Carnival Panorama is the third ship in the  Vista Class . She carries 4,008 passengers (based on two per cabin). She was christened by  Godmother Vanna White . The ship debuted  Carnival  Kitchen, a first-in-fleet culinary center that offers more than 15 different interactive cooking, baking and decorating demonstrations.

Carnival Horizon – 2018

The Vista Class features the Carnival Horizon as its second ship, capable of accommodating 3,960 passengers in two-person cabins. The ship’s Godmother is the versatile Queen Latifah, who is renowned for her skills in rapping, acting, and singing.

Carnival Horizon stands out for its groundbreaking features, such as the Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, and the first-ever Dr. Seuss-themed water park .

Renamed Carnival Ships

Carnival Cruise Line has changed the names of three of its ships over the years. In order to enhance the ships, they have undergone a thorough dry dock renovation process where they are stripped down and updated with new features and décor.

Although the renovated ships are as good as new, they are not as large or have some of the newest features available on the Excel Class ships like Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.

Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Sunshine is the first ship in the Sunshine Class and is a sister ship to Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Radiance. It has a passenger capacity of 2,984 based on double occupancy.

This vessel was first put into service in 1996 under the name Carnival Destiny, and was the inaugural ship of the Destiny Class. In 2013, the Carnival Destiny underwent a remarkable 49-day, $155-million dollar refurbishment and was renamed and reclassified as the first Sunshine Class ship. The ship’s Godmother is Lin Arison.

Carnival Sunrise

Carnival Sunrise is the second ship of the Sunshine Class, and it is a sister ship to Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Radiance. The ship has a capacity of 2,984 passengers based on two per cabin, and its Godmother is Kelly Arison.

This ship originally entered service in 1999 as the former  Destiny Class  ship named the  Carnival Triumph . In 2019 the  Carnival Triumph  received an incredible $200 million transformation that resulted in it being renamed and also reclassified as a  Sunshine Class  ship.

Carnival Radiance

Carnival Radiance is the third ship in the Sunshine Class, along with sister ships Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Sunrise. It has a capacity of 2,984 passengers based on double occupancy.

This ship entered service in 2000 as the former  Destiny Class  ship named the  Carnival Victory . In 2021, the  Carnival Victory  received a massive transformation that resulted in it being renamed and reclassified as a  Sunshine Class  ship. The Godmother of the ship is Dr. Lucille O’Neal.

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Final Thoughts

Carnival Cruise Line has had a lot of dynamic changes. They scrapped many of their older ships in order to save money and focus on newer and more profitable ships after the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown.

As you can see Carnival Cruise Line builds new ships regularly with a new ship coming out almost one per year. However, Some of the newer ships are also moved from a sister brands or could even be a refurbished older vessel like we’ve seen with the Sunshine Class ships.

I hope you have enjoyed some of the history and tidbits about the Carnival Cruise Line fleet as we explored the newest carnival ships in the fleet.

Take a look at our full list of Carnival ships, listed from  Newest to Oldest .

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Carnival, Passengers In Court Over Ill-Fated Triumph Trip

March 5, 2014 / 4:05 PM EST / CBS Miami

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – Lawyers for Miami-based Carnival Corp. are the defensive as they battle a suit brought by about three dozen passengers who sailed last year on the ill-fated Carnival Triumph cruise ship that drifted at sea for days.

The former passengers are hoping to collect thousands of dollars apiece as a result of lingering medical and mental problems they say were caused by their nightmarish experience.

Carnival contends the passengers cannot show such problems as kidney stones, post-traumatic stress disorder and scratchy throats are linked to unsanitary conditions or the fire that disabled the engine.

At stake is perhaps millions of dollars, as well as the industry's restrictive policy — printed on each ticket — that governs the kinds of lawsuits passengers can file. Two maritime law experts also said the trial already set an important precedent in cruise line cases when the judge ruled Carnival was negligent simply because the fire broke out, regardless of the reason.

"Ships shouldn't catch fire in the middle of the sea for no reason," said Robert Peltz, a Miami maritime attorney not involved in the Triumph case.

Passenger Debra Oubre, of Friendswood, Texas, who said she has worked in cruise line shore operations and has enjoyed a dozen cruises, said she joined the suit to hold someone accountable.

"Many of us, if not all of us, were physically or emotionally hurt," she said. "I just want the truth to be told."

Again and again during the three-week trial, Triumph passengers have told their story to Senior U.S. District Judge Donald Graham, who is hearing the case without a jury. Testimony is expected to wrap up this week, and Graham could decide whether the passengers deserve any damages at any time.

Some Triumph passengers testified on Carnival's behalf Wednesday, including James Ede, of Houston, who said the crew kept them well-informed and provided plenty of water.

"I got almost a little tired of people saying, 'How can I help you?'" Ede said of the crew.

According to Carnival, at least nine other Triumph lawsuits are pending in South Florida federal court, including a proposed class-action that seeks to represent all of the roughly 3,000 passengers aboard the ship. Attorneys involved in the current trial say its outcome could affect what happens in these other cases, although the legal claims are somewhat different.

Carnival tickets require lawsuits against the world's largest cruise line to be filed only in South Florida federal court. The tickets also state that passengers agree they can't bring a class-action lawsuit, but some lawyers are challenging that based on negligence claims.

The 893-foot Triumph left Galveston, Texas on Feb. 7, 2013, for a four-day cruise highlighted by a stop in Cozumel, Mexico. After departing Cozumel, a fire broke out at about 5 a.m. in the ship's engine room Feb. 10. It left the ship without engine power and most of its electricity, forcing passengers to endure human waste running down hallways, limited water supplies, noxious odors and extreme heat.

After about five days in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship was finally towed to Mobile, Ala., and the weary, bedraggled passengers disembarked Feb. 14. Carnival sought to make amends by offering each passenger a $500 check, a voucher for a future cruise, refunds of most on-board expenses and reimbursement for transportation, parking and so forth.

For many of the passengers, those offers were an insult and multiple lawsuits were filed seeking millions of dollars in damages. In the current trial, Judge Graham has ruled that passengers cannot collect punitive damages and may only get damages for past and future medical costs that are conclusively linked to what happened on the Triumph.

Many of the 33 passengers involved in the trial complain of lingering emotional issues such as PTSD, anxiety and depression; some have physical ailments they blame on squalid conditions, including leg pain, diarrhea, upper respiratory problems and even aggravated hemorrhoids.

Larry Poret, of Lufkin, Texas, who took the cruise with his then-12-year-old daughter Rebecca, said he remains scarred by how frightened she was, especially trying to sleep out on deck in pitch black nights.

"Something that was supposed to be so much fun turned out to be a nightmare. I felt like I let my daughter down," Poret said. "You just can't get it out of your mind."

Most of the passengers are seeking $5,000 in damages a year from Carnival for the rest of their lives, claiming they will need continuous medical monitoring because of what happened aboard ship. They want the money in lump sums based on government tables estimating their life expectancies. Poret, for example, would get about $115,000 and his daughter, who is much younger, an estimated $345,000.

An expert witness for the passengers, Dr. Ernest Schiodo, testified that each person's health problems were "caused by the exposure or aggravated by the exposure" to the Triumph's horrific conditions, including the human waste. That prompted a pointed question from the judge.

"Does that mean if you use a portable toilet you need this special testing for the rest of your life?" Graham said.

"Not if you use one, but if you fall in and wallow in it for a couple of days, yes," Schiodo said.

Carnival attorney Curtis Mase has asked Graham to reject all of the damage claims. In court papers, Mase said the passengers either haven't proved their health issues are linked to the Triumph cruise or haven't shown they suffer from any lingering problems at all.

The passengers, Mase wrote, "are not entitled to damages simply for experiencing the conditions on the vessel." And, he added, "they failed to prove that Carnival's conduct was the legal cause of the injury."

In the aftermath, Carnival announced a $300 million program to add emergency generators, upgrade fire safety and improve engine rooms on all 24 of its ships. The cruise line also said it would repay the U.S. government an unspecified amount for the costs to taxpayers of responses to disabling accidents on the Triumph and a previous disabled ship, the Splendor.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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A Family's $15,000 Carnival Cruise Canceled Due to Identity Theft- Don't Make the Same Mistake

A Kentucky family’s cruise vacation was canceled just two days before they were set to depart. Shockingly, their cruise cancellation was not made by them but by someone who had impersonated them. They had fallen victim to identity theft! Unfortunately, this story is more common than you think.

How Did Their Cruise Get Canceled

A couple from Kentucky, Tiffany Banks, and her husband, were eagerly looking forward to their upcoming Carnival Celebration cruise, which they had shared on Facebook. They had received an email with a countdown to their vacation and had taken a screenshot of it, which included their booking number.

On the same day, an individual from British Columbia created a fake profile on Carnival’s website and used their booking number. That individual then canceled their cruise reservation 2 days before their departure date.  

The couple only realized the cancellation when they received an email stating that two of their shore excursions had been canceled. When Tiffany contacted Carnival Cruise Line to inquire about the shore excursions, she was shocked to discover that someone else had canceled their entire vacation. 

They had booked the Presidential Excel Suite, the largest room on the ship, and had spent nearly $15,000 on the cruise, including shore excursions.

What Happened at the Cruise Port

Since Tiffany already had a flight to Miami, they decided to show up at the cruise port to see if they could get on the ship. On TikTok, Tiffany shared a video of her at the cruise port upset.

Tiffany Banks and her family arrived at Port Miami with all their travel documents, proving their reservation. Unfortunately, they were denied boarding because their reservation was canceled, and their names were not on the manifest.

Carnival offered to give them 2 interior rooms instead of the presidential suite they had booked, but they turned down the offer. Instead, they decided to continue their vacation in Florida in an Airbnb.

What is Carnival Cruise Saying

Carnival Cruise stated that there was no security breach and that the Banks family fell victim to identity theft. Since the cruise was canceled 2 days before sailing, Carnival Cruise does not offer a full refund.

However, Carnival did offer a $10,404 onboard credit for a future cruise if they shared a positive resolution on social media. On TikTok, Tiffany, understandably upset, said she is not taking Carnival up on the offer.

Safeguard Your Booking Number

It’s important never to share your booking number on social media or with anyone else. It’s surprising how frequently cruise cancellations occur due to identity theft. Some passengers show up at the port only to find out that their cruise has been canceled!

So, be careful and protect yourself from identity theft by keeping your booking number safe. This applies not only to cruise booking numbers but also to airline confirmation numbers and hotel booking numbers. Keep all your travel booking numbers secure.

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The post A Family’s $15,000 Carnival Cruise Canceled Due to Identity Theft- Don’t Make the Same Mistake appeared first on Suburbs 101 .