Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Carnival Cruise Line, Cruise Ship, Documentaries, Film, Netflix, TV and Film, US News
Michael Slavin
Topics: Carnival Cruise Line, Cruise Ship, Documentaries, Film, Netflix, TV and Film, US News
Passengers of a Carnival Cruise Line ship back in 2013 went through one of the most bizarre experiences ever when they all became trapped on a horrific ‘poop cruise’.
Stranded for several days after the ship’s power shut down, a fault caused the toilets and plumbing on the cruise ship to malfunction.
What followed was an immediate descent into Lord of the Flies style chaos, with passengers pooping on top of already full toilets instead of sanitary bags handed out, fights breaking out over food, and people engaging in public sex in the tent city set up on deck.
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Covered in the new Netflix doc Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, several passengers spoke about the awful experience at length. Check out the doc's trailer below:
Some passengers have gone as far as to say they were diagnosed with PTSD from the incident, with multiple engaging in a class action lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Lines.
When sued over it, however, Carnival pointed to a clause on passenger’s tickets to try and excuse the experience.
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Frank Spagnoletti, a lawyer who represented several passengers during the ensuing lawsuit, said: “This was something that was totally preventable, so we definitely had a good chance… The problem is, you run into the ticket.”
The problem in question was something argued by Carnival’s lawyer, who stated that the passengers had no right to sue.
The cruise liner had a clause hidden deep in the terms and conditions you agree to when you buy a ticket.
It said that Carnival ‘makes absolutely no guarantee for safe passage, a seaworthy vessel, adequate and wholesome food, and sanitary and safe living conditions’.
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Essentially, they tried to argue that due to this tiny clause hidden in terms and conditions (that no one likely read), it is nothing to do with them that the floors of the cruise became filled with literal sh*t.
Despite this incredibly cheeky attempt to get around paying out to the passengers, Carnival in the end had to settle with all of the passengers who took out lawsuits.
LADbible has reached out to Carnival Cruise Line for comment.
The documentary, the latest in Netflix’s Trainwreck series has seen fans across the world in utter shock at the ‘poop cruise’.
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One Reddit user took to the subreddit r/Netflix to give the doc a 9/10 review.
They said in their review: “I watched the full thing and I was shocked and relieved that no one went crazy and a bigger disaster occurred. I really liked how the passengers and crew handled the whole situation. Overall very good documentary.”
Others, however, have hit out at the documentary, suggesting it isn’t worth a watch.
Decider, writing a ‘stream it or skip it’ review on the Netflix doc, said: “Sure, there’s some guilty-pleasure comedy to be derived from Poop Cruise, but it’s ultimately a pretty cynical endeavor.
“So I say SKIP IT, and not just because the phrase 'STREAM IT' is another toilet-level pun.”
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A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line said: "The Carnival Triumph incident over 12 years ago was a teachable moment for the entire cruise industry. A thorough investigation following the incident revealed a design vulnerability which was corrected and led Carnival Cruise Line to invest more than $500 million across our entire fleet in comprehensive fire prevention and suppression, improved redundancy, and enhanced management systems, all in support of our commitment to robust safety standards. This is in addition to our vigorous Health, Environmental, Safety and Security (HESS) protocols that guide the entire Carnival Corporation fleet as we maintain our commitment to industry leadership in this area. We are proud of the fact that since 2013 over 53 million guests have enjoyed safe and memorable vacations with us, and we will continue to operate to these high standards."