- Report: #800868
Complaint Review: Carnival Cruise Lines - Internet Internet
Reported By:
Melani -
Naples, Florida, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Carnival Cruise Lines
3655 NW 87th Ave. Miami Florida Internet, Internet, United States of America
Phone:
1-800-929-6400
Web:
www.carnivalcorp.com
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Carnival Cruise Lines Aids and Abeits in Assault and Battery Internet, Internet
On November 11th I embarked on a cruise with my husband and our best friends on the Imagination. We are all in our 40's and it was the first cruise for my husband and myself. We booked tickets on a special of 199.00 per person. Several months later, we were informed that we had to pay port fees and taxes and that was an additional 600.00....lesson learned.
The first night and next day were uneventful, the room was fine except it reeked of cigarette smoke. We are all smokers but the room was like a dirty ashtray.
The evening we docked in the Bahamas my husband, and our friends went to out to the clubs on the ship. In club Illusions, the 3 of them sat at the bar at around 11 and order drinks. Being that the club allows smoking, all of them lit a cigarette. Shortly after a group of 6-7 people came into the bar and stood behind our group. One of the women in the group begain yelling and screaming that the smoke was "offending her" She was seated next to my husband and yelling things like if he wanted a hole in his throat he could but she "didn't want no cancer". The real reason for her outburst was that she wanted the seats my group had for her friends. The bar is a designated smoking bar with ashtrays out and around 50 other patrons smoking. My husband turned his back on her when she pulled out a bottle of perfume from her purse and began spaying the back of his head and shirt with it. He turned to face her and she sprayed him in the eyes and mouth. At that point, he asked my friend (the woman) to switch places with him because he felt that would diffuse the situation. The woman kept screaming and my girlfriend asked the bartender if it was ok to smoke there and she said yes. Her husband was trying to ask for a manager or security. (which turned out to be in the club because of an earlier fight) The woman then began spraying my friend's head and face with the perfume. The woman then reached over to her husband to grab his shirt and thats when the real assualt happened.
They drug my girlfriend off her chair and 5 girls began punching her. Her husband was scratched and punched. My husband jumped into the middle and was knocked to the floor. All were being kicked in the head by women in heels and punched by the men in the group. Security finally arrived and escorted everyone to a questioning area. This is where Carnival goes so very very wrong.
My husband and friends were bloody and had bruises and torn clothes. None of the other group was injured because they were never hit. Statements were taken from all and my group made it very clear that they wanted to press charges. My husband wrote it on his statement in block letters. The security staff was not cooperative and gave no information. They told my husband that the people would be arrested in Miami. My husband was taken to medical and the report taken said he had 2 superfical scratches and smelled of alcohol. He has 6 punctures in his head, a concussion (we went to urgent care as soon as we left the boat) , a 4 inch cut down his face, multiple bruises.
My husband was insistent that he wanted them arrested and put it in his statement. Being our first cruise, we trusted Carnival to take care of the situation. They informed my group that they would not be permitted to drink for the rest of the trip. They were shocked and insulted. They were the victims, but were being treated as the attackers. They told security officer John Pynadeth to review the video and see that they were assualted. He lied to them and said the club had no video.
The next morning (after we left Bahamas) I had to seek out the security officer John Pynadeth with my girlfriend because no one called us to check on our health or even reassure us we were safe. I sought out Pynadeth because no one on the ship had contacted us. No one called to say what would happen to them, or to even inquire on her or my husbands health.. No care. No concern. No courtesy. I asked Pynadeth why my friends would have their purchasing blocked and he said it was company policy. He stated that my card wasn't blocked so I could buy drinks for them. My girlfriend cried all through the meeting. I asked how they would be arrested and that the ship didn't seem concerned about us. I told him she was terrified and how did they plan to protect her? He shrugged and asked me what I thought they should do. He stated he had "talked to them and they knew they were wrong and wouldn't be a problem" You reasoned with a woman spraying perfume in other peoples faces? I confronted him about lying about the video and he admitted it was a lie. He said that if they came around to call security....do you know how improbable that is? Where are the phones to call on Lido or in a stairwell? He also told me that they (the assailants) would not be allowed on Carnival again. My friend remained locked in her room for the last day.
My girlfriend was absolutely traumatized that morning. She was covered in bruises, crying and absolutely terrified. She cancelled her morning spa appt because she was covered in bruises. She was looking everywhere we went, thinking she would be attacked again. They were free to walk around and had passed us several times.
When we docked in Miami, we were prepared and ready for the police. Imagine our shock when the Miami-Dade police came to take our statements and inform us there was nothing that they could do, the incident happened in the Bahamas and the Bahamian police should have been notified and that Carnival has enough of these incidents to know that. They were very sympathetic and kind, everything Carnival was not. They told us we would have to contact the Bahamian embassy to pursue charges. The security officer Pynadeth was present but refused to give us the names of the people that attacked us based on "confidentiality of passengers" So Carnival has blocked the opportunity for justice and damages. The police said that Carnival knew they should have had the Bahamian called but that they didn't because they don't like incidents on their record. One officer pulled me aside and said to pursue a case against Carnival and he would be there for us. That the handling of these incidents are poor and they have to deal with the aftermath. They stated it was clear we were wronged and would help anyway possible.
Now for the final insult. As we left the boat, my husband and my friend's husband were notified they would not be allowed on Carnival again. The shock set me over the edge. My husband hit no one. He is a 45 year old man. He's never been arrested or in a fight. My girlfriend stood there in a beautiful dress, covered in bruises and that was your parting concern for us. We spent over 1500 and they couldn't even say "hey, sorry".
Today I'm just stunned. I'm sickened over the money we gave them. I'm a world traveler...I have never been treated so poorly. I'm devastated that this gift we planned for our friends was ruined by their policies and lack of care.
Several witnesses (we have statements and now video) approached us later and said they would back us 100% in court if needed. We have the police report number, all the "medical" records and statements and now a video from another passenger.
Carnival contacted us and acted as if they couldn't understand how we were faulting them. They implied it was all the fault of the people that attcked us. They people they blocked from being arrested and allowed to walk around us on the ship.
Take a look at what a $1500 3 day vacation on Carnival looks like:
http://m45.photobucket.com/albums/Whobeanie/injuries/
The first night and next day were uneventful, the room was fine except it reeked of cigarette smoke. We are all smokers but the room was like a dirty ashtray.
The evening we docked in the Bahamas my husband, and our friends went to out to the clubs on the ship. In club Illusions, the 3 of them sat at the bar at around 11 and order drinks. Being that the club allows smoking, all of them lit a cigarette. Shortly after a group of 6-7 people came into the bar and stood behind our group. One of the women in the group begain yelling and screaming that the smoke was "offending her" She was seated next to my husband and yelling things like if he wanted a hole in his throat he could but she "didn't want no cancer". The real reason for her outburst was that she wanted the seats my group had for her friends. The bar is a designated smoking bar with ashtrays out and around 50 other patrons smoking. My husband turned his back on her when she pulled out a bottle of perfume from her purse and began spaying the back of his head and shirt with it. He turned to face her and she sprayed him in the eyes and mouth. At that point, he asked my friend (the woman) to switch places with him because he felt that would diffuse the situation. The woman kept screaming and my girlfriend asked the bartender if it was ok to smoke there and she said yes. Her husband was trying to ask for a manager or security. (which turned out to be in the club because of an earlier fight) The woman then began spraying my friend's head and face with the perfume. The woman then reached over to her husband to grab his shirt and thats when the real assualt happened.
They drug my girlfriend off her chair and 5 girls began punching her. Her husband was scratched and punched. My husband jumped into the middle and was knocked to the floor. All were being kicked in the head by women in heels and punched by the men in the group. Security finally arrived and escorted everyone to a questioning area. This is where Carnival goes so very very wrong.
My husband and friends were bloody and had bruises and torn clothes. None of the other group was injured because they were never hit. Statements were taken from all and my group made it very clear that they wanted to press charges. My husband wrote it on his statement in block letters. The security staff was not cooperative and gave no information. They told my husband that the people would be arrested in Miami. My husband was taken to medical and the report taken said he had 2 superfical scratches and smelled of alcohol. He has 6 punctures in his head, a concussion (we went to urgent care as soon as we left the boat) , a 4 inch cut down his face, multiple bruises.
My husband was insistent that he wanted them arrested and put it in his statement. Being our first cruise, we trusted Carnival to take care of the situation. They informed my group that they would not be permitted to drink for the rest of the trip. They were shocked and insulted. They were the victims, but were being treated as the attackers. They told security officer John Pynadeth to review the video and see that they were assualted. He lied to them and said the club had no video.
The next morning (after we left Bahamas) I had to seek out the security officer John Pynadeth with my girlfriend because no one called us to check on our health or even reassure us we were safe. I sought out Pynadeth because no one on the ship had contacted us. No one called to say what would happen to them, or to even inquire on her or my husbands health.. No care. No concern. No courtesy. I asked Pynadeth why my friends would have their purchasing blocked and he said it was company policy. He stated that my card wasn't blocked so I could buy drinks for them. My girlfriend cried all through the meeting. I asked how they would be arrested and that the ship didn't seem concerned about us. I told him she was terrified and how did they plan to protect her? He shrugged and asked me what I thought they should do. He stated he had "talked to them and they knew they were wrong and wouldn't be a problem" You reasoned with a woman spraying perfume in other peoples faces? I confronted him about lying about the video and he admitted it was a lie. He said that if they came around to call security....do you know how improbable that is? Where are the phones to call on Lido or in a stairwell? He also told me that they (the assailants) would not be allowed on Carnival again. My friend remained locked in her room for the last day.
My girlfriend was absolutely traumatized that morning. She was covered in bruises, crying and absolutely terrified. She cancelled her morning spa appt because she was covered in bruises. She was looking everywhere we went, thinking she would be attacked again. They were free to walk around and had passed us several times.
When we docked in Miami, we were prepared and ready for the police. Imagine our shock when the Miami-Dade police came to take our statements and inform us there was nothing that they could do, the incident happened in the Bahamas and the Bahamian police should have been notified and that Carnival has enough of these incidents to know that. They were very sympathetic and kind, everything Carnival was not. They told us we would have to contact the Bahamian embassy to pursue charges. The security officer Pynadeth was present but refused to give us the names of the people that attacked us based on "confidentiality of passengers" So Carnival has blocked the opportunity for justice and damages. The police said that Carnival knew they should have had the Bahamian called but that they didn't because they don't like incidents on their record. One officer pulled me aside and said to pursue a case against Carnival and he would be there for us. That the handling of these incidents are poor and they have to deal with the aftermath. They stated it was clear we were wronged and would help anyway possible.
Now for the final insult. As we left the boat, my husband and my friend's husband were notified they would not be allowed on Carnival again. The shock set me over the edge. My husband hit no one. He is a 45 year old man. He's never been arrested or in a fight. My girlfriend stood there in a beautiful dress, covered in bruises and that was your parting concern for us. We spent over 1500 and they couldn't even say "hey, sorry".
Today I'm just stunned. I'm sickened over the money we gave them. I'm a world traveler...I have never been treated so poorly. I'm devastated that this gift we planned for our friends was ruined by their policies and lack of care.
Several witnesses (we have statements and now video) approached us later and said they would back us 100% in court if needed. We have the police report number, all the "medical" records and statements and now a video from another passenger.
Carnival contacted us and acted as if they couldn't understand how we were faulting them. They implied it was all the fault of the people that attcked us. They people they blocked from being arrested and allowed to walk around us on the ship.
Take a look at what a $1500 3 day vacation on Carnival looks like:
http://m45.photobucket.com/albums/Whobeanie/injuries/
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Michael
Summerland Key,Florida,
U.S.A.
Opinion, and then Advice
#2General Comment
Thu, December 01, 2011
First, I do not believe for one second the physical altercation occurred as a result of your party doing absolutely nothing but sitting there smoking. An all out brawl just does not happen like that. I'm not saying the lady wasn't obnoxious about her smoking opinion, because I know people like that, but there must have been some sort of equally contentious response from your party, especially if it resulted in a permanent ban from Carnival. Those decisions are not made lightly and only made after top brass has reviewed the case, including watching the video and talking to the bar staff.
Now, that all said, if the woman and her party were the primary aggressors, and you are 100% certain your party are the victims of assault and battery, you have the option of contacting the FBI in Miami. Regardless of where the ship was located, even if in foreign port, the FBI has jurisdiction over crimes committed by or on U.S. citizens on board U.S. based cruise ships. But if you are going to do this, you need to do is ASAP while the video still exists. Being we are approaching a month later, it may even be too late now. Also, if you are going to do this, the actual victim has to do it, not you.
voiceofreason
North Carolina,United States of America
Well...
#3Consumer Comment
Wed, November 23, 2011
Yeah, on second thought her picture doesn't hang totally straight on the wall. But I do believe that Carnival crews would deliberately avoid having such incidents reported, especially in foreign ports, and that they would deliberately do so knowing the home port would then tell any legit victim "too bad", the crime occurred outside the USA. At the very least, if there were any question as to who was in the wrong, those parties should have been confined to quarters until port was reached.
I for one would never use Carnival based on the stories I've seen here and I truly believe that Carnival couldn't care less.
This is an area I think needs to be addressed by international treaty, perhaps that any shipboard crimes be subject to the laws of the port of origin, wherever the ship might be, and that authorities in whose waters the incident takes place by default deport all perpetrators back to port of origin for processing, or authorize the ship security to detain them and do so. Perhaps give the perpetrators the choice of facing the music in one place or the other.
That such a fight on a ship could go so far tells me Carnival is at the lest, lacking severely in proper security arrangements.
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
You don't know VOR?
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, November 23, 2011
Doesn't seem likely that she would have gone through all the hassle of posting here, the video and all else had the incident not gone down as she claims it did.
- You've been around here for a while and have seen people who go through the "hassle" of posting their "ripoffs" when it is obvious they are wrong. Remember this person wasn't even present when the incident occurred.
The OP only posted a link to about 10 pictures, there was no video posted..only mentioned. I wrote that I could be 100% wrong and asked that the OP post this video that shows this incident.
What was the response? To totally ignore any further mention of the video. Not only that but to then add farther statements that one knows is false, which might make one wonder what else is false.
My husband was drinking....its a cruise ship, they don't serve water or soda, but that rum goes by every 32 seconds.
- Carnival does not refuse to serve water and soda. All a passenger has to do is order it...just like they order other alcoholic drinks.
voiceofreason
North Carolina,United States of America
I don't know, Robert
#5Consumer Comment
Wed, November 23, 2011
I don't have any problem believing the OP 100% on this one. Doesn't seem likely that she would have gone through all the hassle of posting here, the video and all else had the incident not gone down as she claims it did. Her reaction smacks of the unquenchable righteous indignation of those who are truly wronged and frustrated to the point of no return by a lack of accountability. The Big C has no shortage of outrageous incidents posted here anyway.
Rowan
Naples,Florida,
United States of America
I understand the skepticism
#6Author of original report
Tue, November 22, 2011
No, we aren't angels, but we didn't start that. I don't drink, I have MS and we're all in our mid 40's. My husband was drinking....its a cruise ship, they don't serve water or soda, but that rum goes by every 32 seconds. They took pictures of my husband and friends hands, not a single mark. Really wasn't needed, the 7 admitted they started it and the Miami police report reflects that.
We are all originally from Brooklyn but I've never seen anything as ghetto as that boat. Its not a party boat...its a greyhound bus with booze. My husband was furious that he DIDN'T hit them back and as it turns out....he wouldn't have arrested anyway.
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
I wonder
#7Consumer Comment
Tue, November 22, 2011
So you are going to come here and basically claim that your group was being total angels in a bar, and this group of bullies decided to just pick a fight with them just because they wanted the seats. So to accomplish that they basically beat up on your group, but because your group was still being angels they just took the beating. After all in the end you are basically claiming that that your group had all of the bruises and the other group got out of this without even so much as a scratch.
Yet the saga continues, when your group is banned from buying alcohol for the rest of the cruise AND have been banned from any further Carnival Cruise.
Yep, you just have to love it when you get one side of the story, and it isn't the side of the story from someone that was there. Because you were not even in the bar when this happened.
Carnival has a reputation of being a "party ship", especially with the shorter cruises. It seems as if your claims show this is still the case. Now, I have no doubt that there was a fight between two groups of people who probably had a little too much to drink. But I also think that the drinking probably altered the reality of what really happened that night.
But heck I could be 100% wrong. So why not post the video from the other passenger so that we can see the whole story.
