Drink Responsibly: The Legal Battle Over Cruise Ship Overserving
Cruise passengers often enjoy making the most of their drink packages while onboard, but it's essential to know your limits. A woman from California, Diana Sanders, claimed she was overserved during her Carnival Radiance cruise in January 2024, leading to injuries. Sanders alleged she was served 14 tequila shots in an 8-hour period, resulting in a fall on the ship. She filed a lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Line seeking damages over $75,000 and a jury trial.
Sanders began drinking around 3 p.m. and continued until after 11:30 p.m., when the incident occurred. The injuries she sustained included a concussion, headaches, possible traumatic brain injury, back injuries, tailbone injuries, bruising, and more. After a legal battle lasting 17 months, a jury found Carnival liable and ordered the company to pay $300,000 in damages. The case highlighted the challenges of determining responsibility in cases involving alcohol consumption on cruise ships.
Attorney Spencer Aronfeld pointed out the role of prepaid drink packages in encouraging excessive drinking and the potential influence of servers who may be financially motivated to continue serving alcohol. Carnival Cruise Line's Cheers! drink package limits guests to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period. Sanders boarded the Carnival Radiance for a 3-night cruise to Mexico from Long Beach, California, where the incident occurred.
The jury attributed 60% of the blame to Carnival and 40% to Sanders, acknowledging shared responsibility for the situation. Despite the verdict, Carnival Cruise Line plans to appeal the ruling, citing grounds for a new trial and appeal. One of the potential grounds for appeal is the lack of specific evidence linking individual bartenders or bars to overserving Sanders, as well as the challenges of monitoring guest alcohol consumption across multiple venues onboard.
With multiple bars and lounges on the Carnival Radiance, it's possible that individual bartenders were unaware of Sanders' rapid consumption of shots. While orders are recorded on each guest's Sail & Sign folio, the speed of service and the volume of guests onboard may have contributed to oversight in monitoring alcohol consumption. The case underscores the importance of responsible drinking and the complexities of enforcing limits on cruise ships.