Twelve guests, some of whom were minors, are suing Royal Caribbean and a former employee for surreptitiously photographing them in their staterooms. Outrage and worries about privacy and safety on cruise ships have been aroused by the startling episode.
After learning that they were surreptitiously recorded in their cabins, including while they were naked, twelve guests on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas are suing the cruise line and a former crew member.
The complaint, which was filed in Florida, claims that the victims—including children—were in extreme emotional anguish.
After admitting to creating child pornography, the defendant, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, a former stateroom attendant, was given a 30-year sentence in federal prison in August. Mirasol allegedly posted the video to the dark web and other websites, according to the plaintiffs.
The victims reported feeling anxious, sleep deprived, and physically ill after the finding. “Our clients, especially the minors, find it haunting that these images may be circulating online,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Spencer Aronfeld.
Citing past instances of sexual misconduct on board company ships, such as a 2023 case involving a concealed camera in a public restroom, the lawsuit charges Royal Caribbean with carelessness.
In 2023, there were 131 reported sexual assaults on cruises based in the United States, up from the previous year, according to the FBI.
Mirasol’s activities were reported to law enforcement right away, according to Royal Caribbean, which said it has “zero tolerance for this unacceptable behavior.
\” But according to the lawsuit, the business did not offer enough security, oversight, and training to stop these kinds of accidents.
This case brings up pressing issues about passenger safety and the requirement for more stringent preventive measures on cruise ships as the judicial proceedings progress.
