Movies

Poop Cruise

BBG News

On February 10th, 2013, a fire caused damage to the power cables of the Carnival Triumph cruise ship, leaving around 4,000 passengers stranded in the Gulf of Mexico for nearly a week. During this time, they had to endure issues such as overflowing toilets and sewage leaks on the walls.

Netflix delves back into the unfortunate event depicted in “Trainwreck: Poop Cruise“, a 55-minute documentary scheduled for release on June 24, which forms part of their collection focusing on significant disasters from recent times.

The document includes crew members, representatives from Carnival at that specific period, survivors who navigated the chaos (such as ladies celebrating a bachelorette and a man accompanying his future in-laws).

Let’s explore some surprising facts about traveling as a passenger on the infamous “fecal voyage.

When shit hit the fan

Individuals had registered for a four-day voyage that departed from Galveston, Texas, and arrived in Cozumel, Mexico. The journey across the border to Mexico went smoothly, with people enjoying themselves on the deck and indulging at the extensive buffet meals.

However, during the journey back to the United States from Mexico on Day 4, passengers were unexpectedly awakened in the dead of night by an alarm, calling for an “alpha team” in response to a fire on board.

As the sun began to brighten the sky, the cruise director announced over the speaker system that all was well, only for the lights aboard the ship to abruptly shut off moments later.

In a hurry, crew members found it necessary to devise an emergency plan for bathroom usage since the toilets wouldn’t function without electricity. Desperate passengers resorted to taking out the light source from their life vests and pouring water on them to make the light flash, thereby illuminating the dark bathroom. The crew informed everyone that they had to use the showers for urination and distributed red biohazard bags for solid waste. Passengers placed these full bags in the corridors once trash bins were filled, causing the ship to rapidly take on an unpleasant odor.

Not all individuals complied with the instructions to dispose of their waste in red bags. Devin, a travel companion of his fiancée’s parents, captured much footage of the ensuing pandemonium on his phone, which is frequently featured in the documentary. In the documentary, he recalls, “We walked down a hallway and suddenly, squish-squish-squish-squish… we were wading through excrement.” The cafeteria floors were awash with urine and feces, and Abhi, a crew member in the documentary, describes encountering what he terms a “poop lasagna” in one bathroom—layers of excrement smothered in toilet paper and more waste.

As a devoted film enthusiast, let me share an intriguing tale from my recent voyage. While the cinematic experience onboard was captivating, off-screen events were far from ideal. One of the culinary artists on the ship found themselves in a bind, scrambling to prepare lettuce sandwiches without functional refrigerators. The heat, exacerbated by a lack of air conditioning, turned the bedrooms into sweltering saunas, forcing passengers to retreat to the deck and sleep under the stars. According to the ship’s doctor, some daring souls even chose to engage in intimate moments out in the open. Quite an unexpected twist in this nautical adventure!

Initially, passengers aboard the Carnival Triumph were unable to use their cell phones after being stranded. A passenger named Rebekah, traveling with her father, expressed fear when she couldn’t contact her mother during this time. However, as luck would have it, a nearby cruise ship passed by, allowing some of the stranded passengers to borrow its cell service for brief communications with their loved ones and sharing updates through images and videos. This is how news about the incident began to reach the media.

The rescue and aftermath

Originally, the intention was for a tugboat team to tow the ship back to a Mexican port following the fire. However, due to the ship being pushed so far towards the U.S., the tugboat crew ultimately navigated it to Mobile, Alabama instead. After approximately four days adrift, passengers could be seen affectionately touching the ground as they disembarked.

In the documentary, Carnival’s representative, Buck Banks, expressed both surprise and relief when he stated that an impressive number of passengers attributed the crew members’ extraordinary efforts to their abilities.

As a devoted cinephile reflecting on the subject, I, Frank Spagnoletti, a maritime legal expert, firmly believe that the Carnival Triumph should never have embarked on its voyage. My argument is based on compelling evidence found in relevant documents, suggesting that this very ship had a history of fire incidents. Regrettably, all my cases pertaining to this issue were eventually resolved out of court.

1) The ship, now known as Carnival Sunrise after a $115 million renovation, was previously owned by Carnival. Additionally, they carried out extensive engine room upgrades across their entire fleet. Passengers on the Carnival Triumph were compensated with refunds, travel expense reimbursements, and a complimentary cruise voucher.

According to the documentary, Rebekah’s father Larry recalls fondly their time on the cruise with Rebekah before the unfortunate event. The experience, he notes, deepened his understanding of how we can endure challenges, whether they are good or bad, together. To this day, they continue to take cruises as a way to cherish those shared moments.

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2025-06-24 16:06

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