Carnival Cruise Line is facing another lawsuit, this time from a Florida man who claims he suffered severe burns after walking barefoot across a scorching pool deck aboard one of the company’s ships.
According to a lawsuit filed in federal court in South Florida, and obtained by WGRZ, Jorge Luis Alverio Nunez alleges he sustained second-degree burns on both feet while walking roughly 20 steps across the deck of the Carnival Magic during a May 2025 sailing. The suit claims the surface temperature was so extreme that burns developed “within seconds of ordinary contact.”
The complaint argues that Carnival Cruise Line failed to warn passengers about what it describes as a dangerously overheated deck area. Attorneys for Nunez claim the company neglected to post warning signs, monitor deck temperatures, require footwear in high-heat zones, or use safer deck materials that can withstand prolonged sun exposure.
“While a passenger may reasonably expect an exterior deck surface exposed to sunlight to become warm, Plaintiff could not reasonably anticipate that the deck surface had reached temperatures capable of causing severe second-degree burns within seconds,” the lawsuit states.
Nunez is seeking at least $5 million in damages tied to medical treatment, pain and suffering, lost earnings, disfigurement, and emotional distress. The lawsuit also alleges Carnival Cruise Line had prior notice of similar incidents, citing at least 25 reported injuries and dozens of complaints involving overheated deck surfaces over a six-year span.
Carnival has not publicly addressed the allegations. A spokesperson previously said that the company does not comment on ongoing litigation.
The case is the latest in a growing pile of lawsuits and legal issues surrounding Carnival Cruise Line in recent months. Earlier this month, recent college graduate Hannah Smith sued the company after losing both legs in a catastrophic boating accident during a Bahamas excursion marketed through Carnival.
Smith alleges excursion staff encouraged excessive drinking and marijuana use before she entered the water near a catamaran propeller.
Beyond the lawsuits, Carnival Cruise Line has also dealt with a string of onboard incidents, including a fatal balcony fall aboard the Carnival Firenze, federal assault citations tied to a fight on the Carnival Spirit, and backlash after an IT glitch briefly allowed customers to book cruises at deeply discounted prices before the reservations were canceled.
