Carnival-Horizon

On March 10, Timothy Hudson from Titugsville has been indicted as an adult on federal murder and sexual abuse charges in the killing of his 16-year-old stepsister Anna Kepner aboard the 'Carnival Horizon' on Nov 6, 2025. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide caused by strangulation. Initially charged as a juvenile, the accused was ordered to stand trial as an adult by U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom on April 10. Court records allege that the teenager was traveling with the 16-year-old Anna Kepner and other family members aboard the 'Carnival Horizon' in early November 2025. During the voyage, while the vessel was in international waters en route to Miami, federal prosecutors allege that Timothy Hudson sexually assaulted and suffocated Kepner. The cause of Kepne death was determined to be mechanical asphyxia, which is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing. He was removed from his mother’s Titusville home and was living with relatives amid the FBI’s investigation into the cruise ship death. Tthis change was disclosed during a Florida custody hearing where his mother testified the decision was made to “remove any risk of any danger to any of the other children in the home. Timothy Hudson was facing a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted, per the U.S. Attorney's Office. Hudson was initially charged on Feb. 2, and he pleaded not guilty the next day in Miami. A judge on Feb. 6 said Hudson must wear an electronic tether while living with an uncle. The order was changed to allow him to join his father for a few days last week at a landscaping business. Prosecutors objected to Hudson's release, citing dangerousness, and asked a judge Monday to revisit that order now that he has been charged as an adult. Defense lawyers will have a week to respond. The case was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Miami Field Office. The FBI is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López was prosecuting the case. An indictment is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A mechanical issue affecting the propulsion system of the 'Carnival Horizon' has delayed the ship’s return to Miami on April 5, prompting later disembarkation and pushed-back embarkation slots for thousands of cruise passengers bound for the USA and Caribbean. The vessel had reduced speed on its way back to Port Miami after the mechanical problem affected the propulsion performance. While core hotel and onboard services remained available, the vessel was unable to sail at its normal cruising speed, extending the transit time into South Florida. The ship reached the pier behind its originally planned morning window. That timing is particularly sensitive at the busy port, where multiple large vessels often turn around on the same day and rely on tight schedules to clear one passenger load before boarding the next. Although the ship remained fully powered for guest services, the reduced speed was enough to disrupt the timing of disembarkation and turn-around operations in Miami. The knock-on effect was felt first by guests ending their cruise. Debarkation from the delayed sailing began later than the usual early-morning start, compressing the window available to clear the ship and process baggage before the next passengers arrived. Carnival shifted terminal arrival appointments for the next cruise, pushing check-in windows back by roughly two hours to accommodate the late arrival and extended clearance procedures. The adjustment was intended to prevent overcrowding at the terminal and reduce the number of guests waiting with luggage outside while the previous voyage completed disembarkation. Travelers who had planned midday boarding were instead advised to appear later in the afternoon, revising transportation plans, airport transfers, and pre-cruise activities. Guests weere asked to monitor their email and mobile messages closely on embarkation day for updated arrival guidance as the situation evolved. The ship’s same-day departure remained on track, with turnaround operations compressed into a shorter time frame once disembarkation and cleaning were underway.

The stepbrother of Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old teenager from Titusville, who died aboard the 'Carnival Horizon' appeared in federal court in Miami on FEb 6, 2026,, as investigators continued probing the circumstances surrounding her death. She was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon on Nov 7, 2025, at 11.15 a.m. while on a family vacation. Authorities later ruled her death a homicide caused by “mechanical asphyxiation”. According to investigators, Kepner was found under the bed in her cabin, wrapped in a blanket and covered with life jackets. The cabin was shared with her stepbrother. Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother was seen leaving juvenile court before entering adult federal court. Although the FBI has not publicly identified a suspect or filed charges, filings from a separate family court dispute indicated the 16-year-old was being investigated in Anna Kepner’s death. The FBI was leading the investigation because Kepner’s death occurred in international waters as the cruise ship was returning to Miami after the weeklong Caribbean trip.

The FBI’s Miami office was investigating under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, after a passenger, the 18 year old Anna Kepner, a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, died while traveling aboard the 'Carnival Horizon'. FBI agents at the port were collecting evidence.The Carnival Cruise Line was cooperating fully with federal authorities and focusing on supporting the passenger’s family. The ship returned to Miami as scheduled on the morning of Nov 8, 2025, where the body was taken away in an ambulance. Reportedly, the body of the Georgia Bulldogs fan was found wrapped in a blanket and shoved under a bed. It has not been revealed why her remains were under the bed, how long her body had been there for, or how she died. The Miami-Dade investigators confirmed her date of death as Nov 7. The FBI has been leading the investigation into her death as she passed away in international waters. The FBI has not revealed whether it has launched a murder probe. She had complained of feeling unwell on the evening of Nov 6 while she was eating dinner. The next day, her dad, Christopher Kepner, 41, and stepmom Shauntel Hudson, 36, met the family for breakfast. But upon realizing that she was not there, they began a desperate search for the missing teen. Eventually a maid found her body, after she entered the cabin to service the room at about 11 a.m., wrapped in a blanket, and covered over with life jackets. Reports with photos: https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/fbi-investigating-passengers-death-aboard-carnival-horizon-cruise-ship-that-returned-to-portmiami/ https://www.thesun.ie/news/16121432/body-anna-kepner-dead-carnival-cruise-grim-location-fbi/

The 'Carnival Horizon' has suffered a propulsion problem, which reduced its cruising speed, and had a delayed return to Miami on Nov 16, 2025. This impacted the embarkation for the next cruise. The shipwas on an 8-night Southern Caribbean “ABC” itinerary that departed Miami on Nov 8. The operator Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on the next departure, scheduled to leave on Nov 16 for a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios. That cruise would be impacted by the ship’s delay. Both shipboard and shoreside engineers were planning repairs to get the 'Carnival Horizon' back up to speed, which seemed to indicate that the problem has already been identified and could be repaired. All features and venues were fully operating, so that the ship’s safety and navigational were are not compromised, and all onboard dining, hotel, and entertainment was moving along as planned.

Officials are searching for a missing American cruise passenger, Jessica Collins, 47, who failed to return to her trip aboard the 'Carnival Horizon' during a stop in the Caribbean. She had been taking an eight-day trip visiting the southern Caribbean, but did not return to the ship following its stop in Bonaire on Sep 17, 2025. The ship departed on the evening with some of her luggage and personal belongings still on board. She did, however, take all her identification with her. The local authorities were working with the Public Entity of Bonaire, the Port Authority, Tourism Corporation Bonaire, Carnival Cruise Line Security, the ship's security chief, and other partners and were also in direct contact with Carnival Corporation and the US authorities. Surveillance pics of the missing woman were showing her leaving the vessel for the final time, wearing a Hawaiian-style T-shirt with denim shorts. She had a grey backpack on her back. A spokesperson for Carnival stated that Collins apparently did not want to be found: "This guest appears to have taken deliberate action to be alone and on her own.," There was no mention of where she had gone or why she had quit the holiday. Collins had replied to a concerned crew member who had tried contacting her. She texted the employee to confirm "she was safe and did not want to be found or contacted again." Collins had removed "all her belongings in her backpack and left a cash gratuity for the stateroom attendant with a thank you note.” Report with photos: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15238044/jessica-collins-carnival-horizon-cruise-missing/

On Sep 12, 2022, at 8 a.m. the 'Carnival Horizon' has assisted five Cuban refugees on its Western Caribbean itinerary. The ship rendered aid to a small boat adrift north of Cuba, providing supplies to the occupants and permitting the craft to continue on its way, as was the occupants’ choice. The cruise ship was slowly cruising east along the north coast of Cuba when the small craft was sighted, which appeared to be drifting. The cruise ship could have brought the individuals aboard, and they would have been transferred to the proper authorities, likely the US Coast Guard. They instead opted to remain with their craft and continue on their planned journey. The small boat was deemed safe for the refugees to continue, and the cruise ship continued on its route. Report with photo: https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-ship-assists-drifting-boat-in-the-caribbean/81444

A body has been recovered late on March 15, after a man jumped overboard from the 'Carnival Horizon'. Together with the US Coast Guard, the ship’s crew located and recovered the body of the passenger. The Carnival’s Care team is providing assistance to his family. The man had jumped overboard" from Deck 11 around 7 p.m. ET after the ship departed from Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos at 5 p.m. on a 6-day cruise from Miami. Camera footage confirmed a person went overboard. Immediately after the announcement was made, crew members threw life preservers with attached lights off the stern and port side of the ship. The ship was sailing near the Turks and Caicos Islands just before 9:00 p.m. and is scheduled to be in the Mexican resort of Cozumel on March 17.

After an unexpected dry dock following technical issues with the 'Carnival Horizon', the ship was now making its return trip from Palermo back to Miami, Florida, with an ETA as of Jan 20, 2022. Carnival Cruise Line had temporarily pulled the vessel from service after experiencing an issue with the vessel's maximum speed in late November 2021. The ship was drydocked in Palermo on Dec 22. Although the repair works were initially expected to take less than two weeks, Carnival later determined that a longer dry dock would be necessary. The 'Carnival Horizon' completed its unexpected drydock period in Palermo on Jan 8.