Carnival-Sunshine

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continued deporting crew members off cruise ships that it said have violated their work visas. The Trump administration confirmed on Aug 21, that it was expanding its review of all current U.S. visas and specifically suspending work visas for foreigners. CBP officers once again met the 'Carnival Sunshine' on Aug 17, when the ship returned to Norfolk, Virginia, from its weekly cruise. Four Filipino crewmembers out of the crew of over 1,000 people were taken into custody, removed from the ship, placed in a hotel under guard overnight, and flown out of the United States on Aug 18. They were fast-tracked for deportation with no legal process. No evidence, no charges, and no hearings were conducted. Instead, the crew members were told they must sign deportation paperwork or face the potential of a $250,000 fine or jail time. As part of the deportation, they were also barred from returning to the United States for 10 years. They were told they were being targeted because they participated in an online chat group that had links to child pornography. No evidence was presented, and the group said that all four individuals denied the allegations. 28 crew members from the Carnival Sunshine have now been removed from the ship and deported since the crackdown began in spring. Over 100 crew members from various cruise ships around the United States, all holders of valid crew visas for work on commercial vessels, have been deported. The Pilipino Workers Center was speaking with the Philippine government about the matter.

On Aug 18 at 2 a.m. a massive fight broke out on board the 'Canivial Suinshine' allegedly over chicken tenders on the final day of the cruise en route from the Bahamas to Miami. A viral video showed a large group of passengers exchanging blows, with some people falling to the floor while others were caught in headlocks. Punches were thrown as shoes and phones went flying across the floor. Security guards rushed in to break up the chaos but struggled to control the brawl. At one point, a guard ran out of the fight to call for backup on his radio. There were no reports of any serious injuries in the violence. There were also no reports of any police action in connection with the matter. The brawl came just weeks after Carnival introduced stricter policies aimed at curbing disruptive behavior, including a curfew for guests under 17, requiring them to be accompanied by an adult after 1 a.m. The Carnival Cruise line has also faced previous controversies involving similar incidents, including fights that led to lifetime bans for some passengers. Report with video: https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/miami-massive-brawl-erupts-on-carnival-cruise-ship-as-passengers-fight-allegedly-over-chicken-tender-video

On July 20, 2025, at least 18 Filipino workers were forcibly removed in handcuffs from the 'Carnival Sunshine' in the Port of Norfolk in Virginia, and sent back to the Philippines and banned from re-entry to the United States for 10 years. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) removed the workers, all with valid 10-year visas, from the vessel, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) said in a joint statement. The workers have not been charged or found guilty of any crime. They had valid work visas and were previously cleared to work in the United State

The 'Carnival Sunshine' received an inspection score of 89 during a routine health check conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 8 as part of the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), flagged 26 violations. Among the most serious were reports of a food service employee continuing to work while experiencing symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, insects found in food service areas, and refrigeration failures that compromised safe food storage. The CDC noted cockroaches and fruit flies in multiple galleys and food preparation areas, including sightings beneath equipment and near dishwashing stations. In a detailed inspection report, the CDC cited several equipment issues, including malfunctioning refrigeration units that allowed potentially hazardous foods—like sandwiches and raw meatballs—to rise above safe temperature thresholds. Additional problems included worn gaskets on ice machines, leaking water lines, damaged flooring, and disrepair of food-contact surfaces. While the ship did pass the inspection, it still must submit a corrective action plan to the CDC.

The 'Carnival Sunshine' had to slow down on her return to Charleston, South Carolina, at the end of her current 5-night sailing due to poor weather. Strong winds and waves made it difficult for the ship to sail at full speed and maintain optimal safety and comfort. This has had a knock on effect on embarkation fort the departure on Feb 8, 2024,, which was delayed by several hours. Incoming guests have been alerted to the change and advised to push back their arrival time to accommodate the delay. Travelers were asked to delay their terminal arrival appointment by three hours. All guests, however, had to be onboard no later than 5:30 p.m. for the ship to depart. Originally, the 'Carnival Sunshine'‘s planned departure was 4 p.m., but this has been pushed back as much as possible to permit adequate time for both debarkation and embarkation. The ship’s next sailing was a 4-night Bahamas cruise, with a day at sea first, followed by a full day in Nassau and another day at sea before returning to Charleston on Feb 12. At this time, there was no change to that itinerary.

The FBI started investigating a suspicious death that happened aboard the 'Carnival Sunshine'. The crew was made aware of an unresponsive woman on Feb. 27, 2023. The staff attempted life-saving measures, but the woman was pronounced dead on the ship. Once the ship berthed in Charleston on March 4, members of the FBI Evidence Response Team responded in the morning to conduct an investigation into the death. Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau, and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and were conducting an autopsy, while Carnival was fully cooperating. The authorities were continuing to investigate the incident.