A Carnival Cruise passenger found her cabin flooded, which allegedly destroyed thousands of dollars’ worth of her personal belongings. The cruise line’s response to the situation, according to TikTok user and passenger Ashleigh Ritchie, has drawn criticism from many people online.
The passenger shared what happened in a video (no longer available) that gathered more than 485,000 views. In the footage, she apparently shows viewers around her room that have been hit by a large amount of water. She did put up a short follow-up video on TikTok later on, stating that the cruise line’s IT department wanted her to open her camera so that they could verify there was water inside.
According to Brobible, the video showed ankle-deep water in some parts of the room, with water dripping from the ceiling. The site claimed that when she pointed the camera at her belongings, her suitcase, makeup bag, and clothing items, including bikini bottoms, are so wet that she can wring the water out of them by hand.
Passenger details the damaged items and the cruise line’s offer
The text on the screen in her video allegedly said, “Just when I thought everything was going well! Thousands of dollars ruined and they [Carnival Cruises] offer $300.” According to Ritchie, the damaged items include expensive electronics such as a Dyson, a Garmin watch, and a Canon G7 X camera, which she said was worth $1,300 on its own. She also said her makeup and clothing were destroyed.
When viewers began commenting on the video, many focused on whether the cruise line’s response was enough. One commenter asked what the company was doing to fix the situation, and Ritchie replied, “Not a thing.”
When other users questioned whether the damage was really that bad, Ritchie explained that the water was brown. She also pointed out that items like electronics, paper, and makeup are not made to be waterproof. Other passengers have also criticized how a cruise company handled a crisis in recent months.
Some viewers suggested she should have simply moved rooms and let the ship’s laundry service deal with her wet clothes. Ritchie said she did move rooms, replying “I did!” but added that the laundry service shrunk and discolored her clothing. She also said the items were returned to her while still wet. She noted the damage included things that could not be easily replaced or cleaned, such as her medication and various toiletries.
Water-related problems have appeared in the cruise industry before. In January 2026, a similar situation happened on an MSC Cruises ship, per UOL. A fault in a water line on the MSC Seaview caused flooding in several guest cabins and a public hallway. Footage shared on YouTube showed guests walking barefoot on soaked carpets in the hallways.
According to USA Today, MSC Cruises released a statement saying they were “deeply sorry for the inconvenience caused to our guests as a result of a leak on the ship.” They said the fault was quickly isolated and fixed by technical teams. The compensation offered for that incident included options such as upgraded cabins, full refunds, and onboard credit of up to $150.
Ritchie described the flooding in her Carnival cabin as limited to her room, caused by a pipe that burst above it. There was another water line burst on a Carnival Cruise Line ship in 2023.
As one commenter on Ritchie’s video pointed out, most people bring valuable items such as shoes, toiletries, and electronics, and 300 dollars is unlikely to cover the cost of replacing those goods. In other cases, passengers have taken cruise lines to court, including a woman awarded $300k by a jury after a dispute over service onboard.
Published: Jun 3, 2026 04:00 pm