Cruise Guest Sues Carnival Over Dune Buggy Rollove...

Due to a brand new lawsuit from a former passenger, Carnival Cruise Line has discovered itself within the sizzling seat.

Karisha McClinton filed a private damage lawsuit towards Carnival Company in the Southern District of Florida on July 3, 2026, following an accident that occurred throughout a shore tour final summer season.

On July 6, 2025, McClinton and her household visited Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, as a part of a crusing onboard the 5,270-guest Mardi Gras.

The lawsuit explains {that a} dune buggy flipped and broke McClinton’s ankle in the course of the “Waterfalls, Buggies & Monkeys” tour.

Allegedly, the cruise visitor was using the buggy (together with her 6-year-old baby within the entrance seat) by harmful muddy, rocky terrain when the car flipped and landed on her left ankle. There was no damage to the kid talked about within the lawsuit.

The household claims that tour operators didn’t present correct directions on easy methods to function the buggies safely, and that there have been no security railings on the route apart from a barbed wire fence.

On prime of all of this, the lawsuit additionally claims that McClinton’s buggy had dangerously worn tires and the tour was not correctly supervised, creating the right circumstances for McClinton to lose management of the car.

The accident resulted in McClinton’s husband needing to raise the buggy off of his spouse, as no tour workers or security crew members instantly got here to supply help.

Learn Additionally: Carnival Sued After Passenger Loses Both Legs in Bahamas Shore Excursion Accident

Native docs wished to hurry the spouse and mom into surgical procedure, however she declined remedy and initially opted to obtain medical care onboard the cruise ship.

Upon returning dwelling to San Antonio, Texas, the visitor discovered that her ankle was damaged in three locations and that she would want surgical procedure to repair it, with a number of screws and plates implanted.

Because the tour was offered and marketed by Carnival as a protected exercise, McClinton is now suing the cruise firm on grounds of negligence.

Carnival Accused of Negligence

McClinton’s authorized crew at Aronfeld Trial Lawyers is accusing Carnival of promoting and advertising and marketing the tour as protected and vetted, with out adequately disclosing that it was operated by an impartial tour supplier.

The household discovered and bought the “Waterfalls, Buggies & Monkeys” excursion whereas searching on Carnival’s web site, with the exercise nonetheless on the market as of the time of publication.

Carnival additionally obtained a part of the income from promoting the tour, which provides to the corporate’s duty for it.

“CARNIVAL created the looks that it was offering the tour both instantly or by brokers of CARNIVAL. MCCLINTON positioned belief in CARNIVAL – not some unknown entity she had by no means heard of earlier than,” the lawsuit said, partially.

Nonetheless, Carnival’s “Shore Tour FAQs” internet web page does clearly state that almost all shore excursions are offered by the cruise line as a comfort to visitors and that they’re operated by impartial firms.

“Nearly all of shore excursions, together with any associated transportation, are operated by native impartial firms and they’re solely chargeable for their merchandise, excursions, and any associated transportation,” Carnival’s website states.

“Carnival is just not chargeable for any losses, harm, demise, accidents, or claims in any way arising from, related with, or associated to any actions engaged in by visitors whereas off of Carnival’s ships or tenders in any port of name,” the assertion continues.

The cruise line additionally says that it does its finest to supply respected and dependable tour operators, however is finally not chargeable for monitoring and sustaining the surface firms and the gear they use throughout shore excursions.

Did Carnival Know About an Elevated Danger?

One other a part of the authorized argument is that Carnival ought to have identified that the tour was harmful and didn’t take motion or to correctly warn visitors concerning the dangers of collaborating.

The grievance connected screenshots of opinions for the tour on Carnival’s personal tour webpage, which embrace accounts of the buggies breaking down and experiencing gear issues.

However total, opinions are constructive. The expertise presently has 4.3 stars out of 5 on Carnival’s web site.

Moreover, this additionally isn’t the primary time one thing like this has occurred. In March, Cruise Hive reported that Norwegian Cruise Line was sued after an ATV flipped during a shore excursion.

As of the time of publication, Carnival Company has not responded publicly to the lawsuit.

Mardi Gras has continued to function usually from its homeport, Port Canaveral, and the 180,800-gross ton ship routinely visits Amber Cove throughout its 7-night Japanese Caribbean itineraries.