Carnival Faces $5 Million Lawsuit After Passenger Claims Pool Deck Burned His Feet

A Florida cruise passenger has filed a lawsuit against Carnival Corporation over an alleged incident on Carnival Magic, saying he suffered serious burns while walking barefoot across the ship’s Lido Deck.

The passenger, Jorge Luis Alverio Nunez, says the incident happened on May 21, 2025, while he was onboard the ship. Court records list Nunez v. Carnival Corporation as a maritime personal injury lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Florida in May 2026.

Pool deck on a cruise ship with a ton of cruise ship passengers on enjoying

According to the complaint, Nunez had been using the pool area and walked roughly 20 steps across the deck to reach his shoes near a lounge chair. He alleges the surface was hot enough to cause second-degree burns to the bottoms of both feet.

Passenger Says Carnival Magic’s Pool Deck Burned His Feet

The complaint says the Lido Deck had become dangerously hot while the ship was sailing from Miami.

Nunez contends he didn’t realize the flooring could reach a temperature capable of causing burns in such a short distance. He says the injuries led to pain, hospital treatment, physical disfigurement, and ongoing mobility problems.

As with any lawsuit, these are allegations at this stage. Carnival has not been found liable, and the claims would need to be tested through the legal process.

Lawsuit Accuses Carnival of Failing to Warn Guests

The case centers on whether Carnival should have warned passengers that the outdoor deck could become hot enough to cause injury.

Nunez is reportedly seeking more than $5 million in damages. His legal claims include negligent failure to warn, general negligence, and continued use of what the lawsuit describes as dangerous deck material.

The filing also says Carnival had prior notice of similar complaints and injuries involving overheated deck areas on other ships in its fleet. Carnival has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.

Why the Deck Temperature Is Central to the Case

One of the biggest questions in the case is how hot the Lido Deck actually became that day.

Carnival Magic was operating short cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean around the time of the alleged incident. In May, daytime temperatures in those regions usually reach the mid to upper 80s and sometimes even the low 90s.

Carnival Magic cruise ship sailing on the ocean

Air temperature is only part of the picture. Outdoor surfaces exposed to direct sunlight can become much hotter than the surrounding air, which is why pavement and sand can feel uncomfortable even on days that don’t seem extreme.

Cruise ships also have factors that may work in the other direction. Pool decks are exposed to sea breezes, and the area around a pool is often damp from guests getting in and out of the water. Those conditions can help cool surfaces, at least in theory.

The materials used on cruise ship decks matter too. Carnival’s outdoor deck areas use marine-grade flooring and non-slip coatings designed for life at sea, where floors need to handle sun, saltwater, wet feet, heavy foot traffic, and safety rules around slipping. Even with heat-resistant materials, though, outdoor decks can still become uncomfortable under strong sun.

For Nunez, the issue is not just whether the deck felt uncomfortable. His lawsuit argues it was hot enough to be unsafe, that Carnival should have known about the risk, and that passengers should have been warned before walking barefoot across the area.

For medical context, Mayo Clinic says a second-degree burn affects both the outer layer of skin and the second layer beneath it. Symptoms can include swelling, blistering, splotchy skin, and pain. Deep second-degree burns can also cause scarring.

Other Guests Have Raised Similar Concerns

Nunez’s filing also points to past reports from other Carnival passengers who raised concerns about overheated deck areas.

That concern is not limited to this case. In a separate federal lawsuit involving Carnival Horizon, a passenger alleged that he suffered a foot burn after stepping onto an open deck, later developed complications including infection and hospitalization, and eventually had his right leg amputated below the knee. However, that filing did not prove Carnival was responsible. Court records show Carnival disputed whether the injury was caused by a contact burn.

Some cruisers have also complained online about pool decks becoming uncomfortable under strong sun. In one Facebook post about Carnival Mardi Gras, a cruiser commented saying they were “shocked” by how hot the pool deck felt and claimed other guests were “literally burning their feet” while walking across it.

The image depicts a serene pool deck on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship, with a clear blue swimming pool in the foreground, flanked by inviting sun loungers under straw-roofed cabanas. The background showcases the ship's distinctive red and blue water slides towering above the deck, set against a clear sky in what appears to be a tranquil early morning or late afternoon setting.

Carnival advises guests to wear suitable footwear around outdoor areas, such as sandals or boat shoes with traction. However, Carnival has also said water shoes are not allowed inside its pools, which creates a practical issue for passengers moving between the water and nearby loungers. Guests may still be able to keep shoes close by, as long as they aren’t blocking walkways or creating a tripping hazard.

That’s where the legal dispute sits: whether this was an ordinary hot-deck situation that guests should expect, or whether Carnival failed to address a hazard that went beyond normal cruise conditions.

Carnival Has Not Publicly Commented

Carnival has not issued a public statement on the lawsuit.

Carnival Magic continues to operate scheduled cruises from Miami, while the legal case moves forward in federal court.

For now, the lawsuit remains a set of allegations. But it does raise a practical reminder for cruisers: on sunny sea days, keeping sandals close to your chair may help avoid an uncomfortable barefoot walk across the deck.