Woman Wins $300K After Jury Says Carnival Over-Served Her on Cruise

A Carnival passenger has been awarded $300,000 after a federal jury found the cruise line partly responsible for over-serving her alcohol before a serious fall onboard — a case that’s now raising fresh questions about drink packages and where cruise lines should draw the line.

What Happened Onboard

Carnival Radiance cruise ship with its distinctive red funnel cruising through the deep blue ocean under a clear sky, with a puff of white clouds in the distance

Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California, was aboard Carnival Radiance on January 5, 2024, after boarding in Long Beach for a short 3-night Mexico sailing. According to the lawsuit, she was served at least 14 shots of tequila over roughly eight and a half hours.

The court filing said the drinks were served between about 2:58 p.m. and 11:37 p.m. Sanders then suffered a fall sometime between 11:45 p.m. and 12:20 a.m., leaving her with a concussion, headaches, a possible traumatic brain injury, back injuries, tailbone injuries, bruising, and other injuries. Jurors later assigned 60% of the blame to Carnival and 40% to Sanders.

Missing Footage Became a Key Part of the Case

The Blue Iguana Tequila Bar on Carnival Ecstasy, featuring a vibrant Mexican-themed decor with a straw roof, colorful tiled bar, and wooden stools, set against the serene backdrop of the ocean.

A big part of the case centered on what happened in the stretch right before Sanders was found. Her attorney, Spencer Aronfeld, said jurors were shown evidence that 30 minutes of surveillance footage were missing from the time she left the casino bar until she was discovered unconscious in a crew-only area. He said the verdict showed “the inherent dangers of all-inclusive drink packages.” Aronfeld also argued that prepaid drink packages can push passengers to drink more, saying some travelers try to “get their money’s worth.”

Sanders has also spoken publicly about the aftermath. In a video shared by Aronfeld after the verdict, she said waking up and trying to get answers was “extremely frustrating.” She said crew members “gave me conflicting information” and added, “They treated me like a criminal.”

Carnival Says the Fight Is Not Over

Carnival has made clear it doesn’t agree with the result. In a statement, the company said it “respectfully disagrees with the verdict” and believes it has grounds for a new trial and an appeal.

Carnival is also expected to argue that the case was not as straightforward as it sounds. The company has pointed to the fact that Sanders did not identify a specific bartender or bar where she was allegedly overserved, and there was no clear evidence she was showing obvious signs of intoxication that crew members should have spotted. With eight bars and lounges onboard Carnival Radiance, Carnival may also argue that different bartenders would not necessarily have known how much she had already been served.

The verdict is a big win for Sanders, but the case may not be over yet. With Carnival already signaling an appeal, the legal fight could continue even after the $300,000 jury award.