In February 2013, a routine Carnival cruise in the Gulf of Mexico turned into an ordeal that would haunt the industry for years. The Carnival Triumph, carrying more 4,000 guests and crew, suffered an engine room fire that knocked out its power and, more importantly, the plumbing. Fast forward 12 years, and it’s the subject of the new Netflix documentary entitled “Trainwreck: Poop Cruise.” Humorous as it is at the surface, the cruise became a defining moment for cruise ship safety and passenger rights. Here’s the real story behind the world’s most infamous recent cruise.
Photo: Anastasiia Akh/Shutterstock
The Real Story Behind the 'Poop Cruise,' and Why It (Probably) Won't Happen Again
What really happened on the ‘poop cruise?’
The trouble began when a fuel leak triggered a fire early in the morning on February 10, 2013. It was quickly extinguished, but destroyed the ship’s main electrical systems and left the Triumph without air conditioning, refrigeration, or functioning toilets. Passengers were forced to improvise, using showers as urinals and defecating into red “biological hazard” bags distributed by the crew. However, the measures proved inadequate over the course of the following five days, with the hazardous waste bins overflowing and sewage seeping into hallways, making many interior spaces uninhabitable. To escape the odor (and the heat), people moved their bedding onto the decks and created makeshift outdoor camps. In a matter of days, fighting broke out, especially as passengers competed for space and limited food, as the crew had to dispose of anything that required refrigeration.
Efforts to tow the ship back to port were stymied by multiple factors. The ship had been sailing from Cozumel, but strong currents meant returning there wasn’t an option. Instead, it was pulled by tugboats to Mobile, Alabama, adding days to the journey. The crew faced the same issues as passengers but continued to work through the conditions. Afterward, many guests complimented their resilience through the disaster.
No one died as a result of the “poop cruise” incident, nor were there serious injuries reported among passengers or crew. However, several passengers did suffer from nausea and vomiting, likely due to the unsanitary conditions, extreme heat, and spoiled food.
How did Carnival respond?
The Carnival Triumph eventually was rebranded as the Carnival Sunrise, shown here. Photo: Carnival News
Initially, Carnival’s public relations team downplayed the incident, calling it an “inconvenience and discomfort.” However, once passengers managed to get online by using Wi-Fi from a nearby ship and shared their experiences on social media, the story quickly gained national attention. Carnival eventually offered full refunds, travel expense reimbursements, $500 in compensation, and a free future cruise, though the damage to its reputation and the cruise industry overall was already done.
The fallout led to significant changes across the cruise industry, most notably the “Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights,” introduced later that year by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). It set new minimum standards for passenger treatment, including mandating emergency power sources, timely updates for passengers, medical care, and the ability to leave the ship if basic needs are not met.
Carnival also invested in safety upgrades, spending $500 million on fire prevention systems and backup generators. The Triumph was also overhauled and rebranded years later as the Carnival Sunrise, which still sails today.
What’s to stop it from happening again?
Photo: TaraPatta/Shutterstock
There have been some federal laws enacted to protect cruise ship passengers, but most of the changes following the “poop cruise” incident were initiated and implemented by the cruise industry itself. The cruise industry has sunk millions into improving its safety and experiential reputation, so it’s likely most companies will do everything they possibly can to avoid another disaster like this one.
Not to be confused with the Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights, introduced and implemented by the industry, members of Congress have repeatedly introduced the Cruise Passenger Protection Act (CPPA), which would expand passenger rights, improve medical standards, and strengthen enforcement and reporting requirements. The most recent introduction was in August 2024. However, as of July 2025, it hasn’t passed. Unfortunately, given the current leanings in Congress away from consumer protections, it’s unlikely to pass in the next few years. 