Key Aspects:
- Former Carnival Guest Hannah Smith was sucked into ferry propellers during a shore excursion in Nassau.
- The cruiser has undergone 25 surgeries and lost both her legs due to the accident.
- She is now suing the tour provider and Carnival Cruise Line for negligence.
On May 12, 2025, Hannah Smith’s celebratory cruise onboard Carnival Celebration turned into a fight for her life after a shore excursion in Nassau, Bahamas, went very wrong.
Near the end of a shore excursion to Pearl Island’s Sun Cay Beach Club, the recent college graduate was sucked into the propellers of the ferry used by the tour company, which resulted in life threatening injuries.
After 25 surgeries and losing both of her legs, the Tennessee resident is pursuing legal action against tour operators Sun Cay and Pearl Investment Management Group, as well as Carnival Corporation.
The lawsuit was originally filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on December 17, 2025, but was amended on March 11, 2026.
Smith’s travel companion and friend, Brooklyn Pitre, also filed her own complementary lawsuit against Carnival on May 11, 2026.
Carnival has not directly commented on the specific allegations within the legal action, but has wished Smith “strength and healing” according to various news outlets. Cruise Hive also reached out to Carnival Corporation for a statement, but did not hear back in time for publication.
Was Alcohol a Factor?
According to the lawsuits filed by both Smith and Pitre, the young women were encouraged to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, and that at least some of the drinks were spiked by tour employees.
The claim specifically states that Smith and her companions were lured into a private cabana during the excursion and offered excessive amounts of complimentary high-proof alcohol and marijuana.
Allegedly, the bar tenders also performed “liter pours” with spiked alcohol poured directly into guests’ mouths. Smith’s blood alcohol level reached 0.447, which is well over the legal limit of 0.08% in Florida.
When Smith eventually had to use the restroom, she says that tour staff told her that “the ocean is your toilet.”
She was encouraged to go into the water while highly intoxicated, where she subsequently got caught in the ferry’s propellers after urinating. This occurred during the disembarkation process at the end of the excursion after guests had been returned to Nassau.
This allegation also comes soon after news broke on April 15, 2026, that another former guest won a $300,000 lawsuit against Carnival Corporation over dangerous alcohol service.
Is Carnival Corporation to Blame?
Smith’s legal team has accused Carnival of negligence. The lawsuit argues that the cruise line marketed the excursion as a safe and vetted experience for passengers and should bear some responsibility for the tragic accident that unfolded.
It goes on to say that Carnival should have known the excursion was dangerous due to public reviews about the sketchy ferry conditions dating back to 2023 and social media posts about overservice of alcohol during the tour that go back to 2018.
However, Carnival has made it clear that the cruise company does not operate or take any responsibility for its shore excursions. It simply sells them as a convenience for its guests.
“All of the shore excursions, including any related transportation, are operated by local independent companies and they are solely responsible for their products, excursions and any related transportation,” Carnival’s website states.
“Carnival is not responsible for any losses, damage, death, injuries or claims whatsoever arising from, connected with, or related to any activities engaged in by guests while off of Carnival’s ships or tenders in any port of call. This includes all shore excursions…” the brand continues.
According to Daily Mail, Carnival has asked Florida Judge William Dimitrouleas to throw out the lawsuit because the excursion was operated by independent Bahamian companies, not Carnival itself. However, this was denied.
Peter Rebmann, managing partner of Pearl Investment Management Group, also tried to get the suit dismissed by arguing that Florida courts in the US have no jurisdiction over a Bahamian business.
The shore excursion Smith took, which is called “Sun Cay Beach Club with Lunch,” is also still available for purchase on Carnival’s website as of the time of this writing, though it is poorly reviewed at only 2.8 out of 5 stars.
