Cruise Ship Passenger Files Lawsuit Over Discovery of Hidden Camera in Cabin
A passenger on a Royal Caribbean cruise is initiating legal action against the company due to the discovery of hidden cameras placed in cabins by a former staff member.
A class action lawsuit was lodged on Tuesday in the Southern District of Florida on behalf of the passenger, referred to only as Jane Doe, as well as “all other affected passengers,” targeting Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. (RCCL) and Arvin Joseph Mirasol.
Mirasol, who served as a cabin attendant on the Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, received a 30-year federal prison sentence in August after admitting to charges of producing child pornography.
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Mirasol allegedly recorded a video in the plaintiff’s cabin bathroom using a camera with a memory card, capturing the plaintiff in a state of undress and during private acts while aboard the Symphony of the Seas in February, as stated in the lawsuit.
The complaint further claims that Mirasol “sent and/or uploaded images of the Plaintiff while undressed and engaging in private activities to unknown third parties and/or the internet, including but not limited to the dark web, without the Plaintiff’s prior knowledge or consent.” Consequently, the plaintiff has experienced significant emotional distress, according to the lawsuit.
A representative from Royal Caribbean commented to Newsweek saying, “The safety and privacy of our guests is our highest priority, and we have zero tolerance for this behavior. We immediately reported this case to law enforcement and let go of the crew member involved. As this matter is currently in litigation, we cannot provide further comments at this time.”
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The legal complaint further claims that Royal Caribbean “was aware or should have been aware that sexual assaults were likely, given the frequency of such incidents on RCCL’s cruise ships.”
In the lawsuit, a specific incident aboard the cruise line’s Harmony of the Seas in April 2023 was highlighted, involving a passenger who was arrested for allegedly concealing a camera in a public restroom and recording over 150 individuals, including minors.
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It was reported that 26 incidents of sexual assault and rape were documented on Royal Caribbean cruises in the previous year, with 22 incidents noted the year before that, according to data from the Department of Transportation.
Recent reports indicate a troubling increase in sexual assault allegations aboard cruise ships, with 131 cases documented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation last year. This marks a significant rise from the 87 cases noted in 2022 and 101 in 2019, prior to the cruise industry being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawsuit claims that Royal Caribbean “did not take sufficient measures and/or provide necessary security, training, and supervision to avert such sexual attacks, including video voyeurism, from taking place on its vessels.” It further contends that RCCL neglected to inform its passengers about these incidents, asserting that RCCL’s failure to do so was primarily driven by financial interests.
In the aftermath of his apprehension, Mirasol “disclosed that he had been installing cameras in restrooms since he began his employment on Symphony of the Seas in December 2023.”
The allegations suggest that Royal Caribbean did not alert all guests who occupied rooms serviced by Mirasol from December 1, 2023, to February 26, 2024, with estimates indicating that as many as 960 passengers could have been affected.
The lawsuit aims to obtain a yet-to-be-determined sum of damages and calls for a jury trial.
Michael Winkleman, the lawyer representing the individual bringing the case, stated to Newsweek that this situation is of “extreme significance.”
“Incidents of sexual assault, including voyeurism, on cruise ships are at unprecedented levels and must be effectively addressed,” he remarked. “Royal Caribbean recognized this issue back in March 2023 when a covert camera was discovered in a public restroom on the pool deck of one of its vessels, yet it appears to have taken no action to safeguard its passengers from further incidents—such as those that occurred over nearly three months, spanning 12 cruises, and involved as many as 960 guests, including numerous children.”
“Who knows how many pornographic images of these unaware passengers will be shared on the Internet indefinitely because Royal Caribbean neglected their safety and allowed Mirasol to victimize these individuals?”
Khaleda Rahman serves as Newsweek’s National Correspondent located in London, UK. Her reporting primarily concentrates on issues related to abortion rights, race, education, sexual abuse, and capital punishment. She joined Newsweek in 2019 and has prior experience working at the MailOnline in cities such as London, New York, and Sydney. Khaleda earned her degree from University College London. She is proficient in English.
If you wish to reach out to Khaleda, you can send an email to k.rahman@newsweek.com.
Khaleda Rahman holds the position of Newsweek’s National Correspondent in London, UK. Her reporting focuses on critical issues like abortion rights, race, education, sexual abuse, and capital punishment.
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