Carnival Cruise Line has faced intense backlash this week after making unpopular changes to its loyalty program. However, with the release of Netflix's new documentary on June 24, 2025, the criticism shows no signs of slowing down.
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise recounts the infamous disaster aboard Carnival Triumph in 2013. What was supposed to be a short 4-night sailing from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico, turned into a nightmare after guests were awoken one morning by an emergency alert for the "alpha team."
An engine fire that fried the ship's electrical cables left it adrift in the Gulf of Mexico with limited power, no plumbing, and food shortages.
The 55-minute documentary features passenger footage and exclusive interviews with former guests and crew members who were stuck aboard the vessel for about four days before finally getting towed to Mobile, Alabama.
With no electricity, all 4,000+ passengers and crew members had to urinate in the showers and defecate in red biohazard bags.
Still, some guests refused to use the bags and resorted to using the toilet, though they couldn't flush. As a result, one crew member recounted discovering a piles of excrament layered with toilet paper in one of the unsanitary bathrooms, which he described as poop "lasagna."
Eventually, raw sewage backed up into the hallways and cabins, earning the voyage its "poop cruise" nickname.
As the days went on, cruisers set up tent "cities" on the lido deck to escape the sweltering heat and stench inside.
Passengers fought over the limited lounge chairs and stockpiled snacks after waiting in two-hour lines, as most of the ship's food had to be thrown away.
To lift the spirits of the passengers, the crew tried to offer an open bar. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse, with guests urinating over the side of the ship and tossing poop-filled bags onto the lifeboats.
Carnival Triumph finally sounded its horn as it arrived in Alabama on February 14, 2013. As passengers disembarked the ship, some were seen kissing the ground. Others ran into the arms of their loved ones.
The ship was then towed to a shipyard in Mobile, where a detailed damage assessment took place. While in the shipyard receiving $100 million in upgrades to make her seaworthy again, gale-force winds caused Carnival Triumph to break free from its moorings.
She struck a moored army vessel and claimed the life of one worker. Consequently, further repairs were delayed, but she finally reentered service on June 13, 2013.
Guests on the distarious "poop cruise" were fully refunded for their cruise and transportation expenses. They also received a future cruise credit (FCC) equal to the amount paid for the voyage and reimbursement of all shipboard purchases, as well as a $500 compensation payment per person.
You can still sail on the infamous "poop cruise" ship
Carnival Triumph is technically still in service today, albeit operating under a different name. In 2019, the former Triumph, which initially debuted in 1999, underwent a $200 million renovation and was renamed to Carnival Sunrise.
During the two-month dry dock in Spain, Carnival's popular food options, such as Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse and the Lido Marketplace, were added.
Thanks to the extensive overhaul, there are also new amenities for guests to enjoy, including the Limelight Lounge (home to Carnival's Punchliner Comedy Club), WaterWorks aqua park, SportSquare, Piano Bar 88, and the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.
The 101,509 gross registered ton vessel now sails exclusively from Miami, Florida, to the Bahamas and Caribbean, offering 4 to 6-night itineraries.
Read more: Carnival Cruise Ships by Size: Largest to Smallest
The documentary shocked a lot of cruisers who didn't know they had sailed on the former Carnival Triumph
"I yelled oh lawd at the end [of the documentary] realizing I've been on it too," ty_sharell commented on a TikTok video.
"Was just on there in November. We had a time. [Wouldn't] have known a thing. The way my husband and I [burst] out laughing at the end," added another.
Carnival Sunrise isn't the only ship in Carnival's fleet with a past life, either. The first vessel to receive a major relift was Carnival Sunshine (formerly Carnival Destiny) in 2013.
Carnival Victory, the final Destiny Class ship to launch for Carnival in 2000, underwent her transformation in 2021. She now sails as Carnival Radiance out of California.
All three ships — Carnival Sunshine, Sunrise, and Radiance — are classified as part of the line's Sunshine Class.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
