The FBI has confirmed it is investigating an alleged sexual assault that occurred on a Carnival sailing out of Galveston just days after the agency reported they were investigating a death on the Carnival Dream.
According to the FBI, the incident happened aboard the Carnival Breeze, a Dream Class ship that launched in 2009. However, it's unclear when the reported assault took place.
The 130,000 gross-ton ship departed from Galveston on Monday, July 28, on a 5-day cruise to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico. The vessel is due to return to Texas on August 2. Before that, Carnival Breeze sailed a 4-night voyage to the Western Caribbean, returning on July 28.
"FBI Houston is aware of allegations of a sexual assault that occurred on the Carnival Breeze cruise ship which docked in Galveston on 07/28/2025," said the FBI in a statement given to KHOU 11.
"As is customary with crimes aboard a cruise ship, an FBI Maritime Liaison Agent, based out of the Texas City Resident Agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the cruise line regarding this incident. Also keeping in line with case reviews or open investigations, the FBI will not be providing additional details or updates regarding these matters."
The FBI has not made any arrests or identified any potential suspects. It's also not clear whether the alleged victim or suspect(s) are U.S. citizens, or if the incident occurred while the ship was still at sea or in port.
Carnival Cruise Line gave the following statement to KHOU: "Matters of potential criminal conduct, should they occur, are turned over to local law enforcement for their review. We will defer to the appropriate agency for further comment."
It's standard practice for the FBI to investigate crimes at sea
However, that doesn't make the process easy. Cruise ships are registered in one country, like The Bahamas or Panama, but regularly travel through international waters en route from one port to the next (i.e., sailing from Florida to Mexico or Mexico to Honduras).
They also carry passengers and crew members from different countries. For example, many crew come from places like the Philippines or India. As such, when a crime has been reported, more than one country may want to investigate.
Because of the complexity of overlapping jurisdictions and international laws, a ship's location, the nationality of the victim or suspect, ownership of the vessel, points of embarkation and disembarkation, and the country where the ship is registered all determine how the FBI can intervene and investigate.
Collaboration is also key to successfully investigating crimes committed at sea since the investigations aren't always governed by U.S. law.
For example, when dealing with foreign-registered cruise ships, the FBI must obtain consent to board the vessel. Then, they have a small window to secure the crime scene, collect evidence, and conduct interviews before the ship departs on its next sailing.
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!
