Two cruisers who allegedly suffered severe bed bug bites during a Carnival cruise in February 2025 are suing the cruise line.
The passengers claimed that their cruise cabin aboard Carnival Horizon had a bed bug infestation and that Carnival was negligent in their response.
Plaintiffs Catherine Shockley and William Maycock filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
According to Shockley and Maycock, just two days into their 8-night Southern Caribbean cruise, they began suffering from severe itching and noticed what appeared to be insect bites on their arms and legs.
One day later, the duo said that the bites had spread to their faces, hands, and shoulders. That's when Shockley inspected the bedding and supposedly found live bed bugs, fecal stains, and eggs.
The severity of the discovery led Shockley and Maycock to believe that the infestation wasn't a one-off situation. Instead, they came to the conclusion that it was ongoing but poorly treated.
Although they told crew members about the problem in their stateroom, they claim that nothing was done to remedy the situation. However, the pair alleged that they saw crew members fumigating other staterooms.
Moreover, they said that they were not offered to be moved to a different cabin for the duration of the sailing.
The lawsuit states that the plaintiffs suffered "numerous intensely itchy bites resulting in large, painful welts that required medical treatment and medication, multiple dark splotches, loss of sleep, mental distress, loss of personal property and economic loss."
It is not clear whether Shockley and Maycock went to the ship's medical center for treatment during the cruise or if they sought medical care after disembarking.
However, they are seeking damages related to the medical costs, lost property, scarring, emotional distress, and other "ongoing" harm related to the alleged bed bug incident on Carnival Horizon.
Carnival Cruise Line's detection and treatment plan for bed bugs
Carnival shared its protocol for finding and treating bed bugs on the cruise line's website.
"Carnival Cruise Line has extensive procedures and protocols for the detection and treatment of bedbugs. All Stateroom Attendants are trained to recognize the possible presence of bedbugs and are required to conduct weekly inspections of every cabin. Inspections cover not only stateroom beds but also curtains, carpeting and other areas," it reads.
Should they find signs of an ongoing infestation, they claim that the cabin is chemically treated, along with all other staterooms within that area. Then, there are frequent inspections for the next several months to ensure the problem has been fully eradicated.
Moreover, whenever Carnival cruise ships are taken out of service for dry dock, all cabins undergo extensive pest control treatments.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. 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!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
