Carnival Cruise Line is facing a lawsuit following a shore excursion incident in The Bahamas that left a passenger with serious injuries, including the loss of both her legs.
On May 12, 2025, Hannah Smith's college graduation cruise aboard Carnival Celebration quickly took a turn for the worse during a planned shore excursion in Nassau.
Smith, 22, was visiting Pearl Island's Sun Cay Beach Club when she was suddenly sucked into the propellers of a ferry boat operated by the tour company after jumping overboard on the return ride to Nassau.
She had complained that she needed to use the restroom, to which one employee simply told her to "use the water," the lawsuit says. This wasn't the first time she was encouraged to relieve herself in the ocean, either. On the island, another employee told her that "the ocean [was] her toilet."
The accident resulted in life-threatening injuries that led to more than 25 surgeries and the loss of both of her legs.
She was allegedly "violently and forcibly grabbed, sucked underwater and brutally slashed," as stated in the federal complaint obtained by The Daily Mail.
"When [she] was pulled out of the water, her left leg below her knee was almost completely severed from her body except for a sliver of skin, and she had suffered multiple gashes throughout both legs and [pelvic] area," the lawsuit said.
Smith was then rushed to a hospital in The Bahamas before being flown to a hospital in Miami, Florida, in critical condition. She was given 20 units of blood and underwent over two dozen surgeries, one of which amputated her right leg below the knee. She stayed in the hospital for two months before finally getting discharged.
As a result, the Tennessee resident is pursuing legal action against tour operators — Sun Cay and Pearl Investment Management Group — as well as Carnival Corporation & plc.
Carnival Cruise Line is named in the lawsuit because the company marketed the excursion as safe for passengers.
Although the lawsuit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on December 17, 2025, it was amended on March 11, 2026.
More recently, one of Smith's friends who was vacationing with her aboard Carnival Celebration, Brooklyn Pitre, 22, also filed her own lawsuit against Carnival Corp. on May 11, 2026.
"I heard the splash, and I instantly looked. And when she first went into the water, she just made the face like somebody fell, like I’m in the water," Pitre told WREG, "But she didn't look distraught, and then she disappeared for about three seconds. And I didn't see her."
Pitre continued, saying that Smith resurfaced and reached out her hand. Another woman, whom they met on the ship, helped rescue Smith from the water. This is when the extent of the injuries became horrifyingly clear.
Both women had consumed alcohol during the tour. However, Smith claims that the rum punch cocktails were spiked with sedatives, as reported by The Independent.
According to her lawsuit, Smith's blood alcohol level reached 0.447, which is four times what is considered legally impaired in Florida.
Further toxicology testing was done after the accident, which allegedly revealed traces of a non-therapeutic DFSA (drug-facilitated sexual assault) substance in Smith and Pitre.
Smith is seeking an unspecified amount of damages from Carnival Corp. and both tour operators for negligence and inflicting severe mental and physical suffering.
Pitre is also suing the three companies and claiming that a bartender at the island excursion groped her butt before the accident, which left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
"Our thoughts are with Ms. Smith, and we wish her strength and healing," a Carnival spokesperson told The Daily Mail.
"At Carnival Cruise Line, we continuously strive to keep our guest and crew safe as a priority. Out of respect for ongoing legal proceedings, we are unable to comment further. We remain committed to supporting safety and [well-being] in all we do."
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.
