Two Carnival Cruise Line guests are suing the company after allegedly finding bed bugs in their cabin aboard the Carnival Horizon. Filed in late October in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the lawsuit claims the pair endured painful bites and sleepless nights during their February 2025 Southern Caribbean cruise from Miami.
According to the complaint, Catherine Shockley and William Maycock began itching just two days into the eight-night trip. By the next morning, the bites had spread across their arms, legs, shoulders, and faces. Shockley says she checked the bedding and found live bedbugs, eggs, and dark stains—a telltale sign of an active infestation.
They claim they reported it right away but were never moved or properly helped. Their lawsuit accuses Carnival of negligence and of not following its own pest-control rules, which call for immediate treatment and relocation when bedbugs are found.
Inside the Carnival Bed Bug Lawsuit
The lawsuit accuses Carnival of negligence and failure to maintain safe accommodations. The plaintiffs say they endured painful, intensely itchy bites that required medical treatment, caused sleep loss and scarring, and led to emotional distress and lost property.
The couple’s complaint goes a step further — alleging that crew members were already fumigating nearby rooms before the voyage began, suggesting that Carnival may have been aware of a possible issue prior to their sailing.
The pair is seeking damages to cover medical costs, property replacement, emotional distress, and other ongoing effects. Carnival Cruise Line, for its part, has not publicly commented on the case, which is still pending.
Carnival says it takes sanitation and pest control seriously, with every ship regularly inspected under U.S. Public Health (USPH) guidelines. Crews are trained to act quickly when problems come up, from pests to cleanliness concerns. Still, with thousands of cabins turning over each week, even a small miss can grab headlines fast.
Bed Bugs on Cruise Ships: How Big a Problem Is It?
Bed bugs aren’t just found in budget hotels — they can show up anywhere, even on cruise ships. These tiny reddish-brown insects feed at night and hide in mattress seams, headboards, and carpet edges. They’re expert hitchhikers, often spreading through luggage.
Cruise lines, including Carnival, have strict pest-control protocols. Staterooms are routinely inspected, and if signs of bedbugs appear, nearby cabins are treated and rechecked for months. During dry dock — like Carnival Horizon’s scheduled one in spring 2026 — the entire ship gets a full pest-control sweep.
In short, the company does have policies to address infestations. The legal question here is whether those procedures were followed in this specific case.
The Truth About Bed Bugs on Cruises
But let’s keep it in perspective: bed bugs don’t necessarily mean a ship is dirty, but they can point to a lapse in inspection or maintenance. Even high-end hotels and modern ships can have issues if pests go unnoticed.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that bed bugs don’t spread diseases, though reactions to bites can vary — from mild itching to painful welts. Still, for travelers with allergies or sensitive skin, the discomfort can be significant.
If you ever suspect bed bugs on your cruise (or in any hotel), here’s what travel pros recommend:
- Inspect your bed right away. Pull back the sheets and check mattress seams and headboards for dark specks or tiny reddish bugs.
- Use hard-sided luggage and avoid placing it directly on beds or carpet.
- Notify the crew immediately. Most lines will relocate you, launder your belongings, and send in pest control right away.
- Don’t panic. A few isolated bugs don’t necessarily mean a full infestation, and cruise lines act quickly once alerted.
Where Things Stand Now
Carnival Horizon remains one of Carnival’s most popular ships, carrying nearly 3,000 guests on Caribbean voyages filled with signature fun-ship favorites like Guy’s Burger Joint and the SkyRide bike track. The lawsuit doesn’t suggest the ship is unsafe or unclean, and thousands have cruised since without issue.
For Shockley and Maycock, though, their February trip was anything but relaxing. Their complaint details the toll of the alleged bites and claims the onboard response fell short of what guests should expect.
It may be months before the case moves forward, but it’s already sparked discussion among cruisers who care about how lines handle problems when they arise.
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