Posted on 05/14/2026 9:10:15 AM PDT by simpson96
A California woman has won a lawsuit against cruise giant Carnival Corp., in which the Doral-based company was found negligent for serving her at least 14 shots of tequila in an 8 1/2-hour period and liable for subsequent injuries she suffered while inebriated onboard.
A Miami federal jury ruled in the passenger’s favor on April 10 and awarded her $300,000 in damages, according to a court document that entered the docket on April 13.
(snip)
A six-person jury agreed with the plaintiff’s argument that Carnival’s crew members had a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of its passengers, and that included “the responsibility ... to supervise and/or assist passengers aboard the vessel who Carnival knew, or should have known, were engaging, or were likely to engage in behavior potentially dangerous to themselves or others abroad the vessel,” according to court documents.
When asked what percentage of the plaintiff’s injury was caused by each side, the jury wrote: 60% was the fault of Carnival and 40% the woman.
Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse who lives in Vacaville, California, was a passenger on the Carnival Radiance ship on Jan. 5, 2024, when she was served at least 14 shot of tequila in an 8 hour and 39 minute span, between approximately 2:58 p.m. and 11:37 p.m.
“Due to her inebriated state that was caused by this over-service of alcohol ... D.S. suffered a severe fall” between 11:45 p.m and 20 minutes past midnight, the complaint said. Due to the fall, she “sustained severe injuries, including, but not limited to, a concussion, headaches, a possible traumatic brain injury, back injuries, tailbone injuries, bruising, and other injuries.”
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
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“Juries are getting more idiotic by the year. Just a way for low I.Q. employees to get some “down time” from their jobs.”
First thing is, people don’t get to choose to be on a jury, they are selected by the prosecution and defense through a series of questions that pertain to the trial, so low IQ employees as you put it have no control over the process at all.
Secondly, you are aware most companies adopt a policy that exempt them from paying employees while on jury duty right?
So their “down time” as you put it comes at a considerable cost.
Also, after being called for jury duty 5 times since 2015 and actually being selected as a juror once, I can say that IMO the whole experience is a royal pain in the ass.
I guess 13 is her limit.
She’s 45 and didn’t know better? She’s too stupid to be a nurse.
“they should be able to track the number of drinks you ordered over a period of time”
THIS
This is going to cause all cruise lines to limit the booze intake even if you buy the FREE drinks package. They can see exactly what you have been served. They are lucky she only fell and not fell overboard.
Good point. And there is also slurring of speech and difficulty in walking. My grandfather owned and ran a small neighborhood bar and grill for many years. He would cut people off and made sure that the inebriated did not drive but they and their car were driven home by his sons. That helped win him a devoted clientele.
Or people will just get others to order the drinks for them.
otoh..Try cutting off a she-boon with an unlimited drink package.. I'd ppv to see that!!
Or if someone was say drinking say rum and cokes, they would just serve the coke without the rum, at a certain point you can’t tell the difference, anyway.
That is fewer than two shots per hour. And there was a likely shift change in the middle.
Every thing served or purchased on Carnival Cruise ships is recorded and attached to the customers record by way of a Medallion.
What the likely out come of this decision is that in the future the customer will be limited to how many drinks they can have per hour and per day regardless of their sex or size.
There will be no allowance for the judgement of the bartender.
Drink packages will need to be a lot cheaper to worth the cost. They are already price prohibitive for most people.
Drink packages will need to be a lot cheaper to worth the cost.
I suspect the demand will be pretty inelastic.
I wonder how much money she could have sued for if she had consensual carnal knowledge with 5 guys...and a Labrador?
Carnival currently charges $69.95 per day for the Drink Package.
It is limited to 15 drinks per 24 hours. 6 AM to 6 PM.
Please note: Our crew is there to provide you a fun but safe vacation. The responsible consumption of alcohol is a matter shared by guests and our team alike. Carnival reserves the right to refuse service for any reason. Under the Cheers! program, guests are allowed up to 15 drinks per day, but a guest may be limited to fewer than 15 drinks based on our team’s judgment and discretion. Furthermore, since Cheers! generally does not apply to establishments ashore, alcohol consumption while ashore cannot be monitored. Even though the Cheers! package provides for up to 15 drinks per day while on the ship, it is not an entitlement, and if a guest is clearly impaired, we may decline service.
Then there is this provision.
Each adult assigned to the same stateroom must purchase the program
If your wife barely drinks as mine does, you paying $140 per day for the drink package. So, you are better off paying per drink.
During those 8+ hours she didnt sit at the one bar and do shots...
She had her choice of at least 6 different bars and also the dining room to order the shots and to drink them...
All different bars etc all different bar tenderers and waiters...
Her friends were probably during shots along with her at times...
She probably had the drink package ...
Plus others may have been buying her some of those shots...
It is as you say. The story says she went from one bar to another, on and on. How could anyone keep track of the stupid woman all over the ship?
14 shots in 8.5 hours? Amateur! ;)
The medallion also tracks you position on board every minute.
It is basically a geo-locator on board.
You will also have an App on your phone so you can find your chosen “Shipmates” (traveling companions) wherever they are on ship.
The medallion also is your key to your cabin room door so you need it every time you leave your cabin.
She’s obviously not Polish.
It really isn't unlimited.
It is limited to 15 drinks per day. (and that includes NA drinks)
She would have been cut off after her next drink.
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