The incident generated hundreds of comments after a Carnival Cruise Line guest was caught intensely scratching her foot with a buffet fork. Initially, Carnival Cruise Line did not comment on the incident. However, shortly after TheTravel released the story, the cruise line issued a public statement on Facebook, while disabling comments.
Carnival has addressed some of the issues from the incident, though it kept certain details quiet, like the status of the guest and whether they had been banned from future sailings over the disturbing behavior.
Cruisers shouldn’t need the reminder, but footwear is obligatory on all cruise lines, including Carnival. On its website, Carnival confirms, “Basic rules still apply no matter the time of day – no swimsuits, wet clothes, or bare feet.”
In this incident that has now gone viral, not only did the guest remove her shoes, but she used a fork to scratch the bottom of her foot intensely. The unsanitary behavior was caught by another cruise guest in the buffet area. The incident continued for a while, with the guest starting the scratching with her hand, and later using a fork for a deeper dig.
Hundreds of reactions to the incident appeared online. One commenter called the guest’s conduct hazardous for others on the cruise.
“My wife is a nurse with a specialization in foot care. She says this is Tinea Pedis, commonly known as Athlete’s Foot. Athlete’s Foot, of course, is highly contagious and this woman should not be walking barefoot anywhere, as others walking or standing in the same area after her can pick up the fungal infection. She should, most definitely, be banned from cruising after using a fork to scratch herself. It’s disgusting and unsanitary.”
Given the outrage among guests, Carnival Cruise Line decided to address the incident on Facebook. Although the cruise line confirmed the behavior, they wisely decided to turn off comments, likely wishing to avoid more backlash.
Carnival Cruise Line Confirmed That The Fork Was Removed From Service
Carnival’s post came 18 hours ago on Facebook and has generated over 6,000 likes. However, comments were disabled by the cruise line. In the post, Carnival confirmed it was aware of the situation, and quickly addressed it.
“We can confirm that forks are intended for food, not foot care. Once we became aware of the situation, our team quickly addressed it with the guest and removed the utensil from service.”
Carnival did not detail whether the guest was fined or removed from the ship. Instead, the cruise line assured passengers that it is committed to keeping high standards on board for safety and cleanliness.
“While the video may be generating laughs and gasps online, cleanliness and hygiene are no joke to us. Our crew works hard every day to maintain high standards across our fleet and to ensure all guests enjoy a safe, clean and comfortable vacation.”
Although reactions were disabled on Facebook, cruisers commented elsewhere on various social media platforms. While there is relief with the action taken by Carnival, others are hoping the guilty cruiser will face more severe consequences.
The guest’s identity has not been made public. However, commenters are seeking a future ban for the cruise passenger due to the incident, which could be regarded as a safety hazard for others on board.
One concerned traveler commented, “If the foot scratching woman can be identified, she should be banned from cruising. People are gross!”
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-“They should have removed the individual as a biohazard.” |
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-“And to think it’s Carnival where this happened. Disney Cruise Line, on the other hand, even has a cast member who thinks a fork is called a dinglehopper and should be used for combing her hair.” |
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-“I wish I hadn’t seen it. It’s probably one of the nastiest things I’ve ever seen.” |
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-“If I had witnessed the fork lady, I would have called over one of the staff and have them address the issue immediately. Not only is such activity gross and unsanitary, it is TOTALLY unacceptable anywhere on the ship. It takes a special type of low character person to perform that way.” |
Although Carnival hasn’t addressed the punishment, the cruise line does have a code of conduct. For those who don’t follow the conduct rules, a fine may be issued, or removal from the ship.
“All guests must acknowledge and commit to our code of conduct during the check-in process, and any violation may result in a fine of $500, possible stateroom confinement and removal from the ship. Guest may also be liable for reimbursement of expenses incurred by Carnival as a result of the detainment or disembarkation, Carnival writes on its website.
In this instance, it could be argued that the code of conduct was breached, particularly by jeopardizing the safety and well-being of other cruise passengers. Although the guest’s status remains unknown, Carnival has, at the very least, removed the fork from service, reducing the risk of further spread.
