Cruise ship staterooms are designed to make the most of limited space, which often means transforming one compact room into sleeping quarters for an entire family. From sofa beds to hidden berths that descend from the ceiling, these kinds of space-saving features are common on family-focused cruise lines like Disney Cruise Line (DCL).
On several of its ships, there are stateroom options that can sleep up to three or four people. And according to DCL’s deck plans, some Deluxe and Oceanview Staterooms include a queen-size bed, a convertible sofa, and a pull-down upper berth.
Most guests expect such accommodations to be safe. However, one family claims the upper bunk in their stateroom was anything but. According to a lawsuit filed against DCL, a young girl fell from a bunk aboard Disney Wonder during an Alaska sailing, fracturing both of her wrists. The company has yet to publicly address the allegations.
A Late-Night Fall Aboard Disney Wonder Left A Child With Two Broken Wrists
The incident reportedly happened on July 30, 2024, during the family’s stay in cabin 2508 aboard Disney Wonder. The room, a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom, sleeps up to four guests and is designed with a queen-size bed, a convertible sofa, and a pull-down upper bunk.
At around 1 a.m., the girl, referred to as C.S. in the complaint, reportedly rolled over while sleeping in the bunk bed. Since the bunk’s guardrail didn’t span the full length of the mattress, she slid through an opening and landed on the stateroom floor.
“The cabin contained a Murphy-style bunk bed, including an upper bunk intended for passenger use. The upper bunk bed was equipped with a guardrail; however, the guardrail did not extend the full length of the sleeping surface and left a significant open gap. This gap created an unreasonably dangerous condition, particularly for a minor child sleeping in the upper bunk,” according to the complaint.
During the fall, C.S. allegedly “sustained severe injuries, including, but not limited to, bilateral wrist fractures, including a fracture involving the growth plate of the right wrist.”
According to a research article by EFORT Open Reviews, a growth plate is “the cartilaginous portion of long bones where the longitudinal growth of the bone takes place.” In some cases, Mayo Clinic says, a growth plate fracture can cause the affected bone to grow crooked or remain shorter than the bone on the opposite side.
Not only does the complaint claim that the child was injured while using the bed, but it also states that DCL knew that the opening in the guardrail created a dangerous condition for guests.
The Family Claims DCL Failed To Address An Unsafe Bunk-Bed Configuration
The lawsuit accuses DCL of three counts of negligence, arguing that the company knew — or should have known — about the danger posed by the bunk. The complaint says Disney failed to properly inspect and maintain the bed, correct the reported hazard, and warn the family about the space in the guardrail.
“At all times material, DISNEY CRUISE…breached the duty of reasonable care owed to C.S. and was negligent. … DISNEY CRUISE failed to adequately ensure there was no dangerous condition that passengers needed to be warned of, and/or DISNEY CRUISE failed to warn C.S. despite knowing of the danger,” the complaint continued.
The family is seeking a jury trial and $50,000 in damages for the following alleged injuries and losses:
- Bodily injury
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Mental anguish
- Hospitalization
- Medical care and treatment
- Nursing care and treatment
- Loss of important bodily functions
- Loss of independence
- Loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life
DCL has not publicly addressed the lawsuit. TheTravel also contacted the company to ask whether it has inspected or modified similar upper berths since the incident but didn’t receive a response before publication.
However, online discussions among Disney cruisers show that the safety of these beds has already concerned some parents.
Parents Have Previously Raised Concerns About DCL’s Upper Bunks
Even before the recent lawsuit was filed, some parents were unsure whether DCL’s bunks were safe for young children. In a discussion on Reddit, a parent arranging a cruise for their five- and seven-year-old children said they didn’t feel it was safe to let their children use the upper bunk. Another parent in the comments admitted, “I am afraid of bunk beds,” although they thought Disney’s pull-down berth appeared secure.
In a separate Reddit thread, a poster worried that their children, who move frequently while sleeping, could roll out of the upper bed, writing, “They sleep pretty wild sometimes, and I’m afraid that combined with if there are any waves might cause the kid sleeping in the upper bed to roll right out of bed.”
Most commenters responded by saying that their children had used the bunks without falling. Some also suggested asking the stateroom attendant for an extra rail or choosing a room with another lower bed. However, not every parent reported an incident-free experience.
One commenter said their 8-year-old daughter fell from an upper bunk aboard Disney Fantasy in the middle of the night. According to the parent, the child occasionally sleepwalked and may have been trying to get up while asleep. She landed on her side and was taken to a doctor after the cruise.
“Yes, it can happen, and I would add extra pillows to add cushion to block from getting close to the rail. The rail is not high enough in my opinion, but like I said, my daughter does sleepwalk on occasion, so looking back, I’ve wondered if she was trying to get up in her sleep or something. We don’t let her sleep on top bunks anymore!” the parent wrote.
While the recent allegations against Disney Cruise Line haven’t been proven, and the company hasn’t publicly shared a statement regarding the incident aboard the Wonder, previous online discussions show that upper berths can be a source of concern for guests with children. Until Disney addresses whether similar bunks have been inspected or modified, parents may want to bring up any concerns with their stateroom attendant or request another sleeping arrangement.
