Sometimes, a travel mishap is so bad that it warrants its own nickname. Let’s not forget the “poop cruise,” a now infamous 2013 journey aboard the Carnival Triumph.
Three days into a cruise from Galveston, Texas, to Mexico, a fire broke out aboard the ship, causing it to become stranded at sea for four excruciating days. While the 4,200 passengers and crew waited to be rescued, things got bad — really bad.
Toilets stopped working and began overflowing, sending waste out into the halls. Some passengers reported using plastic bags instead of toilets. As you can imagine, the odor was overwhelming. Plus, passengers reported water shortages and long lines for food.
The ship was eventually towed to Mobile, Alabama, but Carnival's woes were far from over: 31 passengers would go on to file a lawsuit against the cruise line, alleging that the company was liable for the dismal incident. One 74-year-old grandmother suffering from Parkinson's disease said in her testimony, "I did not get physically injured. I got mentally injured."
A judge ultimately decided that Carnival did not have to pay punitive damages to the plaintiffs, but the cruise line has yet to fully live down this unfortunately named disaster.