Cruise Passenger Awarded $300K After Drunken Fall

Carnival found 60% liable for over-serving alcohol despite visible signs of intoxication

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:48am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen-style illustration of a single cocktail glass repeated in a grid pattern, conceptually representing the over-serving of alcohol on cruise ships.A jury's $300,000 award against Carnival Cruise Line highlights ongoing concerns about alcohol policies and passenger safety on the high seas.Los Angeles Today

Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from California, was awarded $300,000 in damages after a jury found Carnival Cruise Line 60% liable for her injuries sustained from a drunken fall during a cruise in January 2024. Sanders claimed she was served 14 shots of tequila across six different bars on the ship despite showing visible signs of intoxication.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about cruise lines' alcohol policies and their duty of care to passengers. It raises questions about the need for better training of bartenders to identify and cut off visibly intoxicated guests, as well as the broader debate around the safety and responsibility of all-inclusive alcohol packages on cruises.

The details

According to the lawsuit, between 2:58 p.m. and 11:37 p.m. on January 5, 2024, Sanders was served 14 shots of tequila at six different bars on the Carnival Radiance ship. During this time, she was "visibly intoxicated," "swaying, stammering, slurring her speech, had alcohol on her breath, and was acting belligerent" in plain view of the crew members serving her. Around 11:45 p.m., Sanders suffered a fall after stumbling while trying to walk down a set of stairs, resulting in a concussion, possible traumatic brain injury, and other severe injuries.

  • On January 5, 2024, Sanders was served 14 tequila shots across six bars between 2:58 p.m. and 11:37 p.m.
  • Around 11:45 p.m. on January 5, 2024, Sanders suffered a fall and was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase.

The players

Diana Sanders

A 45-year-old nurse from California who filed a lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Line after sustaining injuries from a drunken fall during a cruise in January 2024.

Carnival Corporation

The Florida-based cruise line that was found 60% liable for Sanders' injuries by a jury.

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What they’re saying

“We hope this verdict encourages Carnival and other cruise lines to reevaluate their all-inclusive packages, limit the amount of alcohol served in a given timeframe, and better train servers to identify visible intoxication.”

— Spencer Aronfeld, Sanders' attorney

“Carnival disagrees with the verdict, and 'believes there are grounds for a new trial and appeal, which it will pursue'.”

— Carnival spokesperson

What’s next

Carnival plans to appeal the jury's decision that found the cruise line 60% liable for Sanders' injuries.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for cruise lines to reevaluate their alcohol policies and bartender training to better identify and cut off visibly intoxicated passengers, in order to prevent similar incidents and protect the safety of their guests.