24 Passengers Banned After Violent Brawl on Carnival Cruise Ship
Chaos at Port
Carnival Cruise Lines has permanently banned 24 passengers after a massive brawl erupted at the Galveston, Texas terminal over the weekend. Shocking cellphone footage shows dozens of travelers exchanging punches and shoving each other as the altercation spilled past security barriers.
What Sparked the Violence?
The fight broke out as passengers disembarked from the Carnival Jubilee following a week-long Caribbean voyage. According to court documents:
Ethan Meritt-Clark, 21, claimed he was attacked by a group he’d clashed with during a basketball game onboard
Witnesses say the Chicago man later admitted shoving an elderly peacemaker who tried to intervene
Security teams and customs officials rushed to break up the melee amid scattered luggage
Legal Consequences
Galveston authorities detained 10 individuals, with Meritt-Clark being the only arrest. He now faces:
First-degree felony charges for injury to an elderly person
$5,000 bond
Potential prison time if convicted
Cruise Line’s Response
Carnival issued a stern statement: “We will not tolerate such behavior,” adding all banned passengers are now on their “Do Not Sail” list. The company emphasized the incident occurred in the customs area under U.S. Border Patrol jurisdiction.
Industry-Wide Problem
This marks the latest in a series of cruise ship brawls that have plagued the industry since post-pandemic travel resumed. Carnival, Royal Caribbean and other lines have increasingly used sailing bans to curb passenger misconduct.
Reference
24 Passengers Banned After Violent Brawl on Carnival Cruise Ship