Search Here

Royal Caribbean is under fire following a damning report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on one of its ships, Symphony of the Seas.

The ship received an 86 on its latest inspection, which a lawyer specializing in cruise line lawsuits, Spencer Aronfeld, called "barely satisfactory."

Aronfeld, known as @cruiseshiplawyer on TikTok, posted a video last week in which he criticized the cruise line for several serious violations that were flagged during the CDC's inspection.

According to the NY Post, the most alarming issue highlighted by Aronfeld was the improper storage of raw eggs and raw hamburgers at the wrong refrigeration temperatures.

This could lead to foodborne illnesses, a major safety concern on any cruise ship. Furthermore, the inspection revealed unsanitary conditions at the Johnny Rockets restaurant on board.

Aronfeld reported that crew members working there had open wounds and were touching ice with their bare hands, raising serious health concerns for passengers.

Another disturbing finding involved the ship's daycare center, where several children reportedly suffered from severe gastrointestinal issues, including projectile diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.

Despite these symptoms, the daycare center allegedly failed to follow proper protocols, including referring children to the medical center and reporting the illnesses to the CDC as required.

As a result, Aronfeld suggested these children could have spread a potential norovirus to other passengers on board.

CDC Report Forces Royal Caribbean to Address Major Sanitation Failures

In his video, Aronfeld expressed his disbelief at the situation, saying, "One point less, which is an 85, would have been an unsatisfactory evaluation, which probably would have caused them to have to cancel the cruise. Quite frankly, I think they should have."

He also estimated that Royal Caribbean would have to spend approximately $65,000 to correct these issues in a short timeframe, TimesNowWorld said.

The inspection's results were a blow to Royal Caribbean, with Aronfeld noting that the cruise line had not yet issued a corrective action report, which is required by the CDC to outline how the problems will be fixed.

"The ship is sailing, and it's got passengers on board right now, but I sure hope that Royal Caribbean has done at least enough to correct these issues, but they should have at least reported it to the CDC," Aronfeld said in a follow-up video.

Aronfeld's videos sparked strong reactions online, with many commenters expressing their disappointment in Royal Caribbean's handling of the situation. Some even joked about the ship's name, calling it "Symphony of Disease."

Others voiced concerns about the state of cruises in general, with one person stating, "Disney Cruise Line would NEVER," and another remarking, "Cruises are disgusting... Is this surprising?"