A new Netflix documentary threatens to put us off cruises for life as it unearths one particularly traumatizing time for thousands of passengers.
You might think being trapped in a toilet cubicle is bad enough, but what about being stuck on a floating petri dish among thousands of other peoples’ bodily fluids?
That nightmare became a reality for 4,000 innocent people aboard the so-called ‘poop cruise’ of 2013, and has now come to light in an episode of an upcoming Netflix documentary.
The streaming platform has teased a new show, Trainwreck, will soon be coming to our screens to tell some of the world’s wonderful, weird, and apparently disgusting headline-worthy events.
It speaks to witnesses and survivors alike on each event per episode of the anthology to get their perspective which is meant to ‘focus on some of the wildest and most bizarre events to dominate mainstream media’, Netflix promises, from dodgy festivals to political scandals and general disasters.
The first instalment landed in 2022 to unearth the infamous Woodstock 1999 festival, and, as of this month, it will release one episode per week on other magnificent mishaps in modern history – from Astroworld to the ‘cult of American Apparel’ and, yes, the cruise ship that became a floating biohazard.
How the lavish Carnival Triumph cruise liner became overrun with raw sewage is all revealed in the ‘Poop Cruise’ episode, but reports at the time stated the luxury cruise, a four-day trip from Texas to Mexico, turned sour… and excessively smelly pretty quickly.
Food and some supplies were dropped onto the ship at the time (Lt. Cmdr. Paul McConnell/US Coast Guard via Getty Images)
What happened on the ‘poop cruise’?
It all started when a fire broke out in the engine room, but that wasn’t the biggest threat to the health of the thousands of people on board.
The blaze destroyed electrical cables that fueled the entire vessel – leaving it drifting aimlessly with no power, refrigeration, light, air control or flushing toilets.
The situation spiralled as the teaser for the episode reveals passengers stood ankle-deep in urine and turned on each other – around the same time they were told to go for a number two in red, biohazard bags.
The synopsis continues to explain how ‘raw sewage leaks all over the ship, food supplies start dwindling, and passengers begin to revolt’, while the stricken ship remained stranded out at sea.
Speaking to People in 2013, other passengers said they saw feces on the walls and they were ‘gagging’ from the smell and sight.
The passengers took matters into their own hands (Netflix)
‘It got bad fast’
As for the loss of light, and to get away from the stench, people cozied up together in large communal areas like the deck to sleep, while their meals were things like ‘cucumber and onion’ sandwiches.
In the Netflix teaser, passengers and staff, from chefs to crew, said they were launched into an immediate ‘crisis mode’ once the power went dead.
“I’m telling you, it got bad fast,” one admitted, while a staff member described how there was nowhere to go when nature called.
“I would never expect having to poop in a red bag,” said another.
Others revealed how ‘fights broke out’ and passengers took matters into their own hands by creating a ‘shantytown’ on the upper decks.
What did Carnival say about the ‘poop cruise’?
At the time, then-Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said: “I want to again apologize to our guests and their friends and families. The situation on board was difficult and we are very sorry for what has happened.
“We pride ourselves on providing our guests with a great vacation experience and clearly we failed in this case.”
While Trainwreck episodes are expected to roll out as of June 10, the ‘Poop Cruise’ episode will be available to watch on the platform as of June 24.
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Cruise ship, Documentaries, Film and TV, Netflix, Weird, Travel
Liv Bridge
Netflix drops first trailer for new Titan sub tragedy documentary featuring rare footage
Netflix has dropped the first trailer for the new Titan sub tragedy documentary
Netflix has dropped the first trailer for the new Titan sub documentary titled Titan: The OceanGate Disaster
In June 2023, OceanGate’s Titan submersible dominated headlines after the once-in-a-lifetime voyage to the darkest depths of the Atlantic Ocean turned to disaster.
The 21-foot sub and its five explorers onboard were planning on visiting the Titanic wreckage, some 12,500 feet below surface, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
However, just one hour and 45 minutes into its descent and the US coastguard lost all contact with the crew and passengers.
And now, a new documentary detailing the horrible event is set to release on Netflix next month, as a new trailer released by the streaming platform features some rare footage.
Take a look below:
The authorities confirmed the Titan was destroyed by a ‘catastrophic implosion’ due to intense water pressure and failed materials, which instantly killed all of its passengers.
Authorities later identified the victims as OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, 61, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, a deep-sea explorer from France, Hamish Harding, 58, a British businessman, Shahzada Dawood, 48, a Pakistani-British businessman and his 19-year-old son, Suleman.
The synopsis of the documentary reads: “This new documentary examines OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, his quest to become the next billionaire innovator, and the doomed underwater endeavor that forced the world to reconsider the price of ambition in the depths of the ocean.”
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Film and TV, Netflix, Titan submersible, Titanic
Callum Jones
Video captures unnerving warning to cruise ship passengers asked to turn off lights while passing through certain waters
People admitted they would be shocked if they were aboard the cruise ship
A passenger captured the moment a cruise ship captain issued warning about passing through potentially unsafe waters.
Cunard’s Queen Anne cruise ship passengers came to realize that, while a cruise should me an unforgettable holiday experience, it isn’t without its dangers.
One of the passengers just happened to be a cruise and travel influencer and shared with the world a surprising announcement made by the captain.
The vessel initially set off in Germany in January and recently saw the ship traveling between Darwin, Australia, and Manila in the Philippines, passing through the Sulu-Celebes Sea.
It isn’t safe on all of the waters of the world (Getty Stock Image)
It was here the captain instructed guests to draw their curtains and turn off their lights to reduce the ships visibility.
This was because they were traveling through areas that have previously been known for piracy.
The travel influencer shared an update from the captain the following day and posted a video of this announcement on their TikTok page, lillydapink.
The captain is heard saying: “Following my announcement yesterday regarding the precautionary measures that we are undertaking whilst transiting to Sulu-Celebes Seas, please be advised whilst using the open area promenade decks you will observe that there are pressurized fire hoses running across the deck.
“These are connected to high pressure nozzles over the ship’s sight as a safety precaution.
“Please be careful while walking around the promenade deck as these pose a trip hazard and must be stepped over carefully.
“Please do also note that promenade deck 3 will be closed for all access from 9 pm this evening till 5 am tomorrow morning.
“As we will dim all of the external lights this evening, if you are transiting any of the upper deck please be extra careful with the reduced lighting and try to transit inside the ship instead.”
People on social media remarked their surprise at this being an issue in the modern age.
One TikTok user said: “Well that sounds terrifying.”
To which the TikToker responded: “Not really it’s just safety precautions the risk is very low.”
Another said: “Idk why but every time I hear about real life pirates I’m always shocked/amazed that they really exist.”
A third added: “I used to work on a cruise ship and there are a few areas where you get piracy. We used to get a special security company that used to come onboard with g*ns when we go past Somalia. You’re safe.”
Featured Image Credit: Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Topics: Cruise ship, Travel, Weird, World News, TikTok
Gerrard Kaonga
Cruise passengers warned to never eat this one ‘nasty’ food at buffet
From the ‘nasty’ to the downright ‘disgusting,’ cruise passengers are weighing in with their best buffet do’s and dont’s
Cruise fans have weighed in on ‘buffet hacks’ to ‘make the buffet better’ and also some foods to avoid.
With some arguing cruise life is cheaper than life on land amid a cost of living crisis, many having chosen to up sticks and set sail into the sunset.
However, while life in the sun seeing the sights and being cooked for all the time may sound great to some, others have shared a few words of warning when it comes to the buffet section of cruises.
A Reddit user took to r/Cruise thread to ask other cruisers for ‘buffet hacks’ alongside any ‘general’ ‘dining and drinking tips’.
And it didn’t take long for people to weigh in, one user targeting the bacon in particular.
“Leave the barely cooked nasty bacon on the line, ask for the crispy cooked bacon and they usually have a bucket of it behind the counter,” they added.
Another thread dedicated to bacon discussion saw another cruiser add: “I have just accepted that it’s not great and neither is the peanut butter.”
“There’s these bacon snobs that hold up the buffet line, digging out the crispiest pieces and leaving the sad ones for the waiting line behind them,” a third wrote.
However, that wasn’t the only pearl of wisdom the original user had to offer either, declaring another food item as another at risk of being ‘disgusting’.
Beware the bacon (Getty Stock Images)
They continued: “If the scrambled eggs look disgusting on the line because they’re too wet/you don’t like powdered eggs, ask the omelet station to make ‘Dry’ Scrambled Eggs.”
This was echoed by another Redditor, who chimed: “Ask for your scrambled eggs at omelet station, they can add in cheese/tomato/ham etc into your scramble, plus the eggs are fresh not powdered.”
The other replier continued: “If you have the drink package on Princess, try an iced chocolate milk with cookie dough syrup, it is delicious and I’ve never been charged for it. (This is similar to the Chocolate Cookie Iced Chocolate at the international cafe but every time I order this it comes with coffee and I don’t want the coffee so I specify the drink this way).
All hail the omelette station (Getty Stock Images)
“Don’t be afraid to ask for your hotdog well-done or burnt even if that’s how you like your dogs, it is not that uncommon of a request.
“Don’t get fries in the buffet if there is a grill open you can get freshly fried ones instead of heatlamp ones.”
However, another cruise goer simply resolved: “My favorite trick is not going to the buffet at all – no crowds, no gross people coughing/sneezing/not washing their hands.”
Touché.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Cruise ship, Food and Drink, Reddit, Travel
Poppy Bilderbeck
Viewers of Netflix true-crime show horrified to learn ‘outdated’ roommate laws in US
Fans have called the show ‘insane’ and ‘wild’
Viewers of the Netflix true-crime show Worst Roommate Ever were left in shock after discovering laws around ‘housemates’ in the US.
The first season of the true crime doc was based on a New York Magazine article of the same name by William Brennan.
It focused on what was described as ‘the ultimate Craigslist nightmare’, in which a serial squatter moved into a woman’s home and was able to squeeze her out.
The second season saw four new terrifying stories, involving the dark web, a horrible landlord, and even a shocking case in which a ‘best friend’ had been poisoning her roommate with a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The show has two seasons on Netflix (Netflix)
The series shot straight to the top of Netflix’s charts in the US, with fans calling it ‘insane’ and ‘wild’.
But many people were left reeling after watching the first season, and subsequently looking into the laws regarding roommates in the US.
“I am so angry at the incompetence of police officers and the scary laws America has,” one person wrote on Reddit.
“As a British person, I’ve never heard a story where someone who moves into another persons home has more rights than they do?
“It’s crazy what the hell. I’m talking specifically about ep3 (although I’m angry at all of them) and I hate how these victims have lost their homes due to stupid laws.
“Feel like I’m late to the story but I think it’s time Americans demand changes within the law.”
According to the American Apartment Owners Association, most states in the US have squatters’ rights, allowing someone who lives in your home the right to gain legal title to your property.
They explain: “Many residential and commercial property owners are now apprehensive about leaving their buildings unoccupied due to concerns that onlookers may view it as a squatting opportunity.
“Even landlords seeking tenants must be exceptionally vigilant when it comes to screening potential renters, as some may pay their rent for a short period of time before deciding to occupy the space unlawfully.”
People were shocked at the laws (Getty Stock Photo)
They add that squatters’ rights only apply if the person has been ‘illegitimately occupying a space for a specific period of time’.
“In New York, for example, a squatter can be awarded ‘adverse possession’ under state law if they have been living in a property for 10 years or more,” they explain.
Meanwhile, in Montana and California, a person only has to be living there for five years, while in Tennessee, it jumps slightly to seven years.
