It's very rare that a fight on a cruise ship escalates to something that has consequences beyond that cruise.
Usually, when a fight occurs, punches may be thrown, but cruise security and/or other passengers manage to break it up before any real damage gets done.
Cruise ships have a lot of cameras watching public areas and have procedures for crew members to call security before an issue escalates. That makes it easier for members of the security team to get involved sooner than they might at a traditional bar.
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It's important to know that fights on cruise ships are incredibly rare. Yes, when one happens, it goes viral on social media, but that does not mean it happens often.
If, however, a cruise altercation does become physical, there will be consequences.
A few punches thrown and no injuries may lead you to spend a cooling-off period in your cabin. Anything more than that and you might be thrown off the ship and perhaps banned from the cruise line.
In a few cases, the police end up involved, and that's what happened with an incident Doug Parker covered in the Nov. 27 edition of "Cruise News Today."
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Carnival bar fight leads to federal prison
Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. A Carnival Cruise passenger, Michael Truman, a 39-year-old guest aboard the Carnival Magic, has been sentenced to two and a half years in a federal prison for assaulting a fellow cruiser with a bar glass last year. The incident occurred during a show in the main theater after a guest asked him to quiet down.
After ignoring multiple requests, Truman smashed a glass into the victim's face and continued to attack him, resulting in a total of 21 stitches.
Truman pleaded guilty in February to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault causing serious injury. Along with a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, Judge Allen of the Norfolk Federal Court also ordered 50 months of anger management and substance abuse treatment.
Carnival has banned Truman for life, and he is currently serving his sentence in a Texas prison.
Carnival bans upside-down pineapples
We're really doing this one. And Carnival has officially prohibited upside-down pineapple decorations on stateroom doors.
The policy was confirmed by Carnival's Facebook admin, John Heald, who stated that items would be removed if found.
Now, the upside-down pineapple is known to signal interest in swinging, which can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts among passengers. Carnival says they do allow stateroom door decorations, but they must adhere to safety guidelines and avoid adhesives.
Now, though pineapples are prohibited on the door, other upside-down items are still permitted as long as they are non-adhesive.
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And the photo of the week comes from Scott, Norwegian prima in Bermuda, taken from his balcony on Celebrity Silhouette. Beautiful day here.
Love this photo. I'd love to see yours. Photos at cruiseradio.net. All photos are subject to broadcast.
To my friends in the U.S., have yourself a very happy Thanksgiving. Outside of the U.S., thank you so much for being here. Your support is greatly, greatly appreciated.
I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a good one. Thanks for being here.
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