Florida Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line and Dolphin Encounters After Being Struck by Falling Light Fixture on Bahamian Shore Excursion

Yasnay Medina, a resident of Florida, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation and Dolphin Encounters Ltd. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-23347-BB, alleges that Medina suffered serious and permanent physical injuries while participating in a cruise-sponsored shore excursion in Nassau, Bahamas. The incident occurred on or about May 25, 2025, while the plaintiff was being transported on a watercraft as part of her cruise vacation package.

Cruise Passenger Injured on Blue Lagoon Private Island Tour Due to Loose Ceiling Fixture Aboard Transportation Boat

According to the complaint, Medina was a fare-paying passenger aboard the cruise vessel Carnival Conquest. Prior to the voyage, she purchased a shore excursion tour titled Blue Lagoon Private Island with Lunch. The excursion was marketed, advertised, and sold directly by Carnival Cruise Line as a safe and suitable activity for its passengers. Medina states that cruise line personnel expressly represented that the excursion was properly organized and safe, inducing her to purchase the tour package under a false sense of security.

The incident took place during the transportation phase of the excursion, which was coordinated and arranged by the defendants to ferry passengers to a private lagoon island in Nassau. While Medina was seated inside the transit boat, a light fixture hanging from the interior ceiling suddenly became loose and detached from the structure. The heavy fixture fell directly onto the passenger seating area, striking Medina on her head, neck, and back. The plaintiff alleges that the defendants failed to properly secure the equipment, creating an immediate and severe hazard for everyone on board.

Carnival Accused of Failing to Vet and Monitor Bahamian Tour Operator and Excursion Equipment

The lawsuit asserts that Carnival Corporation maintains a specialized department at its worldwide headquarters in Miami, Florida, which is tasked with reviewing, approving, vetting, and managing third-party shore excursion providers. This office is responsible for ensuring that all marketed tours comply with acceptable maritime safety standards. Despite this corporate infrastructure, the complaint alleges that Carnival negligently selected and retained Dolphin Encounters Ltd. as an excursion partner without conducting adequate safety inspections or auditing their operational practices.

The plaintiff argues that Carnival had a non-delegable duty to provide reasonable care to its passengers, extending to the selection and monitoring of the tour providers they actively promote. The cruise line allegedly failed to enforce proper equipment maintenance guidelines, failed to inspect the interior safety of the transit vessels, and failed to assign shipboard staff to supervise the tour execution. By allowing passengers to board a transit vessel with hazardous, uninspected interior components, the cruise line allegedly exposed travelers to a foreseeable risk of physical injury.

Complaint Alleges Negligence Against Dolphin Encounters for Improper Maintenance of Excursion Vessel

Dolphin Encounters Ltd., a foreign business entity organized under the laws of The Bahamas, is named as a co-defendant in the legal action. The complaint notes that the Bahamian tour operator regularly conducts business with United States residents and acts in a joint business capacity with Carnival to provide island excursions. The plaintiff alleges that Dolphin Encounters had direct operational control over the specific boat involved in the incident and breached its independent duty of care to maintain a safe environment for tour participants.

The legal filing contends that the tour operator failed to implement appropriate safety protocols, routine maintenance schedules, or pre-boarding inspections of its passenger cabins. The plaintiff argues that the loose light fixture was a discoverable hazard that should have been identified and repaired long before passengers were permitted on the craft. By neglecting the structural integrity of the vessel’s interior fixtures, the excursion operator allegedly allowed a dangerous condition to persist, directly resulting in the overhead equipment failure.

Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Spinal Injuries and Long-Term Medical Expenses Under Apparent Agency Claims

The legal complaint sets forth multiple causes of action, including negligent failure to warn, general negligence, and negligent selection and retention against Carnival, alongside general negligence claims against Dolphin Encounters. The plaintiff also brings counts based on the doctrine of apparent agency and agency by estoppel. Medina argues that Carnival is estopped from denying liability for the tour operator’s mistakes because the cruise line completely managed the booking, collected all fees, utilized its corporate logo on marketing brochures, and instructed passengers not to book independent tours with outside companies.

As a direct result of being struck by the falling light fixture, Medina claims she sustained a severe ligament sprain of both the cervical and thoracic spine, as well as a significant contusion to her head. The lawsuit outlines that the injuries have caused severe pain, cognitive distress, physical limitations, and a substantial loss of life enjoyment. The plaintiff has incurred significant past medical bills and expects to require ongoing neurological evaluations, specialized physical therapy, and long-term rehabilitative care. She is seeking full compensation for her economic losses, medical repatriation costs, and general damages for permanent physical impairment.

Contact a Cruise Ship Excursion Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt on a Ship-Sponsored Tour

Cruise ship passengers who suffer injuries during ship-sponsored shore excursions, water taxi transfers, or island tours may be legally entitled to financial recovery under general maritime law. Cruise companies have a binding legal obligation to thoroughly vet their third-party operators and warn passengers of any known or foreseeable hazards associated with excursion transportation. If you or a loved one experienced an injury due to unsafe equipment, a lack of supervision, or negligent operations during a cruise vacation, contact our team of dedicated maritime injury attorneys today to review your case and protect your legal rights.

Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship slip and fall attorney.

Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.