Georgia Passenger Sues Royal Caribbean After Biting Into Foreign Object in Dessert Aboard Adventure of the Seas
Keya Bullock, a Georgia resident, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. in the Southern District of Florida. The complaint, originally filed in state court and later removed to federal court under diversity and maritime jurisdiction, alleges that Bullock suffered serious injuries after biting into a foreign object embedded in a dessert served aboard the Adventure of the Seas on October 14, 2024.
Cruise Guest Injured While Dining at Windjammer Buffet Aboard Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas
According to the complaint, Bullock was a fare-paying passenger aboard the Adventure of the Seas when she selected a cookies-and-cream-style dessert from the Windjammer buffet. Upon taking a bite, she allegedly bit into a hard foreign object hidden inside the dessert. The object caused her to sustain significant oral injuries. The incident occurred while the ship was in navigable waters and under the control of Royal Caribbean’s crew.
The lawsuit states that the foreign object was not visible or detectable and that Bullock had no reason to suspect the dessert was unsafe. After alerting buffet staff, Bullock was reportedly told by crew members that something had broken in the kitchen earlier that day and the area may not have been fully cleaned. A supervisor allegedly confirmed this four days later, admitting the issue originated in the buffet area.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Failing to Warn of Contamination Risks After Kitchen Breakage Incident
Bullock brings four negligence-based claims against Royal Caribbean, including negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to maintain, general negligence, and vicarious liability. She alleges that the cruise line had actual and constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition due to the earlier kitchen breakage and failed to take appropriate action.
The complaint further claims that the cruise line did not warn passengers of potential contamination, failed to inspect and clean food service areas, and neglected to ensure food safety protocols were followed. Bullock also asserts that Royal Caribbean knew of prior similar incidents involving food contamination, citing several examples of past lawsuits where passengers were injured after consuming food containing foreign objects aboard Navigator of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Celebrity Reflection, and other ships in the fleet.
Plaintiff Alleges Poor Food Safety Protocols and Seeks Damages for Permanent Injuries
The complaint alleges that Royal Caribbean’s buffet staff failed to prevent contaminated food from being served, and that the cruise line did not properly train employees, inspect buffet items, or maintain a safe environment in its food preparation and service areas. Bullock argues that these failures violated both general maritime law and the cruise line’s own internal procedures.
She seeks compensatory damages for physical pain, mental anguish, medical treatment, lost wages, and future care, claiming that the injuries she sustained are permanent in nature. The complaint also includes damages for loss of enjoyment of her cruise vacation and associated travel expenses.
Contact a Cruise Ship Food Contamination Injury Attorney Today if You Were Harmed by Unsafe Dining Conditions Aboard a Vessel
Cruise lines are responsible for maintaining food preparation and service areas in a safe, clean, and sanitary condition to prevent contamination and protect passengers from harm. If you or a loved one were injured after biting into a foreign object while eating on a cruise ship, you may be entitled to compensation under maritime law.
Contact us now to speak with an attorney experienced in cruise ship food safety and passenger injury claims.
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.
