Massachusetts Woman Sues Celebrity Cruises After Tripping on Dangerous Bathroom Threshold Onboard Celebrity Reflection
Jayme McCarthy, a resident of Middleboro, Massachusetts, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Celebrity Cruises, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-21741-RKA, alleges that McCarthy suffered severe and permanent injuries after tripping on an elevated bathroom threshold in her stateroom during embarkation day on January 18, 2025. According to the complaint, the incident occurred within minutes of McCarthy entering her assigned cabin, No. v3 6240, for the first time while the vessel was in navigable waters.
Cruise Passenger Injured on Celebrity Reflection Due to Deceptive Bathroom Step and Optical Illusion
The complaint describes the bathroom entrance as a deceptive and dangerous condition that creates an optical illusion for passengers. McCarthy alleges that the raised threshold appears flat and level with the stateroom floor, making it nearly invisible to guests. This hazard is reportedly exacerbated by the cabin’s design, where the carpet extends halfway up the side of the threshold on the cabin side, while the bathroom floor is higher than the cabin floor on the opposite side. Between these two points, the top of the threshold sits at the highest level, creating an obscured tripping hazard. McCarthy asserts that at the time of her fall, she was exercising reasonable care but could not see the step because it blended into the floor and was further obscured by shadows and poor lighting.
Celebrity Cruises Accused of Failing to Warn Passengers of Known Tripping Hazards in Solstice-Class Ships
The lawsuit alleges that Celebrity Cruises had both actual and constructive knowledge that these bathroom thresholds were dangerous. McCarthy’s legal team argues that the cruise line is aware of the issue because it features similar high thresholds across its entire Solstice-class fleet, which includes the Celebrity Equinox, Solstice, Eclipse, and Silhouette. The complaint notes that Celebrity even established a policy for cabin stewards to greet guests and warn them of the threshold upon their first entry into the room. However, McCarthy claims no steward was assigned to her cabin to provide this warning, and no “Watch Your Step” signs or visual cues were present to alert her to the change in elevation.
Complaint References Multiple Prior Lawsuits Involving Bathroom Threshold Falls on Celebrity Vessels
To demonstrate that the defendant was aware of the ongoing risk, the complaint cites a long list of prior similar incidents where passengers tripped on bathroom thresholds. These include cases such as Kritz v. Celebrity Cruises, Inc., Dubin v. Celebrity Cruises, Inc., and several others involving the Celebrity Equinox, Solstice, Eclipse, and Reflection. The plaintiff argues that these repetitive accidents prove the cruise line knew the thresholds were not open and obvious to passengers. Despite this history of litigation and internal knowledge recorded in guest service databases and shipboard meeting minutes, the lawsuit claims Celebrity failed to implement permanent warnings or modify the dangerous design to prevent further injuries.
Allegations of Negligent Design and Failure to Maintain Safe Stateroom Conditions Under Maritime Law
In addition to the failure to warn, McCarthy alleges that Celebrity was negligent in the design, construction, and selection of materials for the stateroom. The complaint points out that Celebrity custom-built the Celebrity Reflection in a German shipyard and maintained ultimate control over every design choice, including the height and material of the bathroom transitions. The lawsuit contends that the cruise line failed to comply with industry safety standards set by organizations like the International Maritime Organization and the American Society for Testing and Materials. By allowing the thresholds to remain elevated and unmarked while providing inadequate lighting and difficult-to-use light switches, the cruise line allegedly breached its duty to maintain the vessel in a reasonably safe condition.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Brain and Orthopedic Injuries Resulting from Cruise Ship Fall
As a result of the fall, McCarthy reportedly suffered debilitating and permanent injuries, including a comminuted distal humerus fracture of the right elbow, a shoulder injury, and a head/brain injury. The lawsuit brings four counts against the defendant: negligent failure to warn, negligent design and construction, negligent failure to maintain, and negligent training of personnel. McCarthy is seeking compensation for economic damages such as medical and psychological expenses, lost income, and loss of earning capacity. She also seeks non-economic damages for physical impairment, mental anguish, and the loss of enjoyment of life. Additionally, she is requesting the recovery of her cruise and transportation costs, as the incident effectively ended her vacation before it began.
Contact a Cruise Ship Trip and Fall Lawyer Today if You Were Injured by a Dangerous Threshold or Obstacle
Passengers who suffer injuries due to poorly designed staterooms, hidden thresholds, or inadequate lighting on a cruise ship may be entitled to significant compensation under general maritime law. Cruise lines have a non-delegable duty to maintain their vessels in a safe condition and to provide adequate warnings of hazards that are not open and obvious. If you or a loved one has been injured in a trip and fall accident while onboard a ship, our team of experienced maritime attorneys is ready to help you hold the cruise line accountable.
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.
