Tunisian Crew Member Sues Carnival Cruise Line Alleging Sexual Harassment, Retaliation, and Back Injuries Aboard Carnival Pride
Ikram Lassoued, a citizen of Tunisia, has filed a comprehensive maritime lawsuit against Carnival Corporation in the Southern District of Florida under Case No. 1:26-cv-24759-RAR. The lawsuit alleges that Lassoued suffered severe physical injuries, persistent sexual harassment, and unlawful retaliatory discharge while employed as a bar server aboard the Carnival Paradise and Carnival Pride.
Cruise Ship Bar Server Reports Unwelcome Sexual Advances and Hostile Work Environment Aboard Carnival Vessels
According to the legal complaint, Lassoued accepted employment with Carnival to support her family in Tunisia. While working aboard the Carnival Paradise and Carnival Pride, she was allegedly targeted by Food and Beverage Director Milos Paljevic. The complaint outlines a pattern of inappropriate behavior beginning around March 2025, in which Paljevic repeatedly subjected Lassoued to unsolicited comments regarding her appearance, graphic remarks about her body, and nonconsensual physical contact.
Despite Lassoued explicitly rejecting these advances and explaining that she was married and uninterested in any romantic involvement, the supervisor allegedly persisted in making sexual propositions and inviting her to his cabin. The lawsuit notes that the confined living and working conditions unique to cruise ships made it impossible for Lassoued to avoid her supervisor outside of working hours.
Allegations of Systematic Retaliation, Increased Workplace Scrutiny, and Contract Termination After Filing Hotline Complaint
The complaint asserts that once Paljevic realized Lassoued would not submit to his advances, he directed subordinate managers to target her work performance. Management allegedly subjected Lassoued to heightened surveillance, searched for minor infractions, and issued unwarranted disciplinary reprimands despite her consistent standing as a top beverage seller with positive guest ratings.
Lassoued initially reported the retaliatory behavior to the shipboard Human Resources Director, who allegedly minimized the situation and questioned the effectiveness of the reporting process. On December 2, 2025, Lassoued submitted a formal complaint through Carnival’s employee compliance hotline detailing the harassment, hostile environment, and management’s coordinated efforts to target her. Rather than remedying the situation, the lawsuit claims Carnival allowed the retaliation to intensify. Lassoued was assigned undesirable shifts, required to work an outdoor bar in freezing conditions without proper gear, and ordered to perform heavy manual labor without assistance.
On January 4, 2026, vessel security guards approached Lassoued in her cabin to inform her that her contract was ending prematurely, roughly a month before its scheduled February 2026 expiration. She was escorted to human resources and informed she would not return to work, which the lawsuit characterises as retaliatory discharge following her protected complaints.
Lawsuit Cites Jones Act Negligence and Unseaworthiness Over Heavy Trolley Inundation and Severe Back Injury
In addition to workplace harassment claims, the complaint details significant physical injuries sustained by Lassoued during her employment. On multiple dates in December 2025, management ordered her to single-handedly maneuver an overloaded beverage trolley across rough, uneven, and sandy terrain between the vessel and remote beach bars at Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays.
Lassoued was required to push and pull the heavy cart down steep, slippery tender ramps and across rocky ground after completing eight-hour shifts in the sun. The lawsuit claims Carnival breached its duty of reasonable care under the Jones Act by failing to provide adequate staffing, proper transportation equipment, or adequate manual-handling training. The repetitive, unassisted heavy lifting resulted in serious back injuries, which Carnival allegedly exacerbated by ordering her back to heavy tasks after she sought treatment from the ship doctor. The lawsuit further asserts the vessel was unseaworthy due to inadequate equipment and insufficient crew members assigned to heavy transport tasks.
Claims for Unpaid Penalty Wages Under Seaman’s Wage Act and Failure to Provide Maintenance and Cure
The lawsuit brings multiple counts against Carnival, including retaliatory discharge under general maritime law, Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, failure to provide timely maintenance and cure, and wage violations under the Seaman’s Wage Act (46 U.S.C. § 10313).
Lassoued claims Carnival failed to provide prompt and complete medical care for her physical back injuries and the psychological conditions arising from the harassment, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and anxious depressive syndrome. Additionally, the suit alleges that upon her discharge in Baltimore, Maryland on January 5, 2026, Carnival improperly withheld earned wages and wrongfully deducted repatriation airfare costs, making the company liable for statutory penalty wages. The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages, statutory penalties, punitive damages, and coverage for ongoing medical and psychiatric care.
Contact a Cruise Ship Employee Rights and Maritime Injury Lawyer Today
Maritime workers and crew members who experience sexual harassment, retaliatory firing, or physical injuries aboard cruise ships are protected by federal maritime laws, including the Jones Act and General Maritime Law. Cruise lines have a non-delegable duty to provide safe working conditions, adequate equipment, appropriate medical treatment, and a workplace free from illegal harassment and retaliation. If you or a loved one suffered an injury or unlawful termination while working at sea, contact our experienced maritime law attorneys to learn more about your rights and options.
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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.
