College Graduate Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Excursion Leads to Double Leg Amputation

A young college graduate says her dream cruise excursion turned into a life-altering nightmare after a catastrophic boating accident in the Bahamas cost her both legs.

Carnival Cruise Line is now tied to another major lawsuit after 22-year-old Hannah Smith alleged she was severely injured during a cruise excursion connected to her Carnival trip.

Smith had recently graduated from Miles College in Alabama when she joined a catamaran excursion to Pearl Island Beach in May 2025, according to a lawsuit obtained by The New York Post.

What was supposed to be a fun day in paradise allegedly ended in horror.

According to the complaint, Smith was on the catamaran trip when excursion staff allegedly encouraged heavy drinking and marijuana use among passengers. The lawsuit claims staff gave Smith large amounts of alcohol throughout the day, including allegedly pouring drinks directly into her mouth.

At one point, Smith allegedly entered the water near the back of the boat to urinate while holding onto a railing.

The lawsuit says she believed the vessel’s engines had been turned off.

But roughly 20 seconds later, the complaint states, “she suddenly felt her lower extremities being sucked under the vessel.”

The lawsuit alleges that the captain restarted or engaged an engine while Smith was still in the water. The propeller allegedly reversed into her legs.

The injuries were devastating.

Court filings say Smith’s left leg was nearly severed below the knee when she was pulled from the water. She allegedly lost more than 60% of her blood.

Smith was rushed to a hospital in Nassau before being transferred to Miami for further treatment. Despite multiple surgeries and blood transfusions, doctors ultimately amputated both of her legs.

Smith is now suing tour operator Sun Cay, Pearl Investment Management Group, and Carnival Cruise Line.

The lawsuit claims Carnival marketed the excursion as a safe and vetted experience for cruise passengers and should be held responsible for what allegedly happened during the outing.

Carnival issued a brief statement expressing sympathy for Smith, but did not publicly address the lawsuit’s specific allegations in detail.

The case adds to a growing list of legal and safety-related problems involving Carnival Cruise Line in recent months.

Earlier this month, Alabama passenger Etta Brock sued Carnival after her mobility scooter allegedly tipped over while she was disembarking from the Carnival Valor. Brock claims crew-created barriers made the gangway unsafe.

That lawsuit came just days after another passenger died when her mobility scooter went off a dock at Celebration Key in the Bahamas.

Carnival has also faced federal assault citations tied to a fight aboard the Carnival Spirit, backlash over canceled bookings caused by an IT pricing glitch, and scrutiny after a woman fell from a balcony aboard the Carnival Firenze near Catalina Island and died.

For Smith, the lawsuit is about one horrifying day that changed everything.

She boarded a cruise excursion as a 22-year-old college graduate celebrating a new chapter in life. She left facing surgeries, trauma, and the loss of both legs.

Now, her lawsuit argues the companies behind the excursion failed to protect her before a day in the water became a catastrophic accident.