More Details Emerge in Carnival Bed Bug Lawsuit Filing
At a Glance
- Plaintiffs from Maryland say they woke up with red marks on their arms and legs
- Carnival bed bug lawsuit says photos document 30+ bites between the guests
- Claims include painful welts, medical treatment, ruined property, and emotional distress
Two Maryland residents say their February cruise on Carnival Horizon left them with more than 30 bed bug bites, and they are now suing the cruise line for negligence.
Catherine Shockley and William Maycock claim they woke up with red marks on their arms, legs, and other areas after sleeping in their stateroom during an 8-night Southern Caribbean sailing. According to the lawsuit, photos submitted with the filing documented more than 30 individual bites between the two passengers, although those images were not made public.
They allege the bites caused intensely itchy, painful welts that required medical treatment and medication. The lawsuit claims the pair also suffered sleep loss, emotional distress, property damage, and ongoing anxiety around travel and lodging.
Shockley and Maycock say they alerted crew members on board but that no remediation was done in or around their cabin. The lawsuit accuses Carnival of negligent failure to warn them, negligent failure to maintain a safe vessel, and general negligence, and requests a jury trial and damages.
The guests’ attorney said the goal of the lawsuit is not only compensation for what his clients experienced but also to push Carnival to protect other passengers from similar harm in the future.
How to Check Your Cabin for Bed Bugs
Before you unpack, take two minutes to look around:
- Pull back the sheets and check the mattress seams and headboard edge
- Look for tiny bugs, white eggs, and pin-sized black dots
- Scan the sheets for small blood dots
- If anything looks off, stop unpacking and call Guest Services. Ask for a different cabin and take photos in case you need to follow up later
Carnival has not commented directly on the lawsuit. The company does publish information about its guest room sanitation and bed bug procedures on its website. The policy notes that stateroom attendants are trained to inspect cabins weekly for signs of infestation and that affected cabins are chemically treated and re-inspected for several months when bed bugs are detected.
Carnival Horizon received a sanitation score of 93 during a routine CDC inspection in late February 2025.
Into the Funnel published an earlier report when the lawsuit was first filed. Readers can view our original coverage of the Horizon bed bug lawsuit for more background on the case.
This remains an active case in federal court. We will update coverage as new filings or responses become available.
Sources & Further Reading
Official & External Sources
- Federal court filing: Shockley v. Carnival Corporation, Southern District of Florida, filed Oct. 28, 2025
- Carnival Detection and Treatment Plan for Bedbugs
- People.com: “Carnival Cruise Line Hit with Lawsuit After 2 Passengers Allegedly Wake Up Covered in Bed Bug Bites”
- USA Today: “Carnival cruise guests sue over alleged bed bug infestation in cabin”
Into the Funnel Related Coverage
Featured image: Carnival Horizon, the ship at the center of the recently filed bed bug lawsuit.
Photo by: Jenny Motley, Into the Funnel
