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Tag: Carnival

  • Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins giant slalom, earns South America’s 1st medal at Winter Games

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    With Brazil entering the joyous throes of Carnival, Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen on Saturday gave it another reason to celebrate — an Olympic medal.It was the first-ever medal at the Winter Games for any country in South America. And not just any medal: Gold.The win for the 25-year-old known in Brazil as “O cara do ski” — the skiing dude — happened on the first full day of Carnival, the pre-Lenten party that fills city streets with revelers drinking and dancing to their hearts’ content. Even if lots of ordinary Brazilians were more preoccupied with that bacchanal, Pinheiro Braathen’s gold-medal glory bumped Carnival news from top spots on major news websites. It was another in a series of recent scores for Brazil on top global stages that have provided what some view as long-overdue acclaim.“This has become one of my top five Brazil gold medals in Olympic history, no doubt,” radio host and sports fanatic Thiago Varella, 41, told The Associated Press from Campinas, a city where Pinheiro Braathen has relatives and took several childhood vacations. “He will be our skiing dude forever. Even people who don’t understand the sport now will come to admire his story and his Brazilian-ness.”Once a racer for Norway, Pinheiro Braathen switched to Brazil, his mother’s home country, and with two powerful runs Saturday to win the Olympic giant slalom he earned the distinction of picking up South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.“I’ve tried over and over again to put words into what it is that I’m feeling,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “But it’s simply impossible.”He gave his country another reason to celebrate even if it already just so happened to be Carnival season. The fun-loving, samba-dancing skier had the perfect helmet for the occasion, too, stenciling on the back “Vamos Dancar” — “Let’s Dance.”He did a rhythmic number in the first run that gave him a 0.95-second edge.With snow falling and fog settling in on the final run, the 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen remained cool and relaxed as he navigated his way through the technical Stelvio course. After seeing his place — No. 1 — he just stared. When it finally sank in, he fell to the snow before starting to scream.He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds to beat Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, the defending Olympic champion, by 0.58 seconds. Odermatt’s teammate, Loic Meillard, earned bronze.“It’s a moment that’s hard to grasp, even though it’s crystal clear that you are officially the Olympic champion,” Pinheiro Braathen explained. “Even though I had such faith and I knew that this was written for me, it is still so incredible to live that dream turned reality. I couldn’t quite grasp it.”Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He started racing for Norway until abruptly retiring before the 2023 season, only to return a year later representing Brazil.He’s already accomplished plenty of firsts with his new country: First Brazilian Alpine racer to finish on a World Cup podium last year and first World Cup win for the country this season.Now, he’s the first Olympian from the South American continent to bring home a winter medal.”The emotions that I’m feeling right now is an internal sun inside of me that is shining so, so bright and toward so many people,” he said. “I was skiing with my heart, and when you ski the way you are, anything is possible. The only thing that matters to me is that I remain who I am. I am a Brazilian skier who became an Olympic champion.”That’s why he got so choked up hearing his nation’s anthem on the podium. Brazil has taken part of every edition of the Winter Olympics since 1992. The country’s best result until Pinheiro Braathen’s gold medal was ninth place in women’s snowboarding in 2006 with Isabel Clark.“Being the reason that I get to hear and share that song in a stadium in the middle of mountains, because of a Winter Olympic gold medal for these colors, I’m beyond proud,” Pinheiro Braathen said.He gave a shoutout to the Norwegian Ski Federation as well.“I don’t have any hate or bad feelings about what has happened,” he said. “I’m just thankful, because it’s our differences in our perspectives that have forced me to confront myself to follow my own dream. And it was that heart, and that strength, that brought me to the top of the Olympics.”It was another medal for Odermatt at the Milan Cortina Games. He also won silver in the team combined event, where he partnered with Meillard, and bronze in the super-G.“Three medals,” Odermatt said, “is amazing.”Odermatt was asked about seeing a Brazilian on top of the Olympic podium and its significance: “For me, it doesn’t represent anything. He did his whole education in Norway. He just switched to Brazil now, so I don’t care about this. But he’s an amazing skier, and I have respect for him as an athlete.”Atle Lie McGrath of Norway finished fifth. He has known Pinheiro Braathen since they began racing together as kids for their ski club.“We shared a nice hug over there,” said McGrath, who wore a black armband in tribute to his late grandfather. “I’m really proud of him.”In Milan, Pinheiro Braathen’s fans, decked out in green and yellow, crowded into “Casa Brasil.” They cheered for the entirety of his run, screaming and jumping to their feet once he finished. The sound system blared “We Are The Champions” before playing samba-infused songs for everyone to dance to.For Pinheiro Braathen, it’s hard for him to imagine how he will be perceived now that he’s won gold for Brazil. He’s eager to find out.“I can’t tell you how many comments I’ve read through from the day I started representing Brazil until becoming an Olympic champion today that has been along the lines of, ‘I have no idea of what’s going on, but let’s go Brazil. Let’s go Lucas,’” Pinheiro Braathen recounted. “I think it’s that unconditional love and support from the Brazilians, even though we’re still in this journey of introducing ski racing to Brazil, that I really brought with me today and allowed me to ski as fast as I did.” In Milan, several hundred fans packed into Brazil House, a gathering spot organized by its Olympic committee.“We’re used to this feeling a lot in (soccer), sometimes in volleyball, but, you know, it’s a winter sport, it’s a snow sport,” said Aline Fialho of Recife, in Brazil’s northeast. “We don’t have snow in Brazil, so it’s a little bit surreal, but I feel very proud.”

    BORMIO, Italy —

    With Brazil entering the joyous throes of Carnival, Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen on Saturday gave it another reason to celebrate — an Olympic medal.

    It was the first-ever medal at the Winter Games for any country in South America. And not just any medal: Gold.

    The win for the 25-year-old known in Brazil as “O cara do ski” — the skiing dude — happened on the first full day of Carnival, the pre-Lenten party that fills city streets with revelers drinking and dancing to their hearts’ content. Even if lots of ordinary Brazilians were more preoccupied with that bacchanal, Pinheiro Braathen’s gold-medal glory bumped Carnival news from top spots on major news websites. It was another in a series of recent scores for Brazil on top global stages that have provided what some view as long-overdue acclaim.

    “This has become one of my top five Brazil gold medals in Olympic history, no doubt,” radio host and sports fanatic Thiago Varella, 41, told The Associated Press from Campinas, a city where Pinheiro Braathen has relatives and took several childhood vacations. “He will be our skiing dude forever. Even people who don’t understand the sport now will come to admire his story and his Brazilian-ness.”

    Once a racer for Norway, Pinheiro Braathen switched to Brazil, his mother’s home country, and with two powerful runs Saturday to win the Olympic giant slalom he earned the distinction of picking up South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.

    “I’ve tried over and over again to put words into what it is that I’m feeling,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “But it’s simply impossible.”

    He gave his country another reason to celebrate even if it already just so happened to be Carnival season. The fun-loving, samba-dancing skier had the perfect helmet for the occasion, too, stenciling on the back “Vamos Dancar” — “Let’s Dance.”

    He did a rhythmic number in the first run that gave him a 0.95-second edge.

    With snow falling and fog settling in on the final run, the 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen remained cool and relaxed as he navigated his way through the technical Stelvio course. After seeing his place — No. 1 — he just stared. When it finally sank in, he fell to the snow before starting to scream.

    Anadolu

    Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil and Loic Meillard of Switzerland on the podium of the Giant Slalom race at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on February 14, 2026.

    He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds to beat Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, the defending Olympic champion, by 0.58 seconds. Odermatt’s teammate, Loic Meillard, earned bronze.

    “It’s a moment that’s hard to grasp, even though it’s crystal clear that you are officially the Olympic champion,” Pinheiro Braathen explained. “Even though I had such faith and I knew that this was written for me, it is still so incredible to live that dream turned reality. I couldn’t quite grasp it.”

    Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He started racing for Norway until abruptly retiring before the 2023 season, only to return a year later representing Brazil.

    He’s already accomplished plenty of firsts with his new country: First Brazilian Alpine racer to finish on a World Cup podium last year and first World Cup win for the country this season.

    Now, he’s the first Olympian from the South American continent to bring home a winter medal.

    “The emotions that I’m feeling right now is an internal sun inside of me that is shining so, so bright and toward so many people,” he said. “I was skiing with my heart, and when you ski the way you are, anything is possible. The only thing that matters to me is that I remain who I am. I am a Brazilian skier who became an Olympic champion.”

    That’s why he got so choked up hearing his nation’s anthem on the podium. Brazil has taken part of every edition of the Winter Olympics since 1992. The country’s best result until Pinheiro Braathen’s gold medal was ninth place in women’s snowboarding in 2006 with Isabel Clark.

    “Being the reason that I get to hear and share that song in a stadium in the middle of mountains, because of a Winter Olympic gold medal for these colors, I’m beyond proud,” Pinheiro Braathen said.

    He gave a shoutout to the Norwegian Ski Federation as well.

    “I don’t have any hate or bad feelings about what has happened,” he said. “I’m just thankful, because it’s our differences in our perspectives that have forced me to confront myself to follow my own dream. And it was that heart, and that strength, that brought me to the top of the Olympics.”

    It was another medal for Odermatt at the Milan Cortina Games. He also won silver in the team combined event, where he partnered with Meillard, and bronze in the super-G.

    “Three medals,” Odermatt said, “is amazing.”

    Odermatt was asked about seeing a Brazilian on top of the Olympic podium and its significance: “For me, it doesn’t represent anything. He did his whole education in Norway. He just switched to Brazil now, so I don’t care about this. But he’s an amazing skier, and I have respect for him as an athlete.”

    Atle Lie McGrath of Norway finished fifth. He has known Pinheiro Braathen since they began racing together as kids for their ski club.

    “We shared a nice hug over there,” said McGrath, who wore a black armband in tribute to his late grandfather. “I’m really proud of him.”

    In Milan, Pinheiro Braathen’s fans, decked out in green and yellow, crowded into “Casa Brasil.” They cheered for the entirety of his run, screaming and jumping to their feet once he finished. The sound system blared “We Are The Champions” before playing samba-infused songs for everyone to dance to.

    For Pinheiro Braathen, it’s hard for him to imagine how he will be perceived now that he’s won gold for Brazil. He’s eager to find out.

    “I can’t tell you how many comments I’ve read through from the day I started representing Brazil until becoming an Olympic champion today that has been along the lines of, ‘I have no idea of what’s going on, but let’s go Brazil. Let’s go Lucas,’” Pinheiro Braathen recounted. “I think it’s that unconditional love and support from the Brazilians, even though we’re still in this journey of introducing ski racing to Brazil, that I really brought with me today and allowed me to ski as fast as I did.”

    In Milan, several hundred fans packed into Brazil House, a gathering spot organized by its Olympic committee.

    “We’re used to this feeling a lot in (soccer), sometimes in volleyball, but, you know, it’s a winter sport, it’s a snow sport,” said Aline Fialho of Recife, in Brazil’s northeast. “We don’t have snow in Brazil, so it’s a little bit surreal, but I feel very proud.”

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  • Stepbrother eyed in cruise ship death of Florida teen may be called to testify in custody dispute, attorney says

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    A 16-year-old who is being eyed for possible involvement in the death of his stepsister on a Carnival cruise ship may be called to testify in person about the incident, an attorney for his father said Thursday at a custody hearing in Florida.

    Scott Smith, an attorney representing Thomas Hudson, the father of the 16-year-old, said that while “we don’t really want to” put the boy in the middle of an ongoing custody dispute, “I may have to call him” to testify about the circumstances surrounding his stepsister’s death. 

    A law enforcement source told CBS News Friday that investigators believe Kepner may have been strangled during an altercation, and that the suspect may have been using alcohol.    

    A law enforcement source had previously told CBS News that Kepner and the 16-year-old may have had some kind of altercation.  

    The testimony would be given as part of a child custody dispute between Thomas Hudson and Shauntel Hudson, the stepmother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner. Kepner’s body was found under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month by a housekeeper, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

    In a new court filing obtained by CBS News Friday, the family of the 16-year-old called the death a “suspected murder.”

    “An investigation is being conducted” by the FBI “arising out of the suspected murder” of Anna Kepner, the document read.

    The new document, a Motion for Non-Dissemination Order, was filed by an attorney for the 16-year-old’s mother. It is a request that the family court proceedings be closed to the press and for documents related to the custody battle remain under seal.

    Thomas Hudson and Shauntel Hudson have been in a custody dispute over three of their children, including the 16-year-old. Testimony from the 16-year-old could shed light on what happened to Kepner, and could also help bolster Thomas Hudson’s custody claim against his ex-wife, Shauntel Hudson. 

    The 16-year-old is being investigated for possible involvement in Kepner’s death, a law enforcement source and a person familiar with the matter recently told CBS News. Kepner’s family also believes he is a suspect in an FBI investigation into her death, according to court filings that refer to him as “T.H.” 

    The FBI has not confirmed he is a suspect and said it does not comment on operational updates on its investigations except in rare circumstances. 

    During the hearing Thursday in Brevard County, Florida, it was revealed that the boy was hospitalized upon returning to Port Miami on Nov. 8 and is currently staying with a relative on Florida’s west coast.

    Millicent Athanason, an attorney representing Shauntel Hudson in the custody dispute, said, “I would have difficulty putting the 16-year-old on the stand because I don’t want anything done that would incriminate the young man.”

    Judge Michelle Studstill said a hearing on the matter would need to take place before the minor would be able to testify.

    “I would anticipate that the child will choose not to testify and invoke his Fifth Amendment right,” Studstill said.

    An in-person hearing for the testimony was set for Dec. 5.

    Athanason, the attorney representing Shauntel Hudson, said she would potentially subpoena an FBI investigator and investigators from Florida’s Department of Children and Families.

    Smith, the other attorney, said he also may subpoena Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner, to testify.

    Kepner was on a family vacation in the Caribbean with her father, stepmother, grandparents, two stepsiblings and her brother when she was discovered dead on the Carnival Horizon as it was headed back to Miami, where it docked on Nov. 8. Kepner had been staying in the same room as her stepbrother and one other stepsibling. 

    According to family members, Kepner told them the night before that she wasn’t feeling well and returned to her room. She didn’t show up for breakfast the next morning.

    Investigators are reviewing surveillance video and analyzing electronic swipe card data that may show who entered the teen’s cabin, law enforcement sources said. They were also examining Kepner’s cellphone records and conducting interviews with cruise ship passengers, crewmembers and Kepner’s family.

    Pat Milton

    contributed to this report.

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  • Cruise Ship Nightmare: Anna Kepner’s Cause of Death Revealed – LAmag

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    New reporting suggests 18-year-old Anna Kepner may have died from asphyxiation caused by a chokehold aboard a Carnival cruise ship as the FBI continues to investigate her death

    The death of an 18-year-old Florida high school cheerleader found hidden under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship was reportedly caused by asphyxiation from a chokehold (or an arm across the neck), per a new report by ABC News. The FBI and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office have not officially confirmed or made a statement. FBI agents discovered two bruises on the side of Anna’s neck, and reportedly, there were no signs of sexual assault and no drugs or alcohol found in her system.

    Anna Kepner, a senior at Titusville High School with aspirations to join the military, was discovered wrapped in a blanket beneath a bed covered by life jackets in a cabin she shared with her brothers on the Carnival Horizon. The ship had departed Miami on November 2, 2025, for a six-day Caribbean cruise and returned to port on November 8th.

    The preliminary findings indicate Kepner was possibly strangled in what investigators believe was a violent altercation, the sources said. The exact circumstances remain under active probe by the FBI, which is treating the case as a possible homicide. No charges have been filed as of Thursday.

    Kepner had left a family dinner early on November 6th and was captured on surveillance video entering the cabin she shared with her 14-year-old biological brother and 16-year-old stepbrother. Her younger brother returned later that evening, changed clothes, took photos around the ship, and later went to sleep in a bunk bed, unaware that his sister was already deceased and shoved under her bed. Her body was found the next morning by cleaning staff during a search prompted by the family.

    The stepbrother, whose identity is protected as a minor, has been identified as a person of interest and is staying with relatives of his biological mother. No arrests have been made of November 21st as this is an ongoing investigation.

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    Lauren Conlin

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  • New Details Deepen Mystery in Florida Teen’s Cruise Ship Death

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    Newly released records shed disturbing light on the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, found under her cruise-ship bed, exposing a troubled home life that may have played a role in the tragedy

    The mysterious and tragic death of an 18-year-old Florida cheerleader discovered crammed under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship in November has taken a darker turn, with court filings identifying her 16-year-old stepbrother as a potential person of interest and revealing her own 14-year-old brother slept just feet from her body without realizing it, per family attorneys this week.

    Anna Kepner, a Titusville High School senior with plans to join the military, was found wrapped in a blanket, covered with life jackets, beneath a bed on the Carnival Horizon Ship during a cruise that left Miami on November 2, 2025, and returned on November 8th. New details surfaced in Brevard County court filings, shedding light on a troubled family and home life.

    According to timelines developed by cruise ship security and surveillance footage, Kepner left a family dinner early on November 6, complaining of illness, and returned to the cabin she shared with her 14-year-old biological brother and 16-year-old stepbrother. The cruise ship footage showed her entering the room but never leaving, according to an emergency (family court) motion filed November 17th by Millicent Athanason, attorney for Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Kepner.

    The motion states: “She was last seen entering her room, and she never came out” and adds, “The respondent has been advised through discussions with FBI investigators and her attorneys that a criminal case may be initiated against one of the minor children of this instant action.” In other words, Kepner’s stepbrother is officially being questioned in her death.

    Credit: Brevard County Circuit Court

    The FBI, which is leading the investigation with Carnival and local authorities, has not released a cause of death or filed charges as of November 21st. The stepbrother, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, is now staying with a relative of his biological mother and has not been arrested. According to Kepner’s ex-boyfriend’s father in an interview with Inside Edition, it was a well-known fact that the step-brother was “infatuated” and “in love” with Kepner. It was also stated that Kepner was afraid of him because he always carried a knife. Per the ex-boyfriend’s father, Kepner’s parents were aware of all of this. Other chilling details about the night of Kepner’s death reveal that her 14-year-old brother returned to the cabin, changed clothes, took photos around the ship, and went to sleep, unaware that his sister’s body was hidden beneath the adjacent bed. He had assumed she had gone back out to enjoy the cruise.

    Kepner’s biological mother, Heather Wright, learned of the death days later through an online search. Wright has had trouble with the law and issues with drugs, and did not have a relationship with Kepner (who also detailed the lack of relationship with her mom on social media). “I found out through Google. I ended up Googling it, because the only information I had was that my daughter was on a cruise,” Wright said in an earlier interview with NBC. Wright was also told that she was not allowed to attend the funeral, but told Inside Edition that she would attend anyway, in a disguise.

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    At a memorial service on Wednesday at The Grove Church in Titusville, step-grandfather Christopher Donahue, 53, questioned the cabin arrangement. “I don’t know why Anna was staying in a room with her stepbrother,” Donahue said. “All I know is that she went on that boat, and she never came back. … There are questions. I don’t think we’ll ever know.”

    The death has intensified years of family strife detailed in court records. The filings suggest that Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner, has been married three times. Tabitha Kepner, Christopher Kepner’s second wife, filed for divorce in March 2023, citing a “history of physical and mental abuse toward the minor children and toward the petitioner.” She sought sole custody. In 2024, Michelle Johnson, the mother of Christopher Kepner’s other children, sued Shauntel Kepner in small claims court to recover firearms, including a shotgun and rifles. Emails in the filing accused Shauntel of “manipulating and alienating” the children from their father. The case was dismissed on procedural grounds as Johnson missed a filing deadline. Additional court filings have revealed that Kepner’s father had allegedly had a prior issue involving a minor.

    Carnival Cruise Line previously issued a statement saying it is “fully cooperating with authorities” and offering condolences, but declined further comment, citing the active investigation. Anna Kepner’s cause and manner of death remain unknown.

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    Lauren Conlin

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  • Portland Rose Festival Foundation Launches National Search For Next Executive Director – KXL

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    PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Rose Festival Foundation has opened a national search for its next executive director.

    Longtime CEO Marilyn Clint is retiring after nearly 50 years with the organization.

    The foundation says it’s looking for a dynamic leader to guide one of the Pacific Northwest’s most celebrated cultural institutions into a new era, with a focus on innovation, community engagement and financial sustainability

    The Rose Festival is best known for marquee events like the Grand Floral Parade, CareOregon Starlight Parade, Fred Meyer Junior Parade, CityFair waterfront festival and Fleet Week. The organization also supports youth through programs such as the Rose Festival Court, in partnership with schools and community organizations.

    The incoming executive director will oversee a small staff, work closely with a volunteer board and committees, and serve as the organization’s public face. Key responsibilities include strategic planning, fundraising, sponsorship development, media and civic relations, and event oversight.

    A full job description and application information is available at www.rosefestival.org/executive-director. Applications are currently being accepted, with interviews set to begin this fall.

    More about:

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    Grant McHill

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  • Carnival Cruise Line Installs Starlink Internet on Every Ship | Entrepreneur

    Carnival Cruise Line Installs Starlink Internet on Every Ship | Entrepreneur

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    It’s another massive milestone for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

    On Tuesday, Carnival Cruises announced that 100% of its ships have officially installed high-speed internet from Musk’s Starlink.

    The installation took place on 90-plus ships in Carnival’s global fleet and allows for more reliable Wi-Fi when onboard (especially during remote parts of the route) for passengers and helps the ship’s staff with improving “operational and communications capabilities,” per a release from Carnival.

    Related: New Jersey Man Accused of Trafficking 675 Starlink Terminals

    “Starlink has been a game-changer for the onboard connectivity experience our cruise lines deliver to their guests, and we’ve already seen a surge in guest satisfaction and positive feedback from the super-fast and reliable Wi-Fi service we provide onboard,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation in a release. “We see this technology as a win-win-win – it provides our guests with more flexibility to stay as connected as they’d like on vacation, it allows our crew to stay in touch with friends and loved ones, and it enhances our onboard operational systems.”

    The installment of Starlink on Carnival ships began in December 2022 and has now expanded to all of Carnival’s smaller companies, including Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.

    Musk reposted the news with one word to share his sentiments: “Cool.”

    Royal Caribbean started installing Starlink on its ships in 2022 and as of February 2024, said that it was “currently in the process of upgrading more vessels” from VOOM internet to Starlink.

    Carnival is coming off a strong Q1 2024, setting the record for first-quarter revenue at $5.4 billion, while bookings hit a record high — despite higher prices.

    “This has been a fantastic start to the year. We delivered another strong quarter that outperformed guidance on every measure, while concluding a monumental wave season that achieved all-time high booking volumes at considerably higher prices,” Weinstein said at the time. “These results are a continuation of the strong demand we have been generating across our brands and all core deployments, leading to an upward revision of full year expectations by more than a point of incremental yield improvement and setting us up nicely to deliver a nearly double-digit improvement in net yields.”

    Carnival was up nearly 41% year over year as of Tuesday afternoon.

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    Emily Rella

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  • These 4 Stocks Cut Their Dividends. Now Is the Time to Bring Them Back.

    These 4 Stocks Cut Their Dividends. Now Is the Time to Bring Them Back.

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    The New Year is almost here, and that means it’s time for four of the last dividend cutters of 2020— Boeing, American Airlines Group, Royal Caribbean Group, and Carnival—to bring back their payouts to shareholders.

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  • Carnival Cruise Ship Passenger Attack Investigated By FBI | Entrepreneur

    Carnival Cruise Ship Passenger Attack Investigated By FBI | Entrepreneur

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    It was rough seas for one Carnival Cruise passenger assaulted during a live entertainment show.

    According to local outlet 13News Now, a guest aboard the Carnival Magic attacked another passenger with a glass from the bar during a performance in the ship’s theater.

    The eight-day cruise stopped in Canada and New England and was headed back to its port in Norfolk, Virginia.

    The victim was treated by medical personnel on board.

    Carnival Magic cruise ship docked in Marseille, France. (Getty Images)

    “Carnival security and medical officials fully cooperated with law enforcement should the guest decide to press charges,” Carnival said in a statement, noting that the assailant is banned from all future cruises and was confined to their room following the incident. “We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior.”

    Related: Carnival Cruise Line Under Fire Over Veteran’s Disappearance

    One passenger, Victoria Evans, told 13News Now that there were “hundreds of people” at the performance when the assault occurred.

    “It was a blood-curdling scream, there were several of them,” Evans said.

    The FBI Norfolk Field Office is currently investigating the incident. It is not yet known if the victim will press charges.

    The Carnival Magic, which can hold 3,700 guests and 1,3000 crew members, offers multiple weeklong cruise itineraries.

    Earlier this month, Carnival CFO David Bernstein told the Wall Street Journal that the cruise line is considering hiking customer prices due to rising fuel prices, something the company anticipates will cause a massive profit loss in Q4 of 2023.

    Related: Carnival Cruise Phasing Out Beloved, But Underused Amenity

    “What we think about [with surcharges] is, will that get us more money than just raising the price, because if you can get future people to pay more, you’re probably better off,” Bernstein said, noting that the company is focused on raising overall customer prices rather than just an additional fuel surcharge.

    Carnival Corp was up just under 42% in a one-year period as of Tuesday morning.

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    Emily Rella

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  • Court rules Carnival Cruises was negligent during COVID-19 outbreak linked to hundreds of cases

    Court rules Carnival Cruises was negligent during COVID-19 outbreak linked to hundreds of cases

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    An Australian court has ruled Carnival Cruises was negligent during an outbreak of COVID-19 onboard one of its ships in March 2020. A class-action lawsuit alleged the cruise line failed to take appropriate measures to ensure passengers on its Ruby Princess ship didn’t get sick as the coronavirus was spreading around the world.

    More than 2,650 passengers were onboard the ship when it departed Sydney on March 8, 2020, and returned to Sydney on March 19.

    Susan Karpik, a former nurse whose husband was hospitalized with COVID-19 after the cruise, was the lead applicant in the class-action suit, according to Shine Law, the firm that represented about 1,000 plaintiffs.

    Karpik sued for over 360,000 Australian dollars, claiming she suffered psychological distress due to her husband’s condition, according to the Reuters news agency. He was given only days to live at one point and is also part of the class-action lawsuit.

    Karpik was awarded AU$4,423.48 ($2,826) for her medical expenses but did not receive other damages. However, attorney Vicky Antzoulatos said her husband and other passengers involved in the suit are still awaiting the court’s decision on their claims and may be awarded more, according to Reuters.

    About 900 COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths were linked to the cruise, Reuters reports.

    During the trial, Carnival argued the nearly 700 U.S. passengers onboard signed a class-action waiver as part of the cruise line’s U.S. terms and conditions and they should not be included in the suit, according to Shine Law. The court has yet make a decision on that.

    “I am pleased with this outcome as it brings a degree of comfort for all passengers who were worse off as a result of traveling on the Ruby Princess,” Antzoulatos said in a news release. “It’s of course only a partial win as 28 lives were lost on this cruise. There are many individuals and families who will never recover from this loss.”

    CBS News has reached out to the law firm for further comment and is awaiting a response.

    “We have seen the judgment and are considering it in detail,” a Carnival Australia spokesperson told CBS News via email. “The pandemic was a difficult time in Australia’s history, and we understand how heartbreaking it was for those affected.”

    In May 2020, Congress opened an investigation into how Carnival responded to COVID-19. At the time, more than 100 U.S. citizens who worked on cruises were stranded on ships because the CDC wanted cruise lines to make quarantine plans before allowing people to disembark.

    Carnival said it was working with the CDC to get the employees home and that it would cooperate with the House investigation.

    The CDC has since stopped monitoring cases of COVID-19 on cruise ships but said in 2022 it would “continue to publish guidance to help cruise ships continue to provide a safer and healthier environment for passengers, crew and communities going forward.”

    Caitlin O’Kane


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    Caitlin O’Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.

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  • Saturday Sessions: Briston Maroney performs “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate”

    Saturday Sessions: Briston Maroney performs “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate”

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    Saturday Sessions: Briston Maroney performs “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” – CBS News


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    Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Briston Maroney got his start playing shows in Nashville. That led to a recording career and a debut album that quickly went gold and was recently certified platinum. Now, he’s getting ready for a North American headline tour and has just released his second studio album. From his first album “Carnival,” here is Briston Maroney with “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate.”

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