Nineteen passengers, including four minors, are suing Royal Caribbean and a former employee, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, after he secretly recorded them in their cabins on the cruise line’s Symphony of the Seas. Mirasol, who worked as a stateroom attendant, placed hidden cameras in bathrooms to film passengers while they were undressed or engaging in private activities. He then uploaded these images online, including on the dark web. Mirasol, a Philippine citizen, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing child pornography in August.
The passengers in the lawsuit, from the U.S. and Canada, are seeking justice for the emotional distress caused by Mirasol’s actions. Their attorneys argue that Royal Caribbean should have been aware of the risk of such incidents, pointing to reports of sexual assaults aboard the cruise line in recent years. In 2023, 26 sexual assaults were reported on Royal Caribbean ships, and the number of sex crimes on U.S.-based cruise ships has been rising.
This lawsuit comes after a separate class-action suit was filed in October, alleging that up to 960 people could have been victims of hidden cameras on the Symphony of the Seas. Additionally, a camera was found in a public bathroom on the Harmony of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean ship, in April 2023, recording over 150 people, including at least 40 children, until it was discovered in May.
The lawsuit claims that Royal Caribbean failed to provide proper security, training, or supervision to prevent such incidents from happening. It also alleges that the company did not warn passengers about the possibility of sexual assaults or voyeurism on board its ships. Lawyers believe that the cruise line’s failure to act was financially motivated, as they did not want to scare away potential customers.
The victims, who are suffering from severe emotional distress, are living in constant fear that their private images are being viewed and used without their consent. Their lawyers are demanding a jury trial and are determined to hold both Royal Caribbean and Mirasol accountable for the harm caused.