Man Shares What Happened On Carnival Triumph In 2013: ‘Became Known As The Poop Cruise’

Cruise ships are marketed as floating resorts, with restaurants, pools, entertainment, and ocean views all packed into a single vacation. But if something goes seriously wrong at sea, those same ships can quickly become a nightmare.

TikTok creator Preston (@ship_facts), whose account focuses on facts about ships and cruise ships, recently shared the story behind one of the most infamous cruise incidents in modern history.

In a video that got over 35,400 views, Preston explained what he says happened on the Carnival Triumph in 2013, when the ship became widely known as the “poop cruise.”

What Happened On Carnival Triumph?

“This is what actually happened on a cruise ship that became known as the Poop Cruise,” Preston says.

According to Preston, the incident happened in 2013 while the Carnival Triumph was sailing in the Gulf of Mexico.

“In 2013, a cruise ship known as Carnival Triumph experienced one of the most infamous cruise incidents in modern history,” he says.

Preston says the issue started when a fire broke out in the ship.

“An engine fire in the ship’s aft section caused a complete loss of power to much of the vessel,” he explains.

According to Preston, that loss of power affected several key systems on board. Those included propulsion, air conditioning, refrigeration, and the sanitary systems.

That last part, he says, is where things became especially bad for passengers.

“Now, here’s where things quickly escalated,” Preston says.

Preston says there were thousands of passengers on board, and that many parts of the ship no longer had working toilets.

“With thousands of passengers on board and no working toilets in most parts of the ship, conditions became extremely difficult very fast,” he says.

According to Preston, the ship was left drifting at sea. On board, emergency teams worked to restore power and get the vessel to port.

Meanwhile, he says, passengers had to be moved into more stable areas of the ship, while crew members worked to manage food, safety, and sanitation with limited resources.

Preston says the ship was eventually towed to Mobile, Alabama, after being stranded for nearly five days.

According to Preston, the infamous nickname came from the sanitation problems passengers faced after the ship lost power.

Did The Incident Change Cruise Ships?

According to Preston, the Carnival Triumph incident also had a lasting effect on the cruise industry.

“But here’s the important part,” he says. “This incident completely changed how cruise ships are designed and operated today.”

Preston says modern cruise ships now have stronger backup systems, improved power distribution, and better emergency response protocols.

Those systems, he explains, are meant to prevent another situation like the one passengers experienced on Carnival Triumph.

“While cruise ships are incredibly safe today, events like this are exactly why those safety systems exist,” Preston says.

What Happened To The Ship After?

Despite the nickname, Carnival Triumph did not disappear after the incident, with Carnival later repairing the ship and returning it to service. Then, in 2019, the company gave the vessel a major makeover and renamed it Carnival Sunrise.

According to Carnival, the ship received a nearly $200 million “bow-to-stern” refurbishment. It added new dining, beverage, and entertainment spaces on board.

Passengers also received compensation after the 2013 ordeal. Carnival said at the time that guests from that sailing would get a full refund, transportation expense reimbursement, a future cruise credit, and an additional $500 payment.

The compensation, however, did not erase the public memory of what happened. More than a decade later, the Carnival Triumph incident got turned into a Netflix documentary titled “Trainwreck: Poop Cruise.”

BroBible has reached out to Carnival Cruise Line and Preston via email for comment.