Several passengers are suing Royal Caribbean after one of the company's former crew members was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison for placing hidden cameras in guests' staterooms and secretly recording young children.
Aronfeld Trial Lawyers filed the 30-page lawsuit in the U.S. Southern District of Florida in Miami on Thursday on behalf of 12 U.S. plaintiffs, as reported by CBS News.
Arvin Joseph Mirasol, a cabin steward from the Philippines, was arrested in March after a passenger onboard Symphony of the Seas reported finding a concealed camera in their bathroom. The device was discovered when the guest reached under the sink to grab toilet paper.
He was arrested when the ship returned to Port Everglades on March 3, 2024. Mirasol's electronics were seized, and authorities uncovered videos of child pornography dating back to Dec. 2023.
In addition to the recordings, he would hide under guests' beds while they were in the shower. He also claimed to pleasure himself while watching videos during a post-Miranda interview, adding he "wants to control it...but can't."
Mirasol was convicted in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in August, with U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian sentencing him to 30 years in prison. He also faces up to 15 charges of video voyeurism in Broward Circuit Court.
"The fact that many of the victims we represent still do not know if and how their images have been used or circulated is incredibly disturbing. Some of the plaintiffs are children - and once an image is on the internet it is there forever," said the plaintiffs' attorney Spencer Aronfeld in a news release.
Read more: Royal Caribbean crew member accused of hiding cameras to spy on guests
"We hope that RCCL will take full responsibility for the heinous and reprehensible conduct of its crewmember. And we hope that this lawsuit will motivate RCCL and the other major cruise lines to spend more effort screening their crewmembers so that this type of assault never happens again."
The law firm added that the plaintiffs have suffered "physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental and nervous disorders."
The permanent and ongoing nature of the injuries has caused lasting harm. As a result, the plaintiffs seek a judgment for all damages allowable under the law, including punitive damages.
Not the first lawsuit
In October, a Royal Caribbean guest, identified as Jane Doe, filed a class action lawsuit alleging that she was filmed by a hidden camera in her stateroom bathroom.
The lawsuit accuses Mirasol of recording Doe "while undressed and engaged in private activities," and uploading images of Doe to the internet.
“Upon information and belief, Mirasol transmitted and/or uploaded images of the Plaintiff while undressed and engaging in private activities, to third parties and/or to the world wide web, including, but not limited to, the dark web, without Plaintiff’s prior knowledge or consent,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit holds Royal Caribbean responsible for failing to provide sufficient security, training, or supervision to prevent sexual assaults. Additionally, it claims the cruise line didn't warn guests about the risk of such crimes and failed to notify passengers who stayed in staterooms serviced by Mirasol.
The lawsuit suggests that as many as 960 passengers who sailed on Symphony of the Seas between December 1, 2023, and February 26, 2024, may have been affected by Mirasol's actions.
Symphony of the Seas is an Oasis Class ship based out of Florida
Symphony of the Seas currently sails from Miami, Florida, on 7-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. She's one of the largest cruise ships in the world, following Icon of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.
The 228,081 gross registered ton ship will relocate to Cape Liberty, New Jersey, in April 2025, primarily offering itineraries to the Bahamas. However, she'll make two 9-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean on April 30 and July 4.
Guests can take advantage of one of four pools, an ice skating rink, a miniature golf course, an outdoor AquaTheater, more than 20 dining options, a zip-line, Broadway-style entertainment, and more.
Read more: I stayed in a $1,400 stateroom on Symphony of the Seas
