Two women who engaged in what’s been described as a slap-fest aboard the Carnival Spirit appeared in federal court this week. And while they were given an opportunity to, in essence, make the entire incident go away, they’ll still face a lifetime ban as well as the loss of their status in Carnival Cruise Line’s loyalty program.
How The Fight Started
The fact that both Tonya Nelson and Lisa Horace will lose their status with the line is somewhat ironic, given that their altercation involved a guest services line designated for those with Platinum or Diamond status.
According to various records, the dispute started when Nelson tried to alert Horace that she was in a line specifically meant for those who have achieved the highest level in Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) program.
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Things quickly escalated to the point that things became physical. Thanks to witness reports and surveillance footage confirming the incident — and the fact that it unfolded while the ship was in international waters as it headed back to Mobile, Alabama— Horace and Nelson wound up facing assault charges in federal court.
What Went Down In Court
According to reporting from Mobile’s local news outlets, both women apologized for being in court. The judge ultimately decided that if the two could avoid being arrested or coming into contact with one another for three weeks, the pending charges would be dismissed.
The women said they’d been banned from Carnival Cruise Line for life and lost their respective loyalty status. That said, Nelson’s lawyer, Buzz Jordan, told reporters he hoped that decision might be reversed. “Things happen sometimes on a crowded ship,” he said of his client’s behavior. “You know, we’ve got big crowds involved, so that’s how I think this happened.”
