A past Royal Caribbean passenger is now suing the cruise line and its former crew member for allowing her to be photographed by a hidden camera in her stateroom this past spring.
The culprit, 34-year-old ex-crew member Arvin Joseph Mirasol, is already serving 30 years in prison. Still, the unidentified passenger claims that the cruise operator could have done more to prevent the incident from happening.
“Royal Caribbean became aware of this problem in March of 2023 when a hidden camera was found in a public bathroom on the pool deck of one of its ships yet it has seemingly done nothing since then to protect its passengers from reoccurrences,” Attorney Michael Winkleman wrote in a statement obtained by Miami New Times.
The law firm Lipcon, Margulies, & Winkleman filed the charges in the Southern District of Florida for the guest who was only identified by Jane Doe and “all other similarly situated passengers.”
Its court filing includes a photo showing a hidden camera concealed under the bathroom sink—the device used to illegally photograph passengers. The lawsuit claims that the stateroom it was in belongs to Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas.
Prosecutors believe the images captured were later shared online, including the dark web, without the plaintiff’s consent or knowledge. They added that she has since suffered severe emotional distress leading to physical pain, dizziness, and insomnia.
Mirasol’s Arrest and Sentencing
In March, Mirasol’s illicit activities were uncovered when a plaintiff, sharing a stateroom with her two daughters, discovered a hidden camera and informed the ship’s crew. The Filipino attendant responsible for the camera was arrested upon the ship’s return to Port Everglades.
An investigation of Mirasol’s items revealed video footage of minors from two to 17 years old in “various stages of undress.”
The man later pled guilty to video voyeurism and child abuse material (CSAM) charges. Court proceedings uncovered that Mirasol began placing hidden cameras in staterooms in December 2023.
This led the prosecutors to estimate that there may be as many as 960 passengers who Mirasol had unknowingly victimized.
Winkleman added that cruise lines aren’t legally mandated to inform passengers if they might have been subjected to voyeurism.
Last year, the FBI nabbed another crew member after installing a hidden camera in the bathroom by the top deck Flowrider on Harmony of the Seas.
