Carnival Sunrise passengers say heat onboard is getting dangerous, despite the cruise line saying the ship's AC is nearly fixed

28.08.2023 - 20:37 / insider.com

Despite assurances from Carnival Cruise Line that the repairs for persistent air conditioning problems on board the Sunrise were nearly completed, passengers who disembarked August 12, following a recent voyage, say the ongoing extreme temperatures on the ship — both in staterooms and common areas like the restaurants, lobbies, and hallways — are causing more than just an inconvenience.

This is the second time air conditioning failure has been reported on this particular ship this summer. The first time was on the July 24 Grand Cayman cruise, and after customer complaints, Carnival told Insider that "the main coils that led to the problem" had been replaced and the cruise line was "finishing" the rest of the repairs. However, seven passengers who returned from an August 7 voyage on the ship to the Cayman Islands told Insider they experienced temperatures so unbearable on board that they said became dangerous.

Sade King told Insider that her asthma was triggered so badly by temperatures in her room — which she said hovered just below 80 — that she required emergency medical attention while at sea and is still struggling to breathe properly. Asthma can be triggered by hot weather and humidity, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

"I just prayed to God like, 'God, please just hurry up and get me off that boat,'" King, an experienced cruiser, told Insider, adding: "That was the cruise from hell."

Outside, as the ship sailed to Jamaica and Grand Cayman, the heat outside reached over 90 degrees. Temperatures above 80 degrees require people, especially those with underlying illnesses,  to take caution to prevent heat-related illness, according to CNN. Over 90 degrees, the weather becomes dangerous, where heat illness is likely, and heat stroke becomes possible, CNN reported.

Representatives for Carnival Cruise Line did not respond to Insider's questions regarding any medical emergencies air conditioning issues may have caused. In a July 30 statement to Insider, the company said record high ocean temperatures put "added stress on air conditioning systems on land and sea." Then, in an August 12 statement to Insider, the company said the primary coils that caused the initial failure had been replaced and the cruise line was "finishing the work" to restore the system to every impacted stateroom.

Despite the company's assurances that the repairs were underway and a port stop on August 9 in Jamaica where additional air conditioning repairs were conducted while passengers went ashore, King told Insider that passengers on board the Sunrise that week "were sweating like you ran two marathons." The lack of relief from the heat worsened her initial symptoms of shortness of breath, wheezing,