A popular YouTuber has documented his experience aboard what he says has been dubbed “the cruise from hell.”
The Context
Carnival cruises have made headlines in the past, and not always for the right reasons.
In February 2013 an engine room fire on the Carnival Triumph led to a power outage, leaving the ship adrift in the Gulf of Mexico—now known in the U.S. as the Gulf of America following President Donald Trump‘s executive order. Passengers endured limited food and rancid living conditions until the vessel was eventually returned to safety.
Carnival cruises have also seen chaotic brawls break out on numerous occasions in recent years, including one instance which necessitated intervention from the U.S. Coast Guard.
What To Know
Seeking to test whether his preconceptions about such cruises aligned with reality, vlogger Jack Pembrook boarded the Carnival Conquest for a mere $50 dollars in a video he called “I took the $50 ‘Cruise from Hell’.”
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The video, which racked up over 400,000 views within the space of 24 hours, followed Pembrook as he set out to evaluate his experience aboard the ship as it sailed from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico.
The video started with a compilation of news clips showing cruise line incidents as he says, “Behind me is the world’s worst cruise. Don’t believe me? Well, what if I told you it’s crashed, had dozens of fights on board, full-on animal outbreaks, extreme power outages, and it’s even caught on fire multiple times. It’s no wonder why this cruise has become widely known as the cruise from hell. I mean, you have to be an absolute freak to buy a $50 ticket…[I’m] on a mission find out if this cruise is actually the worst.”
Pembrook—whose videos often feature the vlogger setting himself quirky tasks, such as testing “every” celebrity restaurant and surviving in a random country for seven days—looked to judge the cruise on four areas: The food, the rooms, the activities, and the “vibes” (which in Pembrook’s own words meant: “am I having a good time”).
Seemingly happy with the room itself, Pembrook said his bathroom smelled “good” and noted its “big” size in comparison to the bedroom, adding that the shower was “spacious.”
However, the YouTuber did spot some hair and stains on the bed, as well as “plenty of signs of wear” around the room.
“But for the reputation these rooms have online, honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he said, adding that it was a good deal considering the price tag.
He appeared to enjoy many of the amenities on offer, including the swimming pool, mini golf, and restaurants.
Pembrook also encountered a host of colorful characters aboard the vessel, including one named Steven, who happily admitted it was his fourth time taking the cruise.
“Before I got on the ship, I really didn’t even want to step foot on this thing, but by the end of my trip, I’m surprisingly sad to leave,” he said in the video.
“It’s not super luxurious or perfect in any way but for me, I just come on a cruise to have fun, eat good food and… meet cool people.
“For how cheap this was, I’d actually go again, because the memories I made were worth every single penny.”
What People Are Saying
Many of the comments on Pembrook’s video echoed his broadly positive sentiment towards the experience.
@noacruz1407 said: “Honestly Carnival gave me one of the best experiences of my life and I will never forget the memories and people I met. I couldn’t eat anything heavy on the cruise cause I didn’t like it but it didn’t take away how much of a good time I had. I still have a group chat of the people I met on the Carnival cruise that I talk to til this day.”
@joefur2835 said: “50 bucks is a win.”
@QuintonHeck said: “I tell everyone that doing these mass produced cruises is like an art. You need to know what you are doing in order to not get stressed out from the amount of people and chaos. I would still take it again for the price point and at least this time I know what I am expecting.”
What Happens Next
Newsweek reached out to Carnival for comment via email on Friday.
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