A group of twelve guests from Royal Caribbean International has initiated legal action against the cruise line and a former crew member who secretly filmed passengers in their cabins while they were undressed, including minors.

The individuals involved, referred to as John, Jane, or Junior Doe, occupied cabins that were attended to by Arvin Joseph Mirasol, who previously worked as a stateroom attendant aboard the Symphony of the Seas. Mirasol was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in August after admitting to producing child pornography.

The guests’ cruise dates fell in December 2023 and January 2024, as outlined in a lawsuit filed last week in the Southern District of Florida. The complaint states that “upon information and belief, Mirasol transmitted and/or uploaded images of the Plaintiffs while undressed and carrying out private activities, to third parties and/or to the internet, including, but not limited to, the dark web, without the Plaintiffs’ prior knowledge or consent.”

The victims have endured “severe emotional distress” leading to physical ailments such as illness, insomnia, and dizziness, according to the legal filing.

Spencer Aronfeld, an attorney with Aronfeld Trial Lawyers who is representing the plaintiffs, expressed concern about the ongoing uncertainty for many victims, saying, “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 remains there indefinitely.”

The lawsuit claims that Royal Caribbean “knew or should have been aware of the potential for sexual assaults, given the frequency of such incidents on its ships.” It highlighted a specific case in 2023 where a passenger was apprehended for allegedly recording individuals – including minors – with a hidden camera in a public restroom on Harmony of the Seas.

In the year 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation received reports of 131 sex-related crimes on cruise ships that made stops in the U.S. This figure marks an increase from 87 reported incidents the previous year and 101 in 2019, prior to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plaintiffs allege that Royal Caribbean “failed to implement proper measures or provide sufficient security, training, and supervision to prevent such sexual offenses, including video voyeurism, from happening on its vessels,” and that the cruise line did not inform passengers about the risks of onboard sexual assaults.

Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of the cruise line, has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding the lawsuit. Previously, the company stated to YSL News that it had “immediately” notified law enforcement and terminated Mirasol’s employment upon learning of his actions.

“We do not tolerate this kind of behavior in any form,” said the company in a statement following the arrest.

The passengers are seeking financial compensation including punitive damages and a trial by jury. This development follows a separate class-action lawsuit filed against Mirasol and the company in October.