When Chris and Dana White of Florida departed from Mobile, Alabama for a three-day cruise of the Caribbean, it never occurred to them that the confines of their cabin would be anything but private. They were shocked to find a recording device hidden in TV wires last October while aboard the Carnival Fantasy. It was aimed directly at their bed.
Chris White described their initial reaction as one of disbelief according to USA Today. His first reaction was to ask his wife, “Is that what I think it is?” The couple said that it was hooked up and operating. They contacted the security team onboard and used a cell phone to record the staff member examining and then disconnecting the device. All the while, Mr. White said he just kept thinking that he couldn’t believe it was really happening to them. Dana White said she felt invaded.
Carnival issued a statement to USA Today in which they said that they had indeed found a video transmitter in the Whites’ room, but they claim that it was not connected to anything and was not able to record. White denies that claim, saying that the device was operational as indicated by the warmth coming from it when touched. Newsweek reported that he and his wife are coming forward now because they didn’t feel the matter was handled appropriately. Here is some of what the cruise line’s statement said.
“This is certainly a unique and unusual occurrence and it is unclear who or why this transmitter was placed in the guest’s stateroom. The safety and security of our guests and crew is of paramount importance and we have taken measures so that this sort of situation does not happen again.”
The cruise line further indicated that they had passed the device and the investigation on to the FBI and had informed the Whites that this step had been taken. As a matter of standard operation, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection was also made aware of the situation.
Earlier this month, Carnival Cruises announced plans to renovate one of its ships that was originally designed in the 1990s. Currently named the Carnival Victory, the 2,758-passenger vessel will be re-christened in 2020 with a new name — the Carnival Radiance. Renovations will be done in Spain at a cost of about $200 million, one of the highest-priced cruise ship renovations in history, and will be a “nuts-to-bolts” redesign. The ship cost $410 million to build.
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