Even after more than a decade, few in the cruise community will ever forget the infamous “poop cruise” onboard Carnival Triumph – although the more than 4,000 passengers and crew members onboard likely wish that they could.
But this summer, cruise fans will get to go back in time to revisit the chaotic voyage as part of a new Netflix anthology, called “Trainwreck.”
Each of the eight episodes will be a standalone documentary that digs into some of the most bizarre – and sometimes disgusting – mishaps to make waves around the world.
The four-day sailing on the ship that is now known as Carnival Sunrise went massively viral in 2013 after an engine room fire cut power to the ship, leaving the vessel with no propulsion, no refrigeration, and perhaps most notably, no working (and overflowing) toilets.
The incident was so extreme that nearly a month of sailings had to be cancelled in the aftermath and an investigation was conducted by the Bahamas Maritime Authority, the United States Coast Guard, and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Unsurprisingly, the sailing has been heavily covered in the media – as the world tuned in live to watch how things would unfold. But the new “Poop Cruise” documentary, which is directed by James Ross, will offer a different perspective as the story will be told by the people who lived it.
“Behind the sensational coverage and sound bites are complex stories, essential questions, and real people who found themselves at the center of the chaos,” reads a press release from TUDUM, Netflix’s companion site.
“Told from their perspective, the Trainwreck series and films will explore everything from disastrous festivals, political scandals, and media hoaxes to cult-like corporations and reality TV disasters,” continued the release.
The episodes will begin airing weekly on Netflix on Tuesdays starting on June 10, 2025, with the “Poop Cruise” episode dropping on June 24, 2025.
In addition to the Carnival sailing, the series will also take an in depth look at topics like the Astroworld Tragedy from November 2021, the dark secrets behind the American Apparel fashion brand, and Nevada’s Area 51.
What Really Happened on the “Poop Cruise?”
This infamous voyage was supposed to be a four-day dream vacation to Cozumel, Mexico, that should have sailed round trip out of Galveston, Texas. But when Carnival Triumph embarked on February 7, 2013, she sailed into a nightmare.
In the early morning hours of February 10, 2025 – three days into the sailing – a fire broke out in the aft engine room, with the flames stemming from diesel generator No. 6.
Guests were woken up to the sound of fire alarms going off – and smoke even made it into some of the hallways – but the fire was automatically put out without any harm to the passengers and crew members.
However, the damage had been done – and thus five days of torture and uncertainty ensued for the people stuck onboard.
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The damage from the fire ultimately left the 1999-launched ship without power or propulsion – effectively stranding the ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
Additionally, toilets couldn’t flush and sewage began backing up into passenger areas – which created a serious health hazard and gave the event the name of “Poop Cruise.”
There was also no air conditioning or refrigeration – which created concerns about having enough food and supplies onboard. And even in February, Caribbean sailings usually still bring warm weather.
The crew members and cruise line did their best to tend to guests’ needs throughout the incident – with Carnival Elation, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Conquest each stopping by to deliver food, water, and other essential supplies between February 10, 2013, and February 11, 2013.
Also on February 11, the ship regained some of her functions thanks to emergency electrical generators, which marginally helped the situation.
After multiple delays caused by strong winds and broken tug lines, the 101,509-gross ton ship was finally towed to safety by a team of four tugboats (with one additional tugboat on standby) – reaching the pier in Mobile, Alabama, by 9:20 p.m. on Valentine’s Day.
Following this disaster, Carnival invested $300 million on fleet-wide safety upgrades and fire prevention.
Carnival Triumph is also still in service today, but under a different name – perhaps as a way to distance the ship from her past. The name change coincided with a massive $200 million refurbishment that was completed in 2019.
