Two Alabama women pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal assault charges after a dispute aboard a Carnival cruise ship returning from the Bahamas escalated into a physical fight.
The dispute started near the end of the March cruise aboard the Carnival Spirit, which departed from Mobile, Alabama. Investigators said Tonya Nelson, 58, approached Lisa Horace, 51, and her husband at Guest Services on Deck 2, to let them know they were in the wrong line, according to FBI interview summaries cited by AL.com.
Nelson told investigators that she was trying to be helpful by telling the couple they were in the wrong line and pointing out that it was reserved for diamond and platinum members of Carnival’s VIFP loyalty program.
Horace initially ignored Nelson’s comment about standing in the wrong line, but tensions escalated after Nelson allegedly tapped Horace’s husband on the shoulder multiple times. Horace then threatened to slap Nelson, and the confrontation quickly turned physical, with both women accused of slapping and kicking each other during the fight, according to the outlet’s report.
The women did not know each other before the incident, and no serious injuries were reported.
Because the altercation occurred in international waters, the FBI handled the investigation. Nelson and Horace were each charged with simple assault and appeared Wednesday in federal court in Mobile. Both women pleaded guilty, but the court withheld adjudication and ordered them to remain on good behavior for three months.
The charges are expected to be dismissed if neither woman commits another crime or contacts the other during that time, U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson said Thursday, Fox 10 reports.
“I’m just sorry that we’re here,” Nelson said in court.
Both women said they were banned from all Carnival cruises and lost their Diamond VIFP status, which requires at least 200 cruise days and 200 points and can cost tens of thousands of dollars to reach, according to the cruise line’s website.
Horace also told the court that she and her retired Navy veteran husband often cruise together as a source of peace and relaxation.
“Things happen sometimes on a crowded ship. You know, we’ve got big crowds involved, so that’s how I think this happened,” Buzz Jordan, Nelson’s attorney, told Fox 10, adding that he’s hopeful Carnival will reinstate both women’s status.
Horace’s attorney declined an interview with the outlet but said, “We’re just glad it’s over” after leaving the courthouse.
Carnival Cruise Line has not publicly commented on the charges, but investigators said the company provided surveillance footage that confirmed the incident, according to AL.com.
The Independent has contacted Carnival for comment.
