When Cruise Hive covers lawsuits about the surface of the Lido Deck being unacceptable, it’s usually because it was too slippery and someone fell. This time, legal action has been filed against Carnival Cruise Line because the pool deck was too hot.

Jorge Luis Alverio Nunez has filed a lawsuit against Carnival because he says that he sustained significant second-degree burns on his feet while walking barefoot on the Lido Deck of Carnival Magic on May 21, 2025.

He alleges that the twenty steps from the pool to the shoes waiting for him at his lounge chair was enough to cause tissue damage to his feet because the deck had reached unsafe temperatures.

The Florida resident officially filed the maritime personal injury lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida on May 11, 2026, nearly one year after his sailing. He is seeking compensation in excess of $5 million.

In the claim, the former guest accuses Carnival of negligence for allowing deck conditions to become unsafe and failing to properly warn passengers of the danger.

He claims that he has endured severe pain and suffering and physical disfigurement as a result of the burns and was admitted to the hospital. The cruiser says that he has experienced ongoing mobility problems as well.

For additional context, the reputable Cleveland Clinic defines second degree burns as a “mild type of burn” that can fully heal in as little as one to three weeks. Of course, the severity and recovery can vary across patients.

It’s also unclear if the passenger sought out treatment or reported the incident during his cruise, but Carnival would have offered prompt care in its onboard medical facility if crew members were made aware of the issue.

How Hot Was the Lido Deck?

One of the main arguments in the lawsuit is that Carnival allowed guests to continue to use the Lido deck when they should have known the surface was too hot.

It also asserts that the crew members should have taken actions to prevent the surface of the deck from becoming dangerous. But how hot was the Lido Deck?

In May of last year, the 130,000-gross ton Carnival Magic would have been operating short itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

While the weather details at the time of the burn are not publicly available, the average high in the Bahamas during this time of year is around 86 degrees Fahrenheit and in the high 80s to the low 90s in the Caribbean.

Assuming it was 85 degrees outside, standard ground temperatures on land could exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit if exposed to direct sunlight.

However, cruise ships are different because the constant sea breeze helps to keep things cool, as does frequent wetting from swimmers getting in and out of the water.

Additionally, Carnival uses marine-grade flooring on its decks like Bolidt Future Teak and non-slip coatings, which are designed to be heat resistant. While the floor can still get hot on sunny days, it shouldn’t be able to reach dangerous temperatures.

Another component of Nunez’s lawsuit is that Carnival did not properly warn guests about how hot the deck might be. He claims that there were no warning signs or any announcements from crew members to make him aware of the danger.

Carnival has been known to put out signage warning guests on particularly hot days, but per the lawsuit, the signage is inconsistent at best.

Are Hot Floors a Problem?

Nunez’s lawsuit claims that other guests have suffered serious burns, and that one past passenger was burned so severely that it resulted in the amputation of the foot and leg below the knee.

Other Carnival Cruisers have also experienced issues with hot floors on social media, which suggests a bigger issue could be at play.

“Currently on Mardi Gras from the lido pool deck nursing my burnt feet!! Not actually burnt but they do hurt from the scalding pool decks,” one former guest posted on Facebook as far back as June 6, 2022.

“This is a cruise ship that travels in the Caribbean sun so they should have a surface that won’t get so hot. I saw parents carrying their children over the deck to save their footsies,” the post continued.

On its website, Carnival also encourages guests to wear boat shoes with traction, sandals with traction, or water shoes to protect their feet (although water shoes cannot actually be worn in the pools or jacuzzis onboard for safety reasons).

Even though shoes can’t be worn in the pool or hot tubs, there is no rule against leaving them within reach as long as they aren’t encumbering a walkway.

Carnival has not commented publicly on this lawsuit or the temperature of its Lido Decks. At the moment, the 3,690-guest Carnival Magic is operating Caribbean cruises from Miami normally.