Key Aspects:
- A Disney crew member was sent to the hospital after allegedly being poisoned by a fellow employee.
- Spanish authorities are conducting an investigation into what happened and no arrests have been made at this time.
- Operations onboard Disney Dream are normal, with no danger to other crew members or current guests.
For some of the 1,458 crew members living and working onboard Disney Dream, their time at sea has turned into a nightmare.
According to local outlet Faro de Vigo, a female crew member became ill on Friday, July 24, around the time the Disney ship arrived in Vigo, Spain.
She was initially treated onboard, where she allegedly told the medical staff that her water bottle had been tampered with. The Argentinian national was then transported to Fátima Hospital for further treatment.
After being discharged from the local hospital, the crew member filed a complaint with Spain’s National Police claiming that she had been poisoned. She also identified a fellow crew member as the potential suspect.
At this time, the crew members’ identities have been kept private, and it’s unclear which roles they filled onboard.
This is a developing situation, and Cruise Hive has reached out to the cruise line for a comment.
An Investigation Is Underway
Upon learning of the alleged poisoning, Spain’s Civil Guard boarded the 129,690-gross ton Disney Dream to begin an investigation. However, it’s unclear if the Civil Guard or the National Police will lead the investigation going forward.
As part of this process, the water bottle in question has been taken by authorities so that the contents could be examined and officials could determine what substance, if any, was present.
The report says it’s believed that the substance may have been chlorine, but this has not been officially confirmed by laboratory testing.
The crew member would have had access to chlorine, as it is used to sanitize swimming pools, hot tubs, and even the tap water supply onboard the DCL ship.
The small amounts of chlorine used to treat pool water and the fresh water supply aren’t dangerous. However, MedlinePlus states that drinking or inhaling high amounts can cause the chlorine to react with moisture within the body to form highly corrosive acids.
At this time, the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.
Disney Cruise Line has not publicly commented on the situation, but has a strict zero-tolerance policy against any crime or violence that occurs on its ships.
Disney Dream Continues Normal Operations
The alleged poisoning occurred during a 7-night, one-way sailing from Barcelona, Spain, to Southampton, UK, which disembarked on time on July 27, 2026. Per cruise tracking data, the investigation did not impact the now-concluded itinerary.
Also on July 27, the 4,000-guest ship is setting sail on a 7-night round-trip sailing to the Norwegian Fjords, which includes visits to Rotterdam, Maloy, Alesund, and Bergen.
The vessel will continue to homeport in Southampton until September 14, when she repositions to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This will be her homeport until mid-April 2027, from where she will offer sailings to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
