Key Aspects:
- A 25-year-old Illinois man has been charged with digital voyeurism after an incident onboard Allure of the Seas.
- On May 31, the man allegedly attempted to photograph a teen girl without consent, including photos underneath her dress.
- Security video footage confirmed the incident and the man was arrested when the ship returned to Port Everglades.
A 25-year-old man, Matthew Stilwell of Illinois, has been arrested on charges of digital voyeurism after allegedly attempting to photograph under a young teen’s dress onboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.
The incident happened during the ship’s recent May 30, 2026 sailing, an 8-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.
On Sunday, May 31, the first full day of the sailing and a day at sea, Stilwell was in one of the ship’s gift shops near the teen girl. He allegedly attempted to photograph or video her without her consent multiple times, including underneath her dress. The young girl reported the incident to her mother and onboard security footage confirmed the accusation.
Local reports indicate that Stilwell knew the teen prior to the incident, though the nature of that connection has not been disclosed.
Stilwell was arrested at Port Everglades on Sunday, June 7, when Allure of the Seas returned to Fort Lauderdale. It is unknown whether or not he was confined onboard the ship or faced any other consequences from the cruise line.
According to the arrest report from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Stilwell now faces three charges of digital voyeurism. He is currently being held in the Paul Rein Detention Facility on $22,500 bond.
Digital voyeurism is secretly attempting to photograph or record someone without their consent. In Florida, these are felony charges.
Royal Caribbean has not commented on the incident, as is common when charges may be pending or other legal action may be taken. Similarly, the victim has not been publicly identified to safeguard her privacy.
There were no related itinerary changes or diversions for the 225,300-gross-ton Allure of the Seas, and the Oasis-class ship is continuing to cruise as planned.
Shocking Rise in Similar Incidents
This latest incident comes just weeks after multiple crew members from Disney Magic were arrested in San Diego at the end of April in what was later revealed to be a child sexual abuse situation involving the possible distribution of inappropriate materials featuring minors.
Many cruise guests are on the alert for such dangerous situations, but the incident aboard Allure of the Seas proves that predators could be familiar people, whether onboard a ship or not.
Cruise lines have taken what steps they can to minimize the risk of secret filming or recording without permission.
In early 2026, for example, Cruise Hive reported that Royal Caribbean implemented stronger restrictions on smart glasses that could discreetly film guests. MSC Cruises has had similar policies in place since December 2025.
While Stilwell did not use smart glasses in his attempt to record or photograph the teen, but rather was using the camera app on his phone, the increased concern over such situations has raised vigilance for all travelers.
There have been several cases in the past where illegal cameras have been installed onboard cruise ships by less reputable crew members or guests.
In May 2023, a guest onboard Harmony of the Seas (sister ship to Allure of the Seas) planted a hidden camera in a bathroom near the ship’s FlowRider. That guest was arrested and charged with video voyeurism.
Such incidents are rare compared to the hundreds of thousands of cruise guests who set sail every year and enjoy safe, memorable cruise vacations. Allure of the Seas can welcome 5,484 guests at double occupancy, or up to 6,780 guests when fully booked with all berths filled.
