A family’s cruise on Carnival Panorama took an unexpected turn when their toddler’s hand was injured in an elevator door, leading to a stressful medical experience and an unexpected bill.
The incident, which occurred on February 28th, 2025, has sparked discussion about onboard safety, particularly regarding elevator mechanics.
Lash artist and hairstylist Emily Lee, who documented the ordeal on her TikTok account (@emilyclairelee), explained that while her family was exiting the aft elevator B, her toddler placed his hand on the door frame for support.
@emilyclairelee @carnival this is unacceptable, this could have been a completely avoidable scenario. Your elevators are not safe and you cannot market your cruise ship as family friendly if you don’t fix this problem. Your ship injured my baby and then you charged me $506. My 5 year old is traumatized from seeing his brother injured, and we spent what should have been a great final day of our trip absolutely mortified and were treated like garbage. Please make this right. #carnivalcruise #carnivalpanorama #mexicanriviera #travelreviews #cruisereview #carnivalreview #travelvlog #cruising #fyp #parati #carnivalcruiseline #travelingwithkids #travel #cruiseship #panorama ♬ original sound – Emily Lee
Unfortunately, the child’s hand became lodged between the door and the frame, prompting Lee and her husband to work quickly to free him before seeking urgent medical attention.
The family immediately called the onboard medical center, but before they could get directions, a crew member noticed their distress and escorted them directly to the facility.
Once there, the medical team conducted an x-ray, provided painkillers, and treated the wound.
However, the family was frustrated by the long wait to see a doctor, who ultimately decided against stitches, stating it would be too traumatic for the child.
Following treatment, Lee was asked to sign discharge paperwork – which she was assured was not a bill – and was then required to speak with ship security before being allowed to leave.
Later that evening, the family discovered a $506 charge had been applied to their onboard account for the medical services.
Carnival initially refuses to waive medical fees
When Lee tried to dispute the charge with Guest Services, she was told there was nothing they could do, and she was given an 800 number to contact Carnival Cruise Line directly.
Feeling frustrated, she took to social media, sharing a detailed video about the incident. In the post, she also questioned the safety of the elevator doors, particularly after noticing tape on parts of the elevator frame, which she speculated could indicate prior issues.
Some cruise lines do have warning signs on the elevators for exactly this reason – this one is from British cruise line Marella:
My son Adam has once got his hand trapped in an elevator when he was 5 or so. It was awful – it wouldn’t come out for ages. He wasn’t badly hurt. But even if he was, that’s our fault not the cruise line.
Lee’s video quickly gained traction, amassing over 67,000 views, sparking online debate over whether the charge was justified for what seemed to be a ship-related safety issue.
Less than 24 hours after Lee’s video went viral, Carnival responded and agreed to fully reimburse the $506 medical charge.
@emilyclairelee Thank you @carnival for responding. Please look into fixing your elevator doors to make them safe. Also see @lexiemarierowe videos to make sure she also gets a proper response and her situation is handled as well. #carnival #carnivalcruise #travelreviews #carnivalreview #travelvlog #cruising ♬ original sound – Emily Lee
While Lee was grateful for the refund, she urged the cruise line to investigate the elevators further to ensure similar incidents do not happen again.
Carnival Panorama, along with ships like Carnival Horizon, Carnival Venezia, and Carnival Vista, is equipped with smart elevator technology, designed to distribute passengers more efficiently and reduce wait times.
However, these elevators have been met with mixed reviews, with some passengers finding them confusing and slow.
While Carnival has introduced instructional videos and online demonstrations to assist guests in using the smart elevators, concerns remain about safety and accessibility, particularly for families with young children.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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