Carnival crew allege rotten food, long hours, and low pay in new investigation

While passengers experience luxury and endless dining on Carnival cruise ships, the crew members who facilitate these experiences face harsh conditions, according to an ABC News investigation.

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Carnival has nothing to hide.

Allegations include workers being forced to consume rotten leftovers, endure extreme working hours, and suffer from medical neglect aboard the ships operated by the world's largest cruise company. Carnival Corporation manages over 90 ships globally, employing approximately 100,000 crew members at any given time.

Crew members working on Carnival's Australian ships reported working 12-hour days, seven days a week, for nearly their entire nine-month contracts. Queen Onuoha, a former beauty specialist from Nigeria, stated she often worked 14-hour days and resorted to caffeine tablets to stay awake. Contracts reviewed by ABC News indicate that some workers are paid as little as $23.26 per day, which, based on a 12-hour workday, averages out to $2.75 per hour, excluding occasional tips.

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Most times, the food that wasn't finished at the pantry is brought down the next day for the crew, and it's just recycled

The food provided to the crew has also drawn criticism. Multiple current and former crew members claim they are often given leftovers from passenger dining venues. Queen described the food as "horrible" and said surplus food from buffets, which passengers did not finish, is frequently recycled for crew meals. Another worker, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the crew is served "leftovers from the leftovers," with food being reheated multiple times.

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We take the leftovers and refrigerate them, reheat them, give them to the crew, and if there's leftovers again, they keep on recycling