A Carnival Cruise passenger has left bystanders completely “disgusted” after her surprising act was caught on camera, prompting the popular cruise line to step in and take action.
In a viral video posted online by a stunned fellow passenger, a woman can be seen eating at a nearby table while trying to scratch her bare foot with a metal fork. The act left onlookers “horrified”.
The footage forms part of a six-part series shared on the passenger’s Instagram page, where the woman appears to have been caught doing it more than once. In the first clip, she is seen scratching her foot aggressively, then using the same hand moments later to eat a slice of pizza. The person who posted the videos teasingly called her “foot fungus lady”.
The videos drew the attention of Carnival Cruise Line officials, who released a statement online on Thursday about the incident. After becoming aware of what happened, the company said the crew “quickly addressed” the matter with the guest and “removed the utensil from service”.
“We can confirm that forks are intended for food, not foot care,” Carnival said.
“While the video may be generating laughs and gasps online, cleanliness and hygiene are no joke to us.
“Our crew works hard every day to maintain high standards across our fleet and to ensure all guests enjoy a safe, clean, and comfortable vacation.”
Online speculation has suggested the passengers were aboard the Carnival Sunrise, which sails out of Miami, Florida, but that has not been confirmed.
The clips racked up millions of views and drew thousands of comments from shocked viewers. Follow-up videos show the passenger who recorded the incident reporting it to staff.
“I’m bringing my own silverware to restaurants from now on,” one viewer said after watching the footage.
Others said they would switch to disposable cutlery when eating in public, or start bringing their own utensils. The incident also renewed concerns for some people about walking barefoot in public, with one commenter writing, “This is why I don’t believe in walking barefoot anywhere”.
Some viewers went further, saying the woman should be removed from the cruise and banned.
