MARGARITAVILLE A.S.P

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Cruise ship failed heatlh inspection

The 'Margaritaville at Sea Paradise' fell short during an unexpected health inspection from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on May 1, 2024. The examination was conducted by Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) officials. The incident report, available on the CDC's website, showed the ship was given a failing score of 83. An 86 is needed to pass. One of the complaints listed was the ship's whirlpools, designed to hold a maximum of four people, had six bathers. The report also highlighted some sanitation concerns involving food and drink on the cruise. An investigator was also concerned about whether a crew member had washed his hands while working with food. The gloves worn by the crew member handling the ice making components of the ice machines were stored with tools. It was unclear if the crew member washed his hands before putting on gloves. There were glove boxes for food handlers on the bulkhead next to the ice machines that could be used instead. Water bottles were also found stored on soiled pallets, while food preparation areas were also found to be soiled and/or poorly lit. Another crew member was unable to demonstrate competency about chemicals to clean lettuce. The crew member washing lettuce heads and immersing them in an antimicrobial solution for fruits and vegetables could not demonstrate competency in verifying the concentration of the chemical used. He could not use a test strip correctly to verify the concentration of the solution and did not know what an acceptable test result would be. The CDC also noted that a freezer, several refrigerators and multiple deep fryers were all out of service. Following internal policies, immediate corrective actions have been taken to address the issues identified in the inspection. Many of these issues have already been resolved, and the operator will be working with USPH [United States Public Health] for a re-inspection as soon as possible.

Passanger was found dead in cabin, companion arrested after cocain was found in cabin

A Florida man was arrested on March 11, after a 27-year-old woman from Florida was found dead inside her cabin of the 'MArgaritaville at Sea Paradise', that departed Palm Beach on March 10 for a two-night sailing to Freeport. Officers responded to the cruise at around 5:30 p.m. after cruise employees contacted them about an unresponsive female passenger. Medical staff performed CPR, but she was declared dead. The companion was arrested after the discovery and confiscation of a quantity of suspected cocaine from the cabin. All appropriate authorities were notified, including the FBI. The company was fully cooperating with the FBI and its investigation. During the investigation, officers confiscated suspected cocaine and arrested a 32-year-old man.

Bartender who sexually abused passenger gets slap-on-wrist sentence

A bartender on the 'Margaritaville at Sea', who snuck into a cabin and sexually assaulted a passenger has been sentenced to two years behind bars. Hoobesh Kumar Dookhy, who is in his 20s, had faced the possibility of life in prison on a federal charge of sexual abuse, but pleaded guilty in Oct 2023, to one count of abusive sexual contact. During a recent court hearing, ​his attorney Peter Birch argued for an even lighter sentence, saying the victim in the May 2023 incident was scantily clad and “had no desire to escape” from him. The US District Judge Aileen Cannon sentenced Dookhy to two years in the slammer — one year more than Birch and federal sentencing guidelines advised but what prosecutors had asked for. Assistant US Attorney Brian Ralston rejected Dookhy’s claim that the woman gave Dookhy her stateroom key, arguing instead that he grabbed it while serving her drinks on the Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise. The victim’s roommate recorded the assault and reported it to security the following morning. Investigators found the key in the pocket of Dookhy’s work vest, as well as selfies he took beside the woman while she slept. Dookhy, who pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact, will not be required to register as a sex offender. He later admitted to having sex with the woman but insisted that their encounter was consensual. Dookhy avoided a trial by jury and took the plea deal, which dropped the worse of the two charges he faced. The married roommate from West Virginia filed a lawsuit against the Classica cruise line claiming that she had also been assaulted by Dookhy. She was initially classified as a witness to the first woman’s assault, but decided to file her lawsuit after Dookhy’s conviction. The victim and her cabinmate have filed separate lawsuits against the ship and its parent corporation, Classica Cruise Line. Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Cruise. The roommate “became pregnant, and was forced to terminate the pregnancy from which she suffered serious complications,” according to the lawsuit and is seeking a jury trial and $75,000 in damages from Classica. Dookhy, who is scheduled to be released before his 28th birthday, will remain on supervised release for five years and must register as a sex offender, according to court records.