Carnival bans two American women after slap fight aboard ship
· Toronto Sun
Carnival Cruise Lines has banned two women from future trips after they engaged in a slap fight on one of its ships.
Lisa Horace, 51, and 58-year-old Tonya Nelson appeared in federal court in Mobile, Ala., last week over a physical altercation aboard the Carnival Spirit ship, Fox 10 reported.
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On March 13, Horace and her husband, Alfred, were on the Carnival Spirit as it was returning from Nassau, Bahamas, to a port in Mobile, Ala. While standing in line to financially settle their trip, Nelson reportedly “began to tell the couple they were in the wrong line,” an FBI report stated, per Fox 10.
The Horaces tried to ignore the woman, but Nelson put her hand on Alfred’s shoulder three times. That’s when Horace “put her arm out to stop Nelson from making contact.”
The two women had a heated argument, with Nelson saying she felt sorry for Horace’s husband. According to the FBI, that’s when “Nelson slapped (Horace) on the left side of her face, and (Horace) slapped her back.”
Horace told authorities that at some point she jumped Nelson, “but it was all a blur,” the report noted.
Crew members went to intervene in the fight as Nelson “attempted to kick” Horace.
‘Wanted to be helpful’
Nelson told authorities that she “had been embarrassed for standing in the wrong line before, so she wanted to be helpful,” PEOPLE reported.
The FBI report stated Nelson regretted her behaviour and “feels like trash.” She believed both she and Horace were “in the wrong.”
Horace, however, wanted to press charges against Nelson.
After an investigation that included witness interviews and surveillance footage review, authorities issued simple assault tickets for both women.
Fox 10 reported both women sat side-by-side during their May 13 court hearing, with U.S. Magistrate Judge Bert Milling Jr. telling them the case will be dismissed if neither of them is arrested or has contact with each other for three months.
“I’m sorry that we’re here,” Nelson told the judge.
Nelson and Horace told Fox 10 they have both been banned from all Carnival Cruise Line trips and have lost their Diamond-member status.
A final decision on the case is slated to be made on Aug. 12.