Carnival Cruise Line responds after passenger’s unsanitary buffet incident goes viral

A viral buffet incident aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship has sparked widespread debate across social media. A passenger, now widely referred to online as “foot fungus lady,” was filmed displaying unsanitary behavior while eating in the ship’s buffet area. According to Bored Panda, the videos quickly spread across the internet and have now surpassed 20 million combined views.

The footage was shared by fellow passenger @lucky_charmedcourt in a six-part Instagram series. One clip showed the woman scratching peeling skin on her bare foot while sitting in the dining area. Skin flakes appeared to fall onto her clothing and the floor. She then used the same hand to eat a slice of pizza, leaving many viewers disturbed.

The series continued with more videos that fueled the online reaction. Another clip showed the woman using a buffet fork to dig into the bottom of her foot for an extended period. A third video captured her repeating similar behavior later on the ship’s deck. Grammy-winning singer SZA also commented on the posts. She suggested the passenger filming the incident should have alerted crew members instead of only recording it. The woman’s identity has not been released beyond the nickname given to her online.

I thought the footage was surprising, but the reactions were even more revealing

Carnival Cruise Line later addressed the controversy through an Instagram statement. The company reminded guests that forks are meant for food rather than foot care. Carnival said crew members spoke with the passenger after becoming aware of the situation. The utensil used in the incident was also removed from service. The cruise line added that cleanliness and hygiene remain a serious priority across its fleet.

No official medical diagnosis has been released for the woman’s condition. Her identity also remains private. Some viewers claimed the peeling skin looked like a fungal infection. That speculation led to the viral nickname “foot fungus lady.” Others believed it could instead be plantar psoriasis, which is a non-contagious autoimmune skin condition.

It is still unclear whether the passenger faced any disciplinary action beyond the removal of the fork. Carnival’s code of conduct allows penalties of up to $500, possible confinement to a stateroom, or removal from the ship for guests who violate onboard policies. However, the cruise line did not confirm whether any of those measures were taken in this case.