Carnival Cruise Line Fake Bomb Threat Results in Jail Time for Michigan Teen

A fake bomb threat to Carnival Cruise Line has resulted in jail time for a Michigan teen.

USA Today reports that a federal judge sentenced Joshua Lowe, 19, to eight months in jail for making the threat, after the teen pleaded guilty to one count of false information and hoaxes. Lowe reportedly made the threat because he was “upset that the family went on the cruise, while leaving him behind to care for their pets.”

In a September 2024 news release, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said that they were prosecuting Lowe under federal law because there is “zero tolerance” for bomb threats.

According to court filings, Carnival Cruise Line received an email stating that a bomb may be found within the company’s “Sunrise” cruise ship.

“Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your Sunrise cruise ship,” Lowe wrote anonymously at the time.

After receiving the email, Carnival Cruise Line redirected the ship, which had left Miami, to Jamaica. Prosecutors said Lowe’s email drove the crew to examine over 1,100 rooms for a bomb that did not exist.

According to court filings, FBI officials traced the email back to Lowe, who lived with his girlfriend’s family at the time. According to prosecutors, when confronted by investigators, Lowe admitted to sending the email because he was distraught that his family had left him behind to care for their dogs.

In addition to the prison sentence, he “will be required to pay restitution for expenses associated with the hoax,” according to the district attorney’s office. Following his release, Lowe will be subject to two years of supervision.

Carnival Cruise Line Celebrates the Festivale

In happier news, Carnival Cruise Line recently celebrated the construction of its newest vessel, the Festivale.

The first steel piece was cut last week at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, marking the formal start of construction.

The shipyard staged a ceremony to begin the shipbuilding process, which included the steel-cutting ceremony, the first milestone in the ship’s construction. Carnival Festivale will be the company’s fourth Excel class vessel to use liquefied natural gas propulsion. With a gross weight of 180,000 tons, the ship can accommodate up to 6,400 passengers.