Cruise passenger horrifies diners by scratching bare foot with restaurant fork
An unidentified Carnival Cruise passenger has gone viral after she was caught on video apparently using a restaurant fork to scratch the bottom of her foot.
Instagram user lucky_charmedcourt posted a series of six videos earlier this week chronicling a woman with an apparent skin condition scratching her foot.
The Instagram poster also documented her own efforts to bring the fork-scratching scandal to the attention of guest services and the captain.
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In part one — set to an instrumental soundtrack — viewers see the cruise passenger scratching dry and scaly patches of her foot before using the same hand to eat pizza.
In part two, captioned "foot fungus lady uses fork on cruise," the woman uses the tines of her fork to scratch her foot more aggressively.
Part three shows footage of the unidentified passenger picking at her foot — which appears to have dry skin — on one of the boat’s decks.
The cruise blog "CruiseHive" identified the ship as Carnival Sunrise, which was previously known as Carnival Triumph.
Carnival Cruise Line has not confirmed the vessel.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Carnival Cruise Line and the Instagram poster for comment.
On July 22, Carnival Cruise Line posted a statement on social media regarding the incident.
"We can confirm that forks are intended for food, not foot care," the statement read. "Once we became aware of the situation, our team quickly addressed it with the guest and removed the utensil from service."
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"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 feet fleet and to ensure all guests enjoy a safe, clean, and comfortable vacation," Carnival’s statement continued.
With the video clips racking up more than 150,000 comments on Instagram to date, the footage has renewed a debate about cruise ship hygiene.
Several cruise fans flocked to Reddit to discuss the fork fiasco.
"In the buffet dining area no less, people never stop surprising me," one Reddit user said.
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"I mean, it’s just nasty no matter where she is at. I just don’t understand people," another said.
Others have left comments on Instagram. "You will never spot me on a cruise for a multitude of reasons, and here’s another one," an Instagram follower said.
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"This [is] why I eat with plastic utensils," another joked.
Yet another said, "No one should be shaming Carnival. This was a passenger."
The incident comes at a time when cruise ship sanitization protocols are under heightened scrutiny.
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Despite increased concern, however, travelers don’t appear to be avoiding cruising.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) recently estimated that more than 38 million people worldwide will take ocean cruises this year, an increase from a record-breaking 37.2 million passengers last year, according to The Associated Press.
Kelly McGreal of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.