GALVESTON, Texas — The Carnival Dream cruise ship, based out of Galveston, is currently the focus of a death investigation. However, law enforcement sources have not confirmed if the incident is criminal in nature.

A spokesperson for the FBI’s Houston office stated, “I can confirm FBI Houston is aware of an incident that occurred around July 23, 2025, on the Carnival Dream cruise ship. An FBI maritime liaison agent, based out of the Texas City resident agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise line regarding this incident.”

Passengers aboard the ship, which travels to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, reported waking up to the sound of sirens around 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the incident. One passenger, speaking off-camera, mentioned hearing an announcement requesting medical assistance at the Serenity Deck.

In response to circulating theories about the incident, Carnival Cruise Line issued a statement saying, “There is no investigation about a suspicious death on Carnival Dream and it’s disappointing to learn that any guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about.”

The FBI is the primary federal agency authorized to investigate potential crimes on the high seas. Their ability to investigate depends on several factors, including the ship’s location, points of embarkation and debarkation, and the nationality of the potential suspect or victim. Additionally, other countries may also seek to investigate certain incidents.

GALVESTON, Texas (KHOU) – The Carnival Dream cruise ship, based out of Galveston, Texas, is the site of a death investigation, according to authorities.

Law enforcement could not confirm if the investigation is criminal.

A spokesperson for the FBI Houston office said in a statement to KHOU, “I can confirm FBI Houston is aware of an incident that occurred around July 23, 2025, on the Carnival Dream cruise ship. An FBI maritime liaison agent, based out of the Texas City Resident Agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and the cruise line regarding this incident.”

Passengers on board the ship, which starts and ends in Galveston, Texas, and travels to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, said that they woke up to the sound of sirens blasting around 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the incident.

One passenger reported hearing an announcement that medical assistance was needed at the Serenity Deck.

Many passengers have been sharing theories about what happened online.

“There is no investigation about a suspicious death on the Carnival Dream, and it’s disappointing to learn that many guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about,” Carnival said in a statement to KHOU.

The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating potential crimes at sea, but its ability to investigate depends on several factors including the location of the ship, the points of embarkation and debarkation and the nationality of the potential suspect or victim.

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