The Royal Caribbean crew member who was sentenced to 30 years in prison after placing hidden cameras in guests' staterooms is now facing local charges.
Arvin Joseph Mirasol, 36, a former cabin steward from the Philippines, was arrested in March 2024 after a passenger aboard Symphony of the Seas reported finding a camera in their bathroom. The concealed device was discovered when the guest reached under the sink to grab a new roll of toilet paper.
He was detained upon the vessel's arrival in Port Everglades, Florida, where authorities seized his electronic devices and found videos of women undressing, as well as child pornography, dating back to December 2023.
One video was of a young girl around the age of ten undressing and showering, as reported by Local 10, with her genitals "clearly visible" and "the focus of the video."
Authorities also said they found multiple voyeurism-related searches on Mirasol's phone, including "teen on bed."
In August 2024, Mirasol was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to producing child pornography.
Mirasol is now expected to appear in a Broward County courtroom on June 15 to face local charges for a change of plea hearing, according to NBC Miami.
Based on the news article, he faces nine counts of digital voyeurism and was booked into Broward's main jail on Monday.
One lawsuit suggests that as many as 960 passengers could have been affected by Mirasol's actions
In October 2024, one passenger, who was identified as Jane Doe of New Hampshire, filed a class action lawsuit alleging that she was filmed by a hidden camera in her cabin's bathroom.
The lawsuit accused Mirasol of recording Doe "while undressed and engaged in private activities." It further claimed that the images were later uploaded and shared on the internet.
The plaintiff claims to have suffered severe emotional distress with physical symptoms like sweating, nausea, insomnia, dizziness, and crying. She lives in constant fear of the videos being viewed by others and being used for illicit purposes, too.
The lawsuit holds Royal Caribbean responsible for failing to provide sufficient security, training, or supervision to prevent sexual assaults.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Royal Caribbean did not warn guests about the risk of such crimes and failed to notify passengers who stayed in staterooms serviced by Mirasol.
The complaint suggests that Mirasol's potential victims could include as many as 960 passengers, based on an estimate of up to 12 cruises, 20 passenger cabins per sailing, and up to four occupants per cabin.
Symphony of the Seas facts
At the time of the incident, Symphony of the Seas sailed from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), Florida, on seven-night voyages to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
Since then, the 228,081 gross registered ton ship relocated to Galveston, Texas, where she currently offers six- to eight-night Western Caribbean cruises to ports like Cozumel, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Roatán, Honduras.
As one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Symphony of the Seas can accommodate over 5,500 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms.
She comes in 1,188 feet long, 215 feet wide, and is home to 2,200 international crew members. Symphony of the Seas embarked on her maiden voyage on April 7, 2018, and was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Amenities include Royal Caribbean's award-winning Adventure Ocean kids' club, a mini-golf course, AquaTheater, adults-only Solarium, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Perfect Storm waterslides, Copper & Kettle pub, two FlowRiders, and more.
