I’m won’t lie, I went into Trainwreck: Poop Cruise fully expecting to cringe the entire time. I mean, the nickname says it all. But what I didn’t expect was how watchable (and weirdly funny?) this ended up being. Clocking in at just under an hour, it’s tight, well-paced, and does a great job of showing you exactly how bad things got onboard the Carnival Triumph in 2013…without ever turning into pure gross-out TV.
The most surprising part? The people who lived through it seem almost fond of the experience. Not in a “please trap me on a sewage-covered cruise ship again” kind of way, but more like “we survived this absurd, horrifying thing together and now we’ve got the story of a lifetime.” One guy even talked about how it helped him bond with his future father-in-law. Which… imagine explaining that to people later.
What works best here is the balance. The interviews are personal and often hilarious, the archival footage is just the right level of chaotic, and the commentary on how quickly things spiraled (both on the ship and in the media) adds some real perspective. I appreciated that it didn’t go too heavy on the shock factor…yes, some moments are objectively disgusting, but it’s handled in a way that feels human, not exploitative.
That said, if you’re squeamish or currently eating lunch, maybe wait. While it never made me gag, the imagery and descriptions are, well, vivid. But if you’re in the mood for something that makes you gasp and laugh in the same breath, this delivers.
What did I think?
I liked it more than I expected. It’s not every day a story about overflowing toilets and failed cruise ship infrastructure turns into something oddly heartwarming. And for all its chaos, it sticks the landing.
Who should watch it?
If you enjoy fast-paced, slightly absurd documentaries that somehow find heart in the mess (literally), this one’s worth pressing play on. Maybe just don’t book a cruise right after.
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