In 2013, thousands of holidaymakers boarded the Carnival Triumph cruise ship, unaware they'd soon be trudging through sewage due to a catastrophic failure.

The notorious 'poop cruise', as it was labelled by the press, is now the focus of a gripping new Netflix documentary released today (June 24).

The film features harrowing accounts from passengers and crew who suffered immensely when an engine fire knocked out power, leaving them without air-conditioning, lighting, or working toilets.

Maritime lawyer Frank Spagnoletti, who represented the case against Carnival Cruise Line, features prominently in the documentary.

"This was something that was totally preventable, so we definitely had a good chance," he commented on the legal battle. However, he highlighted a significant hurdle: the ticket's fine print.

Carnival's legal team argued that passengers had forfeited their right to sue, pointing to a clause in the booking terms and conditions that chillingly foreshadowed the disaster, reports Surrey Live.

The contract stated: "[Carnival] makes absolutely no guarantee for safe passage, a seaworthy vessel, adequate and wholesome food, and sanitary and safe living conditions."

Frank added his astonishment at the clause: "It's amazing. I think if most people actually knew that existed at the time, they probably would never buy a ticket. I certainly wouldn't."

Despite this, Frank triumphed as all of his cases were settled and in the wake of the calamity, Carnival Cruise Line revised its terms and conditions, scrapping references to wholesome food, sanitary and safe living conditions, and a seaworthy ship.

Responding to the Express' Screen Time team, Carnival stated: "The Carnival Triumph incident over 12 years ago was a teachable moment for the entire cruise industry."

They added: "A thorough investigation following the incident revealed a design vulnerability which was corrected and led Carnival Cruise Line to invest more than $500 million across our entire fleet in comprehensive fire prevention and suppression, improved redundancy, and enhanced management systems, all in support of our commitment to robust safety standards.

"This is in addition to our vigorous Health, Environmental, Safety and Security (HESS) protocols that guide the entire Carnival Corporation fleet as we maintain our commitment to industry leadership in this area. We are proud of the fact that since 2013 over 53 million guests have enjoyed safe and memorable vacations with us, and we will continue to operate to these high standards."

Trainwreck: Poop Cruise is now streaming on Netflix