Off-Duty Carnival Crew Member Saves 11-Month-Old From “Almost Certain Death” at Sea

A restaurant manager on the cruise ship Carnival Celebration received Carnival Cruise Line’s “Hero” award after saving an 11-month-old child from “almost certain death” during a recent June sailing.

The hard-working crew on a cruise ship don’t get enough credit for their dedication in making sure our cruise vacations go as smoothly as possible. It’s a hard life with long months at sea.

But for one small child, a crew member’s fast thinking saved her life, even though the rescuer was technically not even on duty.

Millić Šarović, a restaurant manager from Montenegro working on the Carnival Celebration, is being celebrated after he saved an 11-month-old baby girl who was choking on a grape.

The incident happened while the ship was sailing toward PortMiami. Šarović had just finished his shift and sat down to eat in one of the ship’s dining venues when another crew member ran over in a panic.

Šarović is from Montenegro and recently was interviewed by a local news outlet in his country called Bar Info.

“I sat down to eat dinner when a worker came in all upset and said something terrible was happening. I ran and saw a crowd surrounding a little girl who was showing no signs of life,” Šarović stated during the recent interview.

The baby had choked on a grape and was unconscious, turning blue.

While people nearby were trying to help, they had been unable to clear her airway. Šarović stepped in immediately to put his emergency training into practice.

He took the infant into his arms to perform a choking rescue technique designed for babies.

A Father’s Instinct

“I instinctively jumped in because no one was applying the correct maneuver,” he said. “I took her even though I didn’t know if she was alive. It was a huge responsibility, but my parental instinct was stronger.”

As the child’s parents watched in tears, Šarović kept trying to remove the obstruction. He worked on the baby for about a minute before the block finally cleared.

“Maybe it lasted only a minute, but to me it felt much longer,” Šarović said. “Then she vomited the grape she had swallowed and started breathing again. I just sat down afterward. I was completely overwhelmed.“

The ship’s medical staff arrived afterward and confirmed that the baby had recovered. The staff also gave credit to Šarović’s quick action with saving her life.  

And as you can imagine, the parents were emotional and very grateful.

The Cruise Line Honors a Hero

Carnival Cruise Line later honored Šarović with its “Hero” award during an onboard ceremony. The distinction is reserved for employees who go above and beyond to display exceptional courage and professionalism in extraordinary situations.

This was not the first time Šarović’s had received some kind of recognition from Carnival either. Last year, Carnival named him the company’s Best Leader for his commitment to leadership and the support he provides to fellow crew members.

But he said that this latest honor stands out as the highlight of his career.

“There have been many recognitions in my career, both professionally and personally, but receiving the ‘Hero’ award after saving an 11-month-old girl from almost certain death on board is the greatest achievement of my career,” Šarović said.

Stories like this don’t get enough attention, so I’m very happy to be able to brag on this crew member with well-deserved praise.

Thanks to his fast actions and training, a family got to continue their cruise with their baby safe and sound. What would have been a painful memory and a tragic loss is instead a story of heroism.

No official statement from Carnival has been made about this story, even though some outlets have reported “made up” quotes from the cruise line. I will be sure to add any official statements if we receive one.