Man gets prison term for sending bomb threat to cruise ship his girlfriend was on, feds say

Jennifer Rodriguez, The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) on Apr 15, 2025

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A Michigan man has been sentenced after officials said he was upset his girlfriend went on a cruise so he sent in a bomb threat, diverting the ship.

Joshua Lowe was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to false information and hoaxes, according to court records.

McClatchy News reached out to Lowe’s attorney for comment but did not immediately hear back.

In January 2024, Lowe sent an email to Carnival Cruise Lines saying, “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship,” according to court documents.

The cruise line immediately contacted the ship that had departed out of Miami, and within minutes the crew began searching 1,173 staterooms, dining and recreational facilities, the engine and other places the bomb could have been hidden, court records said.

The ship ended up diverting to Jamaica and was escorted to a port by Jamaican maritime authorities, the document said.

McClatchy News reached out to Carnival Cruise Lines for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Investigators traced the email back to Lowe, according to court records.

Lowe, who lived with his girlfriend’s family, told officials he sent the email because “he was upset that the family went on the cruise, while leaving him behind to care for their pets,” court records said.

After he was charged, and prior to sentencing, Lowe sent an apology letter to the judge.

“I sent my sincere apologies for all I put everyone through during this case, through all the searches, money and time spent on this case,” the letter said. “This is all my fault and take full responsibility for this case, it should never have happened.”

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