Royal Caribbean Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Passenger Dies on Cruise Ship

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Royal Caribbean after a 35‑year‑old passenger died on the Navigator of the Seas following an altercation that the complaint says involved excessive force and over‑service of alcohol.

Lawsuit Filed

The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. It names Michael Virgil, 35, and his fiancée Connie Aguilar, who were aboard the Navigator of the Seas when it departed San Pedro on Dec. 13 2024 for a four‑day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. The suit alleges that Virgil was served at least 33 alcoholic drinks in a matter of hours and that security personnel used excessive force that “contributed to and caused” his death.

Incident Sequence

Virgil had opted into Royal Caribbean’s all‑inclusive drinks package. Crew members began serving him more than two dozen drinks starting mid‑morning. Because his cabin was not ready, the family was directed to a bar area with live music. After the 7‑year‑old son, who has autism, left with his mother to check the cabin, Virgil stayed behind. Within hours, he was served at least 33 drinks. Video from another passenger shows him shirtless, yelling in a hallway and kicking a door. Security tackled him, held him to the ground with full body weight, applied prolonged restraint, compressed his back and impaired his breathing. At the captain’s request, he was injected with the sedative haloperidol and sprayed with pepper spray.

Investigation and Findings

The FBI is investigating the death. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled Virgil’s death a homicide, citing mechanical asphyxia, obesity, an enlarged heart and alcohol intoxication as the causes. Mechanical asphyxia is defined as physical force or an object interfering with breathing. Virgil’s body was refrigerated aboard the ship for the remainder of the cruise, which returned to Los Angeles on Dec. 16 2024.

Legal and Corporate Response

Royal Caribbean’s spokesperson said the company was saddened by the passing of one of its guests, had worked with authorities on the investigation, and would refrain from commenting on pending litigation. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial. It claims that maritime common law requires carriers to “supervise and assist passengers likely to engage in behavior dangerous to themselves or others,” and that Royal Caribbean failed to exercise its right to stop serving alcohol to protect Virgil’s life. The suit also accuses crew members of serving alcohol despite “exhibited obvious visual signs of intoxication” and of being negligent, and alleges that onboard medical personnel lacked proper education, licenses, experience and skills, and that the company failed to train crew to assess when to stop serving a passenger.

Key Takeaways

• 35‑year‑old Michael Virgil died on the Navigator of the Seas after being served at least 33 drinks and subjected to excessive force by security.
• The FBI and Los Angeles County Medical Examiner are investigating, with the death ruled a homicide caused by mechanical asphyxia, obesity, an enlarged heart and alcohol intoxication.
• Royal Caribbean faces a wrongful death lawsuit that claims the company failed to supervise passengers, stop serving alcohol, and properly train medical personnel.

The lawsuit underscores the serious legal and safety responsibilities that cruise operators face when passengers become intoxicated and potentially dangerous.