When you book a cruise, you expect crowded buffets, loud pool decks, and maybe a little too much fun. However, this Royal Caribbean lawsuit centers on something far darker: a 35-year-old passenger, Michael Virgil, who died on board Navigator of the Seas after crew allegedly served him 33 alcoholic drinks in a matter of hours and then restrained him during a chaotic incident. The Los Angeles County medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide, and the family now seeks damages in federal court.
Importantly, a lawsuit only tells one side at the start. Still, the filing and the medical examiner’s documents put clear stakes on the table, and they explain why this case has gained national attention.
Royal Caribbean lawsuit timeline
According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami Division), Connie Aguilar, acting as personal representative of Virgil’s estate, claims Royal Caribbean’s crew “significantly over-served” Virgil alcoholic beverages shortly after he boarded the ship on December 13, 2024.
Next, the complaint says the situation spiraled. Virgil allegedly became intoxicated and agitated. Then, as described in the suit, security personnel tackled him, pinned him with body weight, and compressed his body until he stopped moving. The complaint also claims crew used pepper spray and that medical staff administered haloperidol (a sedating antipsychotic medication) at the staff captain’s request.
After that, the complaint says Virgil died while in Royal Caribbean’s care that same evening. It also alleges the ship continued to Ensenada after his death and kept his body refrigerated on board until the ship returned to Los Angeles on December 16, 2024.
Legally, the complaint lays out multiple negligence theories, including over-service of alcohol, negligent hiring/training/supervision, and negligence tied to the physical restraint and medical response. It demands a jury trial and seeks damages permitted under maritime law claims it invokes.
What the medical examiner ruled, and why “homicide” matters
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner documents attached in reporting do not read like speculation. They state the cause of death as “combined effects of mechanical asphyxia, obesity, cardiomegaly, and ethanol intoxication,” and they list the manner of death as homicide.
Just as important, the death investigation summary explains how the injury occurred: “body compression during restraint by multiple ship security personnel” along with “ingestion of ethanol.”
In everyday language, “homicide” in a medical examiner’s file does not automatically mean criminal charges will follow. Instead, it means another person’s actions contributed to the death. Still, that single word changes the pressure in a civil case, because it supports the family’s argument that the death did not come only from personal health risks or alcohol consumption.
Where the case stands as of 16.12.2025
As of December 16, 2025, the public docket listing on CourtListener shows the case filed on December 5, 2025, and it lists December 5, 2025 as the date of the last known filing. In other words, the lawsuit appears to sit at the very beginning of the court process right now, before major motion practice or discovery shows up in the public record.
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean has offered a brief public response in news coverage. In a statement quoted by CBS News, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said the company felt saddened by the guest’s passing, worked with authorities on their investigation, and would not comment further due to pending litigation.
So, for the moment, the family alleges negligence and wrongful death, and the company signals cooperation with investigators while keeping its legal defense close to the chest.
Bigger questions: drink packages, duty of care, and onboard restraint
Even if you never step on Navigator of the Seas, this Royal Caribbean lawsuit raises questions that hit the entire cruise industry.
First, alcohol service sits at the center of the story. Royal Caribbean’s own Guest Health, Safety, and Conduct Policy warns that excessive drinking impairs judgment and says ship staff may refuse to serve alcohol “in their sole discretion” to any guest who does not consume responsibly.
At the same time, Royal Caribbean markets beverage packages as “unlimited” in common promotional language, while still tying them to the cruise line’s alcohol policy terms.
That tension matters because the complaint does not just argue “he drank too much.” Instead, it argues the crew watched the decline in real time, kept serving anyway, and then responded with force that the medical examiner later linked to mechanical asphyxia.
Restraint at sea creates its own set of risks.
On land, many police agencies have faced years of scrutiny over prone restraint and compression. On a ship, you add narrow corridors, limited security staffing, and a medical unit that operates far from a hospital. Because of that, a bad decision can snowball fast. And once it does, a crew has to manage not only one person’s crisis, but also everyone else’s safety at the same time.
Finally, the case forces a blunt question: what does “reasonable care” look like when a vacation environment sells alcohol everywhere, yet still promises to keep guests safe? The complaint argues Royal Caribbean failed that standard through over-service, training gaps, and the restraint/medical response. Royal Caribbean will almost certainly argue its crew faced an immediate safety threat and acted reasonably under the circumstances. The court process will decide what the evidence supports.
