The family of a California man who died aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise in December 2024 has filed a lawsuit against the cruise line, claiming that the company is responsible for his death. The wrongful death suit comes seven months after a medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.
Michael Virgil, 35, had boarded Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas with his fiancée and young son on December 13, 2024, for a short four-day cruise from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico. According to the lawsuit, what began as a family vacation quickly turned tragic.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Florida, claims that Virgil was overserved alcohol and then restrained by crew members in a way that led to his death. His family alleges that the crew gave him at least 33 alcoholic drinks in a matter of hours and then used excessive force when he became disoriented while trying to find his cabin.
The lawsuit says that when the family first boarded the ship, their cabin was not ready, so they were told to wait in a bar with live music. Virgil’s fiancée left the bar with their then 7-year-old son, who has autism, to check on the room, while Virgil remained behind.
Not long after, the suit claims, Virgil became intoxicated and confused. He reportedly began looking for his cabin but was unable to locate it. At that point, cruise security allegedly intervened.
The complaint says security tackled and restrained Virgil and that multiple crew members held him down. It also alleges that he was injected with a sedative, Haloperidol, and sprayed with pepper spray during the incident. According to the lawsuit, the restraint and chemical use caused respiratory failure, heart problems, and ultimately led to Virgil’s death.
A medical examiner later ruled the cause of death to be the “combined effects of mechanical asphyxia, obesity, cardiomegaly, and ethanol intoxication.” The ruling said that Virgil’s injuries were caused by body compression during restraint by multiple ship security officers and from high levels of alcohol in his system.
His body remained on board in a refrigerated space until the ship returned to Los Angeles on December 16, 2024.
NEW: Man dies on a Royal Caribbean cruise after being served 33 drinks, family accuses cruise staff of injecting him with a sedative.
35-year-old Michael Virgil was seen having a meltdown after getting off the elevator on the wrong floor.
Should Royal Caribbean be held liable for the death of Michael Virgil on their cruise?The family says just hours after… pic.twitter.com/pNWcA6VekR
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 8, 2025
The family’s attorney, Kevin Haynes of Kherkher Garcia, said in a statement that Royal Caribbean had failed in its duty to protect its passengers. Haynes alleged that the cruise line’s crew had not been properly trained and said the company “prioritizes profit over passenger safety.”
The lawsuit also points to Royal Caribbean’s “Deluxe Beverage Package,” which includes unlimited access to most alcoholic drinks on the ship. The family argues that this package contributed to the unsafe level of alcohol Virgil allegedly consumed. The suit states that alcohol sales are a major revenue source for the cruise line and claims that the ship’s layout encourages drinking with numerous bars located throughout the vessel.
The family is seeking damages under the Death on the High Seas Act. They are asking for compensation related to funeral and medical expenses, loss of future earnings, loss of companionship, and mental pain and suffering.
In response to the suit, Royal Caribbean issued a brief statement, saying, “We were saddened by the passing of one of our guests, worked with authorities on their investigation, and will refrain from commenting any further on pending litigation.”
No criminal charges have been filed against any individual crew member at this time. The company has not confirmed whether any internal disciplinary action was taken.
The case is expected to move forward in federal court in 2026.
