Michael Virgil: Royal Caribbean cruise passenger served 33 drinks before death, family claims in new lawsuit

A Royal Caribbean passenger who died on board a cruise last year was allegedly served over 30 drinks before his death, a new lawsuit has claimed.

On December 13, 2024, Michael Virgil boarded the Navigator of the Seas with his fiancé Connie, their seven-year-old son and other relatives for a trip to Mexico.

Only hours into the voyage, Mr Virgil was detained by cruise security after a violent and drunken outburst in one of the ship’s hallways.

Footage of the incident went viral online, showing the 35-year-old father kicking down a cabin door before being restrained by security.

A witness told Fox 11 News at the time that Mr Virgil had stepped off the elevator on the wrong floor and quickly became agitated.

“The gentleman that was drunk said he was going to kill us and then started chasing us down the hallway,” the witness said, adding that security had to use pepper spray and zip-ties to restrain the cruiser.

“I’m going to knock you the f.... out,” Mr Virgil can be heard shouting in the video.

In a tragic turn of events, Mr Virgil died hours later after being taken into custody aboard the ship by security.

His family have now accused the cruise liner of negligence in a wrongful-death case they filed on December 8, 2025, almost a year after the shocking incident.

According to the lawsuit obtained by People, Mr Virgil and his family were directed to a bar area while they waited for their room to be ready. After their son became restless, Connie took him to check on the cabin’s status, leaving Mr Virgil at the bar.

There, the father was allegedly “negligently served” at least 33 alcoholic beverages, the lawsuit claims.

“(He) was visibly intoxicated such that each of Royal Caribbean crew members should not have continued to serve alcohol to him while he was exhibiting these visible signs of intoxication, and each of these crew members were negligent for continuing to serve (Mr Virgil) alcoholic beverages in his intoxicated state,” the complaint reportedly reads.

The family also claims that the cruise company used excessive force and gave Mr Virgil a dangerous sedative when he was restrained, which they say killed him.

According to the lawsuit, Mr Virgil died of “significant hypoxia and impaired ventilation, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability and ultimately cardiopulmonary arrest”.

The complaint states that his case of death has now been ruled as a homicide.

Royal Caribbean said they were “saddened” by the passing of Mr Virgil, however, will “refrain” from any further comment.