Royal Caribbean Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Alleged Bar Overservice

Photo: Royal Caribbean Michael Virgil Situation (Credits: FOX & Benson Truong)

Nearly one year after an unfortunate incident onboard Navigator of the Seas during a 3-night sailing from Los Angeles, Royal Caribbean is now being sued for the wrongful death of Michael Virgil.

According to TMZ, the new lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean over-served the 35-year-old Virgil, which directly contributed to his death. Therefore, the incident should be treated as a homicide.

The suit has been filed by Connie Aguilar, Virgil’s fiancée, who was on the cruise with him, along with their 7-year-old son.

The suit describes that upon boarding the ship on December 13, 2024, the couple discovered their stateroom was not yet ready. This is common on cruises, particularly for guests who choose earlier cruise terminal arrival times.

There is no indication, however, as to when Virgil and Aguilar boarded the ship. They were apparently directed to a bar to wait for their stateroom to open.

After an unspecified “long period of time” during which their son became impatient, Aguilar took their son and went to check on the stateroom.

During this time, the lawsuit documents state that Virgil was served “at least 33 alcoholic beverages” before he too left to find their stateroom.

This would be highly unusual, and the timing does seem questionable. Even the earliest embarkation typically starts no sooner than 11 a.m., and staterooms tend to be open no later than 2 p.m.

This would mean that in three hours, Virgil would have been served an alcoholic drink every 5-6 minutes. It’s questionable whether a single bartender, or even several bartenders at the same location, would serve one guest so rapidly for such a long period.

Navigator of the Seas Passenger (Credit: FOX 11 Los Angeles)

Of course, Virgil may have remained at the bar location after staterooms were available, thereby potentially lengthening the service period between drinks.

It is also not revealed what types of alcoholic drinks Virgil was served. The alcohol content of different beverages can vary tremendously, as can the volume of liquid one is able to consume.

There have been no toxicology reports released to indicate Virgil’s blood alcohol level at the time of his death, later that evening, or whether any other drugs or substances were present.

What Happened in the Corridor?

Because of Virgil’s heavily intoxicated state, he allegedly became agitated as he was unable to locate the stateroom. This was documented in a video from another guest, Christifer Mikhail, who filmed Virgil’s erratic and violent behavior.

Virgil was kicking at doors, punched a crew member, and tore off his shirt during the incident. It took several security guards to eventually subdue him.

The lawsuit goes on to claim that Virgil was later injected by medical personnel with a sedative that may have contributed to his death, along with the excessive force used by the security team.

Due to those actions, Virgil experienced “significant hypoxia and impaired ventilation, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability, and ultimately cardiopulmonary arrest” and passed away just hours later.

The lawsuit is now seeking damages not only including loss of support and inheritance, but also past and future earnings, net accumulations, funeral expenses, medical expenses, mental pain and suffering, and more. No confirmed number of said damages has been released.

Aren’t Drinks Automatically Limited?

The sheer quantity of alcoholic beverages Virgil was apparently served calls into question Royal Caribbean’s beverage service policies.

According to The Sun, Virgil had purchased a “Deluxe Beverage Package,” which is advertised as an unlimited package including cocktails, spirits, beer, wine by the glass, along with non-alcoholic drinks.

Unlike Carnival Cruise Line’s limit of 15 drinks per day, with the comparable Cheers! package, there is no limit to how much a guest may be served aboard Royal Caribbean ships.

Royal Caribbean’s Guest Health, Safety, and Conduct Policy, however, does clearly state that:

“Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship’s staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages in their sole discretion to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly.”

It is unclear whether or not any bartender refused to serve Virgil at any point. If he had not been acting erratically while at the bar, there may have been no concern and no reason to discontinue his beverage service.

Royal Caribbean is cooperating with authorities in the investigation but will not comment further on pending litigation.