A 35-year-old California man who died aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship last year was served at least 33 alcoholic drinks at the ship’s bar, his family claims in a lawsuit.
Michael Virgil of Moreno Valley boarded the Navigator of the Seas in Los Angeles on Dec. 13, 2024, with his fiancée, Connie Aguilar, and their son, according to court documents filed in Miami, Florida, where the cruise company is based.
As they were on their way to Ensenada, Mexico, Royal Caribbean crew members “negligently” overserved Virgil “in a matter of hours” while he exhibited obvious signs of intoxication, the lawsuit alleges.
While intoxicated, Virgil attempted to find his cabin room, got lost and became agitated, the lawsuit states. Virgil was then confronted by Royal Caribbean security members who allegedly tackled him to the ground and subdued him “with their full body weight,” the plaintiff’s lawsuit claims.
Michael Virgil and Connie Aguilar. / Credit: Handout provided to CBS News by Connie Aguilar’s attorney
Royal Caribbean crew members also allegedly injected Haloperidol, a prescription medication used to treat psychotic disorders, into Virgil at the request of the ship’s captain. Multiple cans of pepper spray were also used on him, Aguilar’s attorneys claim.
The father “ultimately died in the care of Royal Caribbean staff and crew members,” the lawsuit states.
In a statement to CBS News, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said, “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.”
The attorneys noted in the lawsuit that Royal Caribbean had the right to refuse alcohol service to anyone who was visibly intoxicated, but alleged that the company failed to do so to protect Virgil’s life. They also claim the cruise line deliberately markets its “all you can drink” beverage packages to passengers and ensures there’s a bar in “every nook and cranny” of the Navigator of the Seas.
In addition to negligence claims in the alleged overservice of alcohol, Aguilar’s attorneys also claim Royal Caribbean is negligent in the hiring and training of its crew members — including medical and security personnel — alleging they contributed to Virgil’s death.
The incident is the second lawsuit in recent months against Royal Caribbean involving a death and the consumption of alcohol. A 66-year-old woman, Dulcie White, went overboard during a Taylor Swift-themed cruise on Oct. 22, 2024, after the ship’s crew kept serving her alcohol despite signs of extreme intoxication, her family claimed in a lawsuit filed in October.
The lawsuit also cited Royal Caribbean’s unlimited alcoholic beverages package. “Because of that (drink package), [she] did overdo it, trying to maybe get her money’s worth,” her daughter Megan Klewin said. “She was completely intoxicated in a way I haven’t seen before. It saddens me that that is my last memory of her.”
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