Left inset: Michael Virgil. Right inset: Cellphone video shows Michael Virgil's deadly confrontation with Royal Caribbean security. Background: Royal Caribbean security guards were allegedly caught on video pinning Michael Virgil down (Kherkher Garcia, LLP).
Royal Caribbean has agreed to pay the family of a cruise passenger who filed a lawsuit in Florida, claiming he was "overserved" more than 30 alcoholic drinks before a confrontation with security guards left him dead.
Michael Virgil, 35, of California, was aboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas on Dec. 13, 2024, when his night of "excessive" drinking spiraled into a showdown with ship security after staff "significantly overserved" him 33 alcoholic drinks in a "matter of hours," his family alleged in its civil complaint.
Court records show that a settlement has been reached between Royal Caribbean and Virgil's family, with an undisclosed amount to be paid to Virgil's son, according to an order approving the settlement.
The Moreno Valley family had sought an unspecified sum in damages.
"The court finds that the settlement is in the best interest of the minor child," the settlement order says.
The complaint, which was filed by Virgil's fiancee, alleged the cruise line was negligent in continuing to serve Virgil alcohol as his intoxication escalated.
"[Virgil's] death was directly caused by his intoxicated state and by Royal Caribbean's crewmembers' over-serving alcohol when they knew or should have known that [Virgil] was in an intoxicated state," the complaint says.
Virgil boarded the ship with his family around 11 a.m. that day. Their cabin was not ready, so employees allegedly directed Virgil toward a bar. He had purchased Royal Caribbean's "Deluxe Beverage Package," which allows passengers to receive unlimited alcoholic beverages one at a time, according to the complaint.
"[Virgil] exhibited obvious visual signs of intoxication, while in plain view of the crew members serving him these alcoholic beverages," the complaint alleged.
Virgil was struggling to find his room when the showdown with security happened, according to his fiancee. His coroner's report, which was obtained by The Press-Enterprise, cited statements made by an FBI investigator who reported that Virgil was "belligerent" and "making violent threats to staff and guests."
According to the investigator, Virgil was banging and kicking doors, while also removing ceiling panels and "brandishing them as weapons."
Virgil was allegedly handcuffed and his feet were zip-tied. Guards also used pepper spray on him, while a doctor injected him with a sedative.
"When [Virgil] became intoxicated and agitated, Royal Caribbean crew members, including but not limited to security personnel, tackled [Virgil] to the ground, stood on [Virgil's] body with their full body weight, and compressed [Virgil's] body, causing [Virgil] to stop moving," according to the family's civil complaint.
Virgil was allegedly held face-down while guards remained on top of him for about three minutes. The compression and "prolonged prone restraint" impaired his breathing and led to hypoxia, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability, and ultimately cardiopulmonary arrest, leading to Virgil's death, according to the complaint.
Virgil's autopsy found several factors that made the physical confrontation particularly dangerous for Virgil, including that he was "severely obese," according to The Press-Enterprise.
Virgil's heart weighed 560 grams, compared with a reported normal range of 230 to 383 grams for men. According to the report, that enlarged heart increased his risk of sudden heart failure during a struggle.
Virgil's blood-alcohol concentration was 0.182 when measured three days after his death, which is more than twice the legal limit for driving. The coroner's report said this level of intoxication could have made it harder for Virgil to breathe that night while he was pinned down. Virgil's manner of death was listed as homicide and his cause of death was "combined effects of mechanical asphyxia, obesity, cardiomegaly, and ethanol intoxication."
The case was filed in federal court in Florida, where Royal Caribbean is headquartered. Royal Caribbean did not respond to requests for comment by Law&Crime.
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