Lawsuit: Cruise passenger served 33 drinks before in-custody death

Lawsuit: Cruise passenger served 33 drinks before in-custody death



In a case that could have significant implications for the cruise industry, the family of Michael Virgil, a 35-year-old man who died aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, has filed a lawsuit against the company. More:

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49 thoughts on “Lawsuit: Cruise passenger served 33 drinks before in-custody death

  1. Why is the Cruise Line at fault for this, this is a grown ass man that cant handle the alcohol and kicking the door on a drunken rage. Im sure he was a problem even before he got on that cruise.

  2. I doubt that this was his first time getting this drunk and acting this way, but when he started to exhibit signs of inebriation they should have cut him off, think their is enough blame to go around but this man died because he got drunk, got out of control and acted a fool- again doubt this was his first time.

  3. When people drink they become out of control they are extremely violent, angry and they even massively hurt others. It is 1000% HIS fault. Since when do staff become your adult babysitter? You know this is an unfortunate yet extreme ending to something that could have been controlled by him NOT drinking. The cruise line is in a catch 22 on this one for sure! If the cruise line bartenders would have NOT served him alcohol he would have sued by not honoring the purchased package and someone is suing on his behalf because they did honor his drink package. This could be a lesson learned type deal where the cruise line any and/or all can now implement a voucher for drinks. The example of this could be when you purchase your cruise you have the option of a 6 drink maximum with dates stamped onto the voucher IE Drink Voucher 1 (listed ON the voucher) 12-10-2026 Voucher 2, 12-10-2026 each voucher will have to be handed to the bartender and the bartender would validate or put it as a electronic voucher and when you have reached your maximum for the day you are done no exceptions…just a thought

  4. Who are they to know that he was not just the one getting the drinks for he and his friends? Dont get me wrong this entire things sucks. I am just saying some guy serving drinks to hundreds of people on a cruise ship cant be held for murder because some on over did it.

  5. What the videos don't show is how multiple staff people pinned him down and poured 33 drinks down his throat. The man fought back valiantly, saying "NO, I won't drink!" but the staff overpowered him and made him do it.

  6. What the videos don't show is how multiple staff people pinned him down and poured 33 drinks down his throat. The man fought back valiantly, saying "NO, I won't drink!" but the staff overpowered him and made him do it.

  7. Mechanical asphyxia is death from interrupted breathing due to external physical force or obstruction, preventing oxygen intake . That was the corners finding so trying to blame the alcohol is crazy work . Them security guards killed him .

  8. They shouldn’t get a dime. He was 35 years old…a grown ass man who decided to drink that much on his own. Not to mention if he drank that much anyway, he was a major alcoholic before he even stepped foot on that ship, the family knowing that should have never allowed him to go if they had any say. Just another family trying to get a check off of a loved ones death. Nothing more.

  9. I like all the clowns who didn't even bother watching the video before running their mouths.

    Yes he had 33 drinks that's not the issue. The issue is they injected him with sedatives something they have no legal right to do under any circumstane.

    I hate you all so much it's unreal.

  10. I have been on 22 Royal Caribbean International cruises since 2005, and by now, a few of the ships from my early sailings have been sold or decommissioned. I have been on all the Voyager classes, Quantum classes, Oasis classes, and the Icon of the Seas. I have also sailed on the Star of the Seas, and I will be cruising on the Legend of the Seas.

    It is well known that on Royal Caribbean ships and other cruise lines, the drinks are watered down. Even if you are not a regular drinker, you should be able to taste that any mixed drink on most of these cruises is watered down. All ice, mixers, and the bare minimum of alcohol are in the ingredients, and they are watered down for reasons that cruise lines and bartenders will not openly admit publicly. One has to use their intelligence and not be gullible in their thinking about the watered-down drinks on most cruise lines. It is very gullible and feeble-minded to think that the drinks are not watered down.

    Perhaps he did get drunk from the watered-down drinks? Could mental health issues, medications, or other ingested substances have been a factor?

    There are people who are not seasoned cruisers who do not have a clue that the drinks are watered down, and in a conversation, they have no idea what they are talking about when drinking on a cruise ship. Many bartenders are afraid to give a passenger a little more drink if slipped a bit of money day to day, because if a violent incident involving injuries and death occurs, it can get back to that bartender who is on camera while working. They can get into deep trouble, be terminated, and face more consequences.

    What happened to this young man was awful and tragic, but from reading the reports of his death, I see too many untruths and holes. I have had the drink package before. Even if you get the drink package and go to all the bars on these massive ships, it comes up on the screen that the bartender uses for you to purchase a drink. They scan your SeaPass, taking your order to make the purchase. It will come on the screen that you have had many drink purchases that night, and if he or she, the bartender, visually sees that you may be severely or somewhat intoxicated, they will not serve you. And there are many cameras on them and ship wide and many areas!

    Most likely there is probably more to this story about the man who sadly passed away. All my years cruising with Royal Caribbean I have never heard of 33 drinks served in such a short time? Especially during the time the majority of the passengers are come on board, and shortly after that there is s ship wide announcement made that the staterooms are open after preparation. Many hungry passengers are already Royal Caribbean's large buffet 'WINDJAMMER" having lunch. This all seems very frivolous. Royal Caribbean needs to fight this case!

  11. 33 drinks is lawyer BS. Even if he took 5 hours to drink them and assuming each drink is defined as either 1 1/2oz 80 proof liquor or 1 5oz glass of wine or 1 12oz glass of beer (as is the case in most courts) and also assuming that he metabolizes the average 0.015% BAC per hour, 33 drinks raises his BAC to 0.425%. Any physician, except perhaps this lying-lawyer's "expert witness", would testify that a 0.425% BAC is most likely lethal without immediate medical intervention. The lying-lawyer is sniffing deep pockets but let's not forget that ALL of this cruise ship's bars are under cctv surveillance and therein is the proof.

  12. I feel like the title should be; man orders and drinks 33 drinks! Or man doesn’t have a friend or family member who likes him enough to look after him. You make it sound like they held him down and forcibly fed him the drinks. 😊

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