A settlement has been reached between Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and the estate of Michael Virgil, who died after being over served alcoholic drinks. The settlement was reached on January 8, 2026, just over a month after the lawsuit was filed on December 5, 2025.

The settlement was not finalized until September because Virgil’s 7-year-old son was a beneficiary, requiring additional court approval due to his age.

The settlement amount is not publicly available.

The tragedy occurred on December 13th, 2024, aboard the Navigator of the Seas while Virgil was vacationing with his fiancée and son. The family’s room was not ready when they boarded the ship so Virgil went to one of the ship’s bars at around 10:30 a.m. Virgil had purchased the ship’s all you drink package and consumed a staggering 33 drinks over the course of the day, according to the lawsuit filed by his family.

In a drunken, confused state, Virgil had trouble locating his family and their room. He became agitated and confrontational when crew members tried to intervene and a physical altercation followed. Crew members pepper sprayed the man and injected him with a sedative before pinning him down for several minutes. The altercation reportedly took place at 6:10 p.m. and Virgil was pronounced dead at 8:32 p.m.

Video of the incident can be seen in our original coverage.

Los Angeles County Medical Examiner classified Virgil’s death as homicide and listed the cause of death as the combined effects of mechanical asphyxia, obesity, ethanol intoxication, and cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart). His blood-alcohol content (BAC) was measured at 0.182 three days after his death, more than twice the legal limit to drive.

The lawsuit sought compensation for the financial support Virgil would have provided his family, as well as damages for his suffering before death and his family’s emotional loss.

The settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by Royal Caribbean.

No reports indicate any criminal charges were filed against any of the crew members involved in Virgil’s death.

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