Carnival BOOZE CRUISE Lawsuit: 14 Shots Later… Who’s REALLY Responsible?

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:02]You have to keep [music] drinking like his head, remember?

[00:00:09]>> [music] [music] [music] >> All right, Old School World is back at it again. Now, today we're going to talk about something that a whole lot of people have been discussing lately. And that is cruise drink packages. But the question is, have cruise drink packages gone too far?

[00:00:41]Now, years ago cruising was relaxing.

[00:00:45]People would have a few drinks, enjoy the music, enjoy the ocean, and keep it moving.

[00:00:52]But today, we're seeing fights, lawsuits, intoxicated behavior, security incidents, and passengers acting completely out of control. Someone had a little too much to drink on the cruise, trying to wake everyone up.

[00:01:22]I don't wait.

[00:01:24]All around this damn boat.

[00:01:26]Where is my room at?

[00:01:30]I'm here just looking at Yeah.

[00:01:35]Hold on, I think I'm going to do something. I might just sleep in the hallway at this point cuz I don't know.

[00:01:47]Hush, [music] little baby, don't say a word.

[00:01:51]Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.

[00:02:24]>> And many people are starting to point the finger directly at these unlimited drink packages. Look at this.

[00:02:32]>> [gasps] >> Perfect.

[00:02:35]Oh my god. Isn't it great?

[00:02:38]>> Chris. I know, it's my dream.

[00:02:41]>> [laughter] >> I have goosebumps everywhere.

[00:02:45]This is out of this world. Happy birthday. I know. Happy birthday.

[00:02:51]So, today we're going to break down two major cruise lines, Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

[00:02:59]And we're going to ask the question, are these drink packages creating more problems than value?

[00:03:06]If you think the drink package on a cruise ship is too expensive, you're not my target audience. And that's okay, because this isn't really a math problem. This is a lifestyle choice.

[00:03:15]People love saying, "You'd have to drink like a lot to make it worth it." Yeah, you would be correct. It's like that's the point or something. I don't get the drink package really to save money. I get it to remove guilt. No signing receipts, no mental math, no should I really get another one? If I want a mimosa at breakfast, a frozen drink at lunch, cocktail by the pool, wine at dinner, something irresponsible at night, I don't want to have to negotiate with myself. I'm pretty good at it.

[00:03:42]Also, let's be honest, I drink more on a cruise than I do at home, because I'm relaxed. I'm happy. I don't have responsibilities, and the ocean is right there judging no one. The drink package isn't about value per drink. It's about freedom per sip. And one of the biggest things that people forget about the drink package, bottled water, soda, [music] specialty coffees, energy drinks. It's not just alcohol. And if you don't drink much, skip it. Be free. But if you know who you are, and the bartender knows your name by day two, then the drink package is elite behavior. So, y'all tell me, are you doing the cruise math?

[00:04:18]Are you committing emotionally like the rest of it?

[00:04:21]Let's first talk about the money.

[00:04:23]Carnival's Cheers packages now runs about $70 to $75 per day plus gratuities. Carnival Cruise just changed their drink package rule. And if you love a poolside pina colada, >> [music] >> listen up. The drink package, this one right here, you know, all you can sip type of deal, just got a lot stricter. Now, everyone 21 plus in the same [music] cabin has to buy the package as well. No more, "Oh, I only drink, my wife's boring." type of loophole. We're not sharing drinks anymore. [music] However, you still get 15 alcoholic drinks a day, only non-alcoholic coffees and juices, 25% off bottled water and wine. So, yeah, it still hits, but they're watching those drink splits now.

[00:05:11]But that's not all. Price is creeping up. Now, it's $82.54 [music] straight off from the website a day per person. So, you better do the math.

[00:05:23]If you're not drinking [music] at least five cocktails a day, you might be better off paying per drink. Remember, you don't need to drink to have fun. And if you choose to drink, drink [music] responsibly.

[00:05:35]So, by the time you finish, you're close to $85 to $90 per person per day. And remember, if one adult in the cabin buys it, most of the time, the other adult has to buy it, too, whether they drink or not.

[00:05:53]So, now a couple on a 7-day cruise could easily spend over $1,200 just on alcohol.

[00:06:00]Royal Caribbean, they're not much different. Some of their drink packages can climb over $100 per day, depending on the sailing. If you're planning on cruising with Royal Caribbean for 2026, [music] your next drink package just got a little bit more expensive. There is a new $5 charge hitting the beverage packages, and it is stirring up a lot of salt in the cruising community.

[00:06:23]>> [music] >> Is Royal Caribbean officially nickel-and-diming us for a plastic cup?

[00:06:28]Well, let's break down the cup tax and how you can avoid it.

[00:06:31]Starting March 15th, 2026, Royal Caribbean is changing the rules for the deluxe beverage package and the Royal Refreshment package. [music] Traditionally, these packages come with that souvenir Coca-Cola cup that lets you use the self-service freestyle machines. Well, not anymore.

[00:06:49]Now, if you want that cup and the ability to use those machines, you have to pay an extra $4.99 fee.

[00:06:58]Without [music] that cup and its RFID chip, those freestyle machines simply won't work for you.

[00:07:04]Here is where it gets confusing. [music] The classic soda package, the cheapest one, still includes the cup for free.

[00:07:11]But, the two most expensive packages, they're the ones getting hit with the charge. Now, to be clear, you can still get unlimited soda at any bar or dining room with your package.

[00:07:24]>> [music] >> They'll pour it from a can or from the fountain, but if you want that convenience of walking up to the machine and mixing your own flavors or having a bigger selection, well, that'll be five bucks, please.

[00:07:36]There is a silver lining.

[00:07:38]If you're already booked >> [music] >> and you've paid for your beverage package, or if you buy it on or before March 15th, you're grandfathered in.

[00:07:48]You'll still get the [music] cup for free even if your cruise doesn't sell until later in the year.

[00:07:53]Now Royal Caribbean says this is about sustainability and reducing [music] plastic waste from unused cups.

[00:08:00]So now the cruise lines are making massive money from alcohol packages alone.

[00:08:06]And Old School has to ask, if somebody pays over a thousand dollars for unlimited drinks, what do you think they're going to try to do?

[00:08:15]They're going to try to get their money's worth and that is where the problem starts. These are all my drinks.

[00:08:24]It doesn't stop.

[00:08:25]>> [music] >> That was one day. That's the second day.

[00:08:33]Now let's talk about the lawsuit Carnival recently lost.

[00:08:36]A passenger reportedly consumed around 14 tequila shots over several hours aboard ship.

[00:08:44]She later fell, was injured, and sued Carnival.

[00:08:49]And a jury actually awarded her $300,000.

[00:08:53]Now the jury reportedly found Carnival partially responsible because they believed she had been overserved.

[00:09:01]A 45-year-old nurse named Diana Sanders boarded a Carnival cruise in January of 2024. She bought Carnival's Cheers drink package which allows up to 15 alcohol drinks every day. [music] Over 9 hours bartenders served her at least 14 shots tequila. That night, maybe to no one's surprise, she fell down a stairwell and she woke up with a concussion and a possible traumatic brain injury. And on the night she fell, 30 minutes of surveillance video just went missing. So she sued Carnival and a federal jury in Miami awarded her $300,000. The jury found Carnival 60% at fault and Sanders 40% at fault. I already know what some of you are thinking. She bought the drink package. She drank the shots. The jury agreed with you. That's why they put 40% of the blame on her. But when you're the one pouring the drinks, you can't pretend you didn't pour them and just look the other way. Bartenders on land are trained to cut people off when someone is visibly intoxicated. It's the law in most states. They're called dram shop laws. The person profiting from selling alcohol is in the best position to stop the harm before it starts. Now, look at how cruise lines run it. They sell you a drink package built for 15 drinks a day. They put bars in every corner of the ship. system is engineered to keep you drinking. Now, yes, she should have stopped drinking. And Carnival should have stopped pouring.

[00:10:10]Both can be true. That's why 60/40 makes sense to me. Now, think about that for a minute. The cruise line is selling unlimited drink packages, but now they can also be held responsible if passengers become too intoxicated.

[00:10:27]That creates a very dangerous situation.

[00:10:30]Because now cruise lines are balancing profits against safety. And many passengers are starting to wonder how much is too much.

[00:10:42]Let's talk about the elephant in the room.

[00:10:45]The fights. Over the past couple of years, we've seen more cruise ship fights go viral than ever before. There was a huge fight on board the Carnival Jubilee, and a lot of you want my opinions on it, and I've got opinions for sure. I think you shouldn't fight on cruise ships. And I don't think you should fight at all, but particularly not on cruise ships, cuz you're supposed to be on vacation.

[00:11:06]Apparently, after this huge brawl, every single person in that cruising party got banned, whether or not they were involved with the fight or not. And to that I say, "Good."

[00:11:16]Get the people you travel with under control, or don't cruise with them. I don't think this is a Carnival problem.

[00:11:21]I think this is a some people are just awful problem. Cuz Royal Caribbean was caught with a teen hitting somebody who was elderly on top of a somebody TRYING TO SMUGGLE DRUGS. Cruising is more popular than ever and so more people are cruising and sadly that means more jackasses are cruising and also in my comments but we're not going to talk about that right now. I am all for banning people who physically assault other people. I want to be clear not a fan of that don't think it's a good thing. I wish everybody could be kinder to one another more loving more gentle.

[00:11:51]Other people aren't going to do that I absolutely think they need to be banned from the cruise lines permanently. In fact, I wish they would actually have a no sail list. Those are just my thoughts. I'd love to know what your thoughts are in the comments. Now I'm going to go enjoy Hawaii some more.

[00:12:06]Pool deck fights, buffet fights, terminal fights, [music] elevator fights and many of these situations reportedly involve alcohol.

[00:12:17]A massive brawl has broken out on a cruise ship and guess which cruise line?

[00:12:22]If you guess Carnival you'd be wrong this time. Apparently this happened on the NCL Norwegian Cruise Lines Getaway.

[00:12:30]The brawl involved a dozen or more passengers with some taking selfies and video taping the event.

[00:12:37]My suggestion as a word who has investigated and prosecuted a number of fights on cruise lines is get the heck out of there. Don't be anywhere near this and don't stick around for the selfies or the Tik Tok videos. Get yourself and your family to a safe zone.

[00:12:56]And this certainly speaks loudly to those who criticized me in the past for picking on Carnival for brawls. It can happen on any cruise line and this is evidence. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and now Norwegian.

[00:13:09]Now old school is not saying every passenger who buys the drink packages acts crazy. But what I am saying is when you combine unlimited alcohol with overcrowded ships, stress, heat, long wait times and people trying to party 24 hours a day three and four-day cruises, of course.

[00:13:33]You create the perfect storm, and many long-time cruisers are starting to say cruising just doesn't feel the same anymore. [music] Ever notice how short Carnival cruises feel way more chaotic? Here's why. Short cruises attract a lot of first-time customers, and everyone's trying to squeeze everything into two or three days. People treat short cruises like a weekend getaway.

[00:14:01]More drinking, [music] louder nightlife, and wild Lido energy. The ship is fully booked, but the itinerary is rushed. One sea day plus one port, everyone doing the same things at the same time. You get the celebration crowd. Birthdays, bachelor parties, friend groups, all in party mode. Short cruises use smaller ships more often, so the crowds feel tighter, and lines feel longer. So, make sure you plan your timing, avoid peak hours, and treat it like a sprint, not a marathon.

[00:14:38]Some passengers now say they avoid certain ships during spring break, certain party cruises, and shorter itineraries, because they feel the atmosphere has changed. Royal Caribbean has also faced criticism involving alcohol-related incidents.

[00:14:58]There was even a lawsuit involving a passenger reportedly consuming more than 30 drinks before a incident occurred.

[00:15:07]>> Should Royal Caribbean be held negligent for serving a passenger 33 alcoholic drinks? Drinks that the lawsuit claims ultimately contributed to his That's the question involving 35-year-old Navy [clears throat] veteran and father Michael Virgil. Now, Michael boarded the Navigator of the Seas with his fiance and child for what was supposed to be a simple family vacation. When they entered the ship, their room wasn't ready yet. So, like a lot of passengers, they waited in one of the ship's bars.

[00:15:33]And according to the lawsuit, that bar kept serving him alcohol even though he was showing obvious signs of intoxication. Not a handful of drinks, but at least 33. Now, as Michael became severely impaired, he wandered the ship confused and disoriented. He needed help. Instead, according to the lawsuit, security tackled him, pinned him down, pepper sprayed him, and then administered a strong sedative. So, Michael went into respiratory distress and then later passed away. A medical examiner later ruled his death a homicide. So, now his family is suing Royal Caribbean for two things, over serving alcohol and using excessive force and inappropriate medical intervention. And that's why this case poses such a powerful legal question.

[00:16:16]When a company serves someone to the point of obvious danger and then mishandles the very emergency they created, does that rise to negligence?

[00:16:25]Well, that's what this lawsuit will determine. So, I want to know, what do you think?

[00:16:30]Now, again, these are serious situations and this raises bigger questions for the entire cruise industry.

[00:16:39]Should there be stricter drink limits?

[00:16:41]Should cruise lines slow down service when passengers clearly appear intoxicated?

[00:16:47]Or is personal responsibility the real issue?

[00:16:51]Because at the end of the day, adults are still responsible for their own action. But cruise lines also have a responsibility to maintain safety.

[00:17:03]And somewhere in the middle, that balance may be breaking down. Now, here's Old School's opinion.

[00:17:10]I don't believe drink packages themselves are the problem.

[00:17:14]I believe the culture around them has changed. Years ago, people cruised to relax.

[00:17:20]Now, many people cruise to drink non-stop, to party non-stop, to go viral, and sometimes just to act a fool.

[00:17:31]And when that happens, everybody else aboard ship suffers. The family suffer, the older passengers suffer, the first-time cruisers suffer, and even the cruise lines themselves suffer suffer.

[00:17:46]Because lawsuits, bad publicity, and viral fights damage the entire industry.

[00:17:52]So, now I want to hear from you.

[00:17:55]Have cruise drink packages gone too far?

[00:17:58]Should cruise lines tighten alcohol policies, or should passengers simply take more personal responsibility?

[00:18:06]Drop your comments below because Old School definitely wants to hear your take on this.

[00:18:12]And if you enjoyed this video, make sure you hit that like button, subscribe, and share this video with somebody who loves cruising. This is Old School Will, and y'all stay blessed.

[00:18:27]>> [music] [music]