Carnival Bans 16 Guests After PortMiami Debarkation Brawl
The sheriff’s office treated the case as a mutual combatant incident, and Carnival said the area was under United States Customs and Border Protection authority.
Carnival Cruise Line has placed 16 people on its Do Not Sail List after a brawl broke out in the PortMiami debarkation area on Monday, June 22, following Carnival Conquest’s return from a short Bahamas sailing. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office described the confrontation as involving two families and said no parties chose to press charges.
The fight occurred after guests had left the ship, in a customs and debarkation area, yet still resulted in future-sailing bans from Carnival. No serious injuries, arrests or significant damage were reported.
Fight broke out after Carnival Conquest returned to Miami
Carnival Conquest had returned to Miami after a three-night Bahamas itinerary that departed Friday, June 19, and called at Celebration Key on Sunday, June 21.
Video from the terminal showed passengers fighting around a queue line with luggage nearby as officers moved in to separate those involved. The initial confrontation appeared to begin between two women in line before additional people joined the fight. Stanchions were knocked over during the incident, and luggage and personal items were seen being thrown or shoved aside as the crowd scattered.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the case was treated as a “mutual combatant incident.” In a statement shared with People, the agency said, “It was documented, though none of the parties wanted to press charges against each other.”
A Carnival spokesperson said the confrontation occurred in the debarkation area, which was under U.S. Customs and Border Protection authority. “We are appreciative of law enforcement’s swift response and handling of the matter,” the spokesperson said. “We do not tolerate such behavior, and 16 people have been placed on our Do Not Sail List.”
Carnival contract allows bans for disruptive conduct
Carnival’s cruise ticket contract gives the line authority to remove or bar guests whose conduct affects the “comfort, enjoyment, safety, or well-being” of others. The contract also allows disruptive guests to be detained onboard or disembarked at their own expense, barred from future Carnival sailings and charged a $500 liquidated damages amount.
The company did not identify the guests placed on the list. The cause of the dispute also has not been released.
Carnival has used the same future-sailing sanction before. In April 2025, the line placed 24 guests on its Do Not Sail list after a separate debarkation brawl in Galveston involving passengers from Carnival Jubilee.
Carnival Conquest’s next departure from Miami went ahead later Monday, with no reported impact to the ship’s afternoon sailing.
