Texas Man Arrested at PortMiami in Alleged Bartender Assault

A Texas man was arrested at PortMiami’s Royal Caribbean terminal on Friday, July 31, 2026, on a felony battery charge tied to an alleged assault on a bartender five days earlier at the Hard Rock Cafe at Bayside Marketplace. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers took Daniel Ramirez, 47, into custody as he attempted to board a Royal Caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean is not part of the underlying bar incident and has not issued a statement.

Alleged assault near the cruise port

The confrontation occurred Sunday evening, July 26, at the Hard Rock Cafe at Bayside Marketplace, less than a mile from PortMiami. WSVN 7News reported that Ramirez was at the restaurant with his family when a female bartender, who asked not to be identified, saw him eating fruit slices set aside for drink service and asked him to stop.

An arrest report cited by the station said Ramirez swore at the bartender, then complained to a manager and objected to being addressed by a woman. During a later interaction, Ramirez is accused of shoving the bartender to the floor.

After she got up and tried to take a photograph of him, Ramirez allegedly knocked the phone from her hand and shoved her again. The bartender lost consciousness and suffered a concussion and a broken tooth. Surveillance video confirmed the incident, according to the station.

Arrest before scheduled cruise

Ramirez was not arrested immediately after the restaurant incident. CBP officers located him several days later at PortMiami, and he was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center shortly after 10 a.m. on July 31. His bond was listed at $2,500.

Wonder of the Seas was the only Royal Caribbean ship in PortMiami that day. The ship was scheduled for a three-night weekend itinerary calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, and no departure delay was reported.