A fight that broke out during Carnival Conquest’s debarkation in PortMiami has resulted in 16 guests being added to Carnival Cruise Line’s Do Not Sail list.
The incident happened on Monday, June 22, 2026, after the ship completed a 3-night Bahamas cruise. The Daily Mail reported that the disturbance began at around 8 a.m., shortly after passengers from the 2,980-guest vessel started making their way through the customs area.
Fight Broke Out in the Terminal During Debarkation
Video shared online shows a chaotic confrontation involving multiple people, including both men and women. In the footage, punches are thrown, hair is pulled, and several people appear to wrestle on the floor. There is shouting while others are trying to move through the terminal with their luggage.
The footage also appears to show loose belongings and luggage being tossed or knocked into the air. At some points, a few of those involved seem to be without shoes, and parts of the queue setup were left knocked over in the middle of the disturbance.
One person in the video appears to be very young, and someone can be heard shouting, “That’s a kid! That’s a kid!” But the identities and ages of those involved have not been released.
Security stepped in and was eventually able to separate the groups. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the confrontation involved two families, though it remains unclear what sparked the fight.
Carnival shared a statement with the Daily Mail, saying: “The incident occurred in the debarkation area under the authority of US Customs and Border Patrol. We are appreciative of law enforcement’s swift response and handling of the matter.”
No serious injuries, no arrests, and no major damage have been reported.
Other Passengers Continued Debarking Around the Fight
Even as the situation was still unfolding, other guests continued leaving the terminal, wheeling bags past the scene and trying to carry on with debarkation.
Carnival has not said whether any of those involved had been warned, cited, or reported for unruly behavior during the sailing itself. Beyond the statement given to the Daily Mail, the cruise line has not shared more public details about the fight.
The sailing had left Miami on Friday, June 19, and called at Celebration Key in The Bahamas on Sunday before returning the next morning.
There was also no reported effect on the ship’s next cruise. Carnival Conquest departed later that same afternoon as scheduled.
The 110,000-gross-ton ship is the lead vessel in Carnival’s Conquest class and sails from Miami year-round. It most often operates 3- and 4-night Bahamas itineraries, with some longer Southern Caribbean cruises offered at times.
Carnival Confirmed 16 Guests Are Now on the Do Not Sail List
Even though the fight happened in the terminal rather than on board the ship, Carnival confirmed that 16 people involved have now been placed on the line’s Do Not Sail list, barring them from future Carnival cruises.
That outcome lines up with Carnival’s ticket contract, which says the line does not tolerate disruptive behavior. Section 9(j) states: “Any Guest whose conduct affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety, or well-being of other guests or crew will be detained onboard and/or disembarked at their own expense and will be prohibited from sailing with Carnival in the future.”
Carnival has not said how long the ban will last for the guests involved. Depending on the circumstances, those bans can range from a shorter suspension to a lifetime ban.
Similar Cruise Fights Have Happened Before
The PortMiami incident is also not the first large altercation involving cruise passengers, and similar scenes have played out in cruise terminals before.
In April 2025, a similar fight during debarkation at the Galveston cruise terminal led to 24 Carnival Jubilee guests being added to Carnival’s Do Not Sail list.
More recently, a separate fight at Nassau Cruise Port involved six Americans. While they were not confirmed to be Carnival guests, the group reportedly faced more than $50,000 in fines tied to damage at a local police station, attempts to escape police custody, and injuries to officers.
Other cruise lines have also dealt with similar incidents. In August 2025, a large fight broke out in a pool area at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in The Bahamas.
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