More than a dozen travelers were banned from sailing with Carnival Cruise Line after fighting at the port in Miami.
The altercation took place in the Customs and Border Protection debarkation area, according to the company. The June 22 fight occurred between two families and police responded, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) said.
“The incident was deemed a mutual combatant incident,” MDSO told USA TODAY in an email. Police documented the fight, but the parties declined to press charges.
“We are appreciative of law enforcement’s swift response and handling of the matter,” Carnival said in an emailed statement. “We do not tolerate such behavior, and 16 people have been placed on our Do Not Sail List.”
Eye-tracking study reveals the top 20 most stunning cruise ports
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From ports decorated with centuries-old architecture to sunlit turquoise bays, a new eye-tracking study revealed the world’s most beautiful cruise ports, with three Caribbean spots making the top 20.
The research, conducted by travel insurance experts at AllClear, used eye-tracking technology to measure which of the world’s travel hotspots are the most impressive to arrive at by sea. They measured which cruise ports caught people’s attention first, and held it the longest, revealing the world’s most captivating coastal arrivals.
1. Valletta Cruise Port, Malta
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, our study’s most beautiful cruise port is a masterpiece in harbour aesthetics. Its combination of golden limestone reflecting off the glistening water provides the ultimate, jaw-dropping arrival into this exciting Mediterranean city, and with the longest fixation time of any port in the study, Malta certainly earned its place as our number one. What cruisers will love: Walk into the historic town in just 15 minutes and explore St. John’s Co-Cathedral with its Baroque artwork, or head to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for panoramic views of the harbour itself.
(DANIEL SLIM, AFP via Getty Images)
A video posted on Instagram shows a group of people shoving and throwing punches at one another in the terminal, with at least two people knocked to the ground and luggage strewn around the space. Police and the cruise line did not identify the people involved or the ship they were sailing on.
The incident is not the only one of its kind in recent years. Carnival previously placed 24 people on its Do Not Sail list after they got into a fight while disembarking a cruise in Galveston, Texas, in April 2025.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carnival bans 16 people from sailing after fight at Miami cruise port