Key Aspects:
- An attorney from Miami Lakes is accused of attacking an elderly passenger onboard Norwegian Encore during the ship’s most recent embarkation.
- The victim was knocked unconscious and needed CPR, but was successfully revived.
- The lawyer was removed from the ship and arrested on felony charges.
A Miami Lakes attorney will be spending a lot of time in court, and likely not for the reasons he is used to.
Phillip Andrew Ortiz has been arrested after allegedly attacking an elderly passenger while onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore at approximately 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
This would have been embarkation day for a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing, which is sailing round-trip voyage out of Miami, Florida.
According to the police report, the 67-year-old victim had informed Ortiz that he shouldn’t enter a hallway that was not yet open to new passengers.
This apparently sent the 38-year-old lawyer into a rage, who said “Who the f— are you to tell me what I can and can’t do?” and pushed the older cruiser.
The victim then pushed Ortiz back, which further enraged the alleged perpetrator.
The two scuffled over trying to open the door to the hallway, before Ortiz then “charged at the victim.” This escalated to the attorney tripping the other man, who hit his head in the fall.
Ortiz then put his “full body weight” on top of the victim, who lost consciousness. Instead of rendering aid, Ortiz fled the scene.
Other passengers performed CPR on the victim, who did not have a pulse, until the ship’s medical team arrived to take over his care.
“Passengers (administered) CPR on the victim, because they did not find a (pulse),” the police report states.
He was successfully revived and taken to the University of Miami Hospital for treatment, which means his cruise vacation also came to an abrupt end before it even really started.
Ortiz’s wife is also accused of shoving the elderly passenger during the confrontation, but it’s unclear if she will face charges for her participation.
Cruiser Remains in Custody
Unsurprisingly, Ortiz was arrested for his behavior onboard the NCL ship not long after the attack occurred.
Deputies determined that Ortiz “had the (opportunity) to end this confrontation, but chose to force his way back into the area and continue his aggression towards the victim.”
He was initially charged with aggravated battery on a person 65 or older, which has since been downgraded to battery on a person 65 or older.
During an initial hearing on Monday, November 24, Ortiz’s attorney, Stephan Lopez, suggested that his client would be taking a defensive approach to his case.
However, video surveillance footage and witness testimony do suggest that Ortiz was indeed the aggressor in the situation.
As of the time of publication, the Miami-Dade County inmate search shows that Ortiz is still behind bars with his bond not yet set.
Norwegian Cruise Line Responds
Piling on the consequences, the Ortiz family can likely expect a lifetime ban from Norwegian Cruise Line, if they haven’t received one already.
The cruise line takes a zero-tolerance approach to violence and other behaviors that threaten the safety of passengers and crew members.
“On Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025 while the ship was docked in Miami, Mr. Ortiz was arrested by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office after assaulting a 67-year old male guest who was later transported to a shoreside hospital for further treatment,” the cruise line said in a statement to People.
“We have zero-tolerance for violence of any kind on our ships and are committed to providing a safe cruising experience for all aboard,” NCL continued.
Interestingly, this also isn’t the first arrest related to violence made onboard Norwegian Encore.
In May of 2024, a 35-year-old crew member was arrested in Alaska after exhibiting odd behavior and then physically assaulting multiple people.
