Key Aspects:
- A crew member has been removed from Disney Destiny following an onboard assault against another crew member.
- CBP officers removed the crew member at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, but the date of the removal or the onboard incident was not disclosed.
- Crew members who are removed from ships may face charges or deportation for various alleged crimes, depending on the nature of individual incidents.
A crew member from Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Destiny was removed from the vessel following an onboard assault and subsequently removed from the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers responded to the report of a crew-on-crew assault while the ship was docked at her homeport, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, and removed the individual identified as the instigating party in the incident.
The news was announced through a Facebook post from the CBP Miami and Tampa Field Office on the evening of Friday, November 6, 2026.
“CBP officers at Port Everglades responded to a report of a crew-on-crew assault aboard Disney Destiny,” the post confirmed. “The individual identified as the aggressor had their crew visa cancelled and was removed from the United States, reinforcing our commitment to safety and security at our ports.”
The date of the incident and the crew member’s removal were not specified, and Disney Destiny was not in port on the day the Facebook post was made.
The ship’s most recent sailing before the CBP post ended on Monday, November 2. That 4-night Bahamas cruise had departed Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, October 29 with port visits to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island.
CBP did not disclose details of the crew member’s identity, their position onboard the ship, or the nature of the assault. The Facebook post was accompanied by a photo of two CBP officers standing with their backs turned on either side of the crew member, whose face was blurred out. Other than the crew member being male and having dark hair, no details of any uniform or other identifying information is present.
The 4,000-guest Disney Destiny has only been in service for a year, having been christened on November 10, 2025 and welcomed guests for her maiden voyage on November 20, 2025. The ship is home to roughly 1,600 international crew members.
More Crew Members Removed From Ships
This most recent removal of a Disney Destiny crew member is not the first time a cruise ship crew member has been removed from a ship, and not even the first time crew members have been removed from Disney ships.
At the end of April 2026, several crew members from Disney Magic were removed at the ship’s San Diego homeport. While allegations were not released at the time, it was later confirmed those removals were part of an ongoing plan, Operation Tidal Wave, to remove crew members associated with child sexual exploitation or abuse materials.
Crew members from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway and Holland America Line’s Volendam were also removed in Boston in August 2026 as part of the same joint operation that has been continuing in different phases for several months.
Another Disney cruise ship, Disney Adventure, had individuals removed even before the vessel officially joined the cruise line. Two men were detained by German federal police when Disney Adventure stopped to refuel during her sea trials in early September 2025. One paid a fine and remained with the ship, while the other was taken into custody.
The two individuals removed from Disney Adventure were shipyard workers with outstanding warrants but were not employees of Disney Cruise Line, and the ship’s sea trials were not delayed.
Crew members have been removed from other cruise ships for various charges, including violent assaults, shoplifting while in a ship’s homeport, and even alleged war crimes.
