Five American cruise ship guests have been arrested in Nassau, Bahamas, after they were involved in a brawl that not only started at the cruise port, but continued once the guests were at the police station.

Three local officers were injured and damage was done to the station in the incident.

According to The Nassau Guardian, the fight happened late Monday afternoon, June 8, 2026. Three women and two men were involved, fighting at the port at roughly 4:45 p.m. Authorities arrived quickly and all five were arrested.

Once arriving at the police station, however, the five suspects then resisted the officers, attempted to flee, and caused damage to the station when officers tried to search them.

“One female suspect allegedly threw a chair through a southern glass door, causing it to shatter. A male suspect then allegedly kicked out the remaining glass and attempted to escape, but was immediately subdued by officers,” police said.

“As a result of the confrontation at the police station, several officers’ uniforms were damaged and four officers sustained various injuries. Two officers were reportedly struck about the body, while another suffered a laceration to the mouth. The fourth officer sustained a serious injury to his left shoulder and was transported to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment.”

The five suspects also had minor injuries and were treated by emergency personnel.

Which Cruise Guests Were Involved?

No information of the identities of the suspects has been released, other than the fact that they are American citizens, two are men, and three are women.

It is not known which cruise ship the guests had sailed on to reach Nassau, and not even whether or not they were all on the same vessel or if the altercation began because of some conflict inside the cruise terminal area.

Six different ships from four different cruise lines were in Nassau on Monday: Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas; Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration; Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy; and Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess.

Together, the six ships could have brought more than 30,000 cruise guests to the capital of the Bahamas, depending on how full each ship happened to be for their individual sailings.

Oasis of the Seas is on a 7-night sailing that departed New Jersey on Friday, June 5, while Allure of the Seas is on a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary that left Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, June 8. Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration are both on 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises that left Port Canaveral on Saturday and Miami on Sunday, respectively.

Caribbean Princess also sailed from Port Canaveral for a 7-night cruise on Sunday, the same day Disney Fantasy also left the central Florida homeport but for a 3-night weekend Bahamas cruise.

Charges Pending

Just because cruise passengers are guests in a different country does not mean they are free from the consequences of their actions, which includes being held accountable to all local laws.

Five different charges are now being processed against the detained cruise passengers. While each individual may face separate charges or severity levels depending on their personal involvement, the charges include assaulting a police officer, fighting in a public space, resisting arrest, disorderly behavior in a police station, and malicious damage.

Cruise Hive has previously reported on incidents when travelers are subject to local laws, such as in April 2024 when a Royal Caribbean guest was arrested in Grand Turk for having ammunition in his luggage.

Depending on the severity of the infraction, cruise guests might only receive warnings. For example, camouflage clothing is illegal in the Bahamas and several other popular cruise destinations, but guests are often just escorted back to their ships to change rather than facing arrest for that violation.

In a disturbing incident, a young teen cruise guest was attacked at the port of Genoa in northern Italy on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 just when she ought to have been enjoying the historic Italian city with her family.

According to La Repubblica, the 14-year-old female French tourist had disembarked from a ship with her family. She was attacked shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Via Gramsci, just a short walk from the cruise terminal and near a subway station.

The young girl was punched in the face by a woman estimated to be 25 years old, though no details have been released about any possible provocation or why the incident occurred. Authorities responded and were able to apprehend the assailant, who had initially fled the scene but returned and subsequently resisted officers who attempted to detain her.

She was arrested and was described as “agitated” throughout the encounter, but no additional information about her identity or any possible charges has been released.

A local volunteer ambulance service, the Croce Bianca Genovese, responded to the scene and treated the young woman for several abrasions. She was offered transportation to the hospital but refused any further treatment.

The ship the girl and her family were sailing on has not been identified, but only MSC Musica was in port on Tuesday, June 9. The 92,409-gross-ton ship can welcome 2,550 guests per sailing and offers 7-night Mediterranean cruises.

Guests can embark from different points on these Mediterranean sailings, including Civitavecchia (Rome), Genoa, Marseille, Valencia, and Cagliari. It is unknown whether or not the teen and her family were at the end of their cruise vacation or if Genoa may have been the ship’s first port of call for their getaway.

Are Cruise Ports Safe?

In general, cruise ports are very safe to visit, particularly popular destinations when guests remain in tourist areas during busy times.

Unfortunately, crime can occur anywhere and at any time. With this specific incident, the attacker may have other issues that led to her criminal behavior, or there is simply more to the story that has not yet been released.

Crime can also occur onboard ships, and Cruise Hive has reported on incidents on different cruise lines when guests get into unfortunate situations. At times, these incidents may be aggravated by alcohol consumption, personal grudges, or domestic disputes.

The US Department of State lists Italy as a Level 2 travel advisory, “Exercise increased caution.” This is due to terrorist violence, and tourist spots are common targets for such incidents, as are transportation centers (such as subway stations), religious sites, parks, and other public areas.

There is no indication at this time that the woman who attacked the teen was involved in any terrorist activity, but cruise guests should always be cautious when visiting any port of call.

A Maine man who admitted to assaulting his girlfriend, including biting her aboard an international cruise ship, has been sentenced to a year in federal prison, closing a case that stemmed from a December 2024 voyage.

John Kelleher, 46, of Brewer, Maine, was sentenced on June 9, 2026, by US District Judge Stacey D. Neumann in US District Court in Bangor. In addition to the 12-month prison sentence, Kelleher was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and pay $360 in restitution, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.

Federal prosecutors said Kelleher pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026, to assaulting his then-girlfriend while the pair were traveling on an unidentified international cruise ship.

According to court records, Kelleher had been drinking heavily during the voyage. Prosecutors said that on or about December 19, 2024, he assaulted the victim by punching and biting her while onboard the vessel.

The incident occurred while Kelleher was serving a state probation sentence in Maine. Court records indicate the terms of his probation prohibited him from leaving the state without permission and from consuming alcohol.

Read Also: Do Cruise Ships Have Jails – Here’s the Truth

Prosecutors said Kelleher violated both conditions when he embarked on the cruise and consumed alcohol during the trip.

Federal authorities did not identify the cruise line or ship involved in the case, nor did they provide additional information about the victim’s injuries.

Court Records Detail Events

Additional court records show the assault stemmed from an argument between Kelleher and his then-girlfriend while the couple shared a cabin aboard a cruise ship that had departed from New York City. Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Cunard were all operating from the city at the time. Royal Caribbean also operated out of the nearby Cape Liberty port in New Jersey.

According to a factual basis filed in the case, Kelleher and the victim had been in a relationship for approximately 4 years and were traveling together aboard a Malta-registered cruise ship in December 2024.

The incident occurred after Kelleher accused the victim of being unfaithful, according to court filings. What began as an argument inside the couple’s cabin escalated into a physical assault.

Prosecutors said Kelleher struck the victim multiple times with a closed fist and bit her during the altercation. The assault took place while the vessel was operating within federal maritime jurisdiction.

The victim suffered a black eye and bruises across her body as well as bite marks, which she photographed on her cell phone. 

While many incidents aboard cruise ships are handled internally by ship security teams, allegations involving serious crimes can be referred to law enforcement agencies for investigation.

Cruise lines maintain onboard security personnel who are responsible for responding to disturbances, documenting incidents, gathering witness statements, and preserving evidence.

In cases involving allegations of assault, security officers may also coordinate with medical staff to document injuries and provide care to those involved.

Depending on circumstances, investigations can be conducted by agencies including the FBI and the US Coast Guard.

In Kelleher’s case, his girlfriend did not contact ship authorities and instead reached out to local law enforcement in Maine when she returned home. The matter was referred the matter to the FBI, which investigated the assault and filed charges in June 2025.