Key Aspects:
- Following a fight onboard Costa Smeralda, 13 cruise guests have been reported to Palermo authorities for aggravated brawling.
- The incident involved two groups of guests after a comment made toward a young woman escalated to physical violence.
- Authorities identified all 13 guests involved and it was confirmed that one guest who was kicked while unconscious did not suffer serious injuries.
One comment turned into a brawl with more than a dozen participants aboard Costa Smeralda recently while the ship was at sea in the waters between Naples and Palermo.
According to Palermo Today and investigations from local authorities, including the Palermo Maritime Border Police, the incident was between two groups of young guests, ages 18-20. One group has been identified as from Salento, while the other group is from Sicily.
Italpress has noted that the two groups boarded Costa Smeralda in Civitavecchia and Palermo, respectively. It is unknown whether anyone in either group knew one another prior to meeting onboard the ship.
Following detailed reconstruction of the incident from onboard video surveillance footage and crew member accounts, authorities determined that an individual in the Salento group directed a joke at a young woman in the Sicilian group, which began a verbal confrontation near the ship’s nightclub.
The encounter quickly escalated to physical violence and moved into corridors and the nearby elevator bank. Video of the incident shared from the Palermo Maritime Border Police and posted on Facebook shows a very active fight scene with at least one chair thrown and other nearby furniture in disarray.
During the fight, one young man was reportedly knocked unconscious and several others continued to kick him in the head. He was hospitalized temporarily for medical checks but it was determined he had not suffered any serious injuries.
As a result of the brawl, 13 cruise guests were reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Palermo for aggravated brawling, but it is not confirmed if they were taken into custody or officially charged.
The exact date of the incident is unclear, but the 5,224-guest ship is sailing regular itineraries in the Mediterranean and sails along the Italian coast each week. The ship’s most recent call to Palermo was on Thursday, September 10, 2026, while the most recent visit to Civitavecchia was on Friday, September 11.
Fights Not Uncommon But Followed by Consequences
Unfortunately, fights are not uncommon on cruise ships. When thousands of people are together for several days, it is inevitable that personality conflicts may occur.
Cruise Hive has reported on various incidents from different ships and in different ports of call involving cruise guests. For example, on June 8, 2026, six guests were arrested in Nassau for a brawl at the port that continued in the nearby police station. Ultimately, those guests were collectively fined more than $52,000 for a variety of charges.
Also in June 2026, a huge brawl erupted at PortMiami following a 3-night weekend sailing of Carnival Conquest and 16 guests involved in the incident were banned from Carnival Cruise Line.
No consequences have been confirmed from Costa Cruises for those young guests involved in the recent brawl, but the cruise line’s own terms and conditions clearly state in Section 10.2 that “Passengers’ behavior shall not affect the safety, comfort, wellbeing or enjoyment of other Passengers.”
The terms and conditions go on to outline that the ship’s Master has the power to take actions such as debarking guests, confining them to their staterooms, or otherwise limiting their activities due to unruly behavior.
Costa Cruises is part of the Carnival Corporation & plc family, which also owns Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and others.
