Key Aspects:
- Six different cruise ship guests were arrested at Port Canaveral on Friday, July 17, for different warrants and probation violations.
- The ships the guests were sailing on were not identified, but Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean ships were in port.
- Background checks for outstanding warrants are common at cruise ports, and such arrests are always possible.
It was a busy day at Port Canaveral on Friday, July 17, 2026, and not just because of the three cruise ships in port. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrested six different ship guests that day due to different violations and outstanding warrants.
Of the six, two of the arrested guests were 24-year-old Martell Murray and his traveling companion, 24-year-old Kenderia Burney, both from Atlanta, Georgia.
“Murray had a warrant reference a violation of his release conditions for his Murder charges…yes you read that correctly, and Burney had warrant for Violation of Probation!” the sheriff’s office confirmed on Facebook.
Murray and Burney were set to embark a ship on Friday, but instead “still got to vacation together” at “Ivey’s Iron Bar Lodge,” the tongue-in-cheek description for the Brevard County Jail. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office often pokes fun at criminals that are arrested, increasing awareness on social media that fugitives will not be tolerated.
Both Murray and Burney are currently being held without bond.
The third and fourth arrests were of 38-year-old Veronica Hamlet from Tampa, Florida and 66-year-old James Brewton from Allendale, South Carolina.
Both had minor court violations of failure to appear and a violation of probation warrant, respectively. Hamlet was released Saturday, July 18 on a $1,000 bond, while Brewton was released on Saturday on a $500 bond. It is not known whether Hamlet and Brewton knew one another or if they were embarking or disembarking sailings at the time of their arrests.
The final two arrests were of disembarking passengers who were both on felony probation and did not have approval to leave the country. Therefore, their cruise vacations were a direct violation of those probation terms. Their names were not released.
“Whether you’re from Florida or Alaska, if you come to Brevard County and break the law…or in this case have a warrant…you better believe that we will lock you up!” the sheriff’s office noted.
Which Cruise Ships Were Involved?
None of the ships the now-arrested guests were sailing on (or were supposed to sail on) were identified, but the cruise lines were not themselves involved in the arrests in any way. There is no indication of poor behavior or altercations onboard any of the ships.
Three ships from three different cruise lines were at Port Canaveral on Friday. Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Glory had just finished a 4-night Bahamas trip that visited Nassau and Celebration Key. The 2,980-guest vessel offers 3- and 4-night cruises year-round from the Space Coast.
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish was also in port, having just finished a 4-night Bahamas cruise to Nassau and Castaway Cay. Disney Wish can welcome as many as 4,000 guests when fully booked and likewise offers short 3- and 4-night sailings year-round from Port Canaveral.
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas was the final ship in port on Friday, having just returned from a 4-night Bahamas sailing to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. The Oasis-class vessel was the largest ship in port that day, able to host 5,668 guests at once at double occupancy. The ship also offers 3- and 4-night cruises year-round from Port Canaveral.
There were no delays for any of the ships. All three have since departed on their regular 3-night weekend sailings.
Arrests Not Uncommon
Unfortunately, arrests at cruise ports are not uncommon. While large-scale incidents such as major brawls are relatively rare, local law enforcement does work with port and cruise line officials to arrest individuals with outstanding warrants.
Cruise Hive has regularly reported on such arrests. A Kentucky man was arrested at PortMiami in December 2024 for more than $100,000 in unpaid child support, and a Pennsylvania woman was arrested in 2025 for misappropriation of GoFundMe donations, including buying herself a cruise.
Embezzlement, drug possession, casino fraud, planting hidden cameras, credit card fraud, forged documents, sexual assault, and other charges have all led to guests being arrested at cruise terminals either before or after their sailings.
