Royal Caribbean passengers have broken their silence after a glass water slide shattered on board one of its cruise ships, leaving a guest with ‘skin lacerations’ on their arms and legs.

On August 2, the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas – the world’s biggest cruiser – left Miami, Florida, with plans to return on August 9.

However, tragedy struck just five days into holidaymakers’ once-in-a-lifetime trip; a glass waterslide shattered, causing an adult guest to ‘slice’ themselves open on a broken panel.

In footage captured onboard the vessel, water could be seen escaping the 46-foot-tall ‘Frightening Bolt Waterslide’ tube.

Recounting the terrifying incident, an anonymous passenger told NBC6. “We saw the gaping hole.

“The water was coming out. It was kind of disturbing to see it because it was a crazy slide, and it was really scary.”

Royal Caribbean confirmed that none of the guests onboard the Icon of the Seas – whose capacity is a whopping 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members – fell through the slide’s jagged gap.

Another traveller, who had reportedly travelled down the slide just 20 minutes before, added: “It’s a little frightening. It could’ve happened to us, and I’m glad it didn’t.”

When asked if they were informed that the malfunction had taken place, another cruiser replied in the negative.

“If you are not here, nobody knows,” they claimed.

Meanwhile, a woman named Sophia is now second-guessing whether she’ll ever go on a slide like the one damaged on the Icon of the Seas again.

“I will not be going on slides like that ever again,” she said. “Definitely not.”

As per Cruise Hive, a male was seen with ‘skin laceration injuries from his legs to his hands’.

According to a statement issued to NBC6 by the Royal Caribbean Group, the guest who was injured in the slide smash is currently being treated for his injuries.

“Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide,” they said.

In a further update, the company added that the slide will remain closed for the rest of the ship’s voyage and that engineers will be assessing the damage.

“The company has not provided a timeline for reopening and is investigating whether the failure was due to a manufacturing defect, installation issue, or an unexpected impact.

“Other pools and water attractions on board remained open, but passengers noted an increase in visible safety checks across the ship in the days following the incident.”

In a statement to LADbible Group, the spokesperson added: “The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority.

“To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines.”

Officials on board a Royal Caribbean cruise liner responded after a guest sustained injuries from a water slide on Thursday.

The port of Hamburg is making shore power mandatory for cruise ships visiting its three terminals starting in 2027.

According to local media, all vessels capable of using the technology will be required to do so when calling in Hamburg.

The measure comes three years ahead of similar European Union requirements entering effect, NDR.de reported.

“It’s also important for the acceptance of the cruise business in the city as a whole,” Hamburg’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Melanie Leonhard, told the news outlet.

Cruise lines and ships that fail to meet the requirements will be subjected to sanctions, including so-called “compensation payments,” she continued.

Leonhard said that two-thirds of all ships capable of using shore power are currently using shore power when visiting Hamburg.

NDR.de reported that the use of shore power makes operations in Hamburg significantly more expensive for cruise ships sailing to the port.

Jens Meier, head of the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), told the website that the port was a European pioneer in offering shore power for cruise vessels.

Shore power is currently available at two of the port’s terminals, including the Hamburg-Altona Cruise Terminal, which was one of the first in the region to offer the technology back in 2017.

In 2024, the Steinwerder Cruise Terminal became the second in Hamburg to offer connections for vessels.

The technology is now coming to the new HafenCity Cruise Terminal, which is scheduled to be completed later this year.

The two new connections being added to the terminals will undergo trials before being available for ships in 2027.

A major homeport in Germany, Hamburg serves as a starting point for cruises from a wide range of brands, including AIDA, Costa, MSC, TUI, Cunard and Hapag-Lloyd.

The town is also a popular port of call for other brands, such as Royal Caribbean, P&O, Norwegian, Princess, Silversea, Regent and more.