Cruise & Ferry
Royal Caribbean gives update after passenger was ‘sliced open’ when waterslide shattered
Royal Caribbean has responded after a man was left injured after riding a water slide onboard their Icon of the Seas cruise.
It was launched last year, with the ship holding space for 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members across 2,800 cabins and 20 decks.
The cruise ship being used is actually the biggest in the world, and had departed from Miami, US on 2 August, with its return expected on 9 August.
But on Thursday 7 August, the guest cut himself on a broken panel of a waterslide named the ‘Frightening Bolt Waterslide’, which is 46ft tall, as seen in footage captured by a fellow passenger.
Buckets of water can be seen escaping the tube, with concerned passengers screaming at staff to ‘stop the slide.’
An image was posted on social media by one of the cruise ship travellers, revealing a jagged hole being cut out from one of the slide’s panels.
Nobody fell through the hole, as was first reported, as a man was instead said to have sliced himself on the hole. Cruise Hive reported that passengers saw a male ride with ‘skin laceration injuries from his legs to his hands.’
It was said that nobody on the ground was harmed, and that the guest is in stable condition.
But now, Royal Caribbean have provided an update on the situation, stating: “The slide remained closed for the rest of the voyage while engineers assessed the damage.”
They went on: “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.”
The statement follows an initial one from a spokesperson who said that ‘acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide.’
Social media footage showed the size of the hole in the slide (Storyful)
In a statement to LADbible group, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: “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.”
The Frightening Bolt slide has been described as ‘the tallest at sea’ on the Royal Caribbean website, which is part of ‘the largest waterpark at sea’ for passengers to enjoy.
Glass panel breaks off Icon of the Seas cruise water slide
Passengers aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise tried to alert staff members when a glass panel broke off a slide.
Officials on board a Royal Caribbean cruise liner responded after a guest sustained injuries from a water slide on Thursday.
The incident occurred on the Icon of the Seas, the company said in a written statement.
“Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide,” the company said, noting the guest is being treated for his injuries and the water slide is closed for the remainder of the cruise as an investigation takes place.
Video captures frightening moment
Footage captured of the incident shows the busted glass panel with water pouring out of the enclosed slide. In the video, someone asks “Did the person fall out?” Another responds “Yes, they did.”
Bystanders are heard alerting workers to “stop the slide.” Watch the moment in the video above.
Previous incidents on Royal Caribbean cruises
Royal Caribbean offers seven-night vacations on board the 1,198-foot-long vessel. Icon of the Seas features six waterslides, an adults-only retreat and seven pools, according to the company’s website.
Some of the packages include stops in the Bahamas, Honduras and Mexico.
Royal Caribbean officials did not disclose additional information or identify the guest involved. The company is the second-largest cruise liner in the world.
In recent years, the company has faced other injury claims ranging from slip and falls to medical negligence.
Last month, Royal Caribbean International reported a guest fell over the side of an infinity pool on board Icon of the Seas but did not sustain injuries. The guest was attempting to retrieve their sunglasses at the time of the incident.
Also in July, a crew member was pronounced dead after allegedly jumping overboard after stabbing another employee.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com
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.
Frank M
Frank is a seasoned travel journalist with over a decade of experience covering hospitality, cruise, and air travel.
He has traveled extensively by land, sea, and air, collaborating with industry giants like Marriott, Hyatt, Disney, and Carnival Corp. His work has been featured in major international and industry publications across four continents.
-
Brand Stories3 weeks agoBloom Hotels: A Modern Vision of Hospitality Redefining Travel
-
Brand Stories2 weeks agoCheQin.ai sets a new standard for hotel booking with its AI capabilities: empowering travellers to bargain, choose the best, and book with clarity.
-
Destinations & Things To Do3 weeks agoUntouched Destinations: Stunning Hidden Gems You Must Visit
-
Destinations & Things To Do2 weeks agoThis Hidden Beach in India Glows at Night-But Only in One Secret Season
-
AI in Travel3 weeks agoAI Travel Revolution: Must-Have Guide to the Best Experience
-
Brand Stories1 month agoVoice AI Startup ElevenLabs Plans to Add Hubs Around the World
-
Brand Stories4 weeks agoHow Elon Musk’s rogue Grok chatbot became a cautionary AI tale
-
Brand Stories2 weeks agoContactless Hospitality: Why Remote Management Technology Is Key to Seamless Guest Experiences
-
Asia Travel Pulse1 month agoLooking For Adventure In Asia? Here Are 7 Epic Destinations You Need To Experience At Least Once – Zee News
-
AI in Travel1 month ago‘Will AI take my job?’ A trip to a Beijing fortune-telling bar to see what lies ahead | China
You must be logged in to post a comment Login