Passengers on board Icon of the Seas cruise ship speak out after water slide shatters – NBC 6 South Florida

Published

14 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Several passengers on board Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas cruise are speaking out after a water slide shattered.

NBC6 on Saturday spoke to passengers who said they loved their time on the cruise but were shocked when the incident happened.

They said they’re now second-guessing whether they will go on another water slide on a ship again.

The incident happened while the Icon of the Seas was traveling in the Caribbean.

Part of the acrylic glass of one of the six water slides on board broke open as an adult was passing through, while passengers watched in shock.

“We saw the gaping hole,” said a passenger. “The water was coming out. It was kind of disturbing to see it because it was a crazy slide, and it was really scary.”

Officials with Royal Caribbean said the guest did not fall through the gaping hole.

“I was on that slide 20 minutes before,” said a passenger.

“It’s a little frightening. It could’ve happened to us, and I’m glad it didn’t,” said a passenger.

Royal Caribbean Group provided NBC6 a statement, which reads in part:

“The guest is being treated for his injuries. The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation.”

However, passengers said they were never told anything on the ship. The malfunction was only talked about with other cruisegoers on board.

“Nothing. Not at all,” said a passenger. “If you are not here, nobody knows.”

Now, some passengers like Sophia are second-guessing whether they’ll go on another slide on board a ship again.

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

The cause of the damage to the slide is unknown.

The guest who was injured is in stable condition.

NBC6 is working to learn the extent of their injuries.

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Royal Caribbean cruise ship water slide breaks, injuring guest

Published

33 minutes ago

August 10, 2025

, USA TODAY

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

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Cruise & Ferry

Hamburg To Require Shore Power Starting in 2027 – Cruise Industry News

Published

2 hours ago

August 10, 2025

the Editor

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.

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Cruise & Ferry

Cruise Ship Guests Dead After Being Swept Out to Sea on Greek Island

Published

4 hours ago

August 10, 2025

Frank M

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.

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