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.
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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.
Cruise & Ferry
Shocking Video Captures Water Gushing From Broken Water Slide On A Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, One Injured

A shocking event occurred aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas when a waterslide unexpectedly ruptured mid-ride, resulting in one person sustaining injuries. The incident took place on Thursday during a week-long voyage around the eastern Caribbean, causing a significant gap in the waterslide. Passengers quickly reacted by shouting, “Stop the slide!” as water poured out from the damaged area.
A clip of the occurrence captured the chaos onboard after an acrylic glass panel shattered while a man was enjoying the slide.
“Our staff administered medical assistance to an adult patron when acrylic glass detached from a waterslide as the patron traversed through it,” stated a spokesperson from Royal Caribbean Group. He continued, “The guest is receiving treatment for his injuries. The water slide will be closed for the duration of the cruise while an investigation is underway.”
Although the identity of the injured individual remains undisclosed, ABC News reported that his condition is stable.
The specific reason behind the acrylic glass failure is still unknown. The company has committed to a full investigation and reviewing all safety protocols to avert similar incidents in the future.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the Icon Class and is 250,800 GT’s. She carries 5,496 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 6,826 and is one of the largest cruise ship’s in the World along with her newest sister, Star of the Seas.
Cruise & Ferry
Passengers on board Icon of the Seas cruise ship speak out after water slide shatters – NBC 6 South Florida

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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