An adult guest was injured Thursday after a waterslide malfunction aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas.
An acrylic glass panel broke off while the guest was passing through the slide during an eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami, the cruise line said in a statement.
The guest received medical care and is being treated for injuries, although the severity of their injuries is unknown at this time.
“Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide,” according to a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson. “The guest is being treated for his injuries.”
Fellow guests shared videos of water rushing out through the hole in the broken panel of the slide on social media. Panic-stricken people can be heard screaming for operators to “stop the slide.”
In a clip captured by Jim Muldoon, he asks if the person fell out of the slide, to which someone else replies, “Yes, they did.”
The waterslide is closed while the company investigates the incident.
The ship left Miami on August 2 for an eastern Caribbean trip and is set to return to Florida on Saturday.
The Independent has contacted Royal Caribbean for an updated comment.
Launched in January 2024, the Icon of the Seas has 20 decks, over 2,800 cabins, and space for 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew.
The shop offers 40 dining and entertainment venues, eight themed “neighborhoods,” multiple pools, and Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea with six record-breaking slides, the company says.
“Roaring thunder means the Frightening Bolt is close, and this drop waterslide is the tallest at sea,” Royal Caribbean’s website reads. “Once your stomach lurches, it’s too late. You’re caught in the Pressure Drop, the first open free-fall slide at sea.”
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
