Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas were left in shock on Thursday, August 7, 2025, when a waterslide mishap sent chaos rippling across the world’s largest cruise ship. According to CBS News and The Independent, an acrylic glass panel on the slide shattered as an adult guest was riding through, sending water gushing into a public area and leaving the rider injured.
The incident unfolded in dramatic fashion. Videos captured by other guests quickly made the rounds on social media, showing panicked passengers screaming and urgently calling out, “Stop the slide! Stop the slide!” as water poured from the broken section. In the confusion, people searched frantically for the injured guest, their voices echoing through the ship’s decks. One passenger, Jim Muldoon, can be heard in a video asking if the person had actually fallen out of the slide. Another replies, “Yes, they did.”
Royal Caribbean confirmed in a statement that their 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 added, “The guest is being treated for his injuries.” While the precise severity of the injuries was not immediately disclosed, both CBS News and The Independent reported that the guest was in stable condition after receiving medical attention onboard.
The waterslide in question is part of the ship’s Category 6 waterpark, which Royal Caribbean touts as the largest at sea, featuring six record-breaking slides. The cruise line’s website describes the Frightening Bolt as “the tallest at sea,” and the Pressure Drop as “the first open free-fall slide at sea.” With 20 decks, over 2,800 cabins, and space for 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew, Icon of the Seas is a floating city that offers 40 dining and entertainment venues and eight themed “neighborhoods.”
The accident occurred while the ship was on an eastern Caribbean voyage that had departed Miami on August 2, with a scheduled return to Florida on Saturday, August 9. In the wake of the incident, Royal Caribbean closed the slide for the remainder of the sailing and launched an investigation into the cause of the failure. “The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation,” a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told CBS News.
For many passengers, the sudden turn of events was both frightening and surreal. The sight of water flooding into public spaces and the frantic search for the injured guest left a lasting impression. Some guests, still shaken, shared their experiences online, describing the moment as “terrifying” and expressing concern for the safety of the ship’s attractions.
While Royal Caribbean has not released further details about the nature of the injury or the guest’s identity, the company emphasized that safety remains its top priority. The Independent reported that the cruise line is conducting a thorough review of the incident and will update its protocols if necessary. “The guest is being treated for his injuries,” the company reiterated, underlining its commitment to guest welfare.
This alarming episode comes on the heels of another tragic event aboard the same vessel just two weeks earlier. On July 24, 2025, the Royal Bahamas Police Force reported that a 35-year-old male crew member from South Africa stabbed a 28-year-old female colleague, also from South Africa, multiple times before fleeing and jumping overboard. The incident occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. as the ship sailed near the Bahamas.
According to police, the female victim sustained stab wounds to her upper body and was treated onboard, eventually being listed in stable condition. The suspect, after jumping into the water from the massive cruise liner, was retrieved unresponsive by rescue teams and pronounced dead by medical staff onboard. Royal Caribbean did not publicly identify either crew member, but confirmed that the ship’s medical team responded swiftly to both emergencies.
The back-to-back incidents have cast a spotlight on the complexities of managing safety and security aboard mega-cruise ships. With thousands of guests and crew in a confined, floating environment, even a single failure—mechanical or human—can have ripple effects felt by all onboard. For many, the dual crises raised questions about the adequacy of safety measures, emergency response protocols, and the challenges of maintaining order in such a unique setting.
Industry observers note that cruise ships like Icon of the Seas are engineered with rigorous safety standards, and incidents involving waterslides or violent altercations are rare. Still, the sheer scale of these vessels means that when something does go wrong, the consequences can be dramatic. The cruise industry as a whole has faced increased scrutiny in recent years, with regulators and consumer advocates calling for greater transparency and stricter oversight of onboard safety features.
Royal Caribbean, for its part, has pledged to cooperate fully with authorities and to share the findings of its internal investigation with the public. “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, echoing its earlier statements. The cruise line also assured guests that the affected slide would remain closed until a full safety inspection is completed and any necessary repairs or modifications are made.
Meanwhile, the ship’s return to Miami on August 9 is expected to proceed as scheduled. Passengers disembarking will no doubt carry home stories of a trip marked by both excitement and unexpected drama. For many, the events serve as a reminder that even on the world’s most advanced cruise ships, unforeseen dangers can arise—and that the response of crew and fellow passengers can make all the difference in a crisis.
As Royal Caribbean continues its investigation, the cruise industry—and the millions who sail each year—will be watching closely to see what lessons are learned from these back-to-back incidents. With the Icon of the Seas representing the cutting edge of cruise ship design and entertainment, the stakes for restoring confidence and ensuring guest safety have never been higher.
For now, the ship’s signature waterslides remain silent, and the focus turns to healing, accountability, and the hope that future voyages will be remembered for all the right reasons.
