Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas were left shaken last Thursday after a dramatic incident involving one of the ship’s signature waterslides. As the world’s largest cruise ship continued its week-long Caribbean voyage, a section of acrylic glass on the Frightening Bolt slide suddenly ruptured while a guest was mid-descent, injuring the rider and sending water gushing onto the decks below. The event has not only prompted an immediate investigation by Royal Caribbean but has also reignited concerns about the safety of high-adrenaline attractions at sea.
The mishap unfolded on August 7, 2025, as the Icon of the Seas sailed between ports on its eastern Caribbean itinerary. Passengers near the Category 6 waterpark—touted by Royal Caribbean as the largest at sea—were startled by a loud crack and the sight of water pouring from a jagged hole in the slide’s clear acrylic section. Videos quickly circulated on social media, capturing the chaos and the terrified screams of cruisegoers: “Stop the slide!” and “Turn back!” rang out as the reality of the situation set in. According to Nexstar Media, "Footage of the broken waterslide has since been making the rounds on social media, showing water cascading to the ship’s deck through a hole near the top of the slide."
The injured guest, identified only as an adult male, was swiftly attended to by onboard medical staff. Royal Caribbean confirmed in statements to multiple outlets—including ABC News, Fox News Digital, and CNN—that the guest was treated for his injuries and is now in stable condition. The cruise line has not disclosed the specific nature of the injuries, but officials have repeatedly emphasized that the guest did not fall through the slide’s opening, a detail corroborated by both passenger accounts and company spokespeople. As one passenger, Lillian Destefano, told Local 10, "When the other gentleman went down, it sliced him ... and then glass fell and the water gushed. No one fell through. Thank God!"
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene. "We saw the gaping hole," a passenger recounted to NBC6. "The water was coming out. It was kind of disturbing to see it because it was a crazy slide, and it was really scary." Another guest, who had used the slide just minutes before the incident, admitted, "It’s a little frightening. It could’ve happened to us, and I'm glad it didn’t." The collective anxiety was palpable, with some passengers now reconsidering whether they’ll ever use similar attractions again. Sophia, a shaken cruisegoer, told NBC6, "I will not be going on slides like that ever again. Definitely not."
Despite the magnitude of the event, several passengers expressed frustration that ship officials did not make formal announcements about the incident. Many learned about the slide’s failure only through word-of-mouth among fellow travelers. "Nothing. Not at all," said one passenger when asked if the crew had communicated details. "If you are not here, nobody knows." This lack of official communication has raised questions about transparency and crisis management aboard large cruise vessels.
The slide in question, the Frightening Bolt, is part of the Thrill Island attraction spanning decks 16 and 17 of Icon of the Seas. It’s one of six slides in the Category 6 waterpark, which Royal Caribbean boasts as a centerpiece of its newest and largest ship. The Icon of the Seas, which embarked on its maiden voyage in January 2024, measures a staggering 250,800 gross tons and can carry up to 6,826 guests at maximum capacity—nearly 10,000 people including crew. The vessel departed Miami on August 2, 2025, for a seven-day tour of the Caribbean and, following the incident, was scheduled to return to PortMiami on Sunday, August 10, 2025.
Royal Caribbean responded swiftly by closing the damaged slide for the remainder of the cruise, pending a comprehensive investigation. "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 guest is being treated for his injuries," a spokesperson told CNN. The company has pledged to determine the cause of the acrylic glass failure and to review all safety protocols to prevent similar accidents in the future. "The water slide is closed for the duration of the cruise while an investigation is underway," a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson stated, as reported by ABC News.
The cause of the breakage remains unknown. According to Fox News Digital, Royal Caribbean is "working to understand how the acrylic glass's structural integrity was compromised and to prevent future incidents." The cruise line’s commitment to a full investigation has been echoed across multiple news outlets, with officials promising to implement any necessary changes once the inquiry concludes.
This incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for cruise ship safety. Just last month, the Icon of the Seas faced two unrelated but serious mishaps: a guest fell over the side of the ship’s infinity pool while reaching for sunglasses, and a crew member reportedly died after an altercation onboard. These events have led to increased calls for transparency and robust safety measures across the industry, especially as cruise ships continue to grow in size and complexity.
For many passengers, the waterslide accident has cast a shadow over what was meant to be a carefree vacation. Some, like the TikTok user quoted by Nexstar Media, have expressed their continued loyalty to Royal Caribbean but admit the episode was deeply unsettling: "Okay we will always cruise Royal but this… this is bad. Especially for the ICON of the seas! Had just about convinced my husband to go on a slide with me too." Others are now reevaluating their willingness to participate in high-thrill activities at sea, even as the allure of record-breaking attractions remains a major draw for cruise lines competing for travelers’ attention.
As the investigation continues, Royal Caribbean’s response and the findings will likely shape not only the future of onboard amusements but also the broader conversation about passenger safety in the cruise industry. For now, the Frightening Bolt slide remains closed, and guests aboard the Icon of the Seas are left with a sobering reminder that even the most advanced attractions can carry unexpected risks.
With the ship’s return to PortMiami and the company’s ongoing review, both passengers and industry observers are watching closely to see how Royal Caribbean will address this high-profile incident—and what it might mean for the future of fun at sea.
