A waterslide malfunction on Royal Caribbean‘s Icon of the Seas Thursday injured at least one guest as the slide’s acrylic glass cracked beneath a rider.
Social media footage captured the moment when a rider slid across the cracking panel of the “Frightening Bolt” slide—narrowly avoiding plummeting through the hole, but sustaining injuries nonetheless, the extent of which were not disclosed.
According to a statement issued by Royal Caribbean, “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. The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation.”
Meanwhile, the 1,198-foot vessel—currently the world’s largest cruise ship—continued its scheduled itinerary to Coco Cay before returning to Miami.
Cruise Line Safety Records
This marks the latest in a series of incidents aboard Icon of the Seas since its January 2025 debut. In July, a crew member jumped overboard after allegedly stabbing a female coworker during an onboard altercation. The victim survived, but the accused crew member was later recovered deceased. Separately, an electrical fire in June caused temporary power disruptions, although no injuries were reported.
The 250,800-ton Icon of the Seas accommodates 7,600 passengers and features record-breaking amenities, including six waterslides and seven pools. Royal Caribbean has emphasized that all attractions undergo rigorous safety checks.
CLIA’s 2025 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report emphasizes that “new ship classes with innovative attractions undergo additional scrutiny through enhanced inspection protocols.” While noting that mechanical incidents represent less than 0.1% of annual sailings, the report explicitly addresses water attraction safety, stating all members must comply with ASTM F2376 standards for water slide structural integrity.
Royal Caribbean confirms the affected slide passed all required ASTM inspections prior to the incident. The cruise line has not released additional details about the slide malfunction but stated it is cooperating with investigators.
The Icon of the Seas is scheduled for routine dry-dock maintenance in early 2026. Meanwhile, the line’s newer Star of the Seas—set to debut in late 2025—will incorporate design refinements based on lessons learned from the Icon’s inaugural season.
Built for fun, Icon of the Seas also was built for groups, with multiple meeting spaces including conference rooms, a 1,229-seat theater and a number of entertainment venues available for private events.
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