Part of the fun of a cruise ship water slide is that the thrills are contained to a tube while the passengers on the pool decks below can relax and enjoy the sunshine. The slides come with an adrenaline rush, but guests are never supposed to be in any real danger.
But for one unidentified guest onboard the 5,610-passenger Icon of the Seas, a fun ride on the Frightening Bolt Waterslide quickly turned scary after a hole appeared in a glass portion of the slide while it was in use on the evening of August 7, 2025.
Notably, the water slide boasts the biggest drop at sea at 46 feet tall, and is famous for its trapdoor launch and the inclusion of a full 360° loop.
It is located in the Category 6 Waterpark, which is also the largest park at sea, in Icon’s Thrill Island neighborhood.
Luckily, nobody fell through the unexpected hole, but other passengers reported that the unidentified male rider suffered “skin laceration injuries from his legs to his hands.”
When the clear portion of the tube shattered, water gushed to the deck below, soaking guests who were trying to relax and also creating slip hazards. Thankfully, no other injuries have been reported.
Worth Reading: Navigator of the Seas Waterslides Closed Amid Fleet-Wide Safety Fix
A spokesperson from Royal Caribbean told Cruise Hive the following:
“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.”
The surrounding area on Deck 15 was also temporarily closed following the unusual incident.
The 248,663 gross ton vessel is coming to the end of a 7-night eastern Caribbean cruise, which first departed from PortMiami on August 2.
The itinerary included calls at St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and a final call at the cruise line’s private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas on August 8.
Should Guests Be Worried About Using Cruise Ship Waterslides?
Believe it or not, incidents related to cruise ship waterslides are very rare. I personally have enjoyed the waterslides on every single cruise ship I’ve sailed on, and I’ve never had an issue after more than a dozen cruises.
But considering the 7,600-guest mega-vessel only just entered service in early 2024, some are concerned about potential manufacturing or installation problems that are lurking under the surface.
It’s important to keep in mind that cruise ships are held to strict safety standards, which includes maintaining all attractions onboard and completing routine and thorough inspections.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean will not reopen the slide until repairs are made and experts confirm that it is absolutely safe to do so.
This means that the slide could also remain closed for Icon’s next sailing, which is another 7-night eastern Caribbean cruise that embarks in Miami on August 9.
Read Also: From Mishaps to Maydays – Cruise Ship Accidents
But again, these types of slide mishaps are rare. One of the most well-known incidents occurred three years ago on a Breakaway-Plus class ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line.
In this case, a female passenger got trapped on the ship’s Ocean Loops waterslide, which extends out from the side of the ship above the water.
The unnamed woman was seen going back and forward and eventually coming to a halt in the middle of the slide. She had to wait for the crew to come to her aid via a safety hatch.
This is also not the first time this summer that an important panel has broken on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, although it’s the first time it’s occurred on a water slide.
On June 8, 2025, one of the large glass panels at Coastal Kitchen on Symphony of the Seas shattered and fell to the deck below. In this case, guests in the area were lucky that crew member Nitin Kumar was there to warn them to get out of the way just in time.
Then, on June 29, another glass panel on the roof of the ship’s solarium shattered, as Symphony of the Seas was docking back in Port Canaveral, Florida.
