Key Aspects:
- Repairs are now in progress for the Frightening Bolt waterslide onboard Icon of the Seas, from which a glass panel shattered while a guest was riding it earlier this month.
- The acrylic glass panel is being replaced with the same solid tubing that is used on the rest of the attraction.
- It’s unclear when the repaired slide will actually be back in business onboard Icon of the Seas, or when the identical slide onboard the newly launched Star of the Seas will open.
Few in the cruise community will ever forget the day that the Frightening Bolt waterslide broke open on Icon of the Seas, but Royal Caribbean is one step closer to putting the saga in the past.
On August 7, 2025, a glass acrylic panel near the top of the record-breaking waterslide shattered as an unidentified man was sliding down.
While the man thankfully did not fall through the slide, which would have been bad, as Frightening Bolt is the tallest at waterslide at sea at 46 feet tall, he did receive significant skin lacerations.
For Royal Caribbean’s part, the cruise line offered the passenger prompt medical care and closed the attraction on both Icon of the Seas and the brand new Star of the Seas until a thorough investigation could be completed.
But while the cause of the break hasn’t been publicly released, a determination must have been made as current guests onboard the Icon-class flagship have noticed that repairs are now in progress.
Instead of installing a new acrylic glass panel, crew members appear to be replacing the broken part with a solid piece that is similar to the tubing that is used for the rest of the slide.
“It looks like the slide is currently being fixed. They are replacing the clear plexiglass with a solid piece,” one cruiser shared, along with pictures of a crane and a construction team at work.
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“They’re replacing the broken clear section with a piece similar to the rest of the slide,” another current guest verified.
It’s unclear when the Frightening Bolt waterslide will finally reopen. Once repairs are completed, the slide still has to pass inspections and testing to ensure its safety.
Will Star of the Seas Get the Same Fix?
At this time, the identical attraction in the Category 6 Waterpark onboard Star of the Seas remains closed.
“Currently on star and it’s not operational as of yet. We dock tomorrow,” said one cruiser, who is onboard for the 4-night preview voyage that embarked on August 23.
Depending on what Royal Caribbean uncovered in the investigation, it’s possible that the brand new cruise ship will need to undergo the same fix.
“I assume Star will need the same acrylic section replaced on its trap door slide before that reopens,” one cruise fan theorized.
It’s unclear if the slide will reopen before the 5,610-guest mega-ship embarks on her official maiden voyage on August 31, 2025, in Port Canaveral.
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Among the cruise community, the majority have been impressed by the quality of Royal Caribbean’s fix, and the speed at which repairs are being completed.
“This is no surprise to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the thermal difference between fiberglass (normal slide construction) and acrylic (clear slide construction) contributed to the issue. This is a good fix,” one person reacted.
“Honestly, I expected this slide to be out of action for months. Amazed they’ve moved so fast,” another cruiser chimed in.
As the repairs are completed, safety will no doubt continue to be top of mind for the cruise line.
Royal Caribbean prides itself on often going above and beyond the standards that have been established by Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the US Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA).
