Harmony of the Seas’ current sailing has been nothing if not eventful.
First, embarkation in Galveston, Texas, on December 15, 2024, was delayed by more than eight hours – coming as a result of the 6,687-guest ship going out of her way to medically evacuate an elderly guest at the end of the previous voyage.
On December 17, just two days into the current 7-night Western Caribbean sailing, the Oasis-class vessel came to the rescue for four stranded fishermen while sailing off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico.
According to current passengers who witnessed the rescue, the fishermen became stranded due to a mechanical issue – and no one onboard the smaller vessel required medical attention.
The fishermen didn’t want to leave their boat behind, so crew members provided them with provisions and a radio – and made sure Mexican authorities were on their way to further assist the stranded group before sailing on.
“I’m on board. There were 4 fishermen that had a mechanical. Captain said that none needed medical attention, didn’t want to leave their boat, so we left provisions and a radio and ensured Mexican authorities were en route and monitoring them and they released us from the scene to continue our voyage,” one witness shared.
Had the fishermen wanted to come aboard, Royal Caribbean would have provided them with any necessary medical attention, sustenance, and lodging before most likely dropping them off at the next port of call – which in this case, is on Roatan, Honduras, on December 18.
With the 226,963-gross ton vessel already sailing again at speeds of 19 knots per hour (about 22 mph) – and considering the rescue didn’t take her off course – it’s very unlikely that the unplanned stop will lead to any significant delays or itinerary changes.
After Roatan, the Royal Caribbean ship is scheduled to call on Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, on December 19 and 20, respectively.
The cruise line has not released any official statements about Harmony’s heroic efforts as of the time of publication.
A Heroic Year for Harmony of the Seas
Harmony of the Seas is ending 2024 in the same way she began the year: with a heroic rescue.
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the ship also stopped during another 7-night Western Caribbean sailing to rescue six fishermen and their dog.
The small fishing vessel, named Aris, has experienced an engine failure over the weekend, before losing communication abilities. The mega-cruise ship happened to find them two days after they had been reported lost.
Thankfully, all seven castaways (including the dog, named Canelo) were found to be in reasonably good health considering what they had endured.
Rescue teams brought them onboard, where they were provided with food, water, and medical attention, before being transferred to the Mexican Navy. It was then up to the authorities to transport the group home to their families in Cozumel, Mexico.
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Later in the year, there was another heroic rescue performed by a passenger onboard Harmony of the Seas.
In early October, Rory Foy dove into action during a port call in Roatan, Honduras, after witnessing a passenger fall overboard from another cruise ship that was docking in the port.
Luckily for that guest, Foy is an Irish Firefighter and Paramedic. The trained first-responder leaped into the water to bring the distressed person a life ring and help them swim to safety.
It’s unclear what cruise ship the guest fell from – but what really matters in the end is that everyone was okay.
