Passengers enjoying the last night of a roundtrip cruise to Roatan, Honduras, and Cozumel, Mexico, got a bit of a jolt late in the evening when the sprinklers suddenly went off, sending them running for cover from an indoor downpour.
Numerous videos shared by guests of Royal Caribbeanโs Harmony of the Seas posted videos of sprinklers spewing water in the shipโs Royal Promenade on Deck 5 on November 16, 2024, as the 6,780-passenger vessel was in the Gulf of Mexico returning to Galveston, Texas.
Eyewitness accounts poured in almost as quickly as the sprinklers, with one guest humorously saying, โThis is just the new upcharge attraction that creates a rainy Italian street. Youโll see this reflected in your room bill.โ
Social media videos captured stunned guests in the area filled with restaurants, bars, and shops dodging the water and crew members racing to address the situation.
Reports said it was minutes before crew members turned off the sprinklers, leaving guests hiding in restaurants to stay dry.
However, food service, including room service, was suspended as it was all hands on deck for crew members to clean up inches of water that had poured down in public spaces, soaking furniture, carpets, and personal belongings.
The reason behind the mishap is unclear, although many thought smoke from Sorrentoโs Pizza may have triggered the sprinklers.
Thankfully, the 226,963-gross-ton ship continued on its scheduled itinerary without further interruptions, with passengers dubbing the mishap โa new twist to white night.โ
The incident followed another water-themed mishap aboard a Royal Caribbean ship when fog machines triggered the sprinkler system in the Royal Promenade.
During a Halloween party on October 31, 2024, up to 6,680 guests in costume on the 228,081-gross-ton Symphony of the Seaswere caught in an unexpected indoor downpour mid-celebration on their voyage from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas.
Harmony of the Seas is not immune to weird water issues, though. In January 2023, a sudden turn made by the captain to avoid hitting a refugee boat, caused water from its Deck 15 pools to spill over and cascade down six decks into the Central Park area on Deck 8.
Sprinkler mishaps highlight cruise ship safety measures
While the sprinkler incidents were inconvenient and happened just weeks apart, these kinds of problems are actually very rare.
And, as one commentator wrote on the social media videos, โItโs good to see just how much water they throw. Thatโs hopefully something none of us will ever have to see for real.โ
Sprinklers are just part of the many fire safety systems in place to protect passengers, crew, and the vessels themselves, including on Royal Caribbean ships.
Beyond automatic sprinklers, guests can spot portable fire extinguishers, smoke and heat detectors, and water mist systems everywhere, from guest cabins and public spaces to high-risk areas like engine rooms, which also have foam and CO2 suppression systems for extra protection.
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Additionally, the design of a ship utilizes fire-resistant materials and automatic fire doors that create zones to help contain and prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
Ships are also equipped with clearly marked escape routes and lifeboats for all onboard, which is why muster drills are so important for passengers.
Crew members are also trained in fire response and participate in frequent drills to maintain readiness, as one passenger on Harmony of the Seas witnessed when she told a bartender at The Attic on Deck 4 about the sprinklers, and he immediately ran to the scene.
