A guest who accidentally fell overboard from a Royal Caribbean ship has been safely rescued thanks to quick action from crew members. The incident happened on Sunday, June 25, 2023, from Mariner of the Seas while the ship was sailing a day at sea en route to the first port of call on its current sailing.
Passenger Overboard From Mariner of the Seas
Guests onboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas have reported a brief overboard situation that was quickly resolved with a successful rescue on Sunday, June 25.
A female passenger was reportedly sitting on the ship’s railing to take a photo, when she slipped and fell into the water, but the circumstances of the incident have not been confirmed.
Crew members were quickly alerted and the ship was turned around to recover the passenger. A smoke flare was used to mark their position in the water, and the ship’s pilot boat was dispatched to bring her back aboard.
During the rescue operation, the ship’s cruise director kept guests onboard updated through public address announcements. Deck 4 portside was closed to permit crew members to more efficiently conduct the rescue.
No further details have been released about the guest’s identity, condition, or the complete circumstances that led to the fall. It is also unknown at this time what deck the guest fell from, or whether it was from a public deck or a stateroom balcony.
As with any overboard incident, there will be a thorough investigation to be sure all safety procedures and response protocols were in place and worked effectively.
No Impact on Current Sailing
The incident happened in the afternoon hours as the ship was southeast of the Dominican Republic. Mariner of the Seas is currently sailing an 8-night “Southern Caribbean & Perfect Day” itinerary that departed Port Canaveral on Friday, June 23.
The first two days of the cruise, including Sunday, have been days at sea, and the ship will call on Curacao, Aruba, and CocoCay before returning to Port Canaveral on Saturday, July 1.
The ship resumed course shortly thereafter, and the incident did not impact the overall itinerary.
This is not the first successful rescue of a passenger overboard from Mariner of the Seas. In 2016, while the ship was sailing from Shanghai, a 31-year-old woman accidentally fell over the railing and was rescued after spending an astonishing 38 hours in the ocean.
The 140,000-gross ton, Voyager-class Mariner of the Seas is currently homeported from Port Canaveral, offering a variety of Southern, Eastern, and Western Caribbean sailings, as well as the occasional Bermuda itinerary, with cruises ranging from 4-8 nights depending on departure date.
In May 2024, the ship will reposition to Galveston to begin offering 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from the popular Texas homeport.
