What was to have been a relaxing weekend cruise ended in tragedy for one family aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas, as a young passenger has died after falling from one of the ship’s balconies.
Few details are available, though the cruise line has confirmed the incident and expressed condolences to the family.
Passenger Dies After Cruise Ship Fall
Allure of the Seas departed Port Canaveral on Friday, November 24, 2023 for what was to have been a fun weekend cruise, but just hours later, in the early morning on Saturday, November 25, tragedy struck for one family.
According to TMZ, a 16-year-old male guest fell from one of the ship’s balconies and suffered extensive injuries. Undisclosed sources later confirmed that the teen passed away at a hospital due to those injuries, despite onboard announcements urging guests to donate blood.
Photos from the ship show the balcony as one of the ship’s interior, Central Park view balconies. Two such balconies on Deck 11 were marked with caution tape, and a tent with privacy screening was erected on the Deck 8 walkway beneath those balconies.
Royal Caribbean International has confirmed the incident in a statement.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of a guest, and our hearts go out to the family. Out of respect for them, we won’t provide any further comment,” the cruise line said.
The teen’s name and traveling companions have not been released to protect the guests’ privacy during this very difficult time.
Circumstances of the fall are not yet clear, and it is unknown whether or not the teen slipped accidentally from the balcony, was engaged in any reckless actions, or deliberately went over the railing.
The cruise line will undoubtedly be reviewing security footage from the time in question and conducting a full investigation to be sure such incidents can be avoided or minimized in the future.
There did not appear to be any impact to the ship’s itinerary, which included stops in Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay before returning to Port Canaveral on Monday, November 27.
Allure of the Seas is a 225,282-gross-ton, Oasis-class ship, with 16 guest decks and a capacity of 5,496 guests at double occupancy. At full occupancy with all berths filled, the ship can welcome 6,826 passengers aboard. Weekend cruises, especially during the holiday period, tend to be more fully booked.
Reckless Behavior on Cruise Ships
While the exact circumstances of this incident have not been detailed, reckless behavior on cruise ships can have dire consequences. Guests have been recorded sitting on cruise ship balcony railings and engaging in other dangerous actions that could quickly turn tragic.
This is not the first time dangerous behavior has been recorded onboard Allure of the Seas. In October 2019, a female guest was photographed walking on the edge of the ship – over the balcony railings – while at sea en route to Labadee, Haiti during a 7-night cruise.
As a result of that bad behavior, the woman was removed from the cruise and banned for life from the cruise line. Royal Caribbean’s “Guest Health, Safety, and Conduct Policy” clearly states that unsafe behavior is not permitted at any time.
“Sitting, standing, jumping, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers is strictly prohibited,” the policy reads.
Furthermore, parents and guardians are deemed responsible for any travelers under the age of 18, and are responsible “for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying minor … throughout their vacation. This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their minor(s).”
This incident is indisputably tragic and upsetting, and Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the family members and friends of the teen, as well as the other guests and crew members impacted by this sad event.
