A section of the tallest waterslide aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas malfunctioned on Thursday (August 7). A section of the waterslide, located at the high-altitude Thrill Island attraction, suddenly broke while a guest was riding through its enclosed loop. In a video of the incident, the fellow passengers on the cruise can be heard shouting “stop the slide”. When asked if someone fell from the damaged slide, a person can be heard saying “yes” in the video.

The guest, who is reportedly in a stable condition, received prompt medical attention, the cruise line confirmed in a statement. “Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson stated.

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The affected slide has been shut down for the rest of the voyage as the cruise line launches a full investigation into the incident.

Immediate inspection follows

Engineers began an immediate inspection of the slide’s structure, focusing on the damaged acrylic segment. Royal Caribbean has confirmed the ride will remain closed pending a full safety review to determine whether material fatigue or manufacturing defects contributed to the failure.

The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of cruise ship safety. In July alone, the Icon of the Seas faced two separate mishaps. A guest fell over the side of the ship’s infinity pool while retrieving sunglasses and a crew member died after allegedly jumping overboard following a violent altercation.

One of world’s largest cruise ships

Launched in early 2024, the Icon of the Seas is renowned for its state-of-the-art entertainment and engineering feats, including the tallest waterslide at sea. While the slide was built with reinforced materials to endure oceanic conditions, experts caution that even high-grade components are vulnerable to long-term stress and environmental exposure.