Adventure Of The Seas accidents and incidents

November 2024Structural and Technical Issues

Due to adverse weather (severe rain and flooding), the routine drydocking at Navantia Shipyard (Cadiz, Spain) was prolonged, resulting in itinerary changes.

Royal Caribbean emailed all passengers booked on the 13-day Transatlantic crossing (Nov 24-Dec 4) that the departure from Barcelona (initially planned for November 24th) is postponed to November 26th.

As a result, the planned visits to three Spanish ports (Valencia, Malaga, Seville) were canceled. The revised itinerary included more days at sea, and Funchal (Madeira Portugal) scheduled for a visit on November 29th.

As compensation, all affected passengers received partial refunds (equivalent to two days of the cruise fare) in OBC/onboard credit, plus pro-rated refunds for prepurchased daily packages (beverage, dining, internet) and pre-paid gratuities.

Additionally, Royal Caribbean covered flight change fees up to US$200 (domestic flights) and up to US$400 (international flights) or reimbursed with up to US$250 for a one-night hotel stay (per stateroom) if required.

All refunds not used onboard were processed to the passenger’s account within 14 business days post-cruise.

29 July 2021Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On July 29, 2021, RCI-Royal Caribbean confirmed that a total of 6 passengers tested Coronavirus/COVID-positive during a Caribbean voyage roundtrip from Nassau Bahamas. The 7-day itinerary to Bahamas and Mexico (July 24-31) visited Coco Cay (July 25-26/overnight), Cozumel (July 28) and Freeport (July 30).

Four of the positive cases were vaccinated adults (traveling separately, 3 without symptoms, the 4th with mild symptoms), the other two were unvaccinated children (traveling together, both asymptomatic). They were immediately quarantined and PCR-retested to confirm their diagnosis. Their close contacts were also quarantined and PCR-tested.

Antigen tests were offered to all passengers, as required before the voyage's end. The positive tests were rapid, and the infected were retested (on July 29) with a PCR test (considered to be more reliable).

On July 30, Adventure OTS docked in Freeport according to schedule (7 AM - 4 PM). The six COVID-positive and their traveling companions were medevaced from the ship, transported to Grand Bahama Airport (via private vehicle) and flown back home (via privately chartered plane). The transportation was provided complimentary by RCI.

Note: On July 30th, RCL shares dropped 4% (down to USD 76,87) due to this "incident".

19 May 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On May 19, 2020, Adventure OTS docked at Falmouth Cruise Ship Pier (Trelawny, Jamaica) as part of a crew repatriation voyage in the Caribbean. On May 23, a total of 5 (of all the disembarked 1044 Jamaican crew) tested Coronavirus-positive. The number grew to 9 (May 24) and 19 (May 26). The negative-tested were 624.

All the disembarked crew were tested and processed (by immigration officials) then quarantined at two hotels in Saint Ann Parish. The RCI patients (19)  brought the total number of Jamaica's confirmed COVID-19 cases to 558.

May 2020Other Incidents

(crew repatriation) In early-May 2020, RCI-Royal Caribbean developed a plan to repatriate the fleet's all non-essential crew by using 12x liners - Adventure OTS, Anthem OTS, Empress OTS, Enchantment OTS, Explorer OTS, Freedom OTS, Harmony OTS, Liberty OTS, Majesty OTS, Navigator OTS, Rhapsody OTS, Vision OTS. These vessels were planned to visit ~60 different countries in the regions of the Caribbean, Central-South America and Europe. The plan also included international charter flights leaving from Barbados (Bridgetown), the USA (Miami) and the UK (Southampton).

Three ships (Empress OTS, Freedom OTS, Majesty OTS) were scheduled for Transatlantic crossings from Miami to Southampton (UK), from where crews from Canada, European and other countries were repatriated via charter flights. The ships left PortMiami on May 15, with arrivals in Southampton on May 24 (Freedom OTS) and May 28 (Empress OTS, Majesty OTS).

Adventure OTS (May 9-23) departed from CocoCay (Bahamas) to repatriate fleet's Caribbean crew by visiting the ports Labadee  (Haiti), Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic) and Falmouth (Jamaica).

Rhapsody OTS (May 13-23) departed from Miami to repatriate fleet's Central American crew by visiting the ports Cartagena (Colombia), Colon (Panama), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica), Roatan (Honduras), Santo Tomas de Castilla (Guatemala) and Belize City.

Vision OTS (May 15 - June 7) departed from Miami to repatriate fleet's Caribbean crew by visiting the ports Basseterre (St Kitts), La Romana (Dominica), Castries (St Lucia), St George's (Grenada), Port-of-Spain (Trinidad) and Kingstown (St Vincent).

RCI's Filipino staff-crew was repatriated via charter flights to Manila (The Philippines). For the logistics were used two ships - Harmony OTS (transporting crew for flights from Bridgetown starting May 11) and Liberty OTS (transporting crew for flights from Miami starting May 18).

RCI's Indonesian staff-crew was repatriated via charter flights to Jakarta (Java Indonesia) leaving from Bridgetown (Explorer OTS, May 9-12) and from Miami (Enchantment OTS, May 15).

RCI's staff-crew from India was repatriated via Anthem OTS - departing from The Bahamas (May 9) and arriving in Port Mormugao (Goa) on June 3.

Navigator OTS collected the fleet's all Eastern European staff-crew (Romanians and Ukrainians) and transported them to Miami for their charter flights (May 16).

RCI's crew from the USA was repatriated via charter flights and buses (starting May 6). By May 20, all the American crews from Europe-deployed ships were charter-flown to the USA.

17 October 2019Coast Guard Medevacs

On October 17, 2019, a male passenger (suffering a stroke) was medevaced from the cruise liner navigating approx 160 km (100 mi) off New Jersey's coast. The ship contacted the USCG at ~6:20 pm. For the operation, USCG Air Station Atlantic City dispatched a rescue helicopter (MH-65 Dolphin) crew who airlifted the man and flew him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (Atlantic City, NJ USA). The rescue was supported by a Lockheed HC-130J aircraft dispatched from USCG Air Station Elizabeth City (NC USA).

The incident occurred during the 13-day Canada to Florida repositioning cruise (itinerary Oct 7-20) from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale, visiting Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Sydney NS, Halifax NS, Bar Harbor ME, Portland ME, Saint John NB, Boston MA, Port Canaveral FL.

22 November 2018Crew / Passenger Deaths

On November 22, 2018, a 26-year-old male crew was reported missing after the liner docked in call port Cozumel (Mexico). The announcement was made by the Captain (via ship's PA system). The man (Jack Daniel Ackroyd, British from Cotgrave England) was part of ship's sports staff (serving the FlowRider surf simulator).

He was reported missing after he didn't appear at work (after berthing in Cozumel). The conducted shipwide search didn't find him. There was no CCTV footage confirming overboard. The last CCTV footage with him was on Nov 22 at ~4 am (deck 4).

The incident occurred during 6-day Western Caribbean cruise (itinerary Nov 18-24) roundtrip from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) to Grand Cayman Island and Mexico (Costa Maya, Cozumel).

12 July 2018Coast Guard Medevacs

On July 12, 2018, an 80-year-old female passenger (suffering a stroke) was medevaced from the ship approx 240 km (150 ml) off Wilmington (North Carolina) coast. USCG Base Elizabeth City (NC) dispatched a helicopter crew. The elderly woman and a crew nurse were airlifted and transported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center (Wilmington NC).

The incident occurred at the end of 7-day Florida-Bahamas cruise (itinerary July 6-13) roundtrip from homeport Cape Liberty NJ (NYC) to Port Canaveral, Coco Cay and Nassau.

September 2017Other Incidents

Itinerary September 30 – October 7 (7-day Southern Caribbean cruise roundtrip from San Juan Puerto Rico) was officially cancelled. The reason was that the ship was chartered for evacuation (to Fort Lauderdale FL) and humanitarian operations in Puerto Rico and USVI (St Thomas and St Croix). In September 2017, the Caribbean was devastated by hurricane Irma (category 5 tropical storm).

16 August 2016Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On August 16, 2016, a total of 9 cruise passengers (3 of German and 6 of US origin) were injured in a road accident during a Jeep Safari excursion. The injured were transported to the Mount St John’s Medical Centre. The open-air jeep was overtaking a tractor. The Jeep's driver swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle causing it to flip on its side.

The Jeep Safari tour was operated by the local operator “Tropical Adventures”. The accident occurred during 8-day roundtrip San Juan Puerto Rico cruise (itinerary Aug 13-20) visiting St Maarten, St Kitts, Antigua (St Johns), St Lucia (Castries) and Barbados.

October 2014Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

October 12, 2014, a Norovirus outbreak was reported on the 14-night Western Mediterranean cruise roundtrip from Southampton UK. A total of 93 passengers and 4 crew had Norovirus symptoms. Next departure from Southampton was delayed due to the vessel’s full cleaning.

23 March 2014Propulsion / Power Loss

On March 23, 2014, the ship lost propulsion, causing late arrival in homeport San Juan Puerto Rico. Further propulsion problems caused a delay of the last itinerary before the drydock repairs that started on March 30 in Freeport Bahamas.

20 March 2014Propulsion / Power Loss

On March 20, 2014, propulsion system malfunction forced the ship to change the cruise itinerary. The problem was that the Azipod unit was losing oil and soon shut down. To prevent an oil spill incident, the ship was immediately surrounded by oil booms.

When the ship was docked in St Kitts (West Indies), the engineering crew managed to fix the Azipod problem temporarily. Since the vessel had to proceed at lower cruising speed, Royal Caribbean International changed the current cruise itinerary, cancelling the Southern Caribbean ports in Aruba and Curacao and replacing them with the Eastern Caribbean ports in Antigua, St Maarten and St Croix.

28 December 2013Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On December 28, 2013, a 26-year-old male passenger jumped overboard from the balcony of his cabin. At the time of the accident, the man (Tien Phuoc Nguyen, of Canadian origin) was influenced by alcohol and arguing with his family. After another passenger reported the jump, the ship stopped and turned around. Local authorities were alerted.

The search and rescue operation used a local patrol boat and also MH-65 Dolphin helicopters. After ~40 min a USCG helicopter arrived and assumed responsibility for the operation, while the ship continued towards San Juan. The man’s body was never found. The ship was in Puerto Rico waters, 15 nautical miles (17 ml / 28 km) east of Mona Island. This was the last night of a 7-day Caribbean cruise roundtrip from San Juan.

13 November 2012Fire Accident

On November 13, 2012, while the ship was on a Transatlantic crossing cruise, an engine room fire incident happened. The fire caused power loss for ~2 min.

06 March 2010Crew / Passenger Deaths

On March 6, 2010, a male Canadian passenger died collapsing while playing in the ship’s casino. The med crew succeeded in reviving him once through CPR, but the man lost pulse and stopped breathing again. They tried unsuccessfully to revive him the second time and pronounced him dead from natural causes.

November 2006Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

November 2006, CDC reported on voyage Nov 5 to 12, Norovirus outbreak (gastrointestinal illness) infected 129 passengers (out of 3260, or 4%) and 1 crew (out of 1174, or 0,1%). All sick suffered from Norovirus symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea) and were quarantined to their cabins.