Majesty Of The Seas accidents and incidents

June 2019Other Incidents

On June 4, 2019, the USA banned travel to Cuba (effective immediately). On June 5, RCCL officially canceled all pre-scheduled for 2019 Cuban cruises. On both affected RCI liners (Majesty OTS and Empress OTS) all Cuban ports were substituted with alternative Caribbean ports.

All affected customers were provided with the option to either remain on the revised cruise and receive a 50% refund (in OBC) or cancel the booking with a full refund.

24 January 2019Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On January 24, 2019, a 26-years-old male crew was reported missing and presumably overboard while the liner was en-route from Florida to Cuba, approx around 60 km (37 mi) east of Hillsboro Inlet (Pompano Beach, Florida. The ship immediately contacted USCG and conducted a search and rescue operation, but the body was not found. Reportedly, the man intentionally went (jumped) overboard.

For the operation, the USCG dispatched from Miami the CG Cutter Paul Clark and one MH-65 Dolphin helicopter (assisted by an HC-144 Ocean Sentry / twin-engined plane).

The incident occurred at the beginning of 4-day Cuba and Bahamas cruise (itinerary Jan 24-28) roundtrip from homeport Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) to Havana (Jan 25) and Nassau.

(CruiseMapper email from Marilyn DeMonaco) This is not factual. The first portion of the 26-year-old happened on the Powerball cruise, at 2 am (January 24th). I was on that cruise and we left January 19th-24th, to CocoCay and Nassau. We had to circle the spot for ~4 hours and landed in Fort Lauderdale ~11 am (instead of docking at 7 am). Nobody was going to Cuba, except the people who were cruising after we docked on Jan 24th.

07 June 2018Coast Guard Medevacs

On June 7, 2018, a 39-year-old male passenger (suffering from chest pains) was medevaced from the ship approx 13 km (8 mi) south of Port Tampa Bay (Florida). The man was offloaded to a USCG Response Boat (dispatched from Coast Guard Station Saint Petersburg) and transferred to Station Saint Petersburg from where was transported by an ambulance to Bayfront Health (St Petersburg, Florida).

The incident occurred during 5-day Tampa to Cuba and Mexico cruise (itinerary June 6-11) visiting Havana and Cozumel.

08 September 2017Other Incidents

September  2017, The 3-day Bahamas cruise (itinerary Sept 8-11) from Port Canaveral with call ports Nassau and Coco Cay was cancelled due to hurricane Irma. All cancelled bookings received 100% future RCI cruise credit.

All booked shore excursions were fully refunded. Next scheduled itinerary (Sept 15-18, 3-day Bahamas, call ports  Freeport and Coco Cay) was cancelled as the ship was utilized for humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean. All bookings received a full refund of the fare and fees, plus 25% future RCI credit (based on paid fare, if booked by Oct 15th).

13 February 2017Structural and Technical Issues

On February 13, 2017, due to safety issues regarding the onboard life-saving equipment, the ship’s departure from Port Canaveral Florida was delayed. The issue was found by the USCG during the vessel’s annual routine safety check.

December 2015Crew / Passenger Crimes

(sexual) In January 2018 (law news), a former female crew filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court a lawsuit against the shipowner Royal Caribbean for mistreatment. In December 2015, the woman was reportedly raped on the ship by a coworker. She was allegedly subjected to a brutal sexual assault - lasting nearly 1 hour and resulting in bruises and bite marks on her body. She reported the incident to the ship’s Captain, chief security officer and to the infirmary.

According to the lawsuit, her supervisor discouraged her from pressing charges, while the doctor responded with "get over it". The woman also reported the incident to the Bahamian police on the next day, when the ship berthed in Nassau.

27 April 2015Propulsion / Power Loss

On April 27, 2015, the ship was dry-docked in Freeport Bahamas. The unscheduled drydock was needed to fix a propulsion problem resulting in oil leaking. RCI canceled the April 7th’s 4-night Bahamas cruise. All booked passengers were fully refunded, and also received free Royal Caribbean cruise certificates.

21 May 2014Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On May 21, 2014, while the ship was approx 4 ml / 7 km from homeport Miami, a 32-year-old male passenger fell and sustained a serious injury of the head. In a critical condition, the man (of Swedish origin) was medevaced by Miami Fire Rescue team and transported to Mercy Hospital. The ship was en route to Key West from Miami.

January 2014Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On January 18, 2014, when the ship returned to homeport Miami after a 5-day cruise to the Bahamas, a Norovirus outbreak had affected a total of 64 passengers and 2 crew. All sick experienced the Norovirus symptoms (Gastrointestinal disease) of vomiting and diarrhea. Strangely, no official CDC report was issued on the illness outbreak.

23 February 2011Crew / Passenger Crimes

(sexual) On February 23, 2011, a 24-year-old female passenger (of Canadian origin) suffered from sexual assault in Nassau Bahamas. The ship was on a roundtrip itinerary from Miami (departure Feb 21). The young woman traveled with her father and some friends.

While the ship was docked in Nassau (Feb 23), they went ashore and in early in the evening visited a local bar named “Senor Frog’s”, located near Straw Market and close to the pier. The party left the bar and headed back to the ship when the woman was attacked and battered by a local man, sustained serious physical injuries. Then she was raped by another man. She was treated in a local hospital, then flown back home from Nassau.

11 December 2009Coast Guard Medevacs

(overboard) On December 11, 2009, a USCG vessel found alive a 31-year-old crew who earlier fell overboard and was reported missing. When the incident occurred, the ship was approx 5 ml / 8 km off Fowey Rocks Light (Key Biscayne island, Cape Florida).

The man (Robert Mado, working on the ship as assistant purser) was reported missing at ~4:30 am when the ship was near Biscayne Bay lagoon (South Florida, USA). Two hours after the distress call was issued, the USCG crew found the man alive. The ship was en-route from Key West to homeport Miami.

25 April 2008Other Incidents

On April 25, 2008, a family of 5 was removed from the ship on the second day of their voyage when their 7-month-old baby girl showed illness symptoms similar to Norovirus (vomiting and diarrhea). The ship’s doctor advised advanced treatment in a hospital ashore. They were disembarked in Nassau Bahamas. The local doctor diagnosed the baby with a cold (not dehydration) and signed a form that cleared her to travel.

However, the cruise ship had already left the port, also leaving the whole family in The Bahamas, and without passports. They spent a total of USD 1,700 on medical expenditures, emergency passports, and flight tickets. And this was additional to their 5-night Bahamas cruise from Miami. First, Royal Caribbean refused to reimburse them for the expenses, but after the case got media attention, the company agreed to provide them with a full cruise refund, plus reimbursement for the flights back home.

17 March 2005Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On March 17, 2005, a 29-year-old male crew (working on the ship as cabin steward) went overboard somewhere between Key West Florida and Bahamas. The man was reported missing and later presumed dead. On Dec 14, his family filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean International for USD 10 million.

05 February 2004Fire Accident

On February 5, 2004, at ~5 am, a fire broke out in the kitchen area of the ship's buffet restaurant “Windjammer Cafe”. All passengers had to stay for ~20 min at their respective muster stations until the fire was extinguished. No injuries were reported. The buffet remained closed through the end of the voyage.

December 2002Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In December 2002, the ship reported 71 passengers and 10 crew suffering from Norovirus symptoms (stomach cramps, predominantly vomiting and diarrhea). All sick were quarantined to their cabins. The ship was on 4-day Bahamas cruise from homeport Miami Florida.

14 April 1999Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On April 14, 1999, a bus crash accident on a sponsored by Royal Caribbean shore excursion in Jamaica resulted in 25 passengers being injured. Of them, 7 were medevaced by USCG back to Miami. The incident was caused by brake failure.