Oasis Of The Seas accidents and incidents

24 January 2024Crew / Passenger Deaths

On January 24, 2024, at ~ 3 AM Puerto Rico time (~7 AM UTC), a 36-year-old male passenger died onboard while the ship was en route from Florida to Puerto Rico.

The man (Jonathan Mindrum, a Chicago resident) died at Studio B (a 2-level entertainment lounge/nightclub located midship on decks 3-4) during a party titled "Neon Playground". At ~3 AM, the music stopped and a code for medical emergency ("alpha alpha alpha") was issued. Reportedly, the man was found unresponsive in his seat. He was taken to the Infirmary/medical center where he was pronounced dead. According to rumors, he died after taking a fentanyl-laced ecstasy tablet purchased on the ship.

During the voyage, according to reports from other passengers, the medical emergency code was issued at least five times.

The incident occurred during the 7-day "Atlantis Oasis 2024 Caribbean Cruise" (itinerary Jan 21-28, roundtrip from PortMiami Florida USA) visiting Puerto Rico (San Juan/Jan 24, port stay 7 am - 6 pm), Dominicana (Puerto Plata/Jan 25) and Haiti (Labadee/Jan 26).

For this voyage, Oasis OTS was chartered by Atlantis Events Inc (the world's largest travel agency for LGBTQ+ cruises and resort vacations).

08 March 2022Crew / Passenger Deaths

On March 8, 2022, a 36-year-old male crew was found dead in his cabin. The man (Indonesian) was working on the ship as a waiter and was employed for ~9 months. Reportedly, he died from a myocardial infarction/heart attack.

During the incident, Oasis OTS was en route from The Bahamas to Mexico, operating a 7-day Western Caribbean itinerary (March 6-13, roundtrip from PortMiami) with call ports CocoCay, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatan Island (Honduras).

17 January 2022Crew / Passenger Deaths

On the night of January 17, 2022, a male passenger died from cardiac arrest in his stateroom.

The incident occurred while the liner was en route from Florida to Honduras, operating the 7-night "Atlantis 30th Anniversary Caribbean Cruise" (itinerary Jan 16-23, roundtrip from PortMiami) with call ports in Honduras (Isla Roatan's Coxen Hole/Jan 19) and Mexico (Cozumel/Jan 20).

Reportedly, during the Atlantis Events-chartered/LGBT-themed voyage, Code Alpha (signaling the crew about a medical emergency) was announced several times via the PA system.

Note: For the chartered voyage, the operator Atlantis Events (1991-founded, West Hollywood CA-headquartered, specializing in LGBT travel and tourism services) actually used an independent contractor to provide onboard medical services.

April 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) On April 4, 2020, 2 crew were medevaced (airlifted and flown off) Oasis OTS. On April 5, the liner was heading towards Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida). According to the company's official statement (made by RCCL's spokesman Jonathon Fishman), the crew evacuation was "for medical reasons" (unspecified). The medevac was a private (commercial) operation and not assisted by the USCG. Since March 15th (following the debarkation in PortMiami) the cruise ship was passenger-free.

On March 30, one crew was medevaced and hospitalized after developing severe respiratory problems. On April 20, the crew died from respiratory issues. The man (Iputu Sugiartha, 41-year-old Indonesian) worked on the ship as a waiter.

On April 2 were medevaced two more crew. All were hospitalized at Broward County hospitals. On April 7, 4x Coronavirus-infected crew were medevaced (offloaded via lifeboat at PortMiami) and ambulanced to Broward Health Medical Center (Fort Lauderdale hospital).

On April 10, 2x Coronavirus-infected crew from Oasis OTS were medevaced and ambulanced to Broward Health Medical Center - totalling to 11 (out of 17 confirmed cases onboard). Both medevacs were conducted in the afternoon. One of the men was so sick that he was evacuated via helicopter. On April 18, he died in the hospital from COVID-19 complications. The man (Dexter Joyosa, 43-year-old Filipino) worked on Oasis OTS as a bartender and was with RCI since 2012.

On May 3, the ship's Captain (Thore Thorolvsen) announced via the onboard PA (public address) system that a third hospitalized crew died from respiratory failure. The Filipino man (Carlo Baluran) worked in the ship's Incinerator Room. He died after being for ~3 weeks in an ICU at Broward Health Medical Center. Oasis OTS was at sea (drifting off Florida's coast, north of Port Canaveral) with Harmony OTS located nearby.

March 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) On March 28, 2020, while anchored (laid up) at Coco Cay Island (Bahamas), the ship reported a total of 14 crew tested Coronavirus-positive (COVID-19). All staff-crew on Oasis OTS was commanded to comply with a shipwide lockdown plan. All staff-crew (except on-duty) were quarantined to separate passenger staterooms. The infected crew remained on the liner (under quarantine), excluding one who was medevaced and hospitalized in Miami.

On March 15, the cruise liner disembarked all its passengers at PortMiami, following RCCL-Royal Caribbean's decision to suspend fleetwide passenger shipping operations (due to March's global Coronavirus pandemic). Oasis OTS was laid up (anchored) off Coco Cay Island, carrying a total of 1650 crew and no passengers. Nearby were also anchored (laid up) the fleetmates Mariner OTS, Anthem OTS and Grandeur OTS.

23 January 2020Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On January 23, 2020, a 46-year-old male passenger (from Naples, Florida USA) was reported overboard from the liner docked in call port San Juan (Puerto Rico). CCTV surveillance footage showed the man intentionally jumping from his cabin's balcony (on Deck 10) while the ship was berthed at Cruise Pier 3 (Old San Juan). A rescue operation with divers was immediately launched and his body was soon recovered.

The incident occurred during the 7-day "Atlantis Oasis 2020 Caribbean Cruise" (customized itinerary Jan 19-26) roundtrip from homeport Miami Fl and visiting Philipsburg (St Maarten Island), San Juan (port stay 9 am - 4 pm, Jan 23) and Labadee (Haiti). For this voyage, Oasis OTS was chartered by Atlantis Events Inc (world's largest travel agency for LGBTQ+ cruises and resort vacations).

01 April 2019Structural and Technical Issues

On April 1, 2019, the vessel was in dry-dock for routine maintenance at Grand Bahama Shipyard (Freeport, Bahamas). While in drydock, at ~1:45 pm, a large dockside construction crane collapsed onto the AquaTheatre (liner's stern) causing the vessel to list to starboard and injuring 8 workers. All injuries were considered non-life-threatening. At the time of the accident, the ship was without any passengers and crew. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line's ship Grand Classica assisted Oasis OTS by providing temporary housing and meals to the entire crew (~1200 personnel).

Following the accident, RCI canceled the next 3 scheduled cruises due to needed repairs. The affected bookings were fully refunded and in addition, each received a 100% future Royal Caribbean cruise certificate (applicable towards another RCI cruise 2019 fleetwide).

The large cruise liner left Freeport and was sent to Cadiz (Spain) for drydock repairs at Navantia Shipyard. The vessel was scheduled to resume its pre-scheduled European/Mediterranean itinerary program starting with the 7-day cruise (May 5) from homeport Barcelona.

The cancelled cruises (all from homeport Port Canaveral) were departures April 7 (7-day Eastern Caribbean to Nassau, St Thomas, St Maarten), April 14 (7-day Western Caribbean to Labadee, Falmouth Jamaica, Cozumel) and April 21 (14-day Transatlantic repositioning cruise Port Canaveral to Barcelona with planned visits to San Juan Puerto Rico, St Maarten, Malaga Spain).

The shipowner RCCL estimated accident's direct financial impact (mostly due to lost revenue) at ~USD 52 million, or reduction of ~USD 0,25 per share adjusted to company's FY2019's EPS (fiscal year/earnings per share). On May 1, 2019, RCL's stocks at NYSE cost USD 129,03 per share.

10 January 2019Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On January 10, 2019, WESH Channel 2 (TV station serving Orlando FL) reported a total of 167 Norovirus cases (passengers and crew). All infected suffered GI illness symptoms (mainly vomiting and diarrhea). As the number of infected represented 1,98% of ship's total passengers and crew (8454), the outbreak was not reported to the CDC.

The outbreak occurred during the 7-day Western Caribbean cruise (itinerary Jan 6-13) roundtrip from homeport Port Canaveral to Haiti (Labadee), Jamaica (Falmouth) and Mexico (Cozumel). As compensation, the Royal Caribbean fully refunded all affected passengers.

Note: CDC issues (publishes online) an official illness report for 3% or more infected. However, the CDC requires cruise vessels to log and report the number of infected when 2% or more passengers-crew have GI symptoms.

(updates) On Jan 9, the ship docked in Falmouth (10 am through 7 pm), but during the port stay, passengers were not allowed to disembark. On Jan 10, as the number of infected increased to 277 (266+11), the liner changed the planned itinerary and dropped Cozumel. On January 11, CDC officially reported that the outbreak affected a total of 385 passengers (out of 6285, or 6,12%) and 17 crew (out of 2169, or 0,78%). On January 13, CDC updated the illness report, listing as infected 561 passengers (8,91%) and 31 crew (1,45%)

08 July 2018Other Incidents

Due to Hurricane Beryl, the 7-day Western Caribbean cruise itinerary (July 8-15, roundtrip from Port Canaveral) was replaced by an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. The pre-scheduled call ports Labadee (Haiti), Falmouth (Jamaica) and Cozumel (Mexico) were replaced with Nassau (Bahamas), Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas USVI) and Philipsburg (St Maarten).

31 December 2017Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On December 31, 2017, (CruiseMinus emails) Karri Kent reported that a man was stabbed during the Holiday Cruise (itinerary Dec 31 – Jan 7). The ship operated a 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise roundtrip from Port Canaveral to Philipsburg (St Maarten), San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Labadee (Haiti).

The incident was reported to CruiseMinus as follows” “just before midnight last night there was a bar fight where 1 man was stabbed and several were arrested. The ship and remaining guests spent the day sitting on the ship at the port in the Bahamas [Nassau] for most of New Years Day”.

Another CruiseMinus user (Greg) reported the following: “On Jan 1 the boat was diverted to Nassau [Bahamas] for what we were told was a medical emergency. Rumor on the boat is that someone got stabbed in the club after NYE. The person who was stabbed was taken to the hospital. The person who did the stabbing is locked up on the boat. No crew member will talk about the incident”.

Another passenger reported that the man was stabbed with a beer bottle in the Dazzles disco (nightclub on deck 9) and that the ship was docked in Nassau between 8 am and 3 pm.

13 September 2017Other Incidents

September 13, 2017, the scheduled itinerary Sept 10-17 (7-day Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral, call ports St Maarten, Puerto Rico and Labadee) was revised as the ship’s return to homeport was delayed due to hurricane Irma. All booked passengers on the new / shortened itinerary (Sept 13-17, 4-day to Cozumel Mexico) received a 50% refund (of the fare paid) in refundable onboard credit, plus 50% future RCI cruise booking credit.

10 November 2015Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On November 10, 2015, a 38-year-old female passenger (Latrice Graham, from Lauder Hill FL, USA) went missing ashore after disembarking the ship at ~10 am in call port Falmouth Jamaica.

05 November 2015Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On November 5, 2015, a 35-year-old male passenger intentionally jumped from his cabin onto a liferaft, then slipped, fell overboard and disappeared into the ocean. The man (Bernardo Albaz, of Brazilian origin) was traveling together with his partner Eric as a legally married gay couple.

Reportedly, prior to his jump, the man had consumed alcohol being upset by anti-gay remarks made by some of the ship’s staff at the Solarium Bar (located forward on Lido Deck 16). The incident occurred at ~1 am, while the ship was in the waters between Puerto Rico and Bahamas (some 17 ml / 27 km east of Turks & Caicos Islands) on a 7-days Eastern Caribbean itinerary from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Oct 31 – Nov 7) with call ports Nassau (Bahamas) and Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas).

The strangest thing about this accident is that it was filmed by a female passenger (from her higher deck cabin’s balcony) and later posted on YouTube. The video shows a frightened man (dressed in red shorts and black T-shirt) holding on to a portside lifeboat’s support ledge and a male crew reaching and trying to grab his hand. Then suddenly, he lost grip and fell into the sea. The Oasis ship turned around and started a search operation with 2 of its rescue boats.

The USCG was called for assistance, nearby vessels were also alerted. The USCG dispatched from Clearwater FL a long-range aircraft C-130 and a helicopter. They arrived at ~6 am but failed to find the body. Weather conditions were reportedly challenging and hampering the efforts (6-7 ft / 2 m swells, rainy, poor visibility).

12 September 2015Crew / Passenger Deaths

On September 12, 2015, a male passenger died from a heart attack while running on the ship’s jogging track (on Promenade Deck 5). The accident occurred while the ship was en-route to call port Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas), operating on a 7-day Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Everglades (itinerary Sept 5-12) with call ports Nassau, St Thomas, and St Maarten.

30 August 2015Coast Guard Medevacs

On August 30, 2015, due to a medical emergency, the ship diverted from its itinerary course and medevaced a male passenger to a Grand Cayman hospital. The incident occurred on a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise (itinerary Aug 29 – Sept 5) roundtrip from homeport Port Everglades Florida, with call ports Labadee Haiti (RCI’s private island property), Falmouth Jamaica and Cozumel Mexico.

08 January 2015Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

(overboard) On January 8, 2015, while the ship was en-route to call port Cozumel Mexico, a male passenger (Frank Jade) went overboard. He was later spotted floating in the open sea by the staff of the Disney Cruise Line ship Disney Magic. The Disney ship stopped, lowered rescue boat and saved him. When Disney Magic docked in Cozumel, the Royal Caribbean passenger was transferred to a private clinic.

03 January 2015Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On January 3, 2015, a 4-year-old kid was miraculously saved from near drowning by other passengers. The kid was revived onboard and transported to Broward Health Medical Center. The ship had just left homeport Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, FL), but promptly returned for the medical emergency. The young passenger remained underwater in the wave pool for 5 to 10 min.

08 December 2014Crew / Passenger Deaths

On December 8, 2014, a male passenger died in Port Everglades, suffering a heart attack (see Dec 8 “injuries, crimes” report).

08 December 2014Coast Guard Medevacs

On December 8, 2014, upon leaving homeport Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) the ship quickly headed back to port due to medical emergency. A male passenger sustained injury and was medevaced. The sip sailed again, but soon quickly turned around for a second time. The second medevaced passenger suffered heart attack and died. The second time the ship entered the port and docked.

03 January 2014Propulsion / Power Loss

On January 3, 2014, at 11:52 pm, the ship experienced power loss for ~20 min. Later, the Captain announced there had been diesel generator failure.

December 2013Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On December 28, 2013, an unknown number of passengers suffered from gastrointestinal illness / Norovirus symptoms (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea). The exact number of ill passengers/crew were never disclosed by Royal Caribbean. Next voyage’s embarkation was delayed for enhanced sanitation.

November 2013Propulsion / Power Loss

In October-November 2013, on several consecutive cruises, the ship was experiencing propulsion system problems, resulting in lower cruising speed. Due to these incidents, Royal Caribbean changed many itineraries by shortening port stays in Nassau (the Bahamas, by 1 hour) and in St Thomas (USVI, by 3 hours). To fix the problems, the ship entered dry-dock in Nassau for repairs on February 24, 2014.

16 November 2012Propulsion / Power Loss

On November 16, 2012, USCG reported the ship had problems with maneuverability.

29 January 2011Crew / Passenger Deaths

On January 29, 2011, a male Filipino crew died in Miami after suffering a fatal head injury. The accident happened during a fire drill on the ship conducted in Cozumel (see Jan 27  “injuries, crimes” report).

27 January 2011Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On January 27, 2011, while the ship was docked in Cozumel, Mexico, a fire drill was conducted. During the drill, one of the compressed oxygen tanks at the staging area cracked. Two crew members were injured – chief security officer broke a leg, while a Filipino staff was hit in the head and sent to a hospital for surgery. Due to man’s critical condition, he was flown to Miami, where he died on Jan 29.

27 November 2010Crew / Passenger Deaths

On November 27, 2010, a 33-year-old male crew was found dead in his cabin. The man was of Jamaican origin and worked on the ship as a cook.

17 August 2010Structural and Technical Issues

On August 17, 2010, malfunction of the AquaTheatre’s hydraulic floor jack caused a cancellation of all performances there during the entire voyage. All cruise cabins received US$100 onboard credit. To fix the problem, a ship crane was brought to lift the floor for repairs. Spare parts were delivered from the shipbuilder STX Finland.

25 May 2010Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On May 25, 2010, USCG vessels searched for a 45-year-old male crew who went overboard. The man was from St Vincent (Grenadines) and reported missing as the ship was en-route to St Thomas (USVI) from Nassau, Bahamas. The cruise itinerary course was changed for a search and rescue, but the body was never found.

07 May 2010Structural and Technical Issues

On May 7, 2010, the ship’s emergency generator malfunctioned. During its weekly checks, the diesel engine started making noises. The crew discovered that one of the cylinder crankshafts was loose and was hitting the crankcase cover.

09 December 2009Structural and Technical Issues

On December 9, 2009, while entering into St Thomas (Crown Bay), the ship churned up silt from the bay’s bottom. Also, technical problems with the gangway (telescopic bridge for passengers) caused over 1 hour delayed disembarkation, which led to shore excursions and tours setbacks.

25 September 2008Fire Accident

On September 25, 2008, while the ship was under construction in Finland, an onboard fire broke out. Nearly 1500 shipyard workers were on the ship when the accident happened and had to be evacuated. The cause for the fire was welding works on deck 9 (an insulation material caught fire). The yard’s firefighters put it out quickly before it could spread and cause extensive damages. No injuries were reported.