Utopia Of The Seas accidents and incidents

15 January 2025Coast Guard Medevacs

(CruiseMapper-emailed report from Jonathan/received February 17, 2025)

I just stumbled across this site via Wikipedia (where this site was cited as a source), and I would like to add a couple of things that happened on my first cruise, the January 13-17, 2025 sailing of Utopia of the Seas (4-night Nassau and Perfect Day itinerary).

On January 15th (day at sea), we began driving toward the Florida coast unexpectedly, and shortly thereafter the Captain announced that we were going into Port Everglades to evacuate an injured guest "who needs more medical care than we can provide onboard". We pulled up to the outer channel markers where a US Coast Guard boat met the ship to transfer the patient.

I am not completely certain of the cause, but the rumor I heard is that the guest was seriously injured in an accident at the FlowRider (surfing machine).

The next day, we were two hours late leaving CocoCay. The Captain announced that it was due to a "medical emergency". Unfortunately, I have no further information on that incident.

Despite the delay, we returned to Port Canaveral the next morning on time.

Note: The incidents occurred during the 4-day "Bahamas and Perfect Day Cruise" (itinerary Jan 13-17, roundtrip from Port Canaveral/Orlando, Florida USA) visiting Nassau (Jan 14th) and the Royal Caribbean's private island Coco Cay (Jan 16th).

25 December 2024Coast Guard Medevacs

(CruiseMapper-emailed report from Ataliaferro/received Dec 27th)

We are currently on the 4-night Bahamas itinerary on the Utopia of the Seas and there has been a medevac.

On the evening of December 24th, the crew sent out a medical call (“ALPHA ALPHA ALPHA”) around 8 pm directing medics to the sports court.

The morning of December 25th, during the day at sea, the ship changed course to Fort Lauderdale where a USCG boat approached and medevaced an individual off the ship. Later unofficial reports mentioned a young male experienced an accident on the sports court the night before and may have broken his leg.

The incident occurred during the 4-day "Bahamas and Perfect Day Cruise" (Christmas-themed itinerary Dec 23-27, roundtrip from Port Canaveral/Orlando, Florida) visiting Nassau (Dec 24) and CocoCay (Dec 26th).

12 August 2024Coast Guard Medevacs

(CruiseMapper-emailed report from Tate/received Aug 15th)

Hello! I’m currently sailing aboard the Utopia of the Seas and while we left Port [Canaveral] on August 12th around 6 pm, the Captain announced that we would be turning around due to a medical emergency on board the ship. We came about right towards the channel markers to Cape Canaveral and the coast guard came and got the man. He seemed to be alright.

Soon after, Coast Guard Southeast (Miami) officially reported that a 52-year-old male passenger from Utopia OTS was airlifted by a USCG helicopter and flown to Cape Canaveral from where he was ambulanced to a hospital in stable condition. The man was experiencing chest pains. The operation was conducted approx 23 mi/37 km from Port Canaveral.

The incident occurred in the beginning of the 4-day "Bahamas and Perfect Day Cruise" (itinerary Aug 12-16, roundtrip from Port Canaveral/Orlando, Florida) visiting Nassau (Aug 13) and Coco Cay Island (Aug 15).

11 May 2024Coast Guard Medevacs

On May 11, 2024, during the ship's sea trials in the Bay of Biscay, a male worker was medevaced by a Securite Civile (Civil defense rescue) helicopter team.

The injured man was airlifted/hoisted in a basket and flown to a hospital.

The French authorities were contacted at 4:21 pm (14:21 UTC), when the ship was approx 8 NM (15 km/9 mi) off the island Belle-Ile.

The emergency medical evacuation was coordinated by the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture's Operational Surveillance and Rescue Center.

During the 5-day sea trials, Utopia OTS was commanded by Captain Gus Andersson and carried 900+ crew and contract workers (experts in engineering, navigation, naval architecture and design).