Voyager Of The Seas accidents and incidents

26 January 2024Ship Listing

On January 26, 2024, while en route from Mexico back to Texas USA, the ship encountered a heavy storm. The rough sea (high waves and strong winds) caused listing and resulted in interior damages, including partial flooding of public areas and passenger staterooms, broken dishware (in the restaurants), broken furniture, damaged merchandise (in the shops), garden furniture (on sundecks/pool deck).

A few passengers sustained minor injuries, primarily within the Casino (deck 4), as a result of the storm's impact on slot machines.

As a safety precaution, all outside decks were closed, as well as some of the main lounges.

The accident occurred at the end of the 5-day "Western Caribbean Cruise" (itinerary Jan 22-27, roundtrip from Galveston TX) visiting Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel.

26 June 2023Coast Guard Medevacs

(CruiseMapper-emailed report from Paul Koch)

Voyager OTS passenger was escorted to New Orleans via United States Coast Guard medevac. The Captain had announced that medical staff had determined one of the guests was in need of urgent medical attention. Arrival to Galveston, Texas altered to 0830 hours.

To rendezvous with the USCG boat, the ship slightly changed course toward the northeast.

The incident occurred at the beginning of the 5-day "Western Caribbean Cruise" (itinerary June 26-July 1, roundtrip from Galveston TX) visiting Mexico's Costa Maya (Jun 28) and Cozumel (Jun 29).

April 2020Other Incidents

On April 3, the shipowner RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd) announced plans to use its Australia-based vessels to repatriate most of their staff-crew by transporting them to their home-countries - Indonesia, Philippines and China, and to India (via charter flights from Indonesia and Philippines). Three RCI Australia ships (Ovation, Spectrum, Voyager) were at the time anchored off Australia's coast. The 3 cruise liners were scheduled to carry a total of 2584 people - embarked (via tender boats) from all 5 RCCL-owned ships (Voyager, Ovation, Radiance, Spectrum, Celebrity Solstice).

From Radiance OTS to Spectrum OTS were transferred ~600 crew. Spectrum OTS was planned to arrive in Bali Indonesia (April 16, to disembark 261 Indonesians), in Manila Philippines (April 22, to disembark 577 Filipino) and in Shanghai China (May 11, to disembark 522 Chinese). From Bali Indonesia, RCCL arranged charter flights to repatriate 299 Indian nationals.

Crew from Celebrity Solstice were transferred to Ovation OTS (204 Indian, 182 Indonesian, 13 Chinese) and Voyager OTS (382 Filipino). Ovation OTS headed to Bali Indonesia (planned arrival April 19) to disembark 239 Indonesians. Voyager OTS also loaded some of the Ovation's crew (880 Filipino, 13 Chinese) and headed toward Manila Philippines (planned arrival April 25) to disembark a total of 1232 people, plus 438 Indian nationals (charter flights to India).

Voyager OTS departed Australia on April 4.

17 March 2020Coast Guard Medevacs

Due to a medical emergency (male passenger suffering a stroke), the ship returned a day early (and only temporarily) to Sydne NSW to offload the man, after which resumed the current voyage (ending on the next day).

The 11-day South Pacific Cruise (itinerary March 7-18) was a roundtrip from homeport Sydney (NSW Australia) but the ship was allowed to dock and disembark passengers in only two of the scheduled call ports - Noumea (New Caledonia) and Mystery Island (Vanuatu). The other scheduled call ports in New Caledonia (Isle of Pines, Mare Island, Lifou Island, Noumea) and Vanuatu (Port Vila) were cancelled after the vessel was denied entry.

The liner also tried to visit the unplanned call ports Luganville (Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu) and Brisbane QLD but was again denied docking. The ship had to spend three days at sea (circling outside Sydney Harbour) before the scheduled March 18 berthing and debarkation. Reportedly, during the "no-port time" onboard occurred several brawls among passengers.

March 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) On March 31, while anchored / laid up at Port Kembla (NSW Australia), the cruise liner reported 4 crew tested Coronavirus-positive (COVID-19). Following the results, the ship's Captain immediately initiated an emergency shipwide lockdown. All staff-crew (including the infected) were transferred from their cabins and quarantined in separate staterooms (passenger cabins). Voyager OTS was carrying ~1100 crew and no passengers.

Following the debarkation in Sydney (NSW Australia) on March 18, a former passenger (Toowoomba QLD citizen) was tested Coronavirus-positive and hospitalized in critical condition. The man later died. On April 2, Royal Caribbean officially reported a total of 34 passengers and 5 crew tested positive for COVID-19.

15 March 2019Crew / Passenger Deaths

On May 15, 2019, two male passengers (aged 61 and 75, both Singaporean) died on the ship en-route from Penang to Phuket. According to an official RCI statement, the passengers died of "unrelated natural causes". Their respective families were informed and provided with "assistance during the difficult time".

The incident occurred during  4-day "Penang and Phuket" cruise (itinerary May 13-17) roundtrip from homeport Singapore and visiting Georgetown (Penang Island, Malaysia) and Phuket (Phuket Island, Thailand).

23 November 2018Other Incidents

On November 23, 2018, Voyager OTS became fleet's first liner commanded by an Asian Captain - Wu Huimin (born in Qingdao China). Starting service in 1995 (mainly on Asian cargo vessels), he joined RCI in 2014 on the position "staff captain" serving the fleet mates Adventure OTS and Quantum OTS.

21 December 2017Coast Guard Medevacs

On December 21, 2017, a 76-year-old female passenger in critical condition (suffering cardiac arrest) was medevaced from the ship approx 90 ml (150 km) off Ballina (NSW Australia). The woman was airlifted by a Westpac rescue helicopter team and transported to Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport, Queensland).

The ship was on 10-day South Pacific Islands "Christmas Cruise" (itinerary Dec 20-30) roundtrip from Sydney to ports in New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

23 April 2017Coast Guard Medevacs

On April 23, 2017, a 68-year-old female passenger (suffering from broken pelvis after falling down stairs onboard) was medevaced by RACQ Rescue team (Bell 412 helicopter). The woman was airlifted and transported to Mackay Hospital (Mackay Queensland).

The incident occurred while the ship was anchored near Airlie Beach (Queensland) during a 14-day Australia to Asia repositioning cruise (itinerary April 19 – May 3) from Sydney to Singapore.

05 March 2017Crew / Passenger Crimes

The roundtrip cruise from Sydney (NSW Australia) turned into a nightmare for regular cruise passengers after the liner was overrun with over 1300 workers booked by the India-based tobacco company Kamla Pasand. They boarded the ship on a company-sponsored cruise to attend a conference at sea.

Reportedly, the Indian passengers were rampaging with wild deck parties, women dressed as Playboy bunnies, men running amok, taking over pool deck's bars and Lido restaurant, harassing other passengers, even sabotaging pre-scheduled onboard events (bingo, trivia games, classes, themed activities, live performances). As compensation, all regularly booked passengers were fully refunded.

The accident occurred during 10-day South Pacific Islands cruise (itinerary March 5-15) roundtrip from homeport Sydney to Noumea (New Caledonia), Mystery Island (Vanuatu) and Mare (New Caledonia).

28 November 2015Other Incidents

On November 28, 2015, the two largest cruise ships deployed in the South Pacific Ocean met in Sydney Harbour (Australia). Both Royal Caribbean ships (Voyager and the Explorer of the Seas) carried over 10,000 passengers/crew. The Explorer ship was ending a 16-day Australia-New Zealand itinerary out of Fremantle-Perth (via Adelaide and Melbourne) and visited Sydney NSW for the first time.

On the same day, the Voyager ship departed out of Sydney on a 7-day itinerary to Melbourne and Tasmania (Hobart). The special rendezvous celebration started at 6 pm near Fort Denison, with both liners performing maneuvres and a water-supply tugboat doing a traditional water-spraying show.

December 2014Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On December 12, 2014, were reported many passengers suffered from Pertussis (“Whooping cough” / bacterial respiratory disease). Symptoms are similar to common cold – runny nose, fever, mild cough. They had their blood drawn and their throats swabbed. The illness outbreak occurred during an Asia-Australia repositioning cruise from Singapore to Sydney.

11 November 2012Coast Guard Medevacs

On November 11, 2012, an 88-year-old female passenger suffered an injury (fractured hip) after falling in her cabin. The elderly woman was travelling with her 89-year-old husband on a 14-day relocation cruise from Asia to Australia. She was medevaced via helicopter and transported together with her husband to Royal Perth Hospital.

November 2012Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On November 23, 2012, the ship returned in Sydney NSW from 18-night roundtrip New Zealand cruise with 135 passengers (~4%) suffering from Norovirus. Next voyage's embarkation in Sydney (Circular Quay’s Overseas terminal) was delayed due to sanitation processes. All booked on the next itinerary passengers who didn’t like cruising following the Norovirus outbreak were offered replacement itineraries at later dates.

October 2012Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On October 12, 2012, after the ship arrived in Fremantle-Perth from Singapore (14-night relocation cruise from Asia to Australia), a major Norovirus outbreak affected ~800 of the passengers (no CDC report). One of them had to be airlifted.

25 March 2012Coast Guard Medevacs

On March 25, 2012, a male passenger experiencing stroke-like symptoms was medevaced by USCG helicopter dispatched from Belle Chase (approx 130 ml / 201 km from New Orleans LA). The man was airlifted and flown to NOLA, then transported by an ambulance to Touro Infirmary.

February 2012Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

February 2012, CDC reported on the voyage Jan 28 to Feb 4, a Norovirus outbreak affected 248 passengers (out of 3139, or 7,9%) and 11 crew (out of 1192, or 0,9%). All sick experienced the Norovirus symptoms (Gastrointestinal disease) of vomiting and diarrhoea. The next departure from homeport NOLA New Orleans was delayed for extensive sanitizing.

23 March 2011Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On March 23, 2011, a female passenger was forcibly removed from the ship (disembarked in Georgetown, Grand Cayman) for violating the cruise line’s guest conduct policy (inappropriate/abusive behaviour). The woman (the rapper Foxy Brown) was involved in an altercation incident with the staff over a missed Beauty Salon appointment.

The ship was on a 6-day themed cruise (“Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage” / radio show) and Foxy was one of the onboard performing celebrities. For her manicure appointment, she showed up 3 hours late and had to be rescheduled. Security staff removed her from the beauty parlour and sent her to her cabin.

24 January 2010Crew / Passenger Crimes

(CruiseMapper-emailed report from Julia Bilbow)

(sexual) It was January 2010 on the Voyager of the Seas. I know the cruise started on the 24th but the incident was several days after.

There was a hangout spot for teenagers but it was never supervised. One evening I was with several other teenagers (I was 16) and a random staff member came into the room and began to talk to us and kept trying to touch us. He had also mentioned he had been on other cruise ships in Italy (I figured Royal Caribbean didn't do much of a background check on their staff or other cruises hid incidents which allowed him to be rehired).

He also tried engaging with two other adolescents later that night and it was known that the ship's security was trying to find him due to sexually harassing a female staff member that day. We spoke to police officers on the ship that night, but I never heard about it again.

Royal Caribbean did reach out and offer a free cruise trip to my family but we declined.

31 July 2009Fire Accident

On July 31, 2009, 20 passengers and 130 crew were reported suffering from H1N1 symptoms (swine flu virus) on a Mediterranean cruise from Naples Italy to ports in France and Spain. All sick were quarantined and treated on the ship. Local authorities were informed. In all ports of call, the majority of passengers were allowed to disembark.

09 March 2009Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On March 9, 2009, a female passenger sustained injuries (fractured leg and ankle) after falling down the stairs leading from the Royal Promenade to the Casino. Since she had to be medevaced, the ship’s course was altered, which resulted in ~4 hours late arrival in Cozumel Mexico and shortened port stay there. The roundtrip itinerary was from Galveston to Roatan, Cozumel and Costa Maya.

10 March 2008Fire Accident

On March 10, 2008, the ship experienced a small fire incident, that damaged its propulsion system. This resulted in changes to arrival/departure times in all 3 ports of call. All shore excursions were shortened.

26 July 2006Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On July 26, 2006, during a Mediterranean cruise from Rome (Civitavecchia), a 22-year-old female passenger fell overboard. The young woman was travelling with her parents and sister, and was last seen at ~12:30 am entering their cabin. At that time, the vessel was en-route from Civitavecchia to Naples. She was reported missing by her sister at ~7:30 am. The body was never found.

04 September 2004Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On September 4, 2004, a 67-year-old female passenger jumped overboard from her cabin’s balcony. She committed suicide after losing a huge amount of money in the ship’s casino.