What was supposed to be the highlight of a dream vacation turned into a nightmare at sea, as passengers aboard the world’s largest cruise ship described the moment a massive waterslide suddenly broke apart — leaving one man “sliced open” and sending children screaming for help. The shocking incident, which took place on Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas, has sparked urgent safety questions and a wave of passenger accounts painting a scene of pure chaos.
The ship, which only set sail on its maiden voyage earlier this year, was carrying over 7,500 guests when disaster struck. Witnesses say the AquaDome — the multi-level aquatic playground touted as a crown jewel of the vessel — was packed with families when the ride’s fiberglass tube split open without warning. “It was like a gunshot,” passenger Maria Hernandez told The Miami Herald, describing how the cracking sound was followed by an eruption of water and screams.
Hernandez said she was standing just feet away when she saw a man emerge from the torn section of the slide with a deep gash running from his shoulder down to his ribcage. “It was blood everywhere. He was clutching his side and yelling for help. People were slipping, trying to get out of the way,” she recalled. Photos shared with Daily Mail show crew members rushing to block off the ride with emergency tape as shocked guests looked on.
BREAKING: Passenger injured after waterslide bursts on world’s largest cruise ship. Royal Caribbean says investigation is underway. pic.twitter.com/Hv0m3iCytM— Cruise News Live (@CruiseNewsLive) August 9, 2025
According to passengers, the injured man, later identified as 38-year-old Mark Dalton from Houston, Texas, had been traveling with his wife and two young children. Several witnesses told NBC News that Dalton had been “launched sideways” when the section of slide he was in collapsed under pressure, scraping him along jagged edges before he hit the water below.
“He was pale, shaking, and kept asking if his kids were okay,” passenger Leon Campbell told CNN. “We were trying to calm him down while someone ran for a medic. I’ll never forget how scared those kids looked — they were just frozen.”
Royal Caribbean issued a brief statement to Reuters confirming that the waterslide incident was “isolated” and that the ride had been shut down pending inspection. “Our ship’s medical team provided immediate care, and the guest was transported to a shoreside facility at the next port,” the company said. “The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority.”
Royal Caribbean says it’s reviewing the “structural integrity” of all waterslides aboard Icon of the Seas after injury incident. pic.twitter.com/Ekqgh5P8NL— Maritime Bulletin (@MaritimeBulletin) August 9, 2025
But several passengers have questioned how the slide could fail so catastrophically on a brand-new ship. Video shared with Insider shows water spraying wildly from the damaged section moments after the break, while crew members scramble to usher people away. “You could see the fiberglass splintering,” said vacationer Jasmine Liu, who captured the footage. “This wasn’t just a crack — it was like a section had peeled away.”
Liu said she and others had noticed the slide making “a loud vibration” earlier in the day but assumed it was normal. “Now I’m thinking, why wasn’t it shut down then? If it was my kid in there instead of that man…” she trailed off, visibly shaken.
