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.
The cruise line’s own promotional materials, still live on its website as of Saturday, describe the slide as “engineered for thrills and built to the highest safety standards.” Maritime safety expert Dr. Colin Franks told BBC News that the incident raises serious questions about manufacturing defects or maintenance oversight. “If the ride was operating under standard conditions and failed like this, it’s a major red flag,” he said.
Maritime safety experts say structural failure on a new cruise ship ride is “extremely rare” and warrants a full investigation. pic.twitter.com/zxzV6N8yCf— Travel Safety Watch (@TravelSafeWatch) August 9, 2025
Some passengers have already contacted attorneys. Maritime law firm Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman confirmed to Local 10 Miami that they are representing at least two families aboard the ship. “Our clients allege there were visible signs of wear and unusual noises before the incident, and that crew members failed to take preventative action,” the firm said in a statement.
Dalton, who remains hospitalized in Puerto Rico, reportedly suffered multiple lacerations requiring more than 40 stitches, along with deep bruising and possible nerve damage. Friends set up a GoFundMe page to help cover his medical costs and travel home, which has already raised over $25,000.
Meanwhile, on social media, cruise enthusiasts and safety advocates are clashing over who bears responsibility. Some say Royal Caribbean’s rapid expansion of thrill attractions on ships like Icon of the Seas may be pushing engineering limits. Others argue that this was an unpredictable fluke. “You don’t expect the world’s biggest, newest ship to have rides literally falling apart,” one passenger wrote on Reddit.
“The kids were screaming. Parents were yelling for help. And the ride kept running for another 30 seconds.” — Passenger on Icon of the Seas pic.twitter.com/UqYjEKnYw2— Ocean Watch (@OceanWatchNews) August 9, 2025
Adding to the controversy, multiple passengers allege that the ship’s crew initially downplayed the incident. Hernandez, the eyewitness, said announcements over the loudspeaker referred only to a “technical malfunction” and told guests to “enjoy other onboard activities.” “It felt like they were trying to make us forget about it,” she told The Washington Post.
Experts say that depending on the findings of the investigation, Royal Caribbean could face lawsuits under maritime law, which imposes strict duties on cruise lines to ensure passenger safety. “The scale of this ship makes it a floating city,” said attorney Michael Winkleman in an interview with CBS News. “If something as basic as a waterslide can fail like this, it calls into question the integrity of the whole operation.”
As the ship continues its itinerary without the ride in operation, some passengers say the atmosphere has shifted from excitement to unease. “Every time I walk past that taped-off slide, I think about the look on that man’s face,” Campbell said. “We all came here for fun, but now it feels different. You can’t unsee something like that.”