Over 25 years later, Amy Bradley’s disappearance remains one of cruising’s most chilling and unsolved mysteries. Netflix’s new true-crime series, Amy Bradley Is Missing, revisits her disappearance, haunting her family and the cruise industry.
Amy Bradley Is Missing, a three-part docuseries released on July 16, 2025, dives deep into the events surrounding Amy’s disappearance from Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas in 1998.
Directed by Phil Lott and Ari Mark, the series mixes family interviews, investigations, crew accounts, and possible Caribbean eyewitnesses. The docuseries aims to unravel a case that has confounded law enforcement and haunted the cruise community for decades.
Here’s what happened to Amy Bradley and why her case continues to captivate people worldwide.
What happened to Amy Bradley?
The story of Amy Bradley missing begins in the early morning hours of March 24, 1998, while on a family cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas. The 23-year-old vanished without a trace while vacationing with her parents and brother on a weeklong Caribbean cruise.
The night before Amy Bradley’s disappearance, she spent time at the ship’s nightclub, dancing with fellow passengers and several members of the ship’s band, including a man known as “Yellow.” Witnesses recall seeing Amy with the band in the early morning hours, but what happened next remains a mystery.
Around 5:30 a.m., Amy’s father woke briefly and saw her sitting on the balcony of their cabin. According to her father, she seemed relaxed and at ease. But when he woke again around 6:00 a.m., Amy was gone along with her cigarettes and lighter. The ship was docked in Curaçao, but no cameras or witnesses saw her leave or disembark.
The Unsolved mystery of Amy Bradley: Search efforts, rumors, and theories explored
Despite immediate searches of the ship and surrounding waters, Amy was never found. Early theories ranged from accidental drowning to suicide, but her family has never believed those explanations. Amy was a trained lifeguard and a strong swimmer. More importantly, they insist she would never have willingly walked away from her life.
Over the years, disturbing rumors and unconfirmed sightings suggested Amy may have been abducted and forced into human trafficking. Witnesses in Curaçao claimed to have seen a woman resembling Amy with a group of men shortly after her disappearance. Another tourist reported seeing a woman who identified herself as “Amy” in a Caribbean brothel years later.
Despite decades of searching, the case of Amy Bradley remains unsolved. Netflix’s new documentary series examines the many theories, from suspected foul play aboard the ship to the heartbreaking possibility of human trafficking. The new series is hoping to answer questions that have plagued this case for over 25 years.
When did Amy Bradley go missing?
The mystery of Amy Bradley missing began on the morning of March 24, 1998, when Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas was docking in the island of Curaçao after departing Aruba the night prior. By the time the ship allowed passengers to go ashore, Amy Bradley was missing.
According to reports, Amy had spent the previous evening enjoying the ship’s nightclub, but by early morning, everything changed. Her father saw her briefly around 5:30 a.m., sitting on the balcony of their cabin. Less than half an hour later, Amy had vanished without a trace.
The ship’s crew and local authorities launched an immediate search, combing the vessel and nearby waters. Despite their efforts, no evidence surfaced. There was no security footage of Amy leaving the ship, and no signs pointing to what happened. Everyone was left asking the same haunting question: Why was Amy Bradley missing?
That morning set off a chain of investigations and unanswered questions that have lingered for over 25 years. The day Amy Bradley went missing remains a haunting moment in cruise history, and the heartbreaking beginning of a family’s decades-long search for answers.
Did they ever find Amy Bradley?
To this day, the case of Amy Bradley missing remains unsolved. Her body has never been officially located, though there have been numerous alleged sightings and leads over the years.
Some witnesses claim to have seen Amy on beaches in Curaçao shortly after her disappearance. Others reported seeing a woman resembling Amy in brothels in the Caribbean, including one witness who said the woman identified herself as “Amy” before being quickly whisked away.
Perhaps the most disturbing lead came in 2005, when a photograph surfaced on a website connected to sex trafficking investigations. The image showed a woman believed by some to be Amy older, with heavy makeup, in a sexually suggestive pose. The FBI analyzed the photo, but no definitive conclusion was reached.
The Netflix series, Amy Bradley is Missing, explores these theories and confronts the disturbing possibility that Amy may have been abducted and forced into human trafficking. Through interviews with Amy’s family, former FBI agents, and cruise staff, the documentary raises unsettling questions about what happened that morning — and whether someone onboard knows more than they’ve ever admitted.
While many theories have been floated, from a tragic accident to foul play, none have provided the closure Amy’s family so desperately wants. The FBI still lists her case as active, and a $25,000 reward remains for information leading to her discovery. The Bradleys themselves have also offered up to $250,000 for credible leads.
Amy Bradley photos: The last images before her disappearance
One of the most poignant aspects of the Netflix series is its use of personal photos and videos of Amy Bradley.
Far from just presenting her as a “missing person,” the documentary shows Amy in candid moments, including laughing with her family, dancing with her brother Brad, and enjoying life on the ship before the tragedy unfolded. Viewers see Amy’s vibrant personality come through, making the loss feel all the more personal.
The show also reveals images captured by ship photographers and fellow passengers, offering a haunting timeline of her final hours on board. In one widely circulated photo, Amy is seen dancing at the ship’s nightclub just hours before she vanished — a chilling reminder of how quickly things changed.
The way she and her brother posed like a couple holding hands is weird to me.
Why don’t authorities from the USA put a tail on yellow and watch his every move. Also get his phone records to see where he has been!!!!