A Norwegian Cruise Line passenger has reported that a serious zip line accident involving a collision between two guests allegedly occurred at Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas.
Reports of the incident have been shared online by passengers on Facebook and Reddit, though the accident has not been confirmed by the cruise line.
According to the eyewitness, the incident took place on Monday, December 29, 2025, while they were seated in a cabana near the zip line area. The passenger said they both heard and witnessed the entire situation unfold and became immediately concerned for the individuals involved.
In their post, the passenger reported that two guests collided while on the zip line. They stated that the first guest became stuck on the zip line and that a second guest was later sent down the same line, resulting in a collision between the two riders.
The eyewitness shared exclusively with Candid Cruise & Travel:
“There was a slight dip on the zip line where you really have to put your body forth to get through it.
Well, the person didn’t and then had come to a stop, and was trying to move themselves when a much bigger individual was sent through, and he was trying to stop himself, and ended [up] colliding.
It was terrible to see, you could hear them screaming for help to the point where he passed out either from the heat or a pain. He was stuck up there for over an hour.”
The passenger said there was “clearly a miscommunication between the bottom and the top of the zip line” when the incident occurred.
The eyewitness also shared, “We were generally concerned the gentleman that it happened to was okay. He was passed out on top of a zip line for over an hour before anyone could get to him.”
In addition, the cruiser described the accident as very traumatic, adding: “It truly was nothing I would wish on anybody.
“We’re praying for their safety,” the passenger wrote, adding that the experience had been weighing heavily on their mind.
A second eyewitness on the zipline shared their first-hand experience
One passenger who was actively participating in zip line at the time of the incident shared a firsthand account of what unfolded on Facebook.
According to the guest, they and their girlfriend were “the last people sent from the previous platform before it was closed due to the accident,” noting that they did not initially witness the impact because they were completing the first two segments of the multi-part zip line course.
“It was on the third and final one,” the passenger explained. “By the time we got to the third one we realized something bad was going on and a person was hanging from the middle of the line.”
The guest added that a doctor, who was also a passenger and was on the ground, offered to be pulled up to assess the injured individual. However, the eyewitness says there was no clear way to safely raise the doctor or lower the person suspended on the line.
After being instructed to stop, the couple exited the attraction and returned the equipment on foot, walking back toward the lighthouse area. From the beach, the passenger said it appeared to take “at least an hour or more to get the person down.”
Beyond the accident itself, the passenger expressed concern about the apparent lack of emergency evacuation procedures for the zip line.
“There was no winch, pulley system or anything else to bring the person to the end of the line,” they wrote, adding that an individual had to manually pull themselves up the line. They also noted the absence of a crane or pulley system capable of lowering a stretcher from the platform.
“If somebody were to have another type of emergency, like a heart attack, on the line, they can’t wait there for an hour,” the passenger said. “I hope NCL rectifies this ASAP. It is not safe to do this otherwise.”
Another passenger posted to Reddit about the zip line accident
A similar post about the zip line accident was also briefly posted to Reddit in the r/NCL community before being removed. Prior to its removal, the Reddit post stated that there was a major crash on the zip line above the Vibe Shore Club area, adding that the first person was stuck on the zip line and a second person was sent ahead.
The Reddit post did not provide additional details beyond what was shared on Facebook, and like the Facebook account, it was not confirmed by the cruise line.
According to available port call listings, two Norwegian Cruise Line ships were scheduled at Great Stirrup Cay on that date: Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Prima. The eyewitness confirmed with Candid Cruise and Travel that they were sailing aboard Norwegian Joy when the accident occurred.
About the Seahawk Zipline at Great Stirrup Cay
The zip line involved in the reported incident is part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s shore excursion offerings at Great Stirrup Cay and is known as The Seahawk zip line. Marketed as the island’s signature ziplining experience, The Seahawk is a multi-stage attraction designed to combine overwater views with a high-adrenaline course.
According to Norwegian Cruise Line’s excursion description, The Seahawk features nearly 3,000 feet of open-air ziplining, beginning from a platform more than 110 feet above the ground.
Guests are transported to the launch point by elevator before completing a series of zip line segments that carry riders over the beach, coral reefs, and Bahamian waters, eventually landing near the Silver Cove lagoon.
The experience does not end with a single ride. After the primary zip line runs, participants complete a return course that includes additional zip lines and elevated obstacles, such as a V-net bridge, a chimney climb, and a cargo net climb suspended high above the ground.
The zip line course runs near active guest areas on the island, including cabanas and the Vibe Shore Club, making it visible to other visitors at Great Stirrup Cay.
Norwegian Cruise Line describes the ride as the following:
“The Seahawk is another name for the Osprey bird of prey – and this one is our star attraction: 2,975 feet of open air, over the water ziplining fun!
With a starting height of over 110 feet – don’t worry, you’ll take an elevator to get to the top; the 1,429-foot zip provides awesome views of the beach, reefs and surrounding islands help to distract the thought of launching yourself over the edge into the wild blue yonder.”
Prices for the Seahawk Zipline start at $108 per adult while pricing for kids start at $86.80.
The report is based entirely on passenger statements shared online and has not been confirmed by Norwegian Cruise Line. At this time, details surrounding the incident remain limited. Norwegian Cruise Line has not commented on the condition of the guests involved or indicated whether any operational changes were made following the alleged incident.
I was there under the incident and stood up when I heard people screaming for the incoming person to stop. I saw the hit and it was awful. The injured screamed for a while. It was immediately clear that none of the staff had any idea what to do. The lifeguard was asking if he needed to call an ambulance. Anyone with eyes could tell that was needed!
That’s so terrible, I’m sorry! Horrible for everyone involved. Multiple eyewitnesses have shared the same thought: the staff wasn’t trained for an emergency like this. Hopefully it’s a training opportunity.