Passengers aboard Icon of the Seas were shouting to stop the ride as water began gushing from a water slide that broke mid-ride during the ship’s August 7, 2025, sailing.
The dramatic malfunction occurred while the ship was at sea between St. Thomas and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas.
A Reddit video filmed by a guest on the Icon of the Seas upper deck shows a clear rupture in the slide’s translucent tube. With water spraying from the water slide, passengers scream to the ride operator to stop other riders from coming down.
At least one rider was still inside the water slide when the break occurred and was injured from the broken plexiglass.
According to ABC News, one passenger was injured and received medical attention onboard. Royal Caribbean has kept the water slide closed since the incident and has yet to repair or reopen it.
Royal Caribbean confirmed the malfunction and stated, “Our shipboard team immediately responded and temporarily closed the slide for inspection and repairs. The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority.” Royal Caribbean has not provided a timeline for when the slide will be operational again.
Frightening Bolt slide malfunctions mid-ride
The slide in question is Frightening Bolt, the tallest drop slide at sea, and a highlight of the Category 6 waterpark on Icon of the Seas. The slide begins with a vertical plunge from a capsule platform and winds through a clear tube suspended over the ship’s top deck.
The damage appears to be a clean break or tear in the slide’s structure. The break possibly came from a pressure issue, material failure, or potential manufacturing defect.
With the vessel being less than two years old, the incident is especially concerning. Not to mention, Icon of the Seas’ sister-ship, Star of the Seas, debuted this month with the same slide. Royal Caribbean has closed the Frightening Bolt on Star of the Seas until they identify the cause of the incident.
Guest reactions: “Could have been so much worse”
Following the incident, passengers took to Reddit and social media to share their accounts. In the r/Cruise subreddit, one guest wrote, “You could hear people screaming and water spraying down like a fire hose. Honestly, it could have been so much worse.”
Royal Caribbean Group said, “Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide. The guest is being treated for his injuries,” they added.
Another Redditor added, “We were standing nearby and saw the water just shooting out of the slide. It was terrifying. I would not have wanted to be the person inside at that moment.”
A wake-up call for high-thrill attractions at sea
While Royal Caribbean has built a reputation for pushing the limits of onboard thrills, this incident has raised valid concerns about safety monitoring, inspection intervals, and emergency response protocols, especially for adrenaline-based attractions like trapdoor slides.
To the cruise line’s credit, crew members acted quickly and shut the slide down immediately after the malfunction. But the unsettling nature of the incident — coupled with vivid footage now circulating online — has left many wondering how such a critical failure could occur on a new cruise ship.
Icon of the Seas’ August 7 sailing was part of a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that departed from Miami on August 2. The ship called in Philipsburg, St. Maarten (August 5) and St. Thomas (August 6) before heading toward CocoCay (August 8) and returning to Miami on August 9.
