Water Park Injuries on a Cruise Ship
Many cruise ships today are like floating water parks, with slides, diving boards, and pools. Promotional literature emphasizes the fun families can have in the pool. Sadly, guests aboard the cruise ship can be injured due to a defect or lack of maintenance. Bringing an injury claim is also a challenge, given confusing laws and resistance on the part of the ship’s owner.
Passenger Injured by Defective Water Slide on Cruise Ship
A Royal Caribbean passenger was injured in August 2025 when a portion of a water slide shattered. The passenger aboard the Icon of the Sea was hurt when passing through a portion where acrylic glass had broken off the slide. Although the passenger did not fall through the hole in the slide, they did sustain undisclosed injuries.
The Icon of the Sea has several slides which it claims are “record breaking” and part of the largest water park at sea. Unfortunately, many accidents happen in the pool area aboard cruise ships. Other passengers can be hurt when diving boards break, or if they drown in a pool which lacks signage or lifeguards.
Assessing Liability for the Accident
Injured cruise ship passengers often assume they can sue the cruise ship, which is usually true. As the owner of the ship, the cruise company must maintain a level of reasonable safety for any paying guest. That means reasonably:
- Installing water slides and other equipment properly
- Inspecting water park equipment for defects
- Shutting down the pool area, if necessary, to make repairs
- Hiring and training sufficient staff
- Adopting safety protocols to minimize the risk of accident
- Respond adequately to any injury
If the cruise ship fails to fulfill its duties, then anyone injured on a slide or in a pool could bring a lawsuit.
The cruise ship is not the only defendant, however. You might also sue the manufacturer of any defective equipment, such as a diving board which snaps in half or a defective slide which shatters. Manufacturers are liable when they sell dangerous equipment to the public or businesses.
Contact our law firm. Injuries on cruise ships are difficult to investigate because the ship controls who can come onboard. They also control the cameras which are everywhere on cruise ships and probably recorded the accident. You need to hire a lawyer promptly who can put the cruise ship on notice to preserve relevant evidence, including video evidence.
Speak with a Miami Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer
Pita Weber Del Prado is prepared to file a legal claim against a cruise ship for any passenger injury which is the ship’s fault. Call our office to schedule a free consultation with a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer. Even cruise ships in international waters are liable to their passengers who are hurt by the company’s negligence. We can investigate and gather information for your case. Be aware that these companies defend themselves aggressively and will possibly blame you for any water park injury. We can gather evidence to put blame where it belongs: on the cruise ship.
Source:
newsweek.com/passenger-injured-waters-slide-icon-seas-2110909
