royal cruise overboard

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Passenger Reportedly Jumps from Cruise Ship in Front of Family

Andrea Santillan

• April 5, 2024

A passenger on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas cruise ship reportedly jumped overboard in front of his family early Thursday morning.

According to witnesses, the 20-year-old man had been drinking alcohol and leaped out of a window following a brief argument with his father.

The incident occurred yesterday shortly after 4 a.m. as the ship was sailing off the coast of The Bahamas.

How did the cruise passenger go overboard?

The 18-story cruise ship was sailing from Grand Inagua Island in The Bahamas to Cuba on its final day at sea before returning to Port Everglades.

A passenger named Bryan Sims was with the 20-year-old man who eventually went overboard. From the ship’s hot tub, they went to the elevators, where they encountered the man’s father and brother. According to Sims, “he was pretty drunk.”

Another passenger described the events on the ship. “The ship slowed and began rescue efforts without success. The US Coast Guard was called, and a helicopter and a rescue boat were sent. Since those assets have arrived, we have been freed to resume our journey to FLL,” he recounted.

According to Royal Caribbean, the crew quickly mobilized search and rescue efforts with the US Coast Guard, who eventually continued the search. The ship’s captain confirmed the man overboard event over the public address system a few hours later.

#Breaking @USCG crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles from Great Inagua this morning. USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews are conducting the search. #USCG #SAR pic.twitter.com/zZPpKOdyCn — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) April 4, 2024

Meanwhile, the cruise line assured that “Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”

In 2023, 15 man overboard incidents occurred on cruise ships. Though rare, they are often fatal, and the people who jump overboard are hardly ever rescued.

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Passenger rescued after falling off 10th deck of cruise ship, Coast Guard says

A Royal Caribbean passenger was rescued this week after having fallen overboard from the 10th deck of a cruise ship near the Dominican Republic, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Officials were alerted to the rescue of the 42-year-old woman, an American citizen, at about 5:44 p.m. Sunday, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Mariner of the Seas cruise ship was about 27 nautical miles south of Punta Cana on its way to Willemstad, Curaçao, when the passenger went overboard, the statement said.

“The passenger was recovered alive and reported to be in good health, after reportedly falling into the water from 10th deck of the ship," it said. "No medical evacuation of the passenger was requested by the cruise ship. The passenger was being kept on the cruise ship’s medical facility and later transferred to the Hospital in Willemstad, Curacao for evaluation."

The Coast Guard said it is investigating.

In a statement Wednesday, Royal Caribbean confirmed a passenger went overboard Sunday close to the Dominican Republic.

“The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and began searching for the guest. Thankfully, the guest was successfully recovered and was brought on board. Our Care team is now offering assistance and support to them and their traveling party. Out of privacy for the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share,” the statement said. 

The ship continued the trip as planned, Royal Caribbean said.

Matthew Kuhn, who was on the cruise ship with his family, told WOFL -TV of Orlando , Florida, that he watched rescue efforts from his balcony.

“I think it was amazing to see everyone was on their balcony. Everyone was trying to help, and the crew was very receptive to everyone,” he said.

Kuhn said that he didn’t expect the passenger to be found alive and that he was pleasantly surprised he was wrong.

“Holy crap, they found her, and she’s alive,” he told WOFL.

Kuhn, who declined to comment to NBC News on Wednesday, shared some videos he posted on Twitter of the rescue efforts.

In one of the v ideo s , a small boat can be seen in the distance and people aboard the cruise ship are heard clapping, whistling and cheering.

Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Coast Guard searching for man who went overboard from Royal Caribbean cruise

Officials said the man went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles off Great Inagua.

By NBC6 • Published April 4, 2024 • Updated on April 4, 2024 at 5:24 pm

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise Thursday morning off the Bahamas.

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, who has taken over the search," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in a statement. "Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share."

#Breaking @USCG crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles from Great Inagua this morning. USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews are conducting the search. #USCG #SAR pic.twitter.com/zZPpKOdyCn — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) April 4, 2024

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Coast Guard suspends search for Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger who went overboard

By Aliza Chasan

April 27, 2023 / 7:36 PM EDT / CBS News

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search on Thursday for a Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger who went overboard , the agency confirmed in a news release.

The Quantum of the Seas passenger, identified as Warwick Tollemache, was on a cruise from Australia to Hawaii when he went overboard late Tuesday night about 500 nautical miles south of Hawaii's Big Island, a Coast Guard spokesperson said. The cruise notified the Coast Guard of a man overboard at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday, the spokesperson said.

Crew members searched for about two hours after Tollemache went overboard before the cruise resumed its trip toward Hawaii, according to the officials. On Wednesday morning, a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point C-130 Hercules aircrew launched to continue the search. The Coast Guard arrived around 9 a.m. and the aircrew completed five searches over the course of six hours.

"After reviewing all relevant information of the case and discussing it with the next of kin, the Coast Guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas," Kevin Cooper, a search and rescue mission coordinator for the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, said in a news release.

Another passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas posted about the incident on social media early on Wednesday. 

"Three medical emergencies and now a man overboard," passenger Joshua Reynolds wrote on Facebook. "We have slowed down and are now turning around. Hope they are found."

CBS News has reached out to Australian officials for comment. 

In December, a cruise passenger died after falling from the MSC Meraviglia, about 18 miles off the coast of Port Canaveral, Florida. 

Quantum of the Seas left Brisbane on April 12 and is expected to dock in Honolulu on Friday.

• Cruise Ship

Aliza Chasan is a digital producer at 60 Minutes and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.

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Coast Guard calls off search for man, 20, who jumped overboard on cruise in front of family

Fellow passengers of the royal caribbean cruise have recalled the horror behind the ‘surreal’ incident.

Jess Hardiman

The US Coast Guard has called off the search for the 20-year-old who is said to have jumped overboard from a cruise ship.

The young man is believed to have ‘jumped off’ Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas in front of his family, who were left looking on ‘helplessly’.

Fellow passengers recalled how there had been ‘a lot of yelling’ as the crew were alerted to the ‘surreal’ incident.

The ship had been sailing between Cuba and the Bahamas' Grand Inagua Island on Thursday 4 April when the man went overboard, at around 4.00am.

Cruise line brand Royal Caribbean later confirmed a search was underway for the passenger, saying in a statement to the New York Post: "The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search.

“Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”

However, the US Coast Guard has now confirmed the search has been called off, telling LADbible Group in a statement: “The Coast Guard has suspended its search for the 20-year-old pending the development of new information.”

One of the ship’s passengers, Bryan Sims, explained how he’d been hanging out with the 20-year-old and his brother in the hot tub until about 3.30pm.

"It was standing room only,” he said during an interview with the New York Post.

“He sat right beside me the whole time.

“He was pretty drunk.”

Sims continued: “As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess.

“When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now'. And he jumped out the window in front of us all.”

He added: "It was insane. It was just surreal.”

Amy Phelps Fouse said Royal Caribbean had been ’excellent’ at communicating updates with those on board, asking people to ‘act with compassion’ in light of the ‘tragic situation’.

“The early morning was definitely sombre as so many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to aid in finding the person,” she said, with third passenger Deborah Morrison also telling the outlet: “There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately.

“His family was horrified. Just beside themselves. I can’t even begin to imagine what they’re going through.”

LADbible Group contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.

Topics:  Cruise Ship , News

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected] .

@ Jess_Hardiman

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• Rescue mission underway after man, 20, ‘jumped off’ cruise ship in front of his family
• Passenger speaks out on what happened moments before man, 20, ‘jumped off’ cruise ship in front of family
• Father of cruise passenger, 20, who jumped overboard ship speaks out for first time since the incident
• Girlfriend of man who fell off cruise ship believes search for him was called off too soon

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It’s full steam ahead for the cruise ship industry after Royal Caribbean hiked its full-year profit guidance on Thursday, saying it expects 60% growth from last year following record bookings during the first quarter.

Travelers are paying “record ticket prices,” according to Royal Caribbean — despite a recent spate of high-sea deaths and missing passengers reports, including a Florida 20-year-old who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise this month.

Soaring demand for vacations at sea has given cruise operators ample room to raise ticket prices as the industry looks to close the pricing gap between more expensive land-based holidays and give their profits a lift.

Royal Caribbean, which operates the Celebrity Cruises, now expects annual profits of between $10.70 and $10.90 per share, compared with its earlier forecast of $9.90 to $10.10.

“Our existing fleet along with our new ships continue to perform exceptionally well, highlighted by the market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas,” CEO Jason Liberty said.

Royal Caribbean’s shares — which have spiked 126% in the past year, were up 2% on Thursday morning, to $139.32.

“I remember owning the stock in 2022 and every client was giving me grief about it,” said Peter Ahluwalia, manager at Belinvest Global Equity Fund that holds Royal Caribbean stocks and chief investment officer at Swiss Partners Group. “We’re turning almost 45% return on equity at the moment, which is quite incredible.”

Overall, the industry which was among the hardest hit during the pandemic, is expected to grow to 39.4 million passengers in 2027 from 31.7 million last year, according to Statista.

The surge in demand comes amid major publicity blows from incidents at sea involving passengers who have gone missing, including the Florida man who jumped overboard on April 4 in front of his brother and father after a night of drinking.

Last December, a 41-year-old Royal Caribbean passenger went overboard on a cruise to the Bahamas. That followed an incident last August involving a 64 year-old woman sailing from Singapore to Malaysia on Royal Caribbean who is presumed to have jumped to her death .

On average, 19 people go overboard on cruise ships every year — and of those, only about four are rescued, according to a 2020 study commissioned by the industry trade group Cruise Lines International Association.

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Royal Caribbean profits soar as travelers pay 'record ticket prices' - in wake of teenager Levion Parker jumping overboard

• Royal Caribbean saw stronger-than-usual demand as Americans take to the seas
• More than half the cruise operator's earnings growth stemmed from price hikes
• Its share price was near a record-high on Friday and up 17 percent this year 

Cruise operator Royal Caribbean has the wind in its sails.

The company said this week that soaring demand for vacations at sea has enabled it to sell tickets at record prices - doubling growth to its earnings.

It comes just weeks after a 20-year-old went missing after jumping overboard from one of its ships between Grand Inagua Island and Cuba .

Royal Caribbean Group's net income for the first quarter was $360 million compared to a loss of $48 million for the same period last year.

'Wow, what a great start to the year,' said CEO Jason Liberty on announcing the results this week. 'What transpired over the past three months was even better than our already elevated expectations.'

In light of the surge in ticket sales, Royal Caribbean lifted its annual profit forecast for a second time.

'Things just continue to accelerate and the thirst or hunger for our brands,' Liberty said during a post-earnings call.

Its success also comes even though the quarter aligns with the 'wave season' - the period after the new year which generally sees reduced demand and requires operators to slash prices to make sales.

In April, the company, which also operates Celebrity Cruises, with slightly more upmarket albeit smaller ships, experienced record bookings from 'both a volume and pricing standpoint.'

The operator carried just over 2 million passengers in the first quarter, nearly 14 percent higher year-over-year.

And not only that, Liberty noted that customers are spending more while they are on cruises and booking cruises even further in advance. 

Higher ticket prices have helped protect the company from slightly steeper net cruise costs expected this year due to increased dry dock days - during which ships will be taken out of the water for maintenance.

Canceled trips to the Red Sea due to ongoing conflict have also impacted earnings.

It has also faced slightly steeper fuel costs - spending $304 million over the three months as opposed to $302 million during the wave season quarter last year.

The company expects net cruise costs excluding fuel to increase about 5.5 percent for the year, up from its earlier forecast of around 4 percent.

Royal Caribbean's share price was flirting with an all-time high on Friday - trading at around $140 and up more than 16 percent this year.

'I remember owning the stock in 2022 and every client was giving me grief about it,' Peter Ahluwalia, manager at Belinvest Global Equity Fund and chief investment officer at Swiss Partners Group, told Reuters.

'We're turning almost 45 percent return on equity at the moment, which is quite incredible,' he added.

Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Guests Are Getting Younger: Nearly Half Are Millennials or Gen Z

Elizabeth Casolo , Skift

April 25th, 2024 at 1:30 PM EDT

Younger travelers are making waves on Royal Caribbean Group cruises, steering the company’s post-pandemic growth.

Elizabeth Casolo

Some cruise stereotypes are going overboard as Royal Caribbean Group executives witness a boost in younger travelers.

During Royal Caribbean’s first-quarter earnings call, President and CEO Jason Liberty said nearly half of the company’s cruise guests are millennials or younger. The demographic gained 11 percentage points of share compared to 2019.

Liberty attributed some of Royal Caribbean’s exclusive destinations — like Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas — to this growth.

“One of the incredible things that we’re seeing out of destinations like Perfect Day — and we’ll see this in the Royal Beach Club in Nassau — is how it’s drawing in new-to-cruise (passengers) and millennials,” Liberty said.

Destination as the Driver

Executives said that Caribbean sailings remain most popular, hitting 55% of Royal Caribbean’s deployment for this year. Royal Caribbean International, one of the company’s brands, will also dispatch its upcoming Utopia of the Seas ship to the Caribbean. The ship intends to rival land-based vacations , all while seizing demand for private destinations, such as Perfect Day.

“Utopia is not by accident,” said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International president and CEO. “Utopia is sailing out of Port Canaveral… It really is another product that’s squarely in this competitive space of (land-based) vacations, and we’re seeing huge demand.”

Royal Caribbean is leaning into exclusivity. The company just broke ground on its new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, slated to open in 2025. Royal Beach Club in Cozumel is expected to open in 2026.

Europe trails behind the Caribbean, fulfilling nearly a quarter of Royal Caribbean’s capacity in the summer. Despite changes in Israel and Red Sea itineraries , Royal Caribbean executives were confident in European bookings.

“We are currently booked nicely ahead of last year in both rate and volume,” Royal Caribbean CFO Naftali Holtz said.

As Royal Caribbean returns to its Chinese market this month — preparing to bring a second ship next year — the company is also deploying other ships to Alaska.

More Early Birds

Royal Caribbean announced its strongest wave season yet. The period lasts from January through March, when cruises usually post their best early offers for the year. The first quarter’s net income was $360 million, following losses early last year. Total revenues reached $3.7 billion, up from $2.9 billion.

While customers who prebook skew a bit younger, Liberty said Royal Caribbean’s digital traction is steady across demographics. Customers arrange onboard activities earlier compared to last year, engaging in 10% more experiences per booking.

The Royal Caribbean mobile app attracts 94% of guests, according to Liberty. The app now allows both cruise and flight bookings.

“Our journey to deepen the relationship with the customer continues this year,” Liberty said. “We are removing friction and unlocking travel planning by investing in a modern digital travel platform, making it easier than ever for guests to book their dream vacations, while allowing us to expand wallet share.”

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Tags: alaska , bahamas , caribbean , celebrity cruises , china , cruise , cruise earnings , cruise industry , cruise lines , earnings , europe , israel , israel-hamas war , Post Pandemic Recovery , red sea , royal caribbean , royal caribbean cruises , silversea

Photo credit: Utopia of the Seas rendering. Source: Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean International

Nearly 200 people sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess, Royal Caribbean ships

Nearly 200 people got sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International ships.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 94 of the 2,532 guests on Sapphire Princess reported being ill during its April 5 cruise, along with 20 crew members. The round-trip cruise, which left from Los Angeles with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific, will end on May 7, according to CruiseMapper .

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, 67 of its 1,993 guests reported being ill in addition to two crew members during a cruise that ended April 22, according to the CDC . The two-week voyage sailed from Tampa, Florida to Los Angeles with stops in countries like Colombia and Panama, according to CruiseMapper .

In both outbreaks, the guests and crew members’ main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

Princess, Royal Caribbean and the ships’ crews implemented heightened cleaning and disinfection measures and isolated those who were sick, among other steps, the health agency said.

"At the first sign of an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitation procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus," a Princess spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "Our sanitation program, developed in coordination with the CDC, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard."

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The CDC has logged six outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met its threshold for public notification since the beginning of the year. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in five, while one was unknown.

The illness is often associated with cruise ships but outbreaks occur in communities on land as well, according to Dr. Sarah E. Hochman, a hospital epidemiologist and the section chief of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital.

“There's not something special or unique about cruise ships,” she said. “It's really any type of congregate setting, but it's also happening out in the community on a much smaller scale among households and household contacts. It just doesn't come to the attention of public health as much as it does for larger congregate settings.”

Hochman said the virus is “incredibly infectious” and congregate settings tend to have many shared surfaces, such as handrails in cruise ship stairwells or elevators. “And so, if you just have one person who's shedding the virus and touches the surface and then someone else touches it and then touches their mouth, that's how it can spread in those types of settings.”

Cruise ship medical facilities: What happens if you get sick or injured (or bitten by a monkey)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer isn't as effective against norovirus, and Hochman emphasized that washing hands with soap and water “will do a lot to prevent the spread.”

The news comes after more than two dozen Silversea Cruises guests got sick in a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on the luxury line’s Silver Nova ship during a sailing that began in late March.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Royal Caribbean Lifts Profit View Again on Cruise Boom, Higher Prices

FILE PHOTO: Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, is docked at Costa Maya Cruise Port, in the village town of Mahahual, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, February 6, 2024. REUTERS/Paola Chiomante/File Photo

By Juveria Tabassum and Doyinsola Oladipo

(Reuters) -Royal Caribbean Group on Thursday raised its annual profit forecast for a second time, after record bookings during the first quarter and higher ticket pricing boosted its results, sending its shares 4% higher premarket.

Soaring demand for vacations at sea has given cruise operators ample room to raise ticket prices as the industry looks to close the pricing gap between more expensive land-based holidays and give their profits a lift.

Royal Caribbean also beat expectations for quarterly profit and revenue, with half of its yield growth coming from higher ticket pricing.

"Our existing fleet along with our new ships continue to perform exceptionally well, highlighted by the market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas," said CEO Jason Liberty.

The company now expects annual adjusted profit between $10.70 and $10.90 per share, compared with its earlier forecast of $9.90 to $10.10.

The Celebrity Cruises operator carried 2.05 million passengers in the quarter, nearly 14% higher year-over-year. It also reported record demand during the "wave season" - a period marked by special cruise deals and discounts for the year.

That helped its quarterly revenue of $3.73 billion surpass expectations of $3.69 billion, according to LSEG data.

Higher ticket prices have helped shield the company from slightly steeper net cruise costs expected this year due to increased dry dock days, as well as an impact from canceled voyages to the Red Sea amid tensions in the region.

The company expects net cruise costs excluding fuel to increase about 5.5% for the year, up from its earlier forecast for a rise between 3.75% to 4.25%.

Royal Caribbean's adjusted earnings per share of $1.77 beat market expectations of $1.33.

"I remember owning the stock in 2022 and every client was giving me grief about it," said Peter Ahluwalia, manager at Belinvest Global Equity Fund that holds Royal Caribbean stocks and chief investment officer at Swiss Partners Group. "We're turning almost 45% return on equity at the moment, which is quite incredible."

Shares of the company have risen 126% to about $137 in the past year.

(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum in Bengaluru and Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Devika Syamnath)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Travel alert: Royal Caribbean cancels cruises to this island

• Published: Apr. 25, 2024, 4:57 p.m.
• Alvin Buyinza | [email protected]

Royal Caribbean Cruises has canceled more stops at a popular private resort in Haiti due to safety issues.

Guests who booked on cruises in the summer and early fall are receiving notifications from Royal Caribbean that their cruises to Labadee, a private resort on the northern coast of Haiti, have been canceled, according to royalcaribbeanblog.com , a website that reports on the cruise line.

After Royal Caribbean started to cancel trips to Haiti in March due to civil unrest in Haiti, the cruise line started to cancel more cruises into September, royalcaribbeanblog.com reported. The Royal Caribbean had previously canceled visits to Labadee through the end of this May.

• Read More: Cruise line stops visits to popular Caribbean resort amid U.S. travel advisory

The private resort stop has since been replaced with another port or a day at sea, the royalcaribbeanblog.com reported. The cancellations affect ships such as Adventure of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas.

The Royal Caribbean announced in March that it was suspending all calls to Labadee, according to cruiseindustrynews.com . The move came after the U.S. State Department announced a travel alert for people to not visit the country.

“The current security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous,” the U.S. State Department wrote in a press release in March. “We are aware that there are few or no commercial options to depart Haiti safely at this time. As they become available, we urge U.S. citizens to take advantage of them.”

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A passenger went overboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, the largest operating cruise ship in the world at 18 decks tall and 230,000 tons

• A passenger went overboard the massive Wonder of the Seas cruise ship on Tuesday near Cuba.
• The Royal Caribbean ship is the largest passenger cruise ship currently in service.
• A Coast Guard official told Insider that Cuban authorities are leading the search efforts.

A passenger went overboard the largest cruise ship in the world on Tuesday, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson confirmed to Insider.

The Wonder of the Seas was off the coast of Cuba when the person went overboard, officials told Fox 35 . Passengers posting about the incident on Facebook said the call happened around 7:30 or 8 p.m. on Tuesday night. 

"On August 29, a guest sailing on Wonder of the Seas went overboard," a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told Insider. "The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities. "

The Royal Caribbean representative said the cruise line had been working with the US Coast Guard.

But a spokesperson with the South Florida branch of the US Coast Guard told Insider that the Cuban Border Guard is responsible for coordinating the search and rescue mission because the overboard incident happened in Cuban territorial seas. The Coast Guard official said the US agency is not currently involved in the case.

The 230,000-ton cruise ship was two days into its seven-day itinerary after it left Port Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday. The ship is currently south of Cuba, according to cruise tracking data.

The Wonder of the Seas had already diverted from its original itinerary to account for Hurricane Idalia, which is pummeling Florida with record-breaking storm surge this week, passengers said.

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Cruise industry blog Cruise Hive reported members of the ship's crew spent approximately three hours searching for the passenger before the ship moved on.

The Wonder of the Seas is the largest cruise ship currently sailing passenger voyages. The massive cruise ship measures 1,188 feet in length across 18 decks. The ship can accommodate nearly 7,000 passengers, as well as 2,300 crew members. Another Royal Caribbean ship,  the Icon of the Seas , is set to break the Wonder's record when it starts service in 2024.

Overboard incidents

This is at least the sixth person to go overboard a cruise ship in the past three months.

The previous incidents occurred on the cruise ships Carnival Magic , Carnival Elation , Spectrum of the Seas , Emerald Princess , and Mariner of the Seas. Only one of the passengers was successfully rescued.

While man-overboard incidents are rare, they are a leading cause of death for passengers on cruise ships, according to research conducted by Travis Heggie, a professor at Bowling Green State University who specializes in health and safety risks in the tourism industry.

On average, 19 people go overboard on cruise ships every year — of those, about four people are successfully rescued, a 2020 study commissioned by the industry trade group Cruise Lines International Association found.

The low success rate of man-overboard rescue attempts has prompted debate on whether or not cruise ships should be required to install man-overboard detection systems that automatically alert crew members when a person goes overboard.

In a statement previously shared with Insider, CLIA emphasized that safety and security are a top priority for the industry. "All cruise lines use a variety of measures to maintain a safe environment on board cruise ships, including physical barriers around the periphery of external decks and balconies, video surveillance systems in public areas, and trained crew members who can respond quickly to an unsafe situation or emergency," the spokesperson said.

Watch: The world's largest cruise ship landed in Miami — here's what it's like on board

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Travel | Royal Caribbean breaks ground on Nassau beach club

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Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is a 17-acre development in Nassau, The Bahamas set to open in 2025. (Courtesy/Royal Caribbean)

Bahamas government and Royal Caribbean executives break ground during a cermony for the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau set to open in 2025. From left to right: Phylicia Woods-Hanna, director of investments of The Bahamas; Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer, Royal Caribbean International; Dr. Michael Darville, minister of health and wellness of The Bahamas; Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group; Philip Davis, prime minister of The Bahamas; Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International; I. Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation of The Bahamas; JoBeth Coleby-Davis, minister of energy and transport of The Bahamas; Philip Simon Jr., president and general manager, Royal Beach Club and Royal Caribbean International Bahamas; and Russell Benford, vice president of government relations – Americas, Royal Caribbean Group. (Courtesy/Royal Caribbean)

Royal Caribbean and the government of the Bahamas broke ground Monday on the joint venture to develop a strip of land in the cruise port of Nassau called Paradise Island.

The government in 2023 gave the OK for the cruise line to develop a 17-acre portion into what will be called Royal Beach Club Paradise Island when it opens in 2025. Cruise line executives and government officials, including Prime Minister Philip Davis, grabbed shovels along the white sandy beaches with turquoise water in the background.

“With the signing of the deal [for] Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, we embark on this project to further enhance the vitality of our tourism product,” Davis said. “Signing today’s agreement, we add another world-class experience to our tourism offerings. And even more importantly, we take a bold step toward greater Bahamian empowerment in the tourism industry.”

The site is on the western edge of the strip of land that runs alongside the waterway through which ships brought nearly 4.5 million passengers in 2023, making Nassau the world’s busiest cruise port of call.

Royal Caribbean’s site expects about 2,000 visitors a day. They will be ferried over from the port but then return by land going through downtown Nassau.

It’s the first site for the smaller-sized beach club private destination Royal Caribbean plans to build out as opposed to its private island and resort destinations such as Perfect Day at Coco Cay in the Bahamas and Labadee on Haiti’s northern coast.

The Paradise Island spot will play up Bahamian culture alongside traditional offerings such as the beach, cabanas, four food and drink venues and three pools with swim-up bars. The site is being designed by a Bahamian architectural firm, and will give space for local artisan work for sale and live local music.

The project is a public-private partnership under which Bahamians are invited to own up to 49% of it. The plan is for locals to manage the experiences offered at the resort.

The cruise line will own 13 acres of the property while 4 acres go to Crown Land, which is a territorial area owned by the state. The cruise line will also pay a new tourism levy in exchange for the development.

“Marking more than the beginning of the construction process, today’s groundbreaking event symbolizes partnership, momentum and continued economic development for so many Bahamian entrepreneurs and the entire community,” said Jason Liberty, the cruise line parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s President and CEO. “We are grateful to our partners for their support, especially the Bahamian government, who stand with us here today in celebration of what is to come.”

The additional attraction to the port augments a $300 million overhaul of the Nassau Cruise Port that had its grand opening last year.

Already the port has expanded its capacity to six ships, including the ability to dock three of the massive Oasis-class ships from Royal Caribbean at once.

The revamp includes a new terminal building, Junkanoo museum, 3,500-person amphitheater, living coral exhibit plus more entertainment, food, beverage and retail space. Once complete, the port’s capacity will jump to more than 33,000 passengers per day. It had been around 20,000 a day.

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Moscow Muled

Top 5 caribbean mule recipes.

May 09, 2020

In this post, we reveal the Top 5 Caribbean Mule Recipes anywhere on the internet. Read on to learn how to make this awesome variation on the classic Moscow Mule!

Introduction

At times, one desires something new and exciting that complements the old. So, in comes the Caribbean Mule!

While you are probably familiar with the Moscow Mule, the Caribbean Mule is a variation that might just become your new favorite. The Caribbean Mule is a popular Mule that substitutes vodka for rum. An avid rum-drinker will no doubt love this version of the traditional Moscow Mule. And the best part is that it can easily be made from scratch without leaving your home. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the easy-to-make, yet absolutely irresistible recipes for the Caribbean Mule. We’ll explore how the cocktails tastes, how it ought to be served, the different ways it can be made, and the different recipes. So, let’s get started!

History of the Caribbean Mule

Although there’s plenty to love about the original Moscow Mule, variety is undeniably the spice of life. Thus, there is good reason to have a collection of recipes for your cocktails. With only a cabinet full of liquor from different parts of the world and a few basic ingredients, exploring with the Mule drink is like going on an adventure from the comfort of your home bar. 

Because the original Mule was named to pay homage to where vodka came from, Russia, its variations have followed the same idea. The Caribbean Mule takes the spirit of the enchanting blue waters of the Caribbean islands, combined with conventional ginger beer. 

With the Caribbean Mule, you can choose to use spiced rum, white rum, pineapple-flavored rum, or even coconut rum. The sweetness of the drink is livened up by the ginger flavors.

Caribbean Mule Ingredients

The ingredients in this variation are:

• Rum – To achieve the best flavor, choose a premium quality rum.
• Lime juice – Fresh lime juice balances out the sweetness and adds a tangy flavor.
• Simple syrup – This can be made at home and is comprised of water, granulated sugar and, if you want to add a greater ginger kick, fresh slices of ginger.
• Ginger beer – Choose a high-quality beer for the best results.
• Ice – Use small crushed ice for heightened sensation and guaranteed chilling while drinking.

Which Rum Should You Use for your Caribbean Mule?

Spiced rum brings a comforting, warm feel that’s perfect during fall. When paired with ginger beer, the result is an extra sweetness and spice perfect for those cozy, cold nights or for entertaining your guests. Even when it comes to mixed drinks, you should always ensure you buy quality spiced rum. Preferably, use one with a medium to heavy texture. The flavors of the rum come out and help even out the ginger beer and simple syrup. 

You can also choose to use Red Leg rum. Red Leg spiced rum comes from the makers of Blavod, a premium vodka. The name is inspired by the red legged hermit crab that is indigenous to the coral reefs found in the Caribbean. The rum is infused with vanilla and ginger  and then rested in oak casks to marry all the spicy flavors. 

The Easy Caribbean Mule Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 4 oz spiced rum
• 2 small pieces of fresh ginger
• 4 oz ginger beer
• ¼ oz homemade ginger simple syrup
• ¼ oz lime juice

Instructions:

• Muddle the fresh ginger.
• In a cocktail mixer, add the simple syrup, spiced rum, and lime juice and shake well.
• Strain, then add ginger beer to create that absolutely delicious spicy cocktail. 

Pirate Inspired Caribbean Mule

This cocktail will transport you to the ocean blue waters of the dreamy Caribbean from wherever you are in the world. 

• ½ oz white rum
• ½ oz gold rum
• 1 oz coconut rum
• Pineapple wedge
• Mix all the rums.
• Add ginger beer, then stir gently.
• Serve in a classic copper mule mug over ice and garnish with the pineapple wedge.

The Kranks’ Caribbean Mule

This easy-to-make Caribbean style cocktail is one tasty treat. It draws its inspiration from a holiday favorite, ‘Christmas with the Kranks.’ In the movie, a couple whose kids are all grown up and have left home go merry-making on a Caribbean holiday cruise. This particular cocktail uses cranberry syrup, which gives the drink a distinctive twist.

• 4 fresh cranberries chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 12 oz ginger beer
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 2 slices lime
• Ice as needed 
• Put the water, sugar, and chopped cranberries in a saucepan and cook over very low heat.
• Stir frequently until the cranberries are completely soft.
• Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the mixture. Press the pulp gently to extract the liquid.
• Let the syrup cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Cover the syrup and put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before use.
• Pour ½ oz of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the cooled syrup into two Collins glasses or copper mugs.
• Add ice, then pour rum and ginger beer in equal amounts and stir using a cocktail stirrer.
• Garnish with cranberries, a lime wheel, and rosemary sprig.

Bright Caribbean Cocktail

This low-carb cocktail is bright enough to make you forget a chilly and dull day outside your window. It’s also perfect for weekend entertaining. Besides, you get to enjoy all the goodness of a low-carb  drink which lets you indulge while also helping you in the weight management department!

• 1 1/8-inch slice of fresh ginger
• ¼ teaspoon of pineapple coconut water enhancer
• 4 oz sugar-free ginger beer
• 1 oz pineapple rum
• Frozen cranberries
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 2 oz club soda
• Muddle the ginger in the bottom of your cocktail mixer.
• Fill with ice.
• Add all the rum, water enhancer, and lime juice. Shake well.
• Put the mixture in a glass and add the club soda and ginger beer
• Garnish using the frozen cranberries and serve immediately.

The result is a sparkly cocktail that is ideal for weekend sipping. If you prefer your drinks a little sweeter and a bit heavier, then add more ginger beer.

Ginger Peach Fizz

The dark rum used has a flavor that perfectly complements the peaches  in this utterly amazing cocktail.

• 1 ½ oz dark rum
• ¾ oz simple syrup
• ¾ oz lime juice
• 2 slices of peach
• Muddle peach slices in a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice, lime juice, rum, and simple syrup, then shake.
• Strain mixture in a highball glass and top with ice.
• Fill the glass with ginger beer and stir.
• Use the mint sprig to garnish.

Which One Should You Use: Ginger Beer or Ginger Ale?

Although it’s possible to use ginger ale instead of ginger beer in your Caribbean Mule cocktails, you won’t achieve the depth of ginger flavor, which is what makes ginger beer such a great mixer. Ginger beer is actually fermented and has a sharper, more pronounced ginger flavor and almost .05 percent alcohol. Besides, it’s less carbonated compared to ginger ale .

Making Homemade Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is a mixture of sugar and water that’s dissolved and then cooled. The ideal ratio should be 1:1.

To make a ginger simple syrup, you should mix a few fresh slices of ginger with water and sugar and put it in a small saucepan. Then, place it over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Should You Make Your Own Simple Syrup or Use A Store-Bought One?

Even if you're a novice, making your own homemade spiced Caribbean Mule with your own simple syrup is very easy. The advantage of making your own is you can control the sweetness and flavor when cooking. For instance, adding extra ginger will give your drink more punch. On the other hand, if you need a faster drink, then store-bought simple syrup is your best bet. However, it will not have as much ginger flavor. 

Get Creative

Does the idea of rum and ginger beer sound fascinating? Rather than just following a specific recipe, take a tall glass and fill it with ice to the brim. Next, pour a shot of rum or two. Add ginger beer to the ice and rum until you find the balance that perfectly suits your palate.

It’s Always a Good Time

With these delicious and refreshing recipes, you can rest assured that these cocktails will excite any palate. The drinks are meant to be sweet but not overly sweet, and the alcohol contents, although generously poured, can still be subtle depending on what you like.

Cocktails are more than simply drinks. They make friends out of strangers and bring people together. So, sit back, relax, and have a good time with any of these amazing recipes.

Did You Enjoy This Article?

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the following articles:  Top 7 Jamaican Mule Recipes and  Top 7 Pineapple Mule Recipes

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Moscow Mule Copper Mug

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