royal caribbean cruise passenger missing

20-year-old man missing after jumping off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, report says

• A 20-year-old man on holiday with his family went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise. 
• The man, who's been missing since early Thursday morning, may have jumped, a report said. 
• The US Coast Guard has launched a search operation. 

A 20-year-old man who was vacationing with his family on a cruise may have jumped overboard, The New York Post reported.

Royal Caribbean confirmed that a passenger, whose identity has not been revealed, went overboard near The Bahamas at about 4 a.m. on Thursday and has been missing since then.

The US Coast Guard launched a search for the passenger on Thursday.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Business Insider that the cruise line's "Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time."

Bryan Sims, a fellow cruise passenger, told The New York Post that he'd hung out with the passenger in the hot tub until 3:30 a.m. Sims said the man appeared to be "pretty drunk."

Sims told the Post that after leaving the hot tub, they encountered the passenger's father while approaching the elevators.

"His dad was fussing at him for being drunk," Sims said.

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Deborah Morrison, another passenger on board the cruise, told the Post that "there was a lot of yelling and that the crew was alerted immediately."

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search," the Royal Caribbean spokesperson said.

#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

The Liberty of the Seas departed from South Florida and was 57 miles from Great Inagua in The Bahamas when the passenger went overboard.

The cruise ship has 18 decks and can accommodate up to 3,634 passengers. It's served by a crew of about 1,300.

The chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low .

In 2023, about 31 million passengers traveled on a cruise, and at least 10 people went overboard, with two of them surviving, Business Insider reported .

"Even one incident is one too many," a spokesperson for Cruise Lines International Association told Business Insider, adding that "the vast majority of cases are either reckless behavior or some form of intentional act. People don't just inadvertently fall over the side of a ship."

Last month, a 23-year-old man who felt seasick fell overboard from the MSC Euribia cruise ship while crossing the North Sea in Europe and was presumed dead.

In December, an MSC Cruises passenger jumped from one of its ships while sailing from Europe to South America.

According to a CLIA report, only 28.2% of passengers who fell overboard between 2009 and 2019 were successfully rescued.

Watch: Sub taking tourists to see the Titanic goes missing

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Coast Guard searches for missing man reported overboard on Liberty of the Seas cruise ship

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a 20-year-old man who passengers claim jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that departed from South Florida.

According to the Coast Guard, the man was on the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship Thursday morning when he went overboard 57 miles from Great Inagua in the Bahamas.

#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

Some passengers told the New York Post that the man appeared to be intoxicated when he jumped off the ship.

"As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us," passenger Bryan Sims told the Post. "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."

Another passenger told the Post his family appeared "horrified" by what had happened.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg told WPTV that the search was ongoing Friday morning. He couldn't say whether the man fell or jumped.

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, who has taken over the search," Royal Caribbean 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."

Strasburg said a Coast Guard cutter and helicopter were searching for the missing man and would continue to do so for as long as there is reasonable evidence to suggest survival.

The Liberty of the Seas was on a four-day cruise that departed from Port Everglades on Monday and returned Friday morning, according to cruise-tracking website CruiseMapper .

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Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger missing after going overboard on trip to the Bahamas

A dream weekend trip to the Bahamas turned into a nightmare after a passenger went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

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A 41-year-old man is missing after he went overboard over the weekend on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship to the Bahamas, officials said.

The Coast Guard received a call at 7.17pm about the passenger, who fell off the vessel around 200km east of Charleston, South Carolina, Petty Officer Vincent Moreno told The Post and Courier .

“A guest went overboard from Vision of the Seas. The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and launched a search and rescue mission,” a company rep told the New York Post in an email on Monday.

“Out of privacy for the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share,” the statement added.

The Coast Guard deployed a C-130 Hercules plane from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and another C-130 crew responded from Clearwater, Florida, to relieve the first.

But on Monday morning, the agency announced it had suspended the search after scouring more than 1,625 square miles for eight hours, WCBD reported .

The missing man was aboard Royal Caribbean’s “8 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Holiday Cruise,” which left from Baltimore on Friday, passengers told the Post and Courier.

Jake Utzinger, a 21-year-old film student from New Jersey who was vacationing with his girlfriend’s family, said that he was lying in bed around 7.45pm when the captain announced that a passenger had fallen overboard.

“I instantly felt sick to my stomach knowing that one of our fellow travelers had been lost at sea,” Utzinger told the paper.

He said he, his girlfriend and other passengers rushed to the pool deck to provide an “extra pairs of eyes” in the search-and-rescue effort.

Another passenger, Colin Schappi, told WCBD that he heard the announcement “Oscar! Oscar! Oscar! Starboard! — a call to the crew signifying an overboard emergency — about 7:15 p.m.

“We were wondering what was going on with that,” he said.

Crews stopped the ship, dropped a strobe lamp and searched for the passenger for six hours before resuming the trip around 2am.

“It’s definitely going to be rough continuing this voyage knowing that a family is missing their loved one,” Utzinger told the news outlet.

The Vision of the Seas’ next stop is Port Canaveral, Florida, after which will sail throughout the Bahamas before returning to Baltimore on Saturday.

The 915-foot-long ship, which has a total capacity of 2000 guests and 700 crew members, made its first voyage in 1988, according to the Royal Caribbean website.

In August, a Royal Caribbean passenger went overboard the Wonder of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, while it was off the coast of Cuba during a voyage from Florida.

The passenger was identified as 19-year-old Sigmund Ropich, a college student from Washington state known to his loved ones as “boiboi.” He had been vacationing with friends at the time.

Earlier that month, an Indian woman died after she apparently jumped off the company’s Spectrum of the Seas.

Reeta Sahani, 64, was reported missing after her husband, Jakesh Sahani, 70, woke up in the middle of the night and noticed she was not in their cabin.

In June, a 42-year-old woman was rescued after she fell off Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas about 25 miles south of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic during its voyage from Florida.

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Other recent incidents occurred on the cruise ships Carnival Magic, Carnival Elation and Emerald Princess.

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.

This story originally appeared on the New York Post and is republished here with permission.

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Father of florida cruise passenger, 20, who jumped off royal caribbean ship after argument believes his son is still alive: report.

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The father of the 20-year-old passenger who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship last Thursday in a reportedly drunken, impulsive leap believes his son is still alive nearly a week later.

Francel Parker, dad of missing Levion Parker, told the Daily Sun that he believes his child — whom he called a master diver — is still alive in the waters off the Bahamas.

“As soon as he went off the side, I prayed over him. I was confident the prayers I said over my son were heard. I stand on the word of God. I believe he is alive,” Francel Parker said to the local Florida paper Wednesday.

The US Coast Guard called off its search for the North Port man a day earlier.

The younger Parker allegedly jumped off the 18-story Liberty of the Seas around 4 a.m. in front of his helpless dad and younger brother after getting into an argument with his father, witnesses previously told The Post.

But Francel, who runs an AC business in Port Charlotte, told the local newspaper that he wasn’t arguing with Levion and that his son wasn’t trying to take his own life.

He said Levion is a skilled diver who works on a commercial fishing boat, and he is demanding to know how his underage son was given alcohol on the four-day cruise to Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island.

“We don’t drink,” Francel said. “I’d like to know how my son was served so much alcohol.”

Another passenger onboard the cruise who witnessed Levion’s heart-stopping jump said Francel was “fussing at him for being drunk.”

Bryan Sims told The Post that he was hanging out with Levion and his 18-year-old brother, Seth, in the hotel tub of the ship in the early hours of April 4 before they went their separate ways.

After Sims had used the restroom and dried off, he bumped into the brothers and their father near the elevators.

“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,” Sims said of the moment before Parker jumped.  

“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,” Sims said, calling what he witnessed “surreal.”

Another cruise guest described the frantic chaos that followed.

“There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately,” Deborah Morrison told The Post.

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

Francel told the Daily Sun that he threw six life rings off the ship in hopes of saving his son before the massive vessel was able to come to a stop about 20 minutes later.

Royal Caribbean said it “immediately” launched search boats to look for the 20-year-old and alerted the Coast Guard, which later took over the search.

At least 406 people on major cruise lines and ferries have gone overboard between 2000 and 2024, according to data collected by retired professor and cruise industry researcher Ross Klein.

Death rates among overboard passengers and crew members vary significantly among cruise lines, but even the safest cruise companies were only able to rescue about 40% of people who fall or jump off the ship, Klein told the Washington Post in July.

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Royal Caribbean Passenger, 41, Falls Overboard Off South Carolina Coast

“I instantly felt sick to my stomach knowing that one of our fellow travelers had been lost at sea,” another passenger said

Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

A 41-year-old man fell overboard on a Royal Caribbean   cruise ship bound for the Bahamas on Sunday, officials said.

The U.S. Coast Guard  announced on X , formerly known as Twitter, that it launched a search for the man who went over from the Vision of the Seas cruise about 127 miles east of Charleston, S.C., at around 11 a.m. local time.

In a  second update  issued just before 7:30 p.m. local time, the agency said that search efforts were suspended after about "8 hours" during which time crews “searched more than 1,625 square miles” in the area where the man fell.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson confirmed the incident to PEOPLE, saying that the "ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and launched a search and rescue mission."

"Out of privacy for the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share," their statement added.

Authorities received a call at about 7:17 p.m. on Sunday about the passenger who had fallen from the ship, which was headed to the Bahamas, according to  The   Post and Courier . 

The Coast Guard then dispatched a rescue crew in a C-130 airplane from Elizabeth City, N.C., after 11 p.m., and another C-130 crew from Clearwater, Fla., to relieve the first crew, per the outlet. 

The ship's captain informed fellow passengers that a passenger had fallen overboard, passenger Jake Utzinger told the paper. Utzinger, who was on vacation on the cruise with his girlfriend’s family, said he was lying in bed around 7:45 p.m. when the captain gave the update. 

“I instantly felt sick to my stomach knowing that one of our fellow travelers had been lost at sea,” he said.

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

After the announcement, Utzinger told  The   Post and Courier  that the 21-year-old, his girlfriend and several other passengers went to the deck to offer an “extra pair of eyes” with the search efforts.

Utzinger said the crew also stopped the ship and dropped a strobe lamp to search for the passenger, according to the newspaper. However, their search efforts were unsuccessful after six hours.

He said the ship continued its voyage around 2 a.m. to its next destination, Port Canaveral, Fla. The ship will then travel through the Bahamas before returning to its origin in Baltimore on Saturday.

“It’s definitely going to be rough continuing this voyage knowing that a family is missing their loved one," Utzinger said.

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Follow our news, recent searches, 'i had no idea': spectrum of the seas passengers in the dark after person falls overboard cruise ship, advertisement.

Royal Caribbean said a care team is currently offering assistance and support to the family of the missing passenger.

Spectrum of the Seas at Port Klang in Malaysia, on Jul 1, 2022. (File photo: Port Klang Cruise Terminal)

Matthew Mohan

SINGAPORE: Passengers on Royal Caribbean cruise ship Spectrum of the Seas said that they were unaware someone had fallen overboard until news broke online .

Several passengers told CNA that there were a few announcements paging for a woman to report to guest services sometime between 5.30am and 6.30am on Monday (Jul 31) morning.

Mr Pedro Adrian Aguirre was awake and sitting at his room’s balcony when he heard the first announcement.

Another passenger who only wanted to be known as Ms M Ori, said that there were a few announcements “in the cabins and all over the ship” at about 6am.

These announcements were made within the span of about 30 minutes, she estimated.

“As we have cruised over 50 times we knew something was not right,” said Ms Ori.

Another passenger CNA contacted said he did not hear the announcements as he was asleep.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Monday that a passenger had fallen overboard.

In its last update on Monday night, MPA said that search efforts coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) were underway. 

The MRCC was notified of the incident at about 7.50am while the vessel was en route to Singapore.

Royal Caribbean added that the ship's crew immediately launched search and rescue when it was found that the person had fallen overboard.

A care team is currently offering assistance and support to the family of the missing passenger, the company said.

“I would like to think that the cruise line did the correct procedure in order to make it possible to find the person,” said Ms Ori, who found out about the incident via a post on Facebook.

She added that passengers were not told of the incident.

“After the announcement in the cabins there was nothing else. Nothing seemed to be (out) of the ordinary and we just went to have breakfast,” she said.

“I had no idea and we were chatting to a big group of 20 people before we left … and no one even mentioned a word of it, we were not aware of it. And definitely not told.”

Disembarkation was as per scheduled on Monday morning, added Mr Aguirre.

Spectrum of the Seas then left Singapore at 4.30pm, MPA said in a subsequent update at 11pm. Its initial statement, sent shortly after 9pm, said the ship was "currently berthed in Singapore" and "supporting with investigations".

Royal Caribbean International said at 10.30pm on the same day that Spectrum of the Seas had been "cleared by authorities" and sailed as scheduled.

An itinerary on the Royal Caribbean website indicates a 12-night voyage to Tokyo, with stops in Vietnam and Hong Kong, starting on Jul 31.

CNA has contacted Royal Caribbean and MPA for further updates on the missing passenger.

Cruise ship passenger falls overboard Spectrum of the Seas; search underway

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American college student identified as passenger who went overboard from world's largest cruise ship

The u.s. coast guard wasn't involved in the search.

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The passenger who went overboard off the world's largest cruise ship on Tuesday has been identified by his family as 19-year-old Sigmund Ropich.

He went overboard from Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas off the coast of Cuba during a seven-day cruise that left from Port Canaveral, Florida, according to U.S. officials and a company spokesperson.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told Fox News Digital that the ship's crew immediately began a search for the missing person and was working with local authorities.

The individual who went overboard has been identified as 19-year-old Sigmund Ropich, a family member told Fox News Digital.

SEARCH UNDERWAY AFTER PASSENGER ON WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP GOES OVERBOARD

The individual who went overboard has been identified as 19-year-old Sigmund Ropich, a family member told Fox News Digital. (Savannah Ropich)

Savannah Ropich told Fox News Digital that she has been in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, which has been working with the Cuban Embassy.

Ropich said Cuban officials are no longer searching at sea, and have moved the search to coast and land.

A Coast Guard spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the incident happened over Cuban territorial seas, and they are not conducting search and rescue efforts.

Since the teenager is a U.S. citizen, the Coast Guard will meet the cruise ship when it arrives back in the country to conduct an investigation.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE PASSENGER WHO ‘COULD NOT SWIM’ GOES OVERBOARD IN SINGAPORE STRAIT

The liner Wonder of the Seas cruise ship arrives at the French Mediterranean port of Marseille. (Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Ropich said her brother was on the cruise on vacation with his best friends, co-worker, and co-worker's family.

"Sig is a great kid. Never gets in trouble and never caused trouble. Very intelligent, got A's in Calculus/Physics/Government in high school with no effort. He is a college student as well and works too. He is a kind, reserved and humble kid who also loves to make people laugh," she said. "I always call him the ‘Cool, Calm and Collected’ sibling."

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The cruise ship Wonder of the Seas seen from one of the hills of the city of Cartagena on November 2nd, 2022. (Loyola Perez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Video shared by cruise passengers on TikTok shows a rescue boat near the cruise ship attempting to locate the passenger who went overboard .

"We actually have report of a man overboard. We have slowed the ship down. We have turned around and we are heading back to the position that we had at that time. We will start a search and rescue operations," an employee can be heard saying through the cruise's PA system.

Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @asabes10.

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South Carolina man with dementia goes MISSING in Mexico during Royal Caribbean cruise after wandering off and hopping into a taxi: Vanished American, 66, has still not been found after three days

• Edmond Bradley Solomon III, 66, was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia before his Caribbean cruise

He disappeared after he and his wife exited the Royal Caribbean cruise ship that had docked in Cozumel, Mexico, on Wednesday

• He was last spotted by a local taxi driver who said he drove the missing man to a road with beach access 

By Tim Mcgovern

Published: 21:10 EDT, 6 April 2024 | Updated: 03:15 EDT, 7 April 2024

View comments

A South Carolina family is desperate for answers after their 66-year-old father recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia wandered off during a Royal Caribbean cruise with his wife.

Edmond Bradley Solomon III, who suffers from the degenerative disorder, was last seen on Wednesday when the cruise he was on with his wife, Mimi, made a stop at Cozumel, Mexico .

The pair went to the terminal's restroom after the ship, the Icon of the Seas, was docked, but since then, Solomon has not been seen or heard from by his family. 

'When my stepmom, Mimi, came out, he wasn’t there,' Solomon's daughter Savannah Miller told  WCBD in an emotional interview.

'She thought he might still be in the bathroom so she waited for him for a few minutes. He didn’t come out.'

Edmond Bradley Solomon III, 66, was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia before his Caribbean cruise

Despite a family member checking in on him, he was nowhere to be seen in the bathroom. At that point, Miller says, his family knew her father was 'lost.'

The only reported sighting of him came from a cab driver who said he was hailed by the missing American on the Isla de la Pasión road.

Municipal authorities say a taxi driver, responding to an alert about Solomon, said he was flagged down by the lost American around 2:30 pm, drove him to a road with beach access and was paid by Solomon with a wrist watch because he said he had no money, according to Mexico News Daily .

Before his vanishing, Solomon was wearing was a white T-shirt, grey shorts and dark sunglasses.

Miller told WCBD that his disorder - which is behavioral and doesn't affect his memory - makes him say 'odd things' and behave 'erratically — or oddly — because he’s just doing what he knows how to do'

'He can’t process the same way you or I can,' Miller added of her father, a former critical care nurse at Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston.

Solomon and his wife went to the terminal's restroom after the ship was docked but since then, he has not been seen or heard from by his family - including daughter Savannah who is helping raise the alarm

A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help with the search after the family contacted the Mexico City's U.S. Embassy and the consulate.

The fundraiser has already raised more than $15,000 toward its $5,000 goal as of Saturday evening.

'The local military is actively searching. Mimi is at a hotel in Mexico. There are many unknowns right now and we want to help relieve any upcoming financial burdens,' organizer Marissa Aldridge wrote. 

A tearful Miller, who advocated that the 'best thing that anyone can do is just spread the word,' said she would be heading down to Cozumel to join the search with Mimi, who has remained in the area.

'I’m really looking forward to having Mimi by my side and being able to give my dad a hug again,' Miller said. 

Share or comment on this article: South Carolina man with dementia goes MISSING in Mexico during Royal Caribbean cruise after wandering off and hopping into a taxi: Vanished American, 66, has still not been found after three days

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Passenger falls overboard on Royal Caribbean cruise hours after a woman dies on ship

Quantum of the seas was on a 15-day trip from australia to hawaii when the passenger fell overboard, article bookmarked.

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A passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship travelling from Australia to Hawaii is missing after falling overboard, Royal Caribbean International confirmed to The Independent .

The passenger, a person from Australia, went overboard on Tuesday, 25 April, around 11 pm Hawaii-Aleutian standard time while sailing on the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.

The incident occurred just hours after another passenger allegedly died, according to a report from a local news outlet, 7News.

The ship departed from Brisbane, Australia on 12 April and is expected to arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday, 28 April.

But approximately 500 nautical miles south of Kailua Kona, Big Island, the passenger somehow went overboard leading the ship to spend two hours searching for the missing person, according to a press release from the US Coast Guard.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities,” Royal Caribbean International said.

On Facebook, a passenger aboard the ship named Joshua Reynolds, posted a photo of the ship’s crew deploying a lifeboat and said there were three medical emergencies before the passenger fell overboard.

“Three medical emergencies and now a man overboard. We have slowed down and are now turning around. Hope they are found,” Mr Reynolds wrote.

Royal Caribbean did not confirm the details of the other medical emergencies, or the other passenger’s death, but one man claimed the passenger who died was the partner of the person who went overboard according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Royal Caribbean told The Sydney Morning Herald that was not the case.

The Independent has reached out to Royal Caribbean regarding the alleged death.

According to the US Coast Guard, the crew on Quantum of the Seas contacted the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu to assist in the search and rescue.

After two hours of searching, the ship ceased searches and handed it over to the Coast Guard.

Mr Reynolds wrote on Facebook : “It was pitch black. They had tossed half a dozen life vests in the water with the automatic beacons. Nothing. The seas weren’t very pleasant. One of the guys on the 15 ft rescue boat looked like he got sick.”

The Coast Guard said they spent six hours searching for the missing passenger but did not find them. They said their search was to continue at “first light Thursday morning.”

It is unclear how the man fell overboard.

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Photo of newly-married groom’s bedsheets raised police suspicions after honeymooner 'vanished' on cruise

George smith is believed to have gone overboard on the royal caribbean ship, but that doesn't explain blood on the bedsheets.

Niamh Spence

The case of a groom who disappeared on his honeymoon cruise and was believed to have gone overboard might not be as clear cut as it first appeared.

Police are said to have been left baffled after bedsheets found in the room of his cabin had blood stains on them, which are still unexplained.

George Smith was last seen alive while enjoying a honeymoon cruise through the Mediterranean , before he seemingly vanished 19 years ago.

In the early hours of 5 July 2005, George and his new wife Jennifer - who'd tied the knot 11 days prior in plush ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island - were enjoying a booze-fuelled evening onboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas ship .

On board the ship, George became friends with another passenger, Josh Askin, 20, as well as others.

On the evening of 4 July, Jennifer and George went to the ship’s casino which turned into a drunken night. CCTV from the casino is the last time George was seen alive.

Josh Askin, along with three other men on the ship - Rusty Kofman, Greg Rozenberg and Zach Rozenberg - were said to have helped George back to his cabin after he was too drunk.

They then told the police that they helped him take his shoes off before putting him to bed and then heading their separate ways and ordering room service, although the cruise ship has no records of this.

A legal representative for Askin later argued, however, that a simple oversight in the hand-written hospitality records may have meant that the orders weren't written down.

Wife Jennifer was later found around 4.30am after passing out in one of the ships' hallways, but she has little recollection of what happened after the casino.

With George last seen alive in the casino, it was later assumed he must have fallen overboard, with bloodstains being found on the side of the ship.

Yet one piece of evidence didn't appear to support that theory.

Bloodstains were also found on his bedsheets, which remain unexplained.

In the cabin, a chair was found pushed up against the railings of the balcony leading to the assumption that George had climbed up and then gone overboard from the ship.

Yet the bloodied sheets remain with no explanation, and police none the wiser even 19 years later.

It was presumed that George had fallen off the ship, and with no body ever found he's still classed as a 'missing person' to this day.

Wife Jennifer believed her husband had fallen overboard and in 2007, she agreed to a $1.1 million (£862,000) settlement with cruise operator Royal Caribbean.

Jennifer also gave a statement, suggesting that George might have fallen off the ship while trying to balance on the balcony in their cabin to smoke a cigar.

George's family, however, have continued to dispute this version of events - despite having reached their own settlement with Royal Caribbean in 2011.

Four years later, George Smith's disappearance was closed in 2015, despite police never having found his body.

Topics:  News , Crime , True Crime , World News , US News , Sex and Relationships

I am a freelance journalist, who writes and contributes to lifestyle and online titles. Previous work includes; The Telegraph, LadBible, Entertainment Daily, BBC, The Mirror, The Metro, Tyla.etc

@ missnspence

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Watch CBS News

He fell ill on a cruise. Before he boarded the rescue boat, they handed him the bill.

By Bram Sable-Smith

Updated on: May 27, 2024 / 9:41 AM EDT / KFF Health News

Vincent Wasney and his fiancée, Sarah Eberlein, had never visited the ocean. They'd never even been on a plane. But when they bought their first home in Saginaw, Michigan, in 2018, their real estate agent gifted them tickets for a Royal Caribbean cruise.

After two years of delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, they set sail in December 2022.

The couple chose a cruise destined for the Bahamas in part because it included a trip to CocoCay, a private island accessible to Royal Caribbean passengers that featured a water park, balloon rides and an excursion swimming with pigs.

It was on that day on CocoCay when Wasney, 31, started feeling off, he said.

The next morning, as the couple made plans in their cabin for the last full day of the trip, Wasney made a pained noise. Eberlein saw him having a seizure in bed, with blood coming out of his mouth from biting his tongue. She opened their door to find help and happened upon another guest, who roused his wife, an emergency room physician.

Wasney was able to climb into a wheelchair brought by the ship's medical crew to take him down to the medical facility, where he was given anticonvulsants and fluids and monitored before being released.

Wasney had had seizures in the past, starting about 10 years ago, but it had been a while since his last one. Imaging back then showed no tumors, and doctors concluded he was likely epileptic, he said. He took medicine initially, but after two years without another seizure, he said, his doctors took him off the medicine to avoid liver damage.

Wasney had a second seizure on the ship a few hours later, back in his cabin. This time he stopped breathing, and Eberlein remembered his lips being so purple, they almost looked black. Again, she ran to find help but, in her haste, locked herself out. By the time the ship's medical team got into the cabin, Wasney was breathing again but had broken blood vessels along his chest and neck that he later said resembled tiger stripes.

Wasney was in the ship's medical center when he had a third seizure — a grand mal, which typically causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. By then, the ship was close enough to port that Wasney could be evacuated by rescue boat. He was put on a stretcher to be lowered by ropes off the side of the ship, with Eberlein climbing down a rope ladder to join him.

But before they disembarked, the bill came.

The Patient: Vincent Wasney, 31, who was uninsured at the time.

Medical Services: General and enhanced observation, a blood test, anticonvulsant medicine, and a fee for services performed outside the medical facility.

Service Provider: Independence of the Seas Medical Center, the on-ship medical facility on the cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International .

Total Bill: $2,500.22.

What Gives: As part of Royal Caribbean's guest terms , cruise passengers "agree to pay in full" all expenses incurred on board by the end of the cruise, including those related to medical care. In addition, Royal Caribbean does not accept "land-based" health insurance plans.

Wasney said he was surprised to learn that, along with other charges like wireless internet, Royal Caribbean required he pay his medical bills before exiting the ship — even though he was being evacuated urgently.

"Are we being held hostage at this point?" Eberlein remembered asking. "Because, obviously, if he's had three seizures in 10 hours, it's an issue."

Wasney said he has little memory of being on the ship after his first seizure — seizures often leave victims groggy and disoriented for a few hours afterward.

But he certainly remembers being shown a bill, the bulk of which was the $2,500.22 in medical charges, while waiting for the rescue boat.

Still groggy, Wasney recalled saying he couldn't afford that and a cruise employee responding: "How much can you pay?"

They drained their bank accounts, including money saved for their next house payment, and maxed out Wasney's credit card but were still about $1,000 short, he said.

Ultimately, they were allowed to leave the ship. He later learned his card was overdrafted to cover the shortfall, he said. Once on land, in Florida, Wasney was taken by ambulance to the emergency room at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, where he incurred thousands of dollars more in medical expenses.

He still isn't entirely sure what caused the seizures.

On the ship he was told it could have been extreme dehydration — and he said he does remember being extra thirsty on CocoCay. He also has mused whether trying escargot for the first time the night before could have played a role. Eberlein's mother is convinced the episode was connected to swimming with pigs, he said. And not to be discounted, Eberlein accidentally broke a pocket mirror three days before their trip.

Wasney, who works in a stone shop, was uninsured when they set sail. He said that one month before they embarked on their voyage, he finally felt he could afford the health plan offered through his employer and signed up, but the plan didn't start until January 2023, after their return.

They also lacked travel insurance. As inexperienced travelers, Wasney said, they thought it was for lost luggage and canceled trips, not unexpected medical expenses. And because the cruise was a gift, they were never prompted to buy coverage, which often happens when tickets are purchased.

The Resolution: Wasney said the couple returned to Saginaw with essentially no money in their bank account, several thousand dollars of medical debt, and no idea how they would cover their mortgage payment. Because he was uninsured at the time of the cruise, Wasney did not try to collect reimbursement for the cruise bill from his new health plan when his coverage began weeks later.

The couple set up payment plans to cover the medical bills for Wasney's care after leaving the ship: one each with two doctors he saw at Broward Health, who billed separately from the hospital, and one with the ambulance company. He also made payments on a bill with Broward Health itself. Those plans do not charge interest.

But Broward Health said Wasney missed two payments to the hospital, and that bill was ultimately sent to collections.

In a statement, Broward Health spokesperson Nina Levine said Wasney's bill was reduced by 73% because he was uninsured.

"We do everything in our power to provide the best care with the least financial impact, but also cannot stress enough the importance of taking advantage of private and Affordable Care Act health insurance plans, as well as travel insurance, to lower risks associated with unplanned medical issues," she said.

The couple was able to make their house payment with $2,690 they raised through a GoFundMe campaign that Wasney set up. Wasney said a lot of that help came from family as well as friends he met playing disc golf, a sport he picked up during the pandemic.

"A bunch of people came through for us," Wasney said, still moved to tears by the generosity. "But there's still the hospital bill."

The Takeaway: Billing practices differ by cruise line, but Joe Scott , chair of the cruise ship medicine section of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said medical charges are typically added to a cruise passenger's onboard account, which must be paid before leaving the ship. Individuals can then submit receipts to their insurers for possible reimbursement.

He recommended that those planning to take a cruise purchase travel insurance that specifically covers their trips. "This will facilitate reimbursement if they do incur charges and potentially cover a costly medical evacuation if needed," Scott said.

Royal Caribbean suggests that passengers who receive onboard care submit their paid bills to their health insurer for possible reimbursement. Many health plans do not cover medical services received on cruise ships, however. Medicare will sometimes cover medically necessary health care services on cruise ships, but not if the ship is more than six hours away from a U.S. port.

Travel insurance can be designed to address lots of out-of-town mishaps , like lost baggage or even transportation and lodging for a loved one to visit if a traveler is hospitalized.

Travel medical insurance, as well as plans that offer "emergency evacuation and repatriation," are two types that can specifically assist with medical emergencies. Such plans can be purchased individually. Credit cards may offer travel medical insurance among their benefits, as well.

But travel insurance plans come with limitations. For instance, they may not cover care associated with preexisting conditions or what the plans consider "risky" activities, such as rock climbing. Some plans also require that travelers file first with their primary health insurance before seeking reimbursement from travel insurance.

As with other insurance, be sure to read the fine print and understand how reimbursement works.

Wasney said that's what they plan to do before their next Royal Caribbean cruise. They'd like to go back to the Bahamas on basically the same trip, he said — there's a lot about CocoCay they didn't get to explore.

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KFF Health News and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. 

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perfect day YOUR WAY

There’s no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ vacation — especially on Perfect Day® at CocoCay®. Whether your ideal beach getaway involves larger-than-life thrills or unwinding at a peaceful waterfront chill spot, you’ll find there’s no right or wrong way to make the most out of your adventure when you hop onboard the best CocoCay cruises. 

ways to chill 

Max out your relaxation with endless ways to chill. Jam to DJ spun beats with a signature Coco Loco from the bustling swim-up bar at Oasis Lagoon. Wind down shoreside in a private cabana at Chill Island®. Level up your lounge game along the infinity pool at Coco Beach Club®. Or let loose at the ultimate beach party just for adults on the new Hideaway Beach℠.

hideaway BEACH

COCO BEACH CLUB

OASIS LAGOON

CHILL ISLAND

WAYS TO THRILL 

Turn up the thrills like never before. Here, Thrill Waterpark® puts adventure in the fast lane with shriek-inducing slides and rushing tides. You can soar up to 450 feet high in a helium balloon for island views in every direction. And get your adrenaline fix ziplining across the sunny, blue sky.

Perfect Day at CocoCay offers loads of options to fuel up in between adventures. From mouthwatering Caribbean-style bites at Chill Grill to irresistible chicken sandwiches at Snack Shack, there’s plenty of complimentary delicious options everywhere you turn. Plus, discover even more ways to indulge at Coco Beach Club with elevated dishes like Bahamian lobster rolls, and grilled Caribbean grouper.

CAPTAIN JACK'S®

This harborside dive will put you in an island state of mind in no time. Grab a drink, settle into a rope swing seat and snack on the house specialty — chicken wings and fries dipped into signature sauces like mango-habanero and Caribbean jerk.​

SKIPPER'S GRILL

At Skipper’s Grill, treat your tastebuds to all-you-can-eat favorites and your eyes to incredible harborside views. Burgers, dogs, sweets and more always hit the right spot in between island adventures. ​

CHILL GRILL

Take a break from catching rays and dig into lunchtime favorites served buffet style just steps away from the beach — from tacos with guac to barbecue chicken hot off the grill. It’s a cookout the Caribbean way.​

SNACK SHACK

Don’t let the name fool you. It may be small — but the Snack Shack goes big on crave-worthy eats. Enjoy quick-served bites like burgers dressed in our secret shack sauce, fried mozzarella sticks, fresh salads, funnel cake — and of course our famous chicken sandwich. ​

COCO BEACH CLUB®

Level up your lounge game — and your cravings — at Coco Beach Club® Restaurant, an exclusive retreat with an indulgent menu. Try beachside classics like the herb-marinated filet mignon or grilled Bahamian lobster perfectly paired with refreshing craft cocktails. And save room for Coco Beach Club’s decadent dessert, rum-soaked cake.

SLICE OF PARADISE

Slice of Paradise℠ is the ultimate pizza haven just steps from the beach, featuring menu options with an island twist like the Bahamian-style Guava Barbecued Chicken or Veggie Feast. Pair your fresh-from-the-oven pizza with delicious drinks and the unmatched tropical views of Hideaway Beach — an adults-only beachfront paradise.

ALL THE FUN  MAPPED OUT

Choose your own ultimate beach day on a cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Zen out at your choice of unforgettable places to unwind. Catch some rays along five stretches of powdery beach. Luxe the day away with an Overwater Cabana at Coco Beach Club®. Refuel at the swim-up bar in the largest freshwater pool in The Bahamas. This isn’t vacation days spent. This is bragging rights earned — at the island voted Best Private Destination by Travel Weekly readers for three years running.

Download the Entire cococay Map

BEST COCOCAY CRUISES

A cruise to CocoCay is filled with exciting destinations, each with its own style and vibe. Discover CocoCay onboard the Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships.

TWO ICONS ARE BOLDER THAN ONE

This isn’t your routine getaway. It’s having the time of your life, multiple times a day. We are leveling up everything you thought possible from a vacation. We’re taking thrills to new heights. Chill to the absolute max. And vacation memories beyond belief. Introducing two new ships that double down on the best family vacation in the world — Icon of the Seas ℠ and Star of the Seas ℠. This is Icon Class.

SAIL ON ICON CLASS SHIPS

IT'S TIME TO WIN THE WEEKEND

Max out every minute without maxing out your vacay days. Tropic trek to sun-kissed shores. Take your tastebuds on a delicious globetrotting tour. And set sail to the award-winning Perfect Day at CocoCay while making memories onboard Utopia of the Seas® , Allure of the Seas® , Liberty of the Seas® or Freedom of the Seas® .

EXPLORE WEEKEND CRUISES

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO CocoCay Cruises Insider

Most of the experiences at Perfect Day at CocoCay are complimentary, including plenty of free loungers and activities at five stretches of beach — not to mention five complimentary dining venues located throughout the island. Other attractions, like Thrill Waterpark®, Overwater Cabanas, the Zip Line, and Up, Up and Away helium balloon, are available for a charge.

Ready to max out the memories? There’s something for everyone at Perfect Day at CocoCay. You can learn more by visiting our FAQs section.

Everything You Need to Plan a Perfect Day at Cococay

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Planning on maximizing your experience at Perfect Day at CocoCay discover everything you need to know from record-breaking slides and rides, free kid-friendly attractions to delicious restaurants, and chilled out activities.

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Discover Chill Island insider tips to all the relaxing things to do from renting overwater cabanas with VIP services, snorkeling with the friendly manta rays to finding the best places to unwind and soak up the island vibes.

The Ultimate College Spring Break Cruise Vacation

If you are looking for an all-out college spring break vacation filled with beach vibes, thrilling rides and amazing parties it doesn’t get any better than a spring break cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Find cruise deals to Perfect Day at CocoCay

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Explore all the restaurants on the Perfect Day at CocoCay island and discover all the complimentary dining venues that offers loads of food and drink favorites that will fuel you up in between adventures.

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One Day, Three Ways At Perfect Day At Cococay

Planning your time at the new CocoCay? If you want to unwind, head to Chill Island on the east side of CocoCay. Or visit the Oasis Lagoon or the Thrill Waterpark to get on the side of adventure.

The Ultimate Kid-Friendly Vacation to Perfect Day at CocoCay

Set sail to the best kid-friendly destination in the world on a cruise from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando to Perfect Day at CocoCay and discover all the amazing family-friendly activities, award-winning shows, and record-breaking attractions.

Take Your Perfect Day at CocoCay® to the Next Level | Royal Caribbean Cruises

Who said you shouldn't mess with perfection? Visit a thrilling water park or a relaxing lagoon to make your Perfect Day at CocoCay® even better.

Amazing Family Friendly Summer Cruise Vacations

Enjoy your family summer vacation on a cruise to Perfect Day CocoCay and discover the private islands beautiful beaches, kid-friendly attractions, great restaurants and record-breaking water rides and activities for all ages. Find summer cruise deals.

Weekend Getaways: Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas [Infographic]

Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas gives you the best opportunity to create your own great weekend getaway the way you want to travel!

Top 7 Most Thrilling Things to do at Perfect Day At CocoCay

Experience the top 7 most thrilling things to do at the Perfect Day at CocoCay from sliding down the tallest waterslide in North America to zip lining across the island and much more.

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Ultimate Guide To Oasis Lagoon

The best Oasis Lagoon at Perfect Day at CocoCay insider Tips to discovering all the amazing things to do, family-friendly attractions and thrills you don't want to miss. Find cruise deals to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Top 4 Insider Tips to Thrill Waterpark

Thrill Waterpark at Perfect Day At CocoCay top 4 insider travel tips uncovers free things to do, places to go and thrills you can share with friends. Find cruise deals to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The 5 Most Relaxing Things to do at Perfect Day At CocoCay

Discover the most relaxing things to do on your luxury getaway to Perfect Day at CocoCay from the luxury CocoCay Overwater Cabanas to the most popular Chill Island Cabanas and much more.

Relaxing Weekend Caribbean Vacation Ideas

Envision your next weekend Caribbean vacation, plan a short cruise or quick getaway to the best travel destinations to visit. Adventure awaits!

A Day Unlike Any Other Private Island Vacations

Introducing Perfect Day Island Collection, a global lineup of Royal Caribbean® private destinations that reimagines what’s possible in a day. From thrills and chill at Perfect Day at CocoCay to beachside bliss at Labadee— you’re going to need a bigger bucket list.

EXPLORE PERFECT DAY COLLECTION

GET TO KNOW OUR PRIVATE ISLAND

Check out our FAQs for more ways to maximize your day of thrills and chill.

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Coco Beach Club day passes and cabanas include an exclusive lunch at the island’s only gourmet restaurant — enjoy favorites like lobster and filet mignon.​

Purchased a beverage or Wi-Fi package onboard or on Cruise Planner ? You can use them on the island too.

Some cabanas come with extra perks, like the cabanas at Thrill Waterpark® , which include complimentary entry to all of the slides and activities inside for up to six guests.

RELATED PORTS

Laze in a beachside hammock or get your thrills at Thrill Waterpark℠ on Perfect Day at CocoCay. Stroll along the waterfront of capital city Nassau and see its distinctive pastel-colored buildings. Or explore waterfalls and botanic gardens on Grand Bahama Island and fall in love with all CocoCay cruise ports.

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These 7 Missing Cruise Passenger Stories Still Make Us Shudder

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• Many travelers end up as missing persons on cruises, leaving families in limbo and authorities bewildered to this day.
• Cases like Ariel Marion, Merrian Carver, and Rebecca Coriam highlight how mystery shrouds many lost at sea on cruises.
• Cruise ship tragedies like those of Angelo Faliva, Jason Rappe, George Allen Smith IV, and Annette Mizener continue to evade resolution.

Many unsolved missing persons have made international headlines , leaving families in holes but still hoping that something will come up one day to finally put an end to their search. Travelers, for instance, represent some of the highest numbers of unsolved missing person cases—many of them never made it back home from traveling and cruising across the seas.

Missing traveler stories are tales as old as time, from pirates and sailors crossing the seas many centuries ago to tragic events of modern times involving today's globetrotters; for instance, recently, two Americans went missing in the Greek Isles, after another person vanished from the Netherlands, The Independent reported .

Through unfortunate circumstances, many of these unsolved cases have yet to be rectified, including the numerous mysterious disappearances of guests in hotels and the missing cruise passengers, whose families remain hopeful that things will be solved sooner or later. Regarding the latter, cruises are meant to be an event to look forward to—a holiday of a lifetime. However, even cruises don't escape the reality that people can (and do) go missing.

Take a look at some of these missing cruise passenger cases that are yet to be resolved, many of which happened aboard the ships of well-known cruise companies, including Disney Cruise Line, which recently unveiled its newest cruise ship , to Royal Caribbean, and many more.

If anyone knows anything about these missing cruise passenger cases, please don't hesitate to alert authorities.

These Are The Most Dangerous (& Remote) Cruise Routes On Earth

Thinking of a thrilling cruise? From icy waters to isolated islands, these cruise routes are the most dangerous and remote.

7 Ariel Marion

Went missing in september 2012.

Ariel Marion and her mother, Vera Marion, went on a seven-day Caribbean cruise on September 16, 2012, aboard the Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, which is known for its intense rules that passengers have to follow . It was their first time to go on a cruise, and they both shared the same cabin, which had a balcony.

On that night, at 8 o'clock, then-21-year-old Ariel told her mom that she was going to the pool while the latter took a nap before going to a scheduled dinner meeting. In an interview with NBC 6 South Florida , Vera recounted that someone called 911 to report that "something from the deck above her fell overboard and hit her arm."

The crew immediately "cleared off" that part of the ship, but according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s report, an official search didn't start until 1:20 A.M.—four hours after the incident was reported. Unfortunately, Ariel was never found.

6 Merrian Carver

Went missing in august 2004.

What is considered one of the most intriguing stories of a missing cruise passenger is the case of Merrian Carver, who was just 40 at the time of her disappearance on the third day aboard the cruise ship Mercury, formerly owned by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean, which is today known as one of the best cruise lines for every type of traveler .

Merrian, a red-haired poet and investment banker, was on a seven-day cruise from Seattle to Alaska with a round-trip ticket in August 2004 when she went missing. Royal Caribbean at that time pushed for a suicide case. Her steward said that she appeared to be fine, not upset or angry during the first two days of the cruise. According to reports, the steward had reported her missing for five successive days to his supervisor.

Merrian's father, Kendall Carver, told ABC News that her steward's supervisor chose to put all her belongings in a locker and never alerted anyone that she was missing. He hired private investigators and spent almost a hundred thousand dollars in an attempt to solve the case. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2019 and never had the chance to solve Merrian's case. To this day, the then-40-year-old banker's whereabouts remain unknown.

Kendall Carver also founded the advocacy and support group, International Cruise Victims , in 2006.

5 Rebecca Coriam

Went missing in march 2011.

A former Disney Cruise Line crew member, then-24-year-old Rebecca Coriam, a native of Chester, England, vanished on March 21, 2011, aboard the Disney Wonder when it left for a Mexican cruise. CCTV footage showed that she was talking on the telephone and seemed upset, which was around 5:45 A.M.—three hours before she was summoned to start her shift.

She left a Facebook message for her parents, saying that she would call them the following day. This never happened. Disney crew members searched the ship to no avail. U.S. and Mexican navy vessels also searched the international waters, but there was no sighting of Rebecca.

Disney officials claimed that Rebecca fell overboard at the crew pool area on Deck 5, but her parents, Mike and Annmaria Coriam, were not convinced, noting the high protective walls around it. There have been many theories, including one that she was murdered. The Coriams settled a lawsuit against Disney in 2016.

4 Angelo Faliva

Went missing in november 2009.

Angelo Faliva, from Cremona, Italy, the first chef of Princess Cruises, mysteriously vanished on November 25, 2009, aboard the Coral Princess ship. He was last seen working at Sabatini’s Restaurant on Deck 7 and disappeared around 8:15 P.M. although his shift didn't end until 10:00 P.M.

His sister, Chiara Faliva, said that her brother "was very happy" with his job and communicated with her almost every day. But on November 24, a day before he disappeared, he told Chiara that he had a dispute with a sous chef and filed a formal complaint, but this was later dismissed because it was nothing really serious.

CCTV footage showed Angelo entering a lift, which is used by crew members who need to dump trash into the sea, but codes are needed to enter, or the alarm will go off. Investigators said that a crew member claimed he'd seen Angelo the next morning at 6:30 A.M., although Chiara was told that Angelo never went back to his cabin on the night of November 25, 2009.

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that someone logged on to Angelo's laptop after he vanished, deleted emails, printed some documents, and downloaded files. Also, on the day he disappeared, an online search was made referencing Capilla del Mar, a hotel in Cartagena, Colombia. It was the same hotel name that was written on Angelo's chef's hat.

What occurred on November 25 remains a mystery to this day, and Princess Cruises, considered one of the best cruise lines in the world , just like other cruise lines involved in cruise issues, seemingly has no answers.

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3 Jason Rappe

Went missing in november 2012.

Jason Rappe, along with his wife, Tina, were spending their holidays aboard one of the best budget cruise lines , Holland America's Eurodam cruise ship, in November 2012, right after Thanksgiving. Both were having their time of life at one of the bars onboard on November 29, when Tina was on the dance floor and Jason was at the bar having drinks.

When Tina went back to the bar, someone told her that he had gone to the restroom, but after a while, when he never showed up, she started searching and decided to report him missing. A shipwide search was performed, and all that was found was his hat. Reports suggested that someone saw an object (which could be a person) fly past their cabin's window, and another heard screaming close to where Jason's hat was found.

NBC 6 South Florida reported that CCTV footage showed Jason walking on Deck 10, and another camera, about 100 yards away, showed a dark figure, which they presumed was Jason, "and it appears that that figure [went] up on the railing and then overboard," homicide Detective Kevin Forsberg said.

Jason's brother, Eric Rappe, wrote on ICV's website that the video of his brother "going overboard appeared to be nothing but a shot of an empty deck at night." Sadly , Jason was presumed dead, and his body was never found. He was just 42.

2 George Allen Smith IV

Went missing in july 2005.

Another yet chilling story of a missing cruise passenger, George Allen Smith IV, who was 26 at the time he vanished in July 2005 between the waters of Greece and Turkey, was on a honeymoon cruise with his bride, Jennifer, onboard the Brilliance of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean's best cruise ships for adults .

What was supposedly a romantic 12-day Mediterranean cruise turned out to be a nightmare for Jennifer and the Smith family. Royal Caribbean officials ruled out that Smith accidentally fell overboard, but crew members found blood under the couple's balcony, which made the family believe that he had been murdered.

One of the passengers said that he heard men arguing right on Smith's balcony, and another suggested that they heard furniture being moved. The family's lawyer told CBS News' 48 Hours that three of the four Russian men whom they believed were involved in Smith's disappearance filmed themselves, with one of them doing 'gang signs' saying, "Told ya I was gangsta."

Despite all this, none were charged, and in 2015, the FBI closed its probe into the case. To this day, the Smith family is still fighting for justice.

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1 Annette Mizener

Went missing in december 2004.

Then 37-year-old Annette Mizener, along with her daughter and parents, were on a nine-day Mexican Riviera cruise in December 2004 aboard the Pride cruise ship of Carnival Cruise, which is also known for its intense rules to follow onboard . On the last night of the cruise, on December 4, Mizener vanished, and only her beaded purse (beads were missing) was found near a railing of one of the ship's lower decks.

Her husband, John Mizener, took to ICV's website to air his frustration about his wife's disappearance, citing the ship's map that covered the security camera and her shattered purse, which was initially removed from the scene, wiped clean, and then returned to its original location.

A crew member in the Bingo Room was overheard talking to Annette at around 9:30 P.M. when she asked him if he would be on the game night. She was expected to show up at 10:00 P.M. on December 4, 2004, but didn't.

The same crew member is also said to have lied to the FBI about the timeframe within which he’d been speaking with Annette, along with an elderly man, on the night that she disappeared. Initially, the FBI told him that they suspected foul play, although they later dismissed it. John told ABC News that he's still waiting for answers.

StarsInsider

Mysterious cases of passengers disappearing from cruise ships

Posted: June 20, 2024 | Last updated: June 20, 2024

Cruise ships frequently lose passengers and crew members. The standard course of action is to simply continue on their journey, unless instructed to stop by the local coast guard. However, the coast guard is often only notified of the incident several hours after the individual has been reported missing on board. Consider this: cruise ships carry thousands of people, many of whom are intoxicated, and there are no police to be found. While there are security staff, they ultimately answer to the cruise ship company, whose primary focus is maximizing profits. Although efforts are made to locate missing individuals, there is a limit to how long the search can go on before the person is presumed dead.

Click through the gallery for stories of passengers who disappeared on cruise ships, never to be found again.

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The numbers

Multiple reports confirm that there were approximately 270 disappearances from cruise ships between 2000 and 2016. Since then, there has continued to be an average of 20-25 disappearances per year. 

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An epidemic

Cruise ship law firms, victims associations, and online news bulletins have been set up in response to this under-the-radar epidemic. But as you'll see in the next slides, the alarms have been going off for years.

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Amy Lynn Bradley

Amy Lynn Bradley, along with her family, embarked on the Rhapsody of the Seas cruise ship by Royal Caribbean International on March 21, 1998. Between 5:15 am and 6 am, the 23-year-old disappeared from her cabin, where her father had last seen her sound asleep.

Many years passed

She's been missing for over 20 years. Shockingly, during her parents' appearance on the 'Dr. Phil' show, a photo suggested she had been sold into forced prostitution.

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Christopher Caldwell No changes made.

On July 23, 2004, Christopher Caldwell and his fiancée were gambling at the casino on a Carnival Cruise ship bound for Mexico when she retired for the night and he remained at the tables. He never made it back to their cabin and his whereabouts have remained unknown ever since.

There are suspicions that he fell overboard due to being intoxicated, but there is no evidence of this captured on surveillance video.

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Merrian Carver

Merrian Carver vanished on August 28, 2004 while aboard the Celebrity Cruises' Mercury. The family's online statement reports that a crew member notified their superior on the day she disappeared and was told to go back to work.

Investigation

After an unsuccessful investigation that began nearly a month after the disappearance, her father founded the International Cruise Victims Association. Despite Canadian authorities suspecting they discovered her remains, the exact circumstances surrounding her fate remain unknown.

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Annette Mizener

On December 4, 2004, Annette Mizener went missing during her nine-day trip on Carnival Cruise's The Pride in the Mexican Riviera. She was accompanied by her parents, daughter, and husband.

According to her husband's online post, Carnival Cruise has been accused of withholding evidence and a crew member has been accused of lying to the FBI.

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Hue Pham and Hue Tran

On May 12, 2005, the couple vanished while on Carnival Cruise's Destiny ship, sailing between Barbados and Aruba.

Coast guard

Based on what their children say, who kindly purchased the cruise as a present, the ship took a significant amount of time to notify the American and Dutch coast guards about the incident. The children have concerns that the company may be keeping information from them. Hue Pham and Hue Tran have not been found.

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George Allen Smith IV

George Allen Smith IV went missing on July 5, 2005, during his honeymoon cruise on the MS Brilliance of the Seas in the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, his dream vacation turned into a disturbing situation when blood was discovered in his cabin.

Russian mafia

According to CBS News, the FBI was called in to investigate the possible involvement of the Russian Mafia. However, the mystery was never solved. 

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Elizabeth Kay Galeana

Elizabeth Kay Galeana was last spotted on July 25, 2006, aboard the Voyager of the Seas during a Mediterranean cruise. In an effort to locate her, Italian authorities and the FBI conducted a thorough search of the ship. Despite the absence of any evidence suggesting foul play, the family sadly confirmed Elizabeth's demise in a statement, despite the lack of a recovered body.

Tammy Grogan

In September of 2006, Tammy Grogan, along with her son, mother, and two friends, embarked on Carnival Cruise's Imagination from Key West, Florida to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Tragically, Tammy was last seen on the beach at Playa Del Carmen before being reported missing by the cruise ship, suggesting that she had gone overboard. However, upon their return home, Tammy's son discovered that their house had been broken into and robbed. Despite extensive searches, Tammy's body was never recovered, prompting police to investigate the possibility of foul play.

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Rebecca Coriam

Rebecca Coriam, employed on the Disney Wonder cruise ship, was captured on security camera engaged in a heated conversation during the early hours before her disappearance.

Possible cover-up?

She hasn't been seen since March 22, 2011, when the ship was on Mexico's Pacific Coast. Her parents have accused Disney Cruise Line of a cover-up.

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John Halford

John Halford disappeared on April 6, 2011, during his last night on Thomson Cruise's Spirit after a six-day journey.

Another possible overboard?

The Spirit arrived at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, where local authorities conducted an investigation. According to the police, no evidence was discovered, leading to the assumption that Halford fell overboard.

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Fariba Amani

On February 29, 2012, Fariba Amani was last spotted onboard the Bahamas Celebration cruise ship, traveling between the Bahamas and Florida.

According to her boyfriend, he saw her for the last time in the gift shop at 1 am. The blog 'The True Crime Files' suggests the possibility of the boyfriend's involvement in her vanishing.

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A’riel Brianna Marion

On September 16, 2012, the Allure of the Seas crew informed that something had gone overboard during their voyage from Florida to the Bahamas. Despite their search, no items were found initially. However, they later discovered that A’riel Brianna Marion had gone overboard. Regrettably, her body was never recovered. While the investigation deemed that she took her own life her friends strongly oppose this explanation.

Luis Felipe Del Rosario Perez

Passenger Luis Felipe Del Rosario Perez was last observed by the captain of the MV Zenith on December 27, 2016. It remains unclear whether he disappeared on land or fell into the water. There have been no further sightings or communication from him since that time.

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Four people in one month

Between November 22 and December 16, 2018, four individuals vanished from cruise ships.

Crew member

A crew member from the Royal Caribbean's Adventure is believed to have fallen overboard on November 22, 2018 and remains missing. Although unidentified, his age was 27.

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Dutch woman

On December 8, 2018, an unidentified Dutch woman fell into the water from the MSC Preziosa near Martinique and her whereabouts remain unknown. The crew was unaware of her disappearance until docking.

Thomas McElhany

On December 14, 2018, Thomas McElhany, 26, went missing after falling overboard near the Florida Keys on the Carnival Victory ship. Despite inquiries from the Miami Herald, Carnival did not provide any information about whether the ship possessed the mandatory overboard detection technology. Tragically, McElhany's body was not found.

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Luke Renner

Luke Renner, a 22-year-old passenger with autism on the Carnival Fantasy, is thought to have fallen overboard on December 16, 2018. The Mexican navy initiated a search operation for his whereabouts.

Unnamed woman - Carnival Miracle

In the early morning of December 11, 2022, passengers aboard the Carnival Miracle cruise ship were informed that an individual had gone overboard. The ship was on a three-day journey from Long Beach Cruise Terminal to Ensenada. Despite searching for over 31 hours, the Coast Guard ended their search without locating the woman. As reported by CBS Los Angeles, many passengers believe the incident was the result of foul play, as the woman fell from her stateroom's balcony on the fifth floor. “Someone has lost their life, whether it was done by accident or by foul play I don’t know,” said Daniel Miranda, a Northern California firefighter paramedic on board the ship. “There’s some high suspicion of foul play.” He estimated around 1,100 were on board at the time of the incident.

Unnamed woman - Carnival Valor

A distressing cellphone video taken on the Carnival Valor cruise ship recorded the final chaotic moments of a 32-year-old woman's life. She was on a five-day voyage from New Orleans to Mexico with her husband when the incident unfolded. The footage apparently captures the aftermath of an unidentified incident in the hot tub. It shows three security guards restraining the woman by the poolside. She vigorously struggles to break free and repeatedly shouts the name "Alicia." The guards pin her arms behind her back, handcuff her, and then lead her away from the pool, up the stairs. Witnesses relay that a short while later, she successfully evades the guards and jumps off the ship's tenth floor into the sea. Immediate rescue efforts ensue, although it is surmised that the woman struck her during the fall, causing her to immediately disappear under the water's surface. The coast guard diligently scoured an extensive area of 2,514 square miles (6,511 square kilometers) for 14 hours before eventually suspending their search.

Warwick Tollemache - Quantum of the Seas

Late in the evening on April 25, 2023, the US Coast Guard received an alarming call from the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship. The ship, en route from Australia to Hawaii, informed authorities that an Australian passenger had gone overboard approximately 500 miles (805 kilometers) south of its intended destination. Acting swiftly, the crew immediately initiated a search and rescue operation, utilizing life rings in an earnest attempt to save the individual. Unfortunately, after two hours of extensive searching, the missing passenger, Warwick Tollemache, a 35-year-old Australian citizen, could not be found. Despite the crew's valiant efforts, the ship resumed its journey. On Wednesday, the Coast Guard conducted a thorough aerial search for approximately six hours using a helicopter, yet failed to locate the man.

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Yahoo Finance

Here's how much you'd have if you invested $1000 in royal caribbean a decade ago.

How much a stock's price changes over time is a significant driver for most investors. Not only can price performance impact your portfolio, but it can help you compare investment results across sectors and industries as well.

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, also plays a role in investing, particularly with tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.

What if you'd invested in Royal Caribbean (RCL) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to RCL for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?

Royal Caribbean's Business In-Depth

With that in mind, let's take a look at Royal Caribbean's main business drivers.

Based in Miami and incorporated in 1985, Royal Caribbean Cruises is a cruise company. It owns and operates three global brands — Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. Additionally, it has a 50% investment in a joint venture with TUI AG, which operates the brand TUI Cruises. The company’s cruise brands primarily serve the contemporary, premium and deluxe segments of the cruise vacation industry, which also includes the budget and luxury segments. These brands operate 64 ships. The ships operate on a selection of diverse itineraries worldwide that include roughly 1,000 destinations on all seven continents.

The company reports revenues under the following segments — Passenger ticket revenues (68.8% of total revenues in 2023) and Onboard and other revenues (31.2%). Across the company’s five brands, nearly 5.5 million guests sailed in 2022. By the end of 2022, 64 out of 75 ships returned to operations, representing more than 85% of its worldwide capacity. The company’s bookings improved sequentially by 2022-end. As of Dec 31, 2023, the company had nearly $5.3 billion in customer deposits. In the third quarter of 2022, the company unveiled a three-year financial performance initiative — the Trifecta Program — thereby articulating longer-term financial objectives. The program emphasizes financial coordinates, including Adjusted EBITDA per APCD, Adjusted EPS and ROIC. Under this program, the company expects to achieve a triple-digit adjusted EBITDA per APCD, exceeding the earlier record adjusted EBITDA per APCD of $87 in 2019. The company also expects to achieve double-digit adjusted earnings per share, exceeding the earlier record adjusted earnings per share of $9.54 in 2019.

Bottom Line

Putting together a successful investment portfolio takes a combination of research, patience, and a little bit of risk. For Royal Caribbean, if you bought shares a decade ago, you're likely feeling really good about your investment today.

A $1000 investment made in June 2014 would be worth $2,896.45, or a gain of 189.65%, as of June 13, 2024, according to our calculations. This return excludes dividends but includes price appreciation.

In comparison, the S&P 500 gained 180.87% and the price of gold went up 74.63% over the same time frame.

Analysts are anticipating more upside for RCL.

Shares of Royal Caribbean have outperformed the industry in the past year. The company posted impressive first-quarter 2024 results, with earnings and revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The top and the bottom line increased on a year-over-year basis. The company has been benefitting from strong cruising demand from new and loyal guests and robust booking trends. Also, strength in consumer spending onboard and pre-cruise purchases bodes well. Going forward, the company emphasized investing in a modern digital travel platform to streamline the vacation booking process for customers and expand wallet share. Also, it emphasized new innovative ships and onboard experiences to boost its offering and deliver superior yields and margins. Earnings estimates for 2024 have increased in the past 30 days. However, increasing costs are a concern.

The stock is up 11.97% over the past four weeks, and no earnings estimate has gone lower in the past two months, compared to 8 higher, for fiscal 2024. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.

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