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Dramatic video shows royal caribbean cruise ship passengers panic during freak storm.

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Dramatic video captured the moment panicked passengers ran for their lives aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship hit by a freak storm — which sent deck furniture flying as the vessel prepared to leave a Florida port.

The Independence of the Seas was about to embark on a voyage from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas about 4 p.m. June 16 when heavy rain and violent winds slammed the 15-deck, 1,112-foot-long vessel.

“Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday. No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didn’t happen I guess,” TikTok user Lucassparrow1110 posted .

Sparrow also posted harrowing footage on Twitter of chairs and umbrellas flying on the ship as screaming passengers seek cover from the storm — and several people are seen sliding across a windswept walkway.

“Instead of telling people to come up to the top deck when we have a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe you should be more worried about your guests and employees and tell them to get inside,” he wrote.

At one point, a lounge chair narrowly misses a woman carrying a child.

Jenn Stancil, who captured footage of the storm moving in, told Fox 35 Orlando : “It just turned crazy. It looked like a scene from the movie ‘Twister’ is exactly what I thought, because you see these chairs flying up in the air.”

Jerry Pike, a local photographer who was sitting in his vehicle in Jetty Park during the outburst, also posted video of the storm.

“This is my view of Independence of the Seas as she started to get battered by the heavy winds whilst mid-spin attempting to turn around to leave the port,” Pike said in a tweet .

“You can see the rain line pushing towards us, and the Indy was completely gone from view due to the rain shortly after this,” he added.

A meteorologist for Fox 35 reported that winds reached from 55 to 60 mph at the height of the storm.

“The Independence was just getting battered by winds as it was trying to push off the dock,” Pike told Insider . “Then [it] was covered by the gray cloud of rain and we couldn’t see more than 20 yards out the window.”  

Kyleigh Cole, an agent with Boardwalk Travel Agency, expressed concerns about how Royal Caribbean handled the incident.

“There’s always something you can do, other than just letting the guests and the travelers getting poured on, rained down on and being in the middle of a storm,” Cole told Fox 35 .

“This could have ruined somebody’s cruise experience where they’ll never take another cruise again,” the travel agent added.

In a statement sent to the news outlet, the company said the “Independence of the seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew…”

The ship reportedly arrived safely at Coco Cay, an island used by Royal Caribbean about 55 miles north of Nassau.

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Footage shows moment Royal Caribbean cruise ship was flooded during storm in the Gulf of Mexico

Water flowed into rooms and sunbeds were strewn across the deck as the vessel was battered by the fierce weather conditions.

Friday 2 February 2024 12:39, UK

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Footage has emerged of a cruise ship being flooded during a storm in the Gulf of Mexico - causing water to flow into people's cabins.

Travis Hair, a passenger on the Royal Caribbean vessel, filmed as the balcony of his room on the Voyager Of The Seas was swamped.

Mr Hair said he captured the video while the vessel was "sailing through a thunderstorm" on 26 January.

He added there were "high winds on the deck… platters of food crashing to the floor in the buffet, liquor and other glass breaking, water coming in through the balconies and flooding."

The footage also shows sunbeds piled up on the deck after being tossed around in the powerful storm.

The vessel was on its way back to Galveston, Texas, as part of a five-night trip to Cozumel, Mexico, according to USA Today.

Passenger Chelsea Ireland told the newspaper she felt the vessel tilt as it was battered by heavy winds.

She said: "When we tried to walk across our room, it felt like we were walking up a very steep hill."

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Fellow passenger Elaina Escobedo, 21, went to her grandparent's cabin to check on them during the storm. "There were just things flying all over the place," she said.

Ms Escobedo added that her grandmother was safe on the sofa, but her wheelchair had rolled across the room and cups of lemonade had been knocked over.

The footage emerged after another Royal Caribbean ship, Serenade of the Seas, reportedly flooded last month.

Sky News has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.

Related Topics

• cruise ships

Passengers hit by a storm on a Royal Caribbean cruise line cling to railings as intense gusts rock the ship and send debris flying, videos show

• A Royal Caribbean cruise was battered by gusts of rain and wind before its departure Friday.
• Passengers shared videos of patrons sliding along the deck during the storm.
• The cruise line says no serious injuries or damage occurred as a result of the storm.

Passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship ran for cover as umbrellas, chairs, and other furniture flew around them during a sudden, spectacular storm that struck Florida's Port Canaveral on Friday.

As the Independence of the Seas prepared to depart, strong winds and rain battered the 15-deck ship. In multiple videos posted to YouTube and Twitter , passengers are shown slipping and sliding across the decks while attempting to get safely inside.

The ship departed for the Bahamas despite the storm and arrived at CocoCay on time, according to a Royal Caribbean statement to Insider. The company called the storm "brief" and said there were no serious injuries to crewmembers or passengers.  

Related stories

Passengers took to the internet to describe their personal experiences. 

"Instead of telling people to come up to the top deck when we have a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe you should be more worried about your guests and employees and tell them to get inside," tweeted one passenger who filmed the storm .

Jerry Pike, a photographer and Florida local, told Insider he watched the storm hit the Independence of the Seas while sitting in a car in Jetty Park facing the port. Though the storm lasted only minutes, he said it was "exceptionally strong." 

—Jerry Pike (@JerryPikePhoto) June 16, 2023

Pike estimated winds reached between 40 and 50 miles per hour at the height of the storm, which he added was "terrifying" to watch. A meteorologist for Fox 35 reported winds reached from 55 to 60 miles an hour at their peak strength. 

"The Independence was just getting battered by winds as it was trying to push off the dock," Pike said. "Then [it] was covered by the gray cloud of rain and we couldn't see more than 20 yards out the window."  

The storm is just one of many expected to hit the Florida coast as hurricane season begins in the Atlantic Ocean, which runs from the beginning of June to November 30.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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Showing now | news.

Billal Rahman | Tuesday 27 June 2023 05:30 BST

Passengers flee as Royal Caribbean cruise ship lashed by storm

Passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship were forced to run for cover after an intense rain storm and strong winds sent deck furniture flying across the deck.

Footage circulating on social media shows furniture flying across decks while people desperately attempted to escape the weather carnage.

The  Independence of the Seas  ship was caught in a brief rain storm as it prepared to leave Port Canaveral in Florida last week.

Passengers were lounging by the pool in the sunshine when strong winds and heavy rain suddenly hit the seas.

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Royal Caribbean responds after video shows cruise ship passengers hit by flying deck chairs during storm

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Royal Caribbean responds after cruise ship passengers hit by flying deck chairs during severe storm

A Central Florida travel agent is concerned with how Royal Caribbean handled a severe storm, saying it could turn passengers away from future trips.

FOX 35 was sent a video from aboard the Independence of the Seas cruise ship last Friday. Passengers on board were caught in a severe thunderstorm, causing damage and forcing people to scramble looking for safety.

Travel experts say passengers put a lot of trust in cruises when booking vacations, and this isn’t how you maintain that trust. In several videos, you can hear passengers screaming and see dozens running trying to find shelter. 

It was a chaotic scene, and Kyleigh Cole is shocked it even happened in the first place.

"There’s always something you can do, other than just letting the guests and the travelers getting poured on, rained down on and being in the middle of a storm," Cole said, who’s a licensed travel agent with Boardwalk Travel Agency.

She cruises herself and knows how important safety is before, during and after the ship docks. 

"This could have ruined somebody’s cruise experience where they’ll never take another cruise again," Cole added.

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Wicked weather causes chaos on cruise ship

Passengers were caught off guard by a Florida summer storm as they were boarding their ship at Port Canaveral last week.

At least one person was caught on video getting hit by a flying beach chair. Fox 35 meteorologist, Brooks Garner, says there were severe weather warnings in the area at the time of the storm."

On Friday, June 16, between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m. – there was a severe thunderstorm warning for coastal Brevard County for a storm producing wind gusts over 60 miles per hour, in fact the port recorded winds gusting over 55 miles per hour, so there was a lot of wind confirmed with this storm," Garner said.

Passengers on board say they had no warning."They should have at least gave some kind of warning, you know, a minute or two or something, but they never made an announcement or anything," said Lucas Sparrow who was safely inside during the storm but captured a lot of the chaos on video.

In a statement sent to FOX 35, Royal Caribbean says, "…Independence of the seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew…". Whether there were injuries or not, this ordeal has passengers sounding the alarm on safety. 

Since receiving the statement from Royal Caribbean, FOX 35 is pressing for more information on what weather safety protocols are currently in place and why guests weren’t notified earlier. At this time, we haven’t heard back. 

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WATCH: Cruise Passengers Share Terrifying Videos from 'Nightmare' Storm at Sea

The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship made it back to port safely on Saturday after being stuck in a storm between the Bahamas and Charleston, S.C. for 15 hours

The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship made it back to port nine hours later than planned after sailing through a terrifying storm on Friday night.

The ship was on its way to Charleston, S.C. from the Bahamas when it got caught in severe weather, including nearly 80 mph winds. Passengers on board shared details and footage of the chaos and destruction caused by the storm on social media. Thankfully, Carnival told PEOPLE in a statement provided below that "no one was seriously injured."

Crew Center, a cruise ship information site, posted a video on Twitter showing a flooded hallway, torn-off doors and other debris and destruction on board.

"The aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm," the post read. "The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed."

brad morrell/storyful

Passenger Daniel Taylor told Newsweek that the captain made an announcement around 4:45 p.m. saying that they would be experiencing a delay due to "adverse weather conditions," expressing that they "would do everything they could to minimize discomfort.

By dinner time, public decks had been closed off, and plates and cups were flying off the buffet areas, he recalled.

By the early hours of Saturday morning, he said, "We were no longer able to see where we were going, how fast we were going, what the wind speed was, or anything. We were blind to what was going on." Swells were hitting the ship "over and over," said Taylor, who also recalled seeing crew members wearing life vests.

At that point, the internet was also out, so those on board couldn't get any additional information or reach loved ones.

Matthew Branham, who was also on board, told The Washington Post , that "waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor."

TVs were falling off walls and glasses shattering. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed."

Another passenger, RJ Whited, wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post cited by Newsweek , "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs."

Added Whited, "We also found out that they knew about the storm and instead of us staying back to ride it out a few hours they hit it head-on so we could make it back for the other cruise to be on time."

Finally, the ship made it back to Charleston around 7:30 a.m., though it couldn't immediately dock due to continuing rough weather.

At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, the ship was able to dock.

Summing up the "nightmare" experience, passenger Christa Seifert-Alicea told NBC News 4 : "What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget."

In a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Carnival said: "Carnival Sunshine's return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. The weather's prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship's arrival and as a result, the next voyage's embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests." The statement claims that "the ship's crew followed our protocols for rough weather" noting, "thankfully, no one was seriously injured."

"The weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecasted," the statement continues. "Given the circumstances as they were, the ship's officers and our Fleet Operations Center team using real time meteorology data coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location. Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous. The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear." The cruise line's statement also said that the captain "made several announcements about the weather and the delay" but noted "some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made."

The Carnival Sunshine is already on its next voyage, the cruise line confirmed.

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Fire breaks out on world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, weeks after passenger fell to death

A fire broke out on the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas , weeks after a passenger fell to their death.

The fire broke out while the Royal Caribbean ship was docked in Costa Maya, Mexico , with passengers being alerted with onboard announcements before the blaze was "quickly extinguished”. The cruise line said there were no injuries and the overall on board impact was “minimal.”

Passengers reportedly experienced a brief loss of power during the incident - with the fire starting in a 'crew area' of the vessel. It comes weeks after a passenger died after going overboard from the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas - plunging 90 feet to his death after he jumped from the running track on the fifth deck, according to a source.

READ MORE: Royal Caribbean passenger plunged 90ft to death after 'jumping from running track'

READ MORE: Luxury cruise ship carrying 206 people runs aground in Greenland with help DAYS away

On the first day of the week-long journey, the man—who has not been named—leapt from the running track on the fifth deck of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, a security team member said on Saturday morning as the ship arrived back in Miami .

The service member indicated that since each deck is around 20 feet high, the man fell from a height of about 90 feet. They claim staff on board knew what had happened before he even hit the water.

Crew members told the New York Post the man's body was driven in a van to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's Office. At the ports, police also met the ship, obtained statements, and obtained a copy of the CCTV film showing the tragic event. A member of the security team said: "Almost immediately after the man jumped on May 26, the overboard detection system was activated, prompting onboard staff to take action."

Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.

"We knew what had happened literally seconds after he hit the water. The protocol is that we’re supposed to immediately make visual contact to see if we can spot him,” the source said, noting that one guard also saw the man jump on a security camera feed.

The record-breaking Icon of the Seas measures nearly 1,200-foot-long and 250,800 gross tons.

Fire breaks out on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, cruise ship loses power

A fire broke out on Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas cruise ship on Tuesday.

The ship also experienced a brief loss of power, according to Nathaniel Derrenbacher, a spokesperson for the line’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Group . The ship was docked in Costa Maya, Mexico, at the time.

There were no injuries and the small fire – which was isolated to a crew area – was quickly extinguished. The ship’s backup power was activated immediately, and the main power systems were restored.

Derrenbacher did not have additional information on where the fire occurred or how long the power outage lasted.

The vessel’s itinerary was not impacted. Icon, the biggest cruise ship in the world , is currently sailing a week-long Western Caribbean cruise that departed from Miami, Florida on Saturday, according to CruiseMapper . The ship is scheduled to visit Cozumel on Wednesday.

The news comes after a fire occurred in the exhaust funnel of Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Freedom ship in March, the second such fire on the vessel in less than two years.

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

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World’s largest cruise ship catches fire, loses power during mishap

Royal caribbean international’s icon of the seas ship was docked in mexico during the fire.

Carnival CEO discusses record cruise demand

Carnival CEO Josh Weinstein unpacks record demand for the cruise line on 'The Claman Countdown.'

Royal Caribbean International’s massive Icon of the Seas ship recently caught fire and experienced a power outage, company officials say.

A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson confirmed the incident to USA Today. The fire reportedly broke out on Tuesday while the ship was docked in Costa Maya, a tourist region in Southeast Mexico.

The company official said no one was injured during the fire, which was isolated to an area where crew members worked. The spokesperson also said the ship's backup power was "immediately" activated, and the ship's main power system was eventually restored back to normal. 

Icon of the Seas — which is the largest cruise ship in the world — entered into service in January of this year. The 250,800-ton ship has more than 2,800 guest cabins in 28 variations, and even boasts a three-story "Ultimate Family Townhouse."

CRUISE LINE OFFERS RETIREES CONCERNED ABOUT INFLATION A 'NEW WAY OF LIFE'

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, is seen docked at the Port of Miami on Jan. 11. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via / Getty Images)

After previewing the cruise in January, Travelmation head of media and luxury travel adviser Rebekah Ingraham told FOX Business that she had "never seen anything like that before."

"When you drive up even to the port, you can’t help but just go ‘wow,’" she explained. "And as we were sitting there waiting to take off, there were a couple other cruise ships that would come by—– and these are massive cruise ships — but they look small next to the Icon of the Seas."

NOROVIRUS OUTBREAKS LINKED TO 2 CRUISE SHIPS WITH OVER 150 INFECTED  

The Icon of the Seas arrives in Miami in January. (Royal Caribbean)

According to Royal Caribbean International’s website, a standard room on the ship's seven-day Caribbean voyage costs between $1,450 and $1,850. Guests interested in renting suites can spend anywhere from $2,900 to $4,800.

The company describes Icon of the Seas as a "first-of-its-kind" experience that includes several pools, a water park and numerous food and drink options.

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"It’s thrills you never dared to imagine and next-level chill you never dreamed possible," the website describes. "Let your adrenaline surge at the largest water park at sea or conquer an all-out test of courage dangling high above the ocean."

For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxbusiness.com/lifestyle

Water slides at the Thrill Island water park onboard Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas at PortMiami in Florida. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)

"Pick from seven unique pools to satisfy any mood — this is an all-you-can-swim buffet…. and discover dishes to delight every appetite with 40 ways to dine and drink," the site adds. "This is the Icon of Vacations."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS         

No additional details about the fire incident are known at this time. 

FOX Business reached out to Royal Caribbean Group for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

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What happens if there's a hurricane predicted at the time of my Royal Caribbean cruise?

We try to avoid operating any ship in the vicinity of a tropical system, and we will monitor the progress of these storms very closely. If there is a potential threat to any of our guests or ships, the itinerary may be altered to try to avoid any interaction with the storm or any affected areas. Additionally, our websites are continually updated to provide guests with information when a storm develops. For the latest information on itinerary changes and weather impacts on ports, please visit our  Travel Updates page .

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