Royal Caribbean passenger falls over edge of cruise infinity pool
The old adage 'bad things come in threes' seems to have nearly proved true for the cruise industry this month.
Two cruise ships sailing Caribbean cruises during the week of July 20 were struck by tragedy, and a second incident that occurred on board the world's largest cruise ship nearly resulted in another.
Not long after the news broke that a crew member died after jumping overboard following a violent altercation with a coworker on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, a viral video revealed that a passenger had a close call during the same sailing.Additionally, in another unusual cruise ship event, the FBI is investigating a death that occurred on board Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Dream around the same time.
Although each of these incidents happened under very different circumstances, they contribute to a string of bad luck that multiple cruise lines have faced this summer.
Just a few weeks ago, a child was rescued after falling overboard from a Disney Cruise Line ship sailing near The Bahamas.
This series of unfortunate cruise ship events is certainly shocking, but before you worry about your upcoming vacation, remember that these are rare cases that just happened to occur during the same time period. The vast majority of cruises safely sail without incident.
Doug Parker shared details on the Icon of the Seas close call, the latest on the Carnival Dream cruise ship death investigation, and other cruise news, on the July 29 edition of Cruise News Today.Royal Caribbean cruise passenger falls from edge of Hideaway Pool
Cruise News Today Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning, here's your cruise news for Tuesday, July 29th.
A guest aboard Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas had a close call after falling from the edge of the Hideaway Pool on deck 15 in a bizarre incident caught on video. Yeah, the footage shows the guest teetering on the railing before tumbling off.
Fortunately, a lower walkway and safety barrier prevented serious injury and the guest remained on the same deck, but just in a restricted area. This occurred during the same voyage in which a crew member jumped overboard after stabbing a colleague.New details emerge about Carnival Dream cruise ship death
And we're learning more about the passenger who died aboard Carnival Dream during a sailing out of Texas earlier this month.
The Galveston County Medical Examiner has identified the man as 48-year-old Euvelester Villarreal Jr., of Texas. The FBI says the incident occurred around July 23rd while the ship was at sea.
Now, an autopsy found no signs of trauma, but toxicology tests are still pending. The FBI, Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection are continuing their investigation. Carnival says the death does not appear to be suspicious.
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Princess Cruises revises Plus package fine print after pushback
And Princess Cruises is making a quick change to its newly updated Plus package following guest pushback after backlash over soft drinks being counted in the 15-drink daily limit.
The cruise line announced that specialty coffees and teas will now be unlimited under the Plus plan. However, sodas will still count towards that cap.
The revised packages, which went on sale last week for next year's sailings, also come with higher pricing, but more perks, including extra dining options and shore excursion credits.And cruise stocks were mixed on Monday. Carnival Corporation: flat, 29.87. Royal Caribbean: also flat, 352.00. Norwegian: up slightly, 23.88 and Viking: up 2%, 58.78.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know: tips@cruiseradio.net.
Have yourself a great Tuesday. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
, or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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