Guests on Royal Caribbean’s brand-new Star of the Seas got more excitement than expected during their preview sailing when an emergency “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar” alert sounded while the ship was at Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas on Thursday, 14th August.
The 5,610-passenger vessel, the cruise line’s second Icon-class ship, had docked alongside the 5,518-passenger Symphony of the Seas when a man fell from the pier just after 8 am.
According to photos shared online, the guest could be seen in the water clinging to a life ring thrown by crew members.
He was quickly retrieved by jet ski and returned safely to shore. Fortunately, the incident did not appear to result in serious injuries.
Royal Caribbean later confirmed that the guest had fallen after becoming distracted while filming the ship on his phone.
“A guest fell off the dock while capturing footage of the ship on his smart phone. Our team immediately picked him up via jet ski and returned him to shore,”
Star of the Seas had arrived at CocoCay as part of a special preview cruise sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida.
The ship is now en route back to Florida and will begin her next voyage on 16th August. Symphony of the Seas, meanwhile, is completing a seven-night Bahamas itinerary from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, with CocoCay as her final port of call.
Not the First Pier Incident at CocoCay
This is not the first time a pier incident has taken place at Royal Caribbean’s popular private island.
In April 2025, a child fell between Oasis of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas while the ships were both docked at the island. On that occasion, crew acted swiftly to rescue the youngster, and the itineraries were unaffected.
There have also been less serious but concerning cases in which guests have ignored safety markings for photographs, attempted to retrieve dropped belongings, or stumbled into the water after consuming alcohol.
In February 2025, for example, a Carnival Valor passenger jumped into the sea in Progreso, Mexico, to retrieve a sentimental item.
The cruise line reminds all visitors to remain behind designated safety lines when on the pier and to exercise caution at all times, especially when distracted by devices or trying to capture that “perfect shot” of the ship.
No Smooth Sailing For Star
The pier incident is just the latest in a string of setbacks as Star of the Seas begins her debut season.
Royal Caribbean had previously announced that legendary Motown singer Diana Ross would serve as the ship’s godmother, with the 81-year-old star scheduled to preside over the naming ceremony on 20th August in the AquaDome.
However, the cruise line has now confirmed that Ross has withdrawn from the honour.
“We are disappointed that Diana Ross is unable to join us to be godmother of Star of the Seas,” the line said in a statement, though no reason has been given for her withdrawal. Ross has recently completed a UK arena tour and is due to begin her US “Beautiful Love” tour just days before the naming ceremony.
Royal Caribbean has since announced that astronaut Kellie Gerardi will fulfil the role of godmother.
Star of the Seas’ sister ship, Icon of the Seas, was named by footballer Lionel Messi earlier this year.
At the same time, one of the vessel’s key attractions, the Frightening Bolt waterslide, has been shut down indefinitely.
The decision follows a serious incident on Icon of the Seas on 7th August, when a glass panel in the same slide broke mid-ride, injuring a passenger and leaving a large hole in the structure. The guest is now pursuing legal action against Royal Caribbean.
While the five other slides in Icon’s Category 6 Waterpark remain in operation, the identical Frightening Bolt on Star of the Seas will stay closed until investigations are complete and repairs are made if necessary.
The closure is an unwelcome complication during a high-profile period when the ship is being previewed by travel professionals and media ahead of her christening.
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