Hero Crew Member Saves Guests From Falling Glass On Cruise

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Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas experienced a tense moment on 8th June 2025 when a large window at the Coastal Kitchen restaurant unexpectedly shattered as the ship was manoeuvring into Port Canaveral, Florida.

Symphony of the Seas Broken Glass Coastal Kitchen
Image credit: WHPIJack on Reddit

The 228,081-gross-ton vessel was partway through a 7-night roundtrip sailing from Cape Liberty (Bayonne, New Jersey), with Port Canaveral being its first scheduled port of call.

Crew Member Hailed a Hero

According to guest reports, the situation could have been far more serious had it not been for the swift actions of waiter Nitin Kumar.

Guests say Kumar noticed stress cracks forming in the Coastal Kitchen’s glass wall and immediately rushed to the pool deck below to warn those relaxing nearby.

About “15 seconds later”, the glass broke, according to one guest, who described how the tempered glass shattered and rained down over the area where guests had been seated just moments earlier.

“The waiter, Nitin, saw it cracking and sprinted down to the pool deck and told the people in deck chairs to move. Dude saved some lives for sure.”

The broken panel caused the pool area to be temporarily closed while crew members secured the scene and removed debris. The pool was drained as a precaution, and the damaged glass was swiftly replaced.

@missdiane93

This happened today on Symphony of the Seas! Great staff member noticed it and cleared the area.

♬ original sound – MissDiane

Remarkably, no injuries were reported.

Quick Clean-up and Continued Itinerary

By the following day, 9th June, Symphony of the Seas continued on to Nassau, Bahamas, with minimal disruption. The ship is also scheduled to visit Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, before returning to New Jersey on 13 June.

Nitin Kumar received widespread praise from passengers across social media for his alertness and decisive action. In a heartfelt response, he posted:

“What I did, I did for family. I’m Friendly, Passionate, and Committed, and I’m Royal… (and I learned from Royal) How to take care of my guests like family.”

Rare But Not Unprecedented

The incident took place in Coastal Kitchen, an exclusive venue reserved for suite guests and Crown & Anchor Pinnacle members on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships.

Located on Deck 17, the restaurant’s panoramic windows offer sweeping ocean views – and in this case, a dramatic moment for all onboard.

While it’s unclear what exactly caused the glass to fail, some speculate that ship vibrations during its 180-degree turn into port may have contributed. Royal Caribbean has not yet confirmed the cause, but crew described the breakage as a rare and isolated event.

Glass failures, while uncommon, have occurred on other Royal Caribbean ships. In 2024, Voyager of the Seas sustained similar damage in rough seas near Galveston, Texas.

In previous years, Anthem of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas also experienced shattered windows during stormy conditions.

Despite the surprise incident, the cruise line’s rapid response and the heroism of its crew ensured the safety and comfort of all guests aboard Symphony of the Seas.

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Cruise Mummy

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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