Royal Caribbean Begins Fleet-Wide Waterslide Safety Work After Acrylic Panel Concerns

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Royal Caribbean has started rolling out fleet-wide safety upgrades to its waterslides, replacing acrylic panels with reinforced fibreglass sections across multiple ships following concerns raised earlier this year.

Perfect Storm Mariner of the Seas

The work follows an incident aboard Icon of the Seas in August, when an acrylic panel on the Frightening Bolt waterslide shattered while a guest was using the attraction.

Although no serious injuries were reported, the incident triggered inspections and precautionary closures across ships fitted with similar clear slide sections.

Navigator of the Seas Slides Closed for Replacement Work

Guests sailing on Navigator of the Seas recently discovered that both of the ship’s popular waterslides, The Blaster and Riptide, were temporarily closed.

Navigator of the Seas

The closures are not due to mechanical failure or maintenance delays, but as part of Royal Caribbean’s decision to remove acrylic panels and replace them with more durable fibreglass tubing.

Speaking to guests onboard, the ship’s master explained the reasoning behind the work.

@travelingballoonguy2 Navigator of the Seas Slide Update #royalcaribbean #captainjames #navigatoroftheseas #brokenslide #constructionzine ♬ original sound – 🎈Travelingballoonguy-Agent🛳️

“It’s those acrylic tube parts that are cracking on us. So we just said, you know what? Enough’s enough,

“And we had them checked out by engineers as well, and they said, like, you’ve got to take them out of service,”

Captain James, speaking to passengers

He also confirmed that similar checks and replacements are taking place on other ships.

Fleet-Wide Checks Underway

Royal Caribbean has quietly carried out inspections across ships that feature waterslides with acrylic or clear-panel sections.

Image of water slide closure notification in Royal Caribbean app

Vessels in newer classes, including Icon-class ships, were prioritised immediately after the incident earlier this year, with Voyager-class ships like Navigator now part of the ongoing programme.

Some ships already had replacement parts in stock, allowing quicker repairs. Others, including Navigator of the Seas, have required custom fabrication of new moulds and tubing, leading to longer downtime.

Installation work on Navigator is expected to begin on 1st December 2025, with full completion targeted for 22nd December 2025.

Mixed Reaction from Guests

While most passengers understand the safety-first approach, some have expressed frustration online about discovering the closures only after boarding.

"Can someone who is currently sailing on Independence of the seas advise if all the water slides are closed due to maintenance. We are hearing they will be closed for the November 23 cruise. RC is being very sketchy, to say the least when people have called to ask about this."

“So no waterslides for us I guess. Would have been nice to know what we were in for a month ago when they knew. But it’s ok, as compensation, they allowed us to make a formal complaint,” one guest wrote on Reddit.

Royal Caribbean does allow attractions to be closed without advance notice, particularly when linked to safety or technical issues.

Guests on Navigator still have access to swimming pools and the FlowRider surf simulator while the slides remain offline.

Long-Term Focus on Guest Safety

The replacement of acrylic sections with fibreglass is intended to be a permanent solution. Fibreglass is less prone to stress fractures and temperature-related cracking, and is widely used in modern cruise ship slide construction.

By gradually applying the changes across its fleet, Royal Caribbean is aiming to reduce risk and avoid further sudden closures or in-service incidents.

While the temporary closures may frustrate some holidaymakers, the wider industry view is that proactive action is preferable to waiting for another serious incident.

For now, Navigator of the Seas serves as a visible sign of a broader safety push happening quietly across the Royal Caribbean fleet.

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