A cruise passenger has died during a shore excursion in the Bahamas when their tour boat sank.
The incident occurred on 14th November 2023 at around 11 am.
Guests on the double-decker tour boat were on their way to Blue Lagoon Island from the Nassau cruise port when large waves caused the boat to take on water.
Eventually, after listing for a short while, the boat completely sank, and while most guests were safely rescued from the waters, a 75-year-old female sadly lost her life. Two other guests were taken to hospital but were reportedly not seriously injured.
These images were taken from a TikTok video by user ‘kellyswitz’.
While a statement from Blue Lagoon Island confirmed that the passenger had been a cruise ship guest, they didn’t confirm which cruise line they were sailing with.
“Today at approximately 11am, a vessel from Blue Lagoon Island started taking on water and became partially submerged. Emergency Teams from the island quickly arrived to render assistance. Passengers and 5 staff members were located and brought to the island and two passengers were taken to the hospital for additional care. All onboard are accounted for.”
Blue Lagoon Island
There were five ships in port during the incident:
- Celebrity Summit (Celebrity Cruises)
- Norwegian Pearl (NCL)
- Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Disney Wish (Disney Cruise Line)
- Carnival Liberty (Carnival)
Often, cruise guests from different ships will be grouped together on excursions, so the passenger could have come from any of the five ships in port.
Update – Royal Caribbean has now confirmed that the passenger was sailing with them.
As the guest’s identity has not been revealed, it’s unclear whether there were any other health concerns or issues that may have contributed. The affected cruise line will currently be assisting family members and conducting a full investigation.
At the time, it’s not clear how other Blue Lagoon Island excursions will be impacted.
This kind of incident is exceptionally rare, and many millions of passengers enjoy shore excursions safely when cruising. It’s still very sad, and my thoughts are with the passenger’s loved ones.
Related Posts
- Are Cruises Safe? 8 Threats To Consider
- How Do Cruise Ships Float And Not Tip Over?
- What Happens If A Cruise Ship Is Hit By A Rogue Wave?
Viking Names Two New Ocean Ships For 2028 And 2029 Delivery
Viking has announced the names of its next two ocean-going vessels, revealing that the 998-passenger Viking Leda and Viking Vega will join the company’s expanding fleet in late 2028 and…
Couple Sues AIDA Over Reduced Nudist Deck on World Cruise
A German couple has launched legal action against AIDA Cruises seeking a substantial refund after discovering the nudist area aboard AIDAdiva had been dramatically reduced during their 128-day world cruise….
River Cruise Ship Crashes Into Danube Lock Near Vienna Leaving 14 Passengers Injured
A river cruise on the Danube was dramatically interrupted in the early hours of Friday, 24th July 2026, after the river cruise ship Anna Katharina crashed into a quay wall…
Woman Discovers She’s 33 Weeks Pregnant Hours Before Cruise Departure
A couple’s planned five-day cruise holiday turned into an unexpected trip to the maternity ward when a woman discovered she was 33 weeks pregnant just hours before boarding her ship…
