After plenty of speculation, Royal Caribbean is finally addressing why some of its popular water slides are currently closed, debunking the reason many people thought.
Guests aboard the world's largest cruise ships are complaining that multiple slides at the onboard water parks aren't operating.
In total, Category 6, the largest water park at sea, is home to six record-breaking slides:
- Pressure Drop
- Hurricane Hunter
- Storm Chasers (duo mat-racing slides)
- Storm Surge
- Frightening Bolt
However, according to numerous Reddit threads, most of the slides at the Category 6 Waterpark have been closed for days during recent sailings.
"I’m currently on Icon of the Seas with my son, and we specifically booked this cruise for the water park (Category 6). Unfortunately, the majority of the slides have been closed for multiple days, including sea days, with only ONE slide intermittently open," Particular-Bird-1235 wrote.
Someone else added, "Just got off [Star of the Seas]. Two slides still down the entire week and at times only 2 were operational...Wasn't too happy since we paid a premium for the newest ship."
"Just did the April 5th to 12th on Star and the same two mentioned slides were down. It was pretty much the only thing I complained about in my survey. Paid [a] premium to go on my 2nd Icon class due to water slides for my two sons. Annoyed by the closures," Additional-Dish-6309 commented.
Peter-Rabbi said, "I was on [Star] last week and two slides were down at first. Then three by the end of the cruise."
Read more: I went on the world's most family-friendly cruise ship without kids
Passengers and frequent cruisers have begun speculating about what’s behind the ongoing closures
Some argued that they could be part of the cruise line's cost-cutting measures in light of the recent fuel increases. However, this theory was quickly debunked by a Royal Caribbean representative, who said that repairs are underway to ensure the cruise line can continue offering a strong guest experience.
"To clarify, the slide closures are not related to fuel costs or stabilizer usage—that rumor is incorrect. At this time, some slides are temporarily unavailable, and while we can't share specific details or timelines, efforts are ongoing with a strong focus on the overall guest experience," Emjae said.
One guest aboard Star of the Seas reportedly heard that the green tube slide (Storm Surge) and the small yellow drop slide (Pressure Drop) share the same water system, which needs a replacement part from Germany to be fixed.
Particular-Bird-1235 added that aboard Icon of the Seas, crew members are telling guests that the slides are closed because of "maintenance / manufacturer maintenance."
Additionally, Guest Services could not provide any compensation beyond a $20 arcade credit.
Water slide maintenance has been a top priority lately
(Credit: @aaron.dv02 [left] / @fireal7 [right])
Last August, an incident involving a slide that injured a guest caused the same slide to be closed aboard Star of the Seas out of an abundance of caution.
An adult male was injured while riding the Frightening Bolt, the biggest drop slide at sea with a terrifying trap door launch, after an acrylic glass panel broke off.
While he didn't fall through the gaping hole, other passengers reported seeing "skin laceration injuries from his legs to his hands."
(Credit: @maddietspmo [left] / @natalya.ash [right])
After the accident, Deck 15 was closed to prevent further injuries and allow crew members to assess the damage. The Frightening Bolt remained closed after the deck reopened, though. Royal Caribbean also closed the Frightening Bolt aboard Star of the Seas.
Slides on other ships — including Harmony of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas — with similar acrylic panels eventually closed, too.
Navigator of the Seas' Captain James confirmed that the acrylic tube parts were cracking and needed to be replaced with stronger fiberglass panels to ensure durability for years to come.
Because each fiberglass section is custom-made and cannot be pulled from existing inventory, the process is lengthier than simply swapping out a standard part.
