As one of the largest cruise ships in the world sailed to the Caribbean this week, it suddenly turned around and headed back to Miami, Fla. The reason appears to be a fight that broke out near a kids' pool area.
According to Local 10 news, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas arrived at PortMiami Monday night after the brawl. It said a witness who was on the ship saw people running over to its pool area, where the children’s pool was roped off.
“Our team provided medical care to adult guests who were involved in an altercation onboard, and the guests are being treated for their injuries,” a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean wrote in a statement cited by Local 10.
In a statement shared with People magazine, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said that: “According to investigators, a verbal dispute ensued between patrons, which became physical,” and “the captain of the ship decided to return to port and contact authorities.”
According to People’s report, the sheriff’s office and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue were alerted about the fight at around 6:48 p.m. local time and the cruise ship arrived at PortMiami at around 8:30 p.m. Monday. Deputies were on hand when it arrived.
Sources cited by People said that two individuals were transported to a local hospital for minor injuries. Both declined to press charges.
“We notified local authorities and are working closely with them. As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no more information to share at this time,” the spokesperson for Royal Caribbean wrote in the statement to Local 10.
When the Wonder of the Seas first set sail in 2022, it was the largest cruise ship in the world, per Royal Caribbean. It is still one of the largest, with more than 15 dining hotspots, four pools, 10 bars, a theater and more. CruiseMapper said it is currently sailing the 4-day, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise and the Daily Mail reported that the ship had departed Miami at 4:30 p.m. EST before the brawl broke out.
“Industry analysts have noted a rise in fights on cruises as the $7 billion sector rebounds to near pre-pandemic levels and the cost of living crisis makes all-inclusive partying an affordable holiday option,” the Daily Mail added.
Indeed, this fight follows another that broke out over chicken tenders on a Carnival Cruise. People said that fight resulted in 24 people ending up on a “Do Not Sail” list. That could be a heartbreaking outcome for the growing wave of people living full-time on cruise ships who Audacy reported on earlier this year.