Royal Caribbean under fire for undisclosed water slide closures on new ships
Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas complain that several water slides were closed for months without notice before sailing; Royal Caribbean confirmed a few slides were closed for maintenance on two ships, limiting access to the Thrill Island water parks. The company referenced a past August 2025 incident in which acrylic glass broke off a slide and injured a guest, noting the current closures are unrelated and are being handled as maintenance with ships reportedly awaiting investigations. The situation has sparked social-media and Reddit backlash from travelers who feel disclosure was lacking.