Royal Caribbean Just Shut Down Waterslides on Multiple Ships—And Passengers Are NOT Happy
Royal Caribbean has closed waterslides on Navigator, Independence, and Harmony of the Seas for safety upgrades, leaving many passengers frustrated by lack of communication.
If you’re sailing on Navigator of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, or Harmony of the Seas in the coming months, we have some potentially disappointing news: Royal Caribbean has quietly closed some of the most popular waterslides across these ships for what the cruise line is calling “safety upgrades.”
And judging by passenger reactions on social media, many families are finding out the hard way—after they’ve already booked their cruise.
What’s Happening with the Slides?
According to a detailed report from Royal Caribbean Blog, multiple ships in the fleet have shut down their signature waterslides after engineers discovered that acrylic tube components were cracking. Rather than continuing with temporary patches and repairs, Royal Caribbean made the decision to replace these sections entirely with more durable fiberglass materials.
Here’s the breakdown of which ships and slides are affected:
Navigator of the Seas: Both the Blaster and Riptide slides are closed as of November 20. Work is scheduled to begin December 1, with the Riptide mat racer slide being tackled first, followed by the Blaster. The good news? Royal Caribbean is targeting December 22 for both slides to be operational again—just in time for the holiday rush.
Independence of the Seas: The Perfect Storm waterslides—Cyclone and Typhoon—are currently closed, with notifications indicating the closure could extend through February 2026.
Harmony of the Seas: The Supercell slide has been or is currently closed for similar safety work.
Why the Sudden Safety Push?
This fleet-wide safety initiative appears to stem from an incident earlier this year on Icon of the Seas in August 2025, when a passenger was injured after an acrylic panel broke on one of the ship’s slides. That incident prompted Royal Caribbean to conduct a broader safety review across their entire fleet, leading to the discovery of cracking acrylic components on multiple ships.
The cruise line’s decision to proactively replace these components with fiberglass—rather than continuing to repair cracks as they appear—is actually the responsible move from a safety perspective. Fiberglass is more durable and less prone to the stress fractures that plagued the acrylic tubes.
Passenger Frustration: Communication Breakdown?
While we applaud Royal Caribbean for prioritizing passenger safety, the real issue here isn’t the repairs themselves—it’s how the cruise line has communicated (or failed to communicate) these closures to guests.
Many passengers are discovering closed slides only after boarding their ships, despite having booked cruises specifically because of these family-friendly attractions. Social media posts reveal frustrated parents whose children were looking forward to the waterslides, only to find them roped off with little to no advance notice.
One future passenger expressed their frustration on a cruise forum: “We just booked for the end of March. Why are they not sharing that?? It’s one of the reasons we booked on this ship!”
And that’s the crux of the problem. Royal Caribbean heavily markets these waterslides as headline attractions—particularly for families with kids. When one of the main selling points of your cruise ship is suddenly unavailable, passengers deserve to know before they commit thousands of dollars to a vacation.
What This Means for Future Cruisers
If you have a cruise booked on Navigator of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, or Harmony of the Seas in the coming months, here’s what we recommend:
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Check directly with Royal Caribbean about the status of waterslides on your sailing. Don’t assume the timeline announced will be met—construction projects on ships can face delays.
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Ask about compensation if the slides are closed during your cruise. While Royal Caribbean isn’t obligated to offer anything, some cruise lines have provided onboard credit or other perks when advertised amenities are unavailable.
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Consider your options if the waterslides are a dealbreaker for your family. Depending on your booking terms, you may be able to move to a different ship or sailing date.
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Manage expectations with your kids before boarding. It’s better to break the news before embarkation than to have disappointed children discover closed slides on their first day.
The Bigger Picture
Royal Caribbean’s decision to address these safety concerns fleet-wide demonstrates a commitment to passenger safety that should ultimately be commended. After all, nobody wants to see another incident like the one on Icon of the Seas.
But this situation also highlights an ongoing challenge in the cruise industry: balancing operational needs with transparent communication to guests. In an era where cruise lines compete fiercely for family vacation dollars, amenities like waterslides aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re key selling points that directly influence booking decisions.
Moving forward, Royal Caribbean would be wise to implement more proactive notification systems for major amenity closures. An email to booked passengers, updates on the cruise planner app, or even a dedicated page on their website listing current closures would go a long way toward managing expectations and maintaining customer trust.
For now, if waterslides are on your must-have list for your next Royal Caribbean cruise, do your homework before you book—and definitely before you board.