Two passengers, including a seven-year-old child, were critically ill and had to be evacuated from Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas while it was en route to New Jersey. The incident occurred on Friday, prompting the cruise ship to head back to Nassau in the Bahamas for emergency medical treatment, as it was the nearest location capable of providing hospital care.
Initially, the medical emergency involved one passenger, but during the return trip, a second individual also became critically ill. Both were evacuated for further medical attention, though the specifics of their conditions remain undisclosed, and it is unclear if their ailments were connected.
Due to these events, the return to Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, was delayed by approximately eight hours, shifting the scheduled arrival from 6 a.m. to around 2 p.m. on Sunday. Additionally, Royal Caribbean had to cancel a planned stop in Florida.
Guests onboard received a letter explaining the delay, which noted that medical staff deemed it necessary for the two guests to receive urgent medical care, leading to the disruption. The cruise line assured passengers it would adjust the return times and started debarkation around 2:30 p.m.
Passengers with flights booked through Royal Caribbean’s program will have their itineraries automatically updated to reflect the new arrival times, while those who made independent arrangements were advised to reach out to their airlines. Royal Caribbean also offered to reimburse up to $200 per person for domestic flight change fees and up to $400 for international flights, contingent on receiving the necessary documentation.
Additionally, each stateroom received 60 minutes of complimentary internet access to facilitate communication with airlines, hotels, and loved ones. Unfortunately, this disruption will also impact the ship’s next itinerary as it is scheduled for a seven-night cruise from Cape Liberty beginning the same day as the delayed arrival.
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