A Royal Caribbean ship made a swift, unscheduled return back to PortMiami after a dispute between at least two guests turned physical. The Wonder of the Seas had departed Miami on a Bahamas cruise.
It returned to South Florida to disembark the guests who required unspecified medical treatment. Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel were waiting at the terminal, it was reported. They were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.
It remains unclear what prompted the altercation or the nature of the injuries. The cruise line said it initially treated the guests as it returned to port.
“Our team provided medical care to adult guests who were involved in an altercation onboard, and the guests are being treated for their injuries. 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,” Royal Caribbean said.
Two Guests Taken to Hospital
However, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office later updated the media with a few more details. There was apparently an argument by a kid’s pool which quickly escalated into a physical brawl. “A verbal dispute ensued between patrons, which became physical,” Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said. “The captain of the ship decided to return to port and contact authorities.”
“Both individuals were transported to a local hospital for minor injuries.” Both guests have declined to press charges, police added.
Beyond this, details remain sketchy, with differing accounts of what happened being posted online by other cruise guests. Some posted that several people were seen running towards the pool area due to a commotion there. Another social media post said that around a dozen guests were taken off the ship but this remains unconfirmed.
The ship eventually departed again late on Monday night and is currently on a four-day Bahamas sailing due to call at Coco Cay and Nassau.
