Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas faced a major delay in returning to Galveston, Texas, on Sunday due to a medical emergency that required an unscheduled stop in Mexico on the cruise’s back end.
The incident occurred Friday, December 13, when an elderly passenger traveling with her family showed symptoms of a major stroke or aneurysm.
The family speaks out
According to her granddaughter, the woman began experiencing vision changes and a severe headache, which escalated to minimal responsiveness.
The ship’s medical team responded quickly, but the decision was made to return the vessel to Cozumel for an emergency evacuation. The passenger is now receiving care at an international hospital.
“Doctors believe she is having a major stroke,” the family shared on their GoFundMe page. “We are asking for all the thoughts and prayers. Medically flying her home will be a huge expense, and if you would like to donate, it would be appreciated more than you could ever imagine.”
Impacting cruise operations
The medical evacuation delayed Harmony of the Seas’ arrival in Galveston by more than eight hours. The ship’s captain provided frequent updates to passengers.
One guest told the Cruise Radio tip line and said: “Captain Marshall stated he was shooting for an ETA of 2:00 p.m. Sunday. The ETA is 1:50 p.m. Previously, he said the gangway would open at 4:00 p.m., but this time is not final.”
Passengers scheduled for the next sailing, originally set to embark Sunday morning, were asked to delay their arrival at the terminal until 8:00 p.m.
Royal Caribbean informs guests
Royal Caribbean offered onboard credits and prorated refunds for affected pre-cruise packages to compensate for the disruption.
Despite the delay, the ship’s upcoming itinerary, including stops in Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, remains unchanged.
Sargent’s family expressed gratitude for the ship’s medical team and the support they have received. Updates on her condition will be posted on the GoFundMe page.
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