The death of a cruise ship guest prompted a police investigation in New Zealand. The incident was reported as a “sudden death” aboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas during a 12-night cruise of Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand police investigate ‘sudden death’ on Anthem of the Seas
The death occurred during the ship’s approach to its first port call at Waitangi, Bay of Islands, at around 1:45 a.m. on March 25. New Zealand police were immediately notified and officers were waiting at the pier when the ship arrived several hours later.
At around 1:45 a.m., police were notified of a death on board the Anthem of the Seas cruise ship which was arriving from Sydney, Australia,” a New Zealand Police spokesperson said. “They are making enquiries into the person’s death on behalf of the coroner.”
Royal Caribbean says it is cooperating with NZ police
Royal Caribbean confirmed the incident and said it is cooperating with authorities. “We are saddened by the passing of one of our guests. We are supporting authorities in their investigation.”
No further details have been shared regarding the cause of death or the circumstances leading up to it. Police have not indicated whether the death is being treated as suspicious, and the identity of the passenger has not been released. It is unclear whether other guests aboard the ship have been informed.
The 12-night roundtrip voyage departed Sydney on March 22 and includes stops at Waitangi, Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton-Christchurch, Dunedin, and Fiordland National Park before returning to Sydney on April 3.
Unrelated to the incident, the ship was forced to skip a scheduled port call at Tauranga due to severe weather from a subtropical low-pressure system.
The Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum Class ship that can accommodate up to 4,180 guests and approximately 1,500 crew members.
