Two Royal Caribbean Ships Diverted to Bermuda Within 24 Hours

Among the superstitious, there is a saying that bad things come in threes. While there is no actual proof to backup the superstitions, it’s certainly unusual that two Royal Caribbean cruise ships were diverted to Bermuda in the same 24-hour time period for three unrelated medical emergencies. 

A Guest And Crew Member Evacuated from Odyssey of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Ultra-class ship had to make not one, but two diversions to Bermuda due to two separate medical emergencies that occurred on board within several hours of each other. 

According to updates from the Bermuda Department of Marine & Ports Services, Odyssey of the Seas was diverted to Bermuda’s East End to evacuate the ailing passengers, with the first incident taking place on April 23, 2024, at 7 p.m. local time and the second at approximately 5 a.m. on April 24, 2024. 

The first medical emergency impacted an Indonesian crew member, one of the 1,551 employees onboard. The crew member’s identity, role onboard, and the nature of their condition were not disclosed, but it was determined that the 31-year-old needed more urgent care than the cruise ship medical team could provide

The crew member was safely transferred to Ordnance Island by the Pilot/Rescue Boat in St. George’s Harbour, and subsequently taken by ambulance to King Edward Memorial Hospital.

Not long after, a 74-year-old passenger began to experience their own medical crisis, with symptoms starting in the late evening. As the Belgian guest’s condition worsened, the cruise line made the decision to return to Bermuda’s East End. The unnamed passenger, accompanied by a member of the ship’s medical staff, was also safely transported to King Edward Memorial Hospital to receive urgent care. 

The condition of the two affected people remains unknown, as does how two separate diversions will affect the rest of the sailing. When the medical emergencies occurred, the 4,198-passenger ship was in the midst of a 14-night Spanish Transatlantic cruise, which had only just begun three days earlier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 21, 2024. 

Guests were enjoying a series of sea days, with the first port call scheduled at Ponta Delgada, Azores, on April 28, when the medical diversions became necessary. The 169,000-gross ton vessel is also scheduled to visit Malaga, Spain; Cartagena, Spain; and La Spezia, Italy, before concluding in Rome, Italy, on May 5. 

With four sea days still to go before the ship is due to arrive in Ponta Delgada, hopefully, the ship will be able to make up time and stay on schedule – assuming there are no more medical emergencies. 

Oasis of the Seas Experiences Her Own Emergency Diversion

Also on April 23, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas had to make her own emergency stop in Bermuda due to a medical emergency, arriving at the port’s East End at approximately 1 a.m. local time. 

This time, the guest in question was a 69-year-old US resident. As with Odyssey of the Seas, the passenger was transported by ambulance to King Edward Memorial Hospital to receive treatment. Likewise, their identity and the nature of their condition has not been released in order to protect their privacy.

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The 5,602-passenger Oasis-class vessel embarked from Miami, Florida, on April 21, 2024. Like her fellow Royal Caribbean ship, Oasis of the Seas was only three days into her voyage when the medical incident began. 

The cruise is mostly at sea until the 226,838-guest ship is due to call on Cadiz, Spain on May 1. The itinerary then calls for stops at Malaga, Spain; Alicante, Spain; and Valencia, Spain, before concluding in Barcelona, Spain, on May 5.

It’s unknown if there will be any itinerary changes due to the diversion, but there’s a good chance the ship will be able to make up enough time in the coming days to stay on schedule.