Latest news with #SymphonyoftheSeas
Observer
15-06-2025
- Business
- Observer
Tender for upgrade of Port Sultan Qaboos
MUSCAT, JUNE 15 Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has kick-started the process of upgrading Port Sultan Qaboos to support its transformation into a national hub for cruise tourism. Under a tender floated recently by the ministry, consultancy firms with expertise in port and maritime engineering have been invited to bid for a contract to provide advisory services on the construction of a new breakwater and additional berth, as well as to oversee significant reclamation works at Muscat's roughly 50-year-old maritime hub. In addition to developing a concept master plan encompassing all aspects of the port's proposed upgrade, the selected consultant will also be invited to identify, as an option, investment opportunities arising from this expansion. Given the cruise tourism-centred focus of the upgrade, these opportunities are expected to be linked to food and beverage outlets, hospitality, high-end retail, arts and crafts, and related sectors, say experts. Last October, the ministry tasked Asyad Ports — a subsidiary of Asyad Group — with undertaking a feasibility study into the upgrade of Port Sultan Qaboos. The study also covers the operational and commercial aspects of the project, aimed at supporting its development into a major cruise tourism hub. Opportunities for strategic partnerships with investors to help deliver this vision were to be fully explored as well. Officials announced at the time that the modernisation plan would be implemented in three phases. The initial phase will focus on rehabilitating the port's existing infrastructure. The second phase will involve upgrading equipment and operational systems. In the final phase, a new berth will be constructed to accommodate larger cruise vessels, enhancing the port's capacity to meet rising tourism demand. According to cruise shipping experts, a berth length of at least 370 metres will be required to handle some of the largest cruise ships in operation today. Icon of the Seas, currently the largest cruise ship by gross tonnage and passenger capacity, measures 365 metres in length. Other mega cruise ships in its class include the Wonder of the Seas (362 metres), Symphony of the Seas (361 metres), and Harmony of the Seas (362 metres). By comparison, the largest cruise ship to have visited Muscat to date is the AIDAcosma (337 metres), which made its maiden call in November 2022. In line with Muscat's positioning as a cruise tourism hub, the modernisation will also aim to attract leisure and recreational vessels, including superyachts, catamarans and sailships, to Oman. Investment opportunities related to this segment of the maritime tourism sector will be explored as well. Port Sultan Qaboos, which has undergone multiple upgrades over its 50-year history, currently features nine berths with a combined length of 1,750 metres. A passenger terminal is presently being modernised to align with the goals of the port's broader expansion. In 2024, Port Sultan Qaboos welcomed a record 190 cruise ship calls, surpassing its target of 134 vessels for the year. The deadline for submission of offers for the consultancy services contract is July 24, 2025.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean waiter saves passengers in freak cruise accident
Royal Caribbean waiter saves passengers in freak cruise accident originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. It's not uncommon for cruise passengers to commend cruise ship crew members for treating their guests like family. No matter which cruise line you sail, you'll notice that passengers love to gush about the wonderful crew members they've met during their sailings who demonstrate genuine care for their guests over and over each cruise you take, you'll grow more accustomed to hearing these stories, and you'll probably come away with a few stories of your own to share, too. But although cruise ship crew members are well known for going above and beyond for their guests, sometimes they even amaze passengers by turning into superheroes at sea. Passengers on board Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas just experienced one of these moments as a freak accident transformed a beloved dining server into a "Hero of the Seas." His quick thinking and super speed resulted in multiple passengers being moved out of harm's way seconds before disaster struck the pool deck on June Symphony of the Seas docked in Port Canaveral, Florida — the ship's first port of call on a seven-night cruise from Cape Liberty, N.J. — something highly unusual happened. While serving guests in the ship's Coastal Kitchen restaurant, Royal Caribbean's Nitin Kumar suddenly left his tables and zoomed down to the pool deck two decks below. Kumar was on a hero's mission to move passengers out from underneath one of the restaurant's windows as it cracked, and then shattered. Seconds after the passengers moved, glass rained down on their lounge chairs.A number of passengers quickly took to social media to share accounts of the incident. 'We were in Coastal Kitchen three windows over from where it broke. We were in the middle of our 180 spin and the ship was vibrating pretty good. Most people seem to think that the vibrations/micro cracks in the tempered glass caused it,' wild_n_free explained in the Royal Caribbean community on Reddit. 'Thankfully no one was seriously injured other than one person cutting their foot.' Although the glass was tempered, which means it breaks into smaller, less dangerous pieces, passenger injuries would have been much more significant if Kumar hadn't leapt into a public Facebook group for the June 6-13 sailing of Symphony of the Seas, passengers celebrated Kumar for his heroic act. 'You are truly an asset to Royal Caribbean and a hero to the many people you removed from harm's way,' Kathy Crisolo Sandoval posted, along with a photo of the shattered glass on the pool deck. Hundreds of other passengers chimed in to applaud Kumar as well. 'We were in Coastal Kitchen when this shattered and for Nitin to have foresight to run to the pool to get everyone out of the way is remarkable. RCCL should give him an accommodation for his actions,' Donna Schmitt wrote.'Nitin = Hero Of The Seas,' Josh Merante added. The post even made its way to the "Hero of the Seas" himself, who graciously thanked his guests. 'Thank you so much everyone for appreciation. You all are my family. What I did, I did for family,' Kumar commented. 'I'm friendly, passionate, and committed, and I'm Royal. What I did I learned from this company how to take care of my guests like family. So, thank you so much.' Royal Caribbean later presented Kumar with the Royal Way Hero Award for his "exemplary display of safety, honesty, and bravery in the workplace." (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Chaos As Cruise Ship Window Shatters Raining Glass Onto Busy Pool Deck
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Footage capturing the alarming moment a glass panel from a cruise ship restaurant suddenly fell onto a pool deck has captivated viewers on social media. The frightening incident unfolded aboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas cruise ship on June 8. The vessel was said to be turning to dock at its first scheduled stop in Port Canaveral, Florida. Tytti Tuliainen, a 40-year-old travel content creator from Finland, shared a view of the glass panel crashing onto the deck, with guests watching from the pool, in a video posted on her YouTube channel @TravelingFinnishGirl. Newsweek has contacted Royal Caribbean by email and @missdiane93 via TikTok for comment. This video has not been independently verified. The YouTuber was having lunch at a restaurant on the ship when she heard the window cracking. Tuliainen told Newsweek: "I was dining in the Coastal Kitchen above the pool deck when it happened." @missdiane93 This happened today on Symphony of the Seas! Great staff member noticed it and cleared the area. ♬ original sound - MissDiane Another view of the scene from the pool deck was captured in a video shared by TikTok user @missdiane93. The clip, which has amassed more than 3.8 million views since it was posted on June 9, shows the glass panel cracking before dropping onto sun loungers by the pool. A man is shown flinching and running away just as the glass drops, with the murmur of alarmed crowds heard in the background. A voice off-camera says: "That would have just hit us." Cruise travel continues to see strong growth in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. A 2025 report by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) found that cruise passenger numbers are projected to reach 37.7 million in 2025. Eighty-two percent of cruisers are planning to cruise again, while 68 percent of international travelers are considering going on their first cruise. First-time cruisers were reported to be driving the growth, with 31 percent of passengers in the last two years being new to cruise, according to the CLIA. Users on Reddit also shared posts about the incident, including by u/ Smooth_J24 and u/ireadmorethenpost, who shared an image of staff members examining the site of the shattered glass. Tuliainen said: "When the glass shattered unexpectedly, one of the crew members working in the restaurant—Nitin Kumar—ran down to move people away from under the floor-to-ceiling window. Thanks to his quick response, no one was hurt." The cruise website Cruise Fever said Kumar responded to the incident in a Facebook group created for the cruise trip, saying: "Thank you so much everyone for appreciation, you all are my family, what I did I did for family … what I did I learn from this company how to take care of my guests like family, so thank you so much. Enjoy your vacation." Staff members reportedly responded immediately and passengers reported that "the window is already replaced," with repairs done swiftly, according to Cruise Fever. Tuliainen said: "No one knows why the window broke. Only the outside panel shattered, and there was no impact that anyone saw." The cruise was said to have resumed normal operations, going onto the Bahamas with its return to New Jersey scheduled for June 13. Stock image: A Royal Caribbean cruise ship sails at sea. Stock image: A Royal Caribbean cruise ship sails at sea. Getty Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Carnival Cruise bans several passengers after onboard brawl: Here's what went down
As the summer cruise season ramps up, Carnival Cruise Line is reinforcing its commitment to safety and order on board. With a renewed focus on its 'zero tolerance' policy for disruptive behavior, the cruise line is now placing a letter in every stateroom outlining its 'Have Fun, Be Safe' guidelines, reminding guests of the code of conduct from the moment they board. The renewed safety message was quickly put to the test when a brawl erupted on the Lido deck of a Bahamas cruise, forcing the ship's security team to step in. Also Read: Who is Nancy Feldman? Alex Cooper accuses former soccer coach of sexual harassment On Tuesday, June 10, Doug Parker revealed during Cruise News Today how quick thinking of a Royal Caribbean crew member saved the lives of several passengers amid another brawl that broke out. During a weekend sailing from Half Moon Cay aboard the Carnival Sunrise, a violent altercation broke out on the Lido Deck near the aft pizzeria, drawing immediate attention from both passengers and crew. The incident quickly escalated as multiple guests began throwing fists and launching chairs, creating a dangerous and chaotic scene. Carnival's security team responded within moments, moving in to de-escalate the situation and restore order. A potentially dangerous incident was narrowly avoided when a large tempered glass window in the Coastal Kitchen unexpectedly shattered. Thousands of tiny glass shards rained down onto the pool deck below, but thanks to the quick response of a crew member, guests were safely cleared from the area, preventing any serious injuries. In keeping with the company's zero tolerance policy for disruptive behavior, Carnival later confirmed that all individuals involved in the fight have been permanently banned from sailing with the cruise line. This comes after the letters were distributed to the crew and passengers as they onboarded the cruise. The letter emphasized, 'Any guest who violates these policies or whose conduct affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety, or well-being of other guests and crew will be fined, disembarked at their own expense, and banned from sailing on Carnival in the future,' as reported by The Street. Also Read: No Kings protest locations: Key cities and venues for June 14 protests As reported by Parker, no passengers were injured amid the brawl as a sharp-eyed waiter made a run to warn those below just minutes before the glass shattered into the pool. The waiter, Nitin Kumar, prevented a serious accident, and later, other crew members cordoned off the area, drained the pool, and removed all the glass pieces before the cruise continued from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. Parker added that a guest aboard Symphony of the Seas told Cruise News Today that the glass shattered while the ship was maneuvering at Port Canaveral. According to the crew, the break was likely caused by pressure and vibration. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and all guests in the area were safely evacuated.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cruise Ship Waiter Saves Passengers from Shards of Glass Raining Down from Shattered Window
A large glass panel shattered aboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas on June 8 The falling shards narrowly missed passengers thanks to a warning from one of the ship's waiters Employee Nitin Kumar reportedly noticed the glass cracking and sprinted to alert guests seated on pool loungers below Royal Caribbean and passengers praised Kumar for his actionsWhat could have been a devastating situation was avoided by a quick-thinking cruise waiter. On Sunday, June 8, a cracked glass panel installed above the pool deck of Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas gave way, raining down shards on the lounge chairs of the deck below. Luckily, the seats were empty thanks to one of the ship's crew members who saw what was about to unfold. The ship had departed Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, en route to its first stop in Florida, docking in Port Canaveral, when the incident occurred. Travel content creator Tytti Tuliainen captured the shocking scene in a video that showcases the large chunks of glass crashing down. On social media, guests praised one of the ship's waiters, Nitin Kumar, for jumping into action, warning passengers just in time for them to get out of the way On a Royal Caribbean subreddit, Kumar's heroic story prevailed. One commenter, who was allegedly aboard the ship at the time of the crash, wrote, 'Nitin saw it cracking and sprinted down to the pool deck and told the people in deck chairs to move. Fifteen seconds later this happened. Dude saved some lives for sure.' Royal Caribbean also took to their social media account to recognize Kumar for his assistance. 'Thanks to the fast thinking of one of the best Nitin, these seats were vacant when the safety glass gave way,' the caption read. 'You are truly an asset to Royal Caribbean and a hero to the many people you removed from harms way. great job!" No reason for the accident has been confirmed, but one social media user noted it occurred while the ship was "turning 180 [degrees] to dock" causing significant "vibrations." Royal Caribbean has not immediately responded to PEOPLE's request for comment. Read the original article on People
