Featured Image Credit: YouTube/ Naydev
Topics: Health, Royal Caribbean, Travel, World News, Cruise ship, Alcohol, Social Media
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Health, Royal Caribbean, Travel, World News, Cruise ship, Alcohol, Social Media
A Royal Caribbean passenger has some words of warning after jumping from the 11th deck of the Symphony of the Seas.
Nick Naydev from Washington was onboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas - considered the 'world's largest cruise ship' at the time of the incident - when he decided to leap off into the waters below while the ship was docked in Nassau, Bahamas.
Not only did the stunt see him banned from Royal Caribbean for life, but the jump also bore other consequences for Nick, who was 27 at the time.
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Naydev was on holiday with his friends at the time and they'd been out 'drinking quite a bit' the night before.
He told Inside Edition he was 'still feeling the effects of the alcohol' when he decided to take to his balcony on the 11th deck of the cruise and leap 100ft into the water below.
"Nothing was really going through my mind. I'm like, 'I gotta do this,' and just two seconds later, I just jumped and didn't really think it through," he added.
And not only was the drop ridiculously high but there were added dangers lurking in the sea below too.
Naydev recalls: "I remember hitting the water, the impact was pretty big because it was pretty high up and it impacted my tailbone and my neck pretty hard. But you know, luckily it wasn't anything serious."
In a post to Instagram, he explained he was left 'barely' able to 'walk' for 'three days' as a result of the impact the water had on his body when he jumped from such a height.
However, he was also lucky to survive given the waters he leapt into were shark-infested.
Warning: Explicit language.
In his Instagram comments at the time he added: "What they told me shocked me. They told me that nobody dare swim in that water where I jumped because […] it was infested with sharks.
"So I was pretty lucky to be alive."
He resolved: "I hope I don't inspire anybody to do this because it is very dangerous and I don't think this is a joke."
The danger is echoed by the Royal Caribbean International's Guest Health, Safety and Conduct Policy under 'Unsafe Behavior Prohibited' it states: "Failure to follow all health, safety or security instructions or policies is strictly prohibited. Sitting, standing, jumping, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers is strictly prohibited."
Both Naydev and his companions have been banned from using Royal Caribbean for life.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said at the time: "This was stupid and reckless behaviour, and he and his companions have been banned from ever sailing with us again. We are exploring legal action."