Topics: Royal Caribbean, Cruise ship, Travel, Crime, World News, US News
A Royal Caribbean cruise has been forced to return to port after a fight broke out on board and left guests 'injured'.
On Monday (September 15), the cruise liner's Wonder of the Seas was forced to return to shore not long after setting sail for a rather unusual reason.
Royal Caribbean announced its mega vessel made a surprising U-turn to Port Miami last night, mere hours after embarking on its four-day voyage to the Bahamas, stopping at Coco Cay and Nassau before returning to Miami on Friday, according to CruiseMapper.
The cruise liner said it was forced to abandon the journey after a fight broke out on board that was so bad, it apparently injured passengers and left two requiring hospital treatment.
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"Our team provided medical care to adult guests who were involved in an altercation onboard, and the guests are being treated for their injuries," Royal Caribbean said in a statement, reports NBC Miami.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue service was reportedly called for medical assistance at the 1000 block of North America Way when the cruise liner pulled in to port.
"We notified local authorities and are working closely with them," the cruise liner continued. "As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no more information to share at this time."
The ship, currently ranked the fourth largest in the world, can accommodate more than 5,500 passengers and 2,300 crew members.
It remains unclear what injuries were sustained in the brawl or what triggered the fight in the first place.
A witness who spoke to local10 said they saw fellow passengers running over to the pool area before the captain announced the sudden return to port.
Another told WSVN that around a dozen people were escorted from the ship when it was greeted by police and emergency services at the port.
Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office described the incident as a consequence of a 'dispute' between two passengers, saying: "According to investigators, a verbal dispute ensued between patrons, which became physical."
"At which time the captain of the ship decided to return to port and contact authorities," the statement added. "Both individuals were transported to a local hospital for minor injuries. Both individuals declined pressing charges."
According to Cruise Fever, major cruise liners often emphasize strict codes of conduct for their passengers, with serious fights likely to lead to life-time bans for those determined to be involved.
However, Royal Caribbean has not yet revealed if any passengers will be disembarked as a result, nor have the authorities released the names of those involved or if any arrests have been made.
The news comes as earlier this year, travellers aboard a Carnival Cruise ship broke out into a huge fight, reportedly 'over chicken tenders'.
Meanwhile, the largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, landed in hot water just last month after a passenger was 'sliced open' going down its faulty waterslide.
