A passenger described the “dystopian” scene on the world’s largest cruise ship after a man went overboard and died on Sunday, highlighting the premature celebration that ensued when passengers mistakenly thought he had been rescued.
Zachary Normandin, 31, shared with The Post that around 300 passengers dining on Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas cheered when the captain announced the missing traveler had been found. “Everyone in the dining room clapped and we’re like ‘yeah,’” the Connecticut resident recalled. “We assumed that the guy was fine.”
However, it soon emerged that the passenger, whose identity has not been released, was dead, and the 1,200-foot cruise ship continued its journey.
Normandin mentioned hearing from other passengers that the man had jumped from the ship, though the Coast Guard stated only that he fell overboard.
This led to a surreal atmosphere where most travelers continued to party as if nothing had happened. “I don’t think everyone knows about the guy dying. I think it’s kind of purposely silenced,” Normandin said, suggesting that Royal Caribbean might not want to alarm anyone.
The Icon of the Seas, capable of carrying up to 7,000 passengers and 2,000 crew members, was on the first day of a seven-day voyage around the Gulf of Mexico when the incident occurred. It is scheduled to return to Miami on June 1.
The ship has made stops in Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico.
The Coast Guard informed The Post on Monday night that the cruise ship deployed rescue boats, located the man, and brought him back on board. “He was pronounced deceased,” the Coast Guard confirmed.
Normandin, a married father of one, recounted that the ship’s captain initially announced that a man had gone overboard, prompting the ship to turn around in hopes of finding him. “I thought we were going straight back to Miami, I thought that was it. But, no, everything just kept on going,” said Normandin, who shared part of the rescue mission on social media over the weekend.
He expressed surprise at how many passengers continued with their activities during the search and even after learning about the passenger’s death. “I think people were just trying not to think about it, maybe, I don’t know,” he said. “It just seemed like more people would have been like ‘oh my gosh, what’s going on,’ but no, people were just going about their day. It’s just kind of dystopian.”
Week-long voyages on the mega-ship generally cost around $1,500 to $2,000. Royal Caribbean has remained largely silent about the incident, citing the need to respect the grieving family’s privacy.
“Prayers to the family, I just hope they get through this,” Normandin said. “I just wish I knew who they were so I could reach out to them and hug them or something.”
