Watch: Cruise Ship Enchantment Of The Seas Rescues Stranded Castaways In Caribbean Sea

Royal Caribbean International’s cruise ship Enchantment of the Seas rescued between eight to ten castaways stranded on a small raft in the Caribbean Sea on the evening of Sunday, September 28, 2025.

The rescue occurred between Cuba and Mexico, while the ship was heading toward Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

The Enchantment of the Seas, an 82,900 gross ton vessel measuring 990 feet (302 meters) long and capable of carrying more than 2,250 passengers, had been sailing the Western Caribbean when crew members spotted distress signals.

Passengers said they saw people on the raft using flashlights to signal for help around dusk, which led the ship’s crew to stop and check.

The rescue happened while the ship was sailing near Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. A tender boat was lowered to reach a raft that was reportedly breaking apart.

The stranded group, estimated at between eight and ten people, were carefully brought aboard the cruise ship. They were provided with clean clothing, drinking water, food, and emergency medical attention as needed.

The Enchantment of the Seas had altered its course due to approaching storms.

Originally scheduled to sail east toward the Bahamas from Tampa, Florida, the cruise ship was rerouted west to Costa Maya and Cozumel to avoid Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda. This unscheduled detour brought the ship to the area where the raft was found.

Passengers recorded the rescue and shared it on social media, showing the raft in distress before a tender boat arrived. One passenger, Jeffrey Walker, posted images and videos on his social media account.

Royal Caribbean said standard rescue procedures were followed, local authorities were notified, and the rescued people will be disembarked at the next port of call for repatriation to their home countries.

The incident was similar to one in February, when Brilliance of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean vessel, rescued 11 people drifting in a small boat in the Gulf of Mexico between Cuba and Mexico, shortly after departing New Orleans on a seven-night cruise.

A passenger aboard Enchantment of the Seas said that the captain personally informed passengers of the decision to turn the ship and investigate.

Reference: timesnownews

Source: Maritime Shipping News