Radiance of the Seas Came to a Full Stop Off Cuba to Save 6 People

You expect a sea day to be boring in the best way. Coffee. Deck chairs. Maybe a quick trivia round in the lounge.

But on Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas this weekend, the ship came to a complete stop off Cuba, and guests quickly learned it wasn’t for a delay or a schedule tweak. Someone nearby needed help at sea.

What Happened Near Cuba on Feb. 15

Radiance of the Seas, a Radiance-class ship that entered service in 2001, was sailing a six-night Western Caribbean trip out of Fort Lauderdale when crew members spotted a small boat in trouble west of Cuba on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in the area often tagged as near Maria la Gorda.

Reports say the boat was taking on water and the people onboard appeared to be bailing.

Cruise industry reporting said the ship stopped around 4:45 p.m. local time, contacted authorities, and then sent out a rescue boat about an hour later. All six people were brought onboard safely.

Passengers Watched it Unfold in Real Time

Cruise guests started posting updates as soon as the ship stopped.

One passenger, Mike Hoglander, wrote in a Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society Facebook group: “Current status on Radiance of the Seas. We are at a full stop pending rescue of 6 people.”

A Reddit user also described the wait for help to arrive, then the decision to bring the group onboard: “[W]ere waiting for the Coast Guard to pick them up but I don’t think they could come… At around 5:45-6 [the crew] decided to get them… Captain said they will stay [on board] until port tomorrow at [Grand Cayman].”

Where the Ship Was Headed Next

Radiance of the Seas did not appear to change its schedule after the rescue.

The itinerary listed a Feb. 16 stop in George Town, Grand Cayman, followed by Cozumel on Feb. 18, then a return to Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 20.

Ship tracking also listed the ship arriving in Grand Cayman on Feb. 16 as planned.

What Happens After a Rescue Like This

When a cruise ship picks people up at sea, the first steps are basic: water, food, and medical checks. Then the ship works with authorities to decide where the rescued people will be taken.

In this case, the captain told guests the six people would remain onboard until the next port, Grand Cayman.

Cruise industry reporting also notes that people rescued at sea are normally kept in crew-only areas while the ship heads for port and authorities decide next steps.

Local Cayman Islands reporting later said six adult Cuban men arrived in Grand Cayman after being rescued at sea by a Royal Caribbean ship.

As of early Monday reporting, Royal Caribbean had not posted a formal public statement about the incident.

Why Cruise Ships Can’t Ignore a Distress Call

A rescue like this isn’t just a “nice thing to do.” It’s part of maritime law.

International rules like SOLAS and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea require ship masters to go to the aid of people in distress at sea when they can do so safely.

That’s why you’ll sometimes see a cruise ship come to a sudden stop, even on a day that was supposed to be nothing but pool time and snacks.

Cruise Ships Make These Stops More Often Than You’d Think

This kind of moment is rare for any one traveler — but cruise ships do step in more often than people realize. Here are a few recent, real-world examples:

• Norwegian Epic (Norwegian Cruise Line) diverted to help bring 63 people to safety in the Ionian Sea on October 22, 2025.
• Enchantment of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) reportedly rescued about a dozen people on a makeshift raft on September 28, 2025.
• Insignia (Oceania Cruises) rescued 68 migrants on June 20, 2024, after a fishing boat stalled in rough seas en route to the Canary Islands.
• Icon of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) rescued 14 people from a small boat adrift on March 3, 2024, during the ship’s first full day of cruising. (Passengers captured video of the rescue.)
• Carnival Spirit (Carnival Cruise Line) rescued 24 migrants from a small motorized boat on April 11, 2023, between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
• Celebrity Beyond (Celebrity Cruises) rescued 19 migrants off the Florida coast on January 2, 2023.
• Carnival Celebration (Carnival Cruise Line) also spotted five people in distress on a small vessel about 29 miles northwest of Cuba in early January 2023.

I’ve also covered Norwegian Epic diverting to save 67 people (a separate incident), and that story includes a quick look at the rules cruise lines follow when someone needs help.

Want to read more about Radiance of the Seas itself? Here’s my ranking of Royal Caribbean ships, which includes Radiance.

And if you’ve ever wondered how cruise safety rules really work, this piece breaks down SOLAS lifeboat and raft rules in plain English.

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