Grandeur - accident on Oct. 30, 2015

[MOcruiserman]

While on my recent cruise on the Grandeur of the Seas, I witnessed a scary accident.

 

On the afternoon of Oct. 30, I was part of a large crowd gathered in the Palladium Theater to watch a movie, Jurassic World. About 10 minutes before the movie was scheduled to begin one of the male passengers jogged up towards the stage. Directly in front of the stage was an orchestra pit, which was about 10 feet below the floor. The pit was separated from the audience by a barrier, approximately 5 feet high and 5 inches wide. The passenger turned his back to the barrier, put his hands on it, shouted something, and boosted himself up, perhaps thinking he was vaulting onto the stage. But instead he boosted his body over the barrier, and fell backwards into the orchestra pit, about a 15 foot drop.

 

Apparently the ship's staff reached him through the orchestra pit, out of the view of the audience, as I never saw anyone carrying the passenger away. No announcement was ever made about the passenger's condition.

 

Does anyone know anything about the condition of the passenger?

[BND]

The orchestra pits are normally closed except for when they are actually being used. I find it hard to believe that someone "accidentally" went over into it the way you said. If it was open, it's pretty obvious when you're that close. And, no one here has reported it.

[monorail81]

Normally, when the orchastra pit is open, there is a net to prevent any accidental falls to the floor below. You can't really see it from stage level, but when you are sitting in the balcony, you can see it quite clearly. The only time the net isn't there with the pit open is when the orchastra is sitting down there.

[Susie51]

Odd that no one else has reported this accident.

[game1012]

I was on this cruise and heard no reports of any incidents whatsoever.

[Merion_Mom]

In light of your description, and other people's comments, it sounds to me like a staged stunt, NOT a passenger's accident.

[rocked2sleep]

I was on this cruise also and witnessed the accident, at least immediately after it happened. There were at least 100 people in the theater who were also there and knew something happened, maybe not exactly what, but with people yelling to turn on the lights, it got everyone's attention.

 

To answer your question about the passenger, my wife and I saw him in the Centrum the next day, and at the comedian's show the final day. He was in good spirits but had a cane and two knee wraps on. We could hear him discuss it with those around him. We heard him say he was trying to move across and around the people sitting in the front row, lost his balance, and fell. He was surprised the distance he fell because he said it was totally dark. I could tell he was having some difficulty when trying to sit down in his seat for the comedian's show, since he had to bend his knees.

 

What I witnessed? I was about twenty rows back and saw the passenger going down the right aisle. The next thing I heard were gasps and commotion up front. I saw about 11 people standing up front looking over the railing. A female passenger came running down the aisle announcing that she was an EMT. Other passengers were using the flashlights on their cell phones to shine them down into the pit. You could tell they were conversing with the man who fell, but you could tell the pit was deep/dark because no one made an attempt to go over into the pit.

 

At a later show we went down front to see what was actually there. The pit was illuminated because the band had been playing down there for the show. It looked to be about a 10-foot drop (floor level to floor level), and there was no net when we looked. In my opinion the railing was only about 3.5 feet high. I agree that there should be a net for safety to prevent such accidents, but there apparently was not one when the passenger fell or later after a shown when we could see down into the pit. Was the passenger fooling around or boosted himself up on the railing, I do not know because I did not see him actually fall.

 

I hope he suffers no long term complications from this accident.

[Merion_Mom]

I was on this cruise also and witnessed the accident, at least immediately after it happened. There were at least 100 people in the theater who were also there and knew something happened, maybe not exactly what, but with people yelling to turn on the lights, it got everyone's attention.

 

To answer your question about the passenger, my wife and I saw him in the Centrum the next day, and at the comedian's show the final day. He was in good spirits but had a cane and two knee wraps on. We could hear him discuss it with those around him. We heard him say he was trying to move across and around the people sitting in the front row, lost his balance, and fell. He was surprised the distance he fell because he said it was totally dark. I could tell he was having some difficulty when trying to sit down in his seat for the comedian's show, since he had to bend his knees.

 

What I witnessed? I was about twenty rows back and saw the passenger going down the right aisle. The next thing I heard were gasps and commotion up front. I saw about 11 people standing up front looking over the railing. A female passenger came running down the aisle announcing that she was an EMT. Other passengers were using the flashlights on their cell phones to shine them down into the pit. You could tell they were conversing with the man who fell, but you could tell the pit was deep/dark because no one made an attempt to go over into the pit.

 

At a later show we went down front to see what was actually there. The pit was illuminated because the band had been playing down there for the show. It looked to be about a 10-foot drop (floor level to floor level), and there was no net when we looked. In my opinion the railing was only about 3.5 feet high. I agree that there should be a net for safety to prevent such accidents, but there apparently was not one when the passenger fell or later after a shown when we could see down into the pit. Was the passenger fooling around or boosted himself up on the railing, I do not know because I did not see him actually fall.

 

I hope he suffers no long term complications from this accident.

 

Welcome to posting on Cruise Critic. :)

[rocked2sleep]

Thanks. I am usually just a "lurker", but could share information for this post.

[MOcruiserman]

To answer your question about the passenger, my wife and I saw him in the Centrum the next day, and at the comedian's show the final day. He was in good spirits but had a cane and two knee wraps on. We could hear him discuss it with those around him. We heard him say he was trying to move across and around the people sitting in the front row, lost his balance, and fell. He was surprised the distance he fell because he said it was totally dark. I could tell he was having some difficulty when trying to sit down in his seat for the comedian's show, since he had to bend his knees.

Thanks for the information. I wondered how he made out.

[kittshummock]

As I had been speaking with this passenger earlier in the day, I recognized him when he walked past me in the theatre. He did in fact boost himself up on the stage, which I am sure he thought was solid, and then fell, his legs went over his head when he fell. I did speak with him the following day and he had broken two toes and bruised his knees. He was walking very slowly with a cane. He seemed fine and yes, let's hope that long term he gets better without any lasting effects. The accident was not staged, why would anyone do that to themselves on purpose?

[hollykimalan]

It is just me or are the first five responses to the original post directly questioning the varsity of the original post?

...This couldn't happen, why has it not been reported, no one else appears to have seen it....it must be a stunt...

[MOcruiserman]

It is just me or are the first five responses to the original post directly questioning the varsity of the original post?

...This couldn't happen, why has it not been reported, no one else appears to have seen it....it must be a stunt...

I can understand why people were skeptical. It's hard to believe that a person could make such a mistake. I'm just glad it didn't end tragically.

[Philly Steve]

Glad to hear he is on the mend although knee injuries can be difficult.

[rtazz17]

It is just me or are the first five responses to the original post directly questioning the varsity of the original post?

...This couldn't happen, why has it not been reported, no one else appears to have seen it....it must be a stunt...

 

Sure and why couldnt have been?

People mistakenly do this all the time..Depends what your own perception of the event that took place..

[padgman1]

Hope the guy is OK....

 

Note to self: do NOT sit in the first row in front of the pit....

[cb at sea]

Hope the guy is OK....

 

Note to self: do NOT sit in the first row in front of the pit....

 

Don't worry about SITTING there...just don't go jumping onto the stage!

[DonnaK]

Hope the guy is OK....

 

Note to self: do NOT sit in the first row in front of the pit....

I sit there for EVERY show and will continue to do so. This incident doesn't expose any potential danger of sitting there.