Allure passenger killed on zip line tour

[bouhunter]

Someone died and someone was hurt in a sad tragic accident. Period. What's rather pathetic is the endless and meaningless debate that goes on at cruise critic regarding blame and details by people who know nothing about it.

[JewelHoneymooners]

Has anyone read who the tour operator was?

[Biker19]

What's rather pathetic is the endless and meaningless debate that goes on at cruise critic regarding blame and details by people who know nothing about it.

Wouldn't be CC without it.

[Smiley525]

But even if she lied about her weight, how does that impact the two way radio system? The all-clear shouldn't be given until the person is safely off the line. You can try to come up with excuses all you want, but this was an amateur hour excursion RC sent these folks on and as a result, someone died. RC can expect to pay out tens of millions of dollars in an upcoming lawsuit.

 

No I’m just trying to come up with one way the tour operater could be putting

Blame on the couple cause that’s what the article said. The operator said it was the couples fault!?!?

[MACE]

On the internet, everyone is an expert on EVERYTHING!!!

 

Agree but gotta laugh on this, we now have "experts" calling out other Internet "experts" on EVERYTHING....the Internet where we all know a little but can "expertly' guess and hypothesize the rest.

 

Latest update 5 hours ago from USA Today:

 

Newlyweds traveling on Royal Caribbean Cruises' Allure of the Seas crashed into each other on a zipline ashore in Roatan, Honduras, last week. The husband and wife were sent to a local hospital, where the husband died from his injuries, Royal Caribbean Cruises spokesperson Owen Torres told USA TODAY.

 

The wife was apparently hanging at a halfway point on the cable when her husband zoomed into her, fire chief Wilmer Guerrero told La Prensa. They suffered a number of serious injuries, including broken ribs, Guerrero told The Washington Post.

 

The husband, who had complained of problems breathing, died the next day and his wife was flown to a hospital in Florida, where she had surgery and is in stable condition.

[rsharp83]

A horrible and frustrating event. I've been on several zip line tours and NEVER would 2 people be allowed on the line at the same time. You always completely clear the line. And you don't need walkie talkies or technology to do that. The guides can simply tap a signal back up the line when it is cleared by beating on the line.

 

I keep looking for WHICH zip line company was the one where this accident occurred. NOWHERE can I find that answer. I've looked at dozens of media reports and none of them will say what the name of the zip line business is, or anything specific about it. I find that to be unconscionable reporting and likely a concerted obfuscation of the facts by those in charge in Honduras.

 

I am headed to Roatan in a couple of months and was planning to book a zip line tour this week. I had been researching but just hadn't booked yet. Now I am not sure what I'm going to do. I really wanted to do a jungle zip.

 

I did notice on RCCL site for Roatan that one of the zip trips they have listed has this language:

• THIS TOUR IS OPERATED BY A TOUR OPERATOR THAT HAS BEEN THIRD-PARTY VERIFIED TO AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD.
  

Not sure if this is NEW language but I don't recall seeing it when I was doing research a few months ago.

 

 

Anyone have any answers as to what company this was?

[leisuretraveler223]

I find that to be unconscionable reporting and likely a concerted obfuscation of the facts by those in charge in Honduras.

 

You say this like it's surprising. Of COURSE Honduras is going to do whatever it can to protect it's own interests.

[lighthouse1123]

I am headed to Roatan in a couple of months and was planning to book a zip line tour this week. I had been researching but just hadn't booked yet. Now I am not sure what I'm going to do. I really wanted to do a jungle zip.

 

I did notice on RCCL site for Roatan that one of the zip trips they have listed has this language:

• THIS TOUR IS OPERATED BY A TOUR OPERATOR THAT HAS BEEN THIRD-PARTY VERIFIED TO AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD.
  

Not sure if this is NEW language but I don't recall seeing it when I was doing research a few months ago.

 

 

Anyone have any answers as to what company this was?

 

That quote was on all of the excursions that I looked at (although I didn't research any zip line tours). However, sustainability and safety are two different things.

[Cthy651]

How tragic

[2Long2NxtCrz]

I did an RC zip line excursion in St. Kitts. My husband is a Boy Scout certified climbing instructor and he was impressed with their gear and their safety standards. Not only did they have two -way walkie-talkies, they sent a guide on ahead before the guests. The remaining staffer "loaded" the line but would not allow us to step up to the platform until they'd verbally gotten the all clear for each guest. Then that staffer followed us down.

 

It was very well run and I would not hesitate to do that operator again. The operator that this accident happened on quite clearly was not following best practices. Such a tragedy for this couple and their families.

[TX_Atlantis_Cruiser]

I've done ziplining twice on cruises, once in Mazatlan and once in St Lucia three years ago and I agree with all who said that the standard procedure was either to not hookup the next person or to hold the next person physically until the person in front was clear of the platform. Don't recall how this was communicated but it was--likely two way radios. Given this, there apparently was a mistake made that allowed the second person to go when the first wasn't clear which is an unfortunate accident.

 

For those who are pointing fingers at Royal Caribbean for not ensuring passenger safety on this excursion, you might want to consider that even if RC did vet this company based on a verification visit, it is possible that the company relaxed their procedures or employees weren't following procedures. I'm not defending RC but as an auditor of safety systems myself, I've seen many times where everyone is on their best behavior for an audit and then accidents happen afterward.

[asalligo]

I was just watching a video of this excursion on YouTube and what happened to this couple could have easily happened to the couple in the video. Woman is released on the zip line, the other end is not visible, too far away and lots of jungle. The attendant waits for maybe 30 seconds, no communication appears to occur or can be heard in the video and he sends the next person. There did not appear to be any method to verify that the line was clear.

 

I for one hold no blame for Royal Caribbean at all. We do not want them only deciding that the most mundane of activities can be excursions and a certain amount of expected risk is invoked when ziplining. It would not be fun, if not thrilling.

[asalligo]

It has been reported that there was no radio use by the tour provider.

 

 

You can see it right here, man sent 28 seconds after the last zipper, staff simply appears to be listening for the noise to stop which would have happened if the wife stalled on the line.

 

[CruisingNole]

 

I for one hold no blame for Royal Caribbean at all.

 

Royal Caribbean sold the excursion. They collected the money from the now deceased passenger. They arranged for him to be transported to that zip line, and have him hooked up. You better believe they will be blamed. It's part of the territory of owning a business.

[A&L_Ont]

You can see it right here, man sent 28 seconds after the last zipper, staff simply appears to be listening for the noise to stop which would have happened if the wife stalled on the line.

 

 

That video was posted December 2016.

 

It was reported that on the day of the accident radios were not being used.

[BillOh]

Someone died and someone was hurt in a sad tragic accident. Period. What's rather pathetic is the endless and meaningless debate that goes on at cruise critic regarding blame and details by people who know nothing about it.

 

 

And it hurts who?

[marinewife67]

And it hurts who?

 

One's character.

[Carlos A.]

I know they didn't die and this doesn't make what happened less bad but it shows that something wrong with a zip line can happen everywhere and anytime.

 

https://weather.com/news/trending/video/zipline-leaves-father-and-son-stranded-above-gator

[CruisingNole]

I think this thread can be closed now.

[Domino D]

First off, my sympathies to the two families. This is an awful tragedy. So sad.

 

You can try to come up with excuses all you want, but this was an amateur hour excursion RC sent these folks on and as a result, someone died. RC can expect to pay out tens of millions of dollars in an upcoming lawsuit.

 

People will undoubtedly blame Royal Caribbean. It is highly unlikely they will ever be found liable. The cruise ticket contains specific language regarding these situations. If they pay out anything, which is highly doubtful, it will be a small amount to avoid publicity.

 

5. SHORE EXCURSIONS, TOURS, FACILITIES OR OTHER TRANSPORTATION:All arrangements made for or by Passenger for transportation (other than on the Vessel) before, during or after the Cruise or CruiseTour of any kind whatsoever, as well as air arrangements, shore excursions, tours, hotels, restaurants, attractions and other similar activities or services, including all related conveyances, products or facilities, are made solely for Passenger’s convenience and are at Passenger's risk. The providers, owners and operators of such services, conveyances, products and facilities are independent contractors and are not acting as agents or representatives of Carrier. Even though Carrier may collect a fee for, or other wise profit from, making such arrangements and offers for sale shore excursions,tours, hotels, restaurants, attractions, the Land Tour and other similar activities or services taking place of the Vessel for a profit, it does not undertake to supervise or control such independent contractors or their employees, nor maintain their conveyances or facilities, and makes no representation, whether express or implied, regarding their suitability or safety. In no event shall Carrier be liable for any loss, delay, disappointment, damage, injury, death or other harm whatsoever to Passenger which occurs on or off the Vessel or the Transport as a result of any acts, omissions or negligence of any independent contractors.

 

Anyone have any answers as to what company this was?

 

One of the articles listed the excursion as "Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour" which does not seem to any longer be listed on Royal's site. The cache results in Google do still show the page, with this title

 

Shore Excursions

Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour - RT86

 

Google that name an you will also find a TripAdvisor page. That page includes the following

 

“Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour - Royal Caribbean excursion”

Review of Caribe Sky Canopy Tour

 

If this is correct the company is Caribe Sky Canopy Tour. But this is base on the assumptions above, and nothing confirmed in any of the articles specific to this situation.

[Cruisin Kay D]

Perhaps there were alot of people in line to do the zipline & the operator was eager to collect $$ from all those, so in their haste to get people taken care of, he/they were careless in how they operated the activity, letting people off a platform too soon, OR maybe trying to beat the storms to get people through the activity.

Kinda reminds me of the "safety" used by questionable amusement ride companies operating rides at county fairs in rural areas of the USA....

[PhoenixCruiser]

I think this thread can be closed now.

This is funny!

 

Thread will probably go on for weeks

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[A&L_Ont]

I think this thread can be closed now.

 

Why? Others CC members might not have had a chance to respond like you have. If you are done with it you don’t have to read it.

 

At the end of the day it is a decision for the moderators.

[EleventyBangBang]

I did ziplining in Roatan a couple years ago - may have been this exact tour, not sure.

 

There is a bit of technique involved on the part of the rider. Imagine swinging on a swing, where you stick your feet out and lean back when you want to go faster. On a zipline, if you don't do that, there's a good chance you won't make it all the way down the line. And they do explain this, but I forgot a few times, I guess.

 

Still, I don't recall any lines where the end was so far away you couldn't see if the last rider had cleared it.

 

When I did it, there were only three people in my group and we were moving pretty fast. They would send the next person when the first person was about 3/4ths of the way down. This did lead to a couple of close calls where the first person would stall out near the end, and the operator on that side had to go out on the line and pull them in, WHILE the second person was coming down the line. But even in that scenario I'm having a hard time imagining such a collision being fatal.

[El Abuelo]

 

Thread will probably go on for weeks

 

Months, perhaps even years.

 

And it hurts who?

What harm can result from jumping to conclusions and assigning blame without evaluating all the relevant facts? Trial by internet! Judge Roy Bean would have loved it.

 

Just a thought. It is possible that all the parties involved contributed to this tragedy. Inadequate vetting, poor standards, lack of scrutiny and oversight. Obsession (and mindless debate) with blame overlooks the more important lesson, which is how to avoid a repeat and how to reduce the likelihood this (or something similar) happens to any of us.