New Jersey Passenger Sues Royal Caribbean After Slip and Fall on Wet Deck 15 Tile Aboard Symphony of the Seas

Marly Y. Colondres, a forty-seven-year-old phlebotomist and resident of New Jersey, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Broward Division. The federal complaint, filed under Case No. 26-cv-62095, alleges that Colondres suffered severe, life-altering injuries after slipping and falling on a wet, slick tile floor with an unmarked level change on Deck 15 of the Symphony of the Seas on July 16, 2025.

Cruise Passenger Injured on Symphony of the Seas Near Solarium Restroom Due to Unmarked Wet Tile Hazards

According to court filings, the incident occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. as Colondres was walking toward a restroom located on Deck 15 forward in the Solarium area of the cruise ship. While walking across the smooth tile flooring, she slipped and fell heavily onto the left side of her body, striking her head and temporarily losing consciousness. The lawsuit asserts that the subject tile area was unreasonably slippery when wet and contained an unmarked change in floor level, creating a hidden hazard that was not open or obvious to passengers.

The complaint emphasizes that the walkway where the fall took place was situated adjacent to and directly beneath the ship’s uncovered, multistory waterslide attractions. This location exposed the pedestrian walkway to constant environmental moisture, splashing water, and continuous foot traffic from passengers exiting water rides and nearby elevators. Despite the predictable accumulation of water in this high-traffic thoroughfare, Royal Caribbean allegedly failed to place caution signs, safety cones, warning ropes, or slip-resistant floor mats to protect walking guests. Crew members arrived shortly after the fall to place a neck brace on Colondres before transferring her to the ship infirmary, where medical personnel diagnosed her with a concussion alongside injuries to her neck, back, and left shoulder.

Royal Caribbean Accused of Ignoring Recurring Slip and Fall Hazards and Prior Deck 15 Incidents

The lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean had both actual and constructive notice of the hazardous condition, arguing that water accumulation in that specific Solarium tile area was a recurring problem rather than an isolated event. To support the claim of prior notice, the legal team for Colondres highlights multiple prior slip and fall lawsuits filed against Royal Caribbean in the Southern District of Florida involving substantially similar incidents on Deck 15 of the same vessel.

Specifically, the filing points to Dillow v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., where a passenger slipped on an unreasonably wet surface with an unmarked level change near the Deck 15 restrooms in April 2025, just three months prior to Colondres falling. The complaint also references Beckles v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. from May 2024 and Anderson v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. from February 2023, both involving passengers who fell on wet Deck 15 flooring aboard the Symphony of the Seas. Plaintiff argues these earlier lawsuits put the cruise line on heightened notice of the recurring risks, yet Royal Caribbean failed to implement routine inspection protocols, improve drainage systems, or apply anti-slip treatments.

Lawsuit Alleges Negligent Design, Unsafe Material Selection, and Lack of Water Drainage Systems on Cruise Deck

In addition to failing to warn passengers or clean up standing water, the complaint asserts that Royal Caribbean negligently designed and configured the Deck 15 walkway. Plaintiff alleges that the cruise line selected smooth composite tile flooring materials for a high-traffic area adjacent to water attractions and restrooms where surface contamination was highly foreseeable.

The lawsuit further contends that the vessel layout lacked adequate drainage controls, protective side barriers, or water diversion features necessary to prevent water from pooling on walking surfaces. By failing to integrate proper slip safety measures, grading adjustments, or non-slip matting systems into the structural layout of Deck 15, the cruise line created an ongoing hazard for passengers traversing the Solarium area.

Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Spinal Surgery, Medical Bills, Lost Earnings, and Permanent Physical Impairment

Colondres asserts three formal counts of negligence against Royal Caribbean: general negligence regarding a dangerous condition, negligent failure to warn, and negligent design and configuration. The complaint states that Royal Caribbean breached its duty under general maritime law to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances to ensure passenger safety.

As a direct result of the fall, Colondres required extensive medical treatment upon returning home to New Jersey, ultimately undergoing a cervical fusion spinal surgery to treat her orthopedic injuries. The lawsuit notes that she continues to suffer from permanent physical impairment, chronic pain, emotional distress, lost wages, and a diminished capacity to enjoy life. Colondres is seeking compensatory damages in excess of 75,000 dollars, along with interest and court costs.

Contact a Cruise Ship Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Injured on a Vessel

Cruise ship passengers who suffer injuries due to wet decks, unmarked floor changes, missing warning signs, or defective walkway designs may be entitled to financial recovery under federal maritime law. Vessel operators like Royal Caribbean owe a legal duty to maintain passenger areas in a reasonably safe condition and to warn guests of hidden dangers. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a cruise ship boarding, deck, or gangway accident, reaching out to skilled maritime attorneys can help protect your legal rights and secure the compensation you deserve.

Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship slip and fall attorney.

Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.