MV RHAPSODY OTS

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Passenger jumped off cruise ship to avoid gambling debt

A brazen passenger of the 'Rhapsody of the Seas' has been accused of hurling himself off the cruise ship to skip out on paying off more than $16,000 in gambling debt. Jey Gonzalez-Diaz jumped off the ship near the Port of San Juan in Puerto Rico on Sep 7, 2025, at around 9:15 a.m. He racked up $16,710 in debt 'almost exclusively' from casino visits during the week-long vacation. Gonzalez-Diaz boarded the ship on Aug 31. When it returned from Barbados, he jumped overboard right as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were inspecting passengers. When CBP officers finally caught up with him near the Puerto Rico Capitol Building, he was carrying $14,600 in cash, two phones, and five IDs. According to the criminal complaint, Gonzalez-Diaz admitted in Spanish that he jumped becausehe did not want to report the currency on his possession because he thought he was going to be taxed duties for bring in the currency. Royal Caribbean told investigators he owed $16,710.24, almost all of it racked up in the ship’s casino. The investigators also found records tying a “Jeremy Omar Gonzalez-Diaz” to federal custody in Puerto Rico. The man was released on bail. If convicted, Gonzalez-Diaz could be slapped with a $250,000 fine or spend up to five years in prison or both. Report with photos: https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2025/09/10/cruise-ship-gambler-jumps-overboard-to-avoid-16k-debt/

Bookings cancelled due to damaged lifeboat

The company Royal Caribbean International had to cancel bookings for the upcoming cruise of the 'Rhapsody of the Seas' due to damage to one of the vessel’s tender boats, which also serve as lifeboats. The issue was lowering the ship’s lifesaving capacity, which has led to the cancellations. The 'Rhapsody of the Seas' was scheduled to depart from Puerto Rico for its next cruise on Sep 15, 2024. The affected guests would receive a full refund of the fare paid for the cancelled booking, as well as a credit for a new cruise. The Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be equivalent to 100 percent of the amount paid for the original cruise and must be redeemed by Sep. 13, 2025. Royal Caribbean also promised to reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation fees incurred due to the cancellation, such as flight, train tickets, and/or rental car. Passengers were asked to present receipts to be able to receive up to $200 per guest for domestic changes or $400 per guest for international changes. The 'Rhapsody of the Seas' was set to offer a seven-night cruise to Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados.

159 evacuees arrived in Limassol

A first group of evacuees from Israel arrived in Limassol on Oct 17 aboard the US-chartered 'Rhapsody of the Sea', as the island's authorities announced plans for a twice-daily ferry link for those wishing to leave. The 159 evacuees on board the cruise ship primarily consisted of elderly individuals, families with children and tourists. The ship, which left the port of Haifa on Oct 16 at around 9 p.m. UTC, berthed at the Limassol East Container Terminal at 5.30 a.m. Security was tight with armed police and sniffer dogs. The US ambassador Julie Fisher was at the port to welcome Americans among the evacuees. The cruise ship was initially expected to transport a much larger number of evacuees and was scheduled to make four return trips.