Crew Member Awarded After Saving Guests from Falling Glass
On June 8, 2025, Symphony of the Seas crew member Nitin Kumar noticed cracks in a restaurant’s glass wall, getting passengers in the lounge area below to move with seconds to spare.
Following on from Cruise Hive’s report on June 9, Kumar’s actions helped prevent guests from getting hurt as they had just enough time to get out of the way of the glass before it shattered.
As a way of recognizing Kumar’s quick thinking, Royal Caribbean has awarded him the Royal Way Hero Award.
Signed and stamped by Captain Rob Hempstead, the framed certificate was given to the Coastal Kitchen waiter on June 10, 2025.
“In recognition of your exemplary display of safety, honesty, and bravery in the workplace,” the award reads. “Your courageous actions have made a significant impact in the lives of our guests and crew, showcasing a commitment to excellence and integrity.”
“Thank you for your remarkable contribution and for being a true hero in our shipboard community,” it continues.
The Hero Award acknowledges crew members who have gone above and beyond to keep guests and fellow crew members safe, therefore exemplifying the highest standards put in place by Royal Caribbean.
Since the accident, passengers have done nothing but sing praises about Kumar’s actions, with many not being surprised about the award given the crew member’s friendly and helpful disposition.
“Wonderful to hear. On a previous cruise, Nitin was our assistant waiter, and he was fabulous, not surprised that he rose to the occasion to assist the passengers!” one cruiser said.
“Congratulations, Nitin! I sailed with him last week; he is an awesome crew member. No surprise that he stepped in and took charge!” another added.
There is no one more deserving of the Hero Award in this situation than Kumar, who was in the right place at the right time to help his guests.
What Happened During this Uncommon Incident?
Kumar’s heroic actions took place while the 230,000 gross-ton Symphony of the Seas was docking in Port Canaveral, Florida, its very first stop on a 7-night voyage.
The ship was executing a turn before docking when Kumar noticed cracks beginning to form in a large glass window at Coastal Kitchen on deck 17, where he works as a waiter.
After noticing the cracks, he sprinted to the pool deck and told guests in the lounge chairs below the glass to move. It was reported that the glass then shattered about 15 seconds after this, giving passengers just enough time to get to safety.
Most guests were unaware of the situation entirely until the glass began breaking and loudly came crashing down to the deck below.
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One passenger who was just a few windows away when the window began to break commended Kumar for getting to the pool deck as fast as he did, as it saved many from being injured.
The tempered glass shattered into small pieces that covered part of the pool deck, and while it was not a quiet incident, no injuries were reported.
Crew members were quick to close off the lounge area to guests to allow them to begin cleaning. The pool was also closed down and drained to ensure all of the glass was properly removed.
Cleaning also happened inside Coastal Kitchen, and its window was replaced quickly.
Guests onboard during the incident reported that the restaurant and pool deck were cleaned and fully reopened just a few hours later, and the cruise went on as scheduled.
Glass shattering on cruise ships is quite rare, but those on Symphony of the Seas were lucky enough to be warned by Kumar, giving them enough time to move.
Truly, he is the hero in this situation — so, of course, receiving the Hero Award was only fitting.