Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas offered assistance to two refugee boats in the Straits of Florida in one day as the ship was returning to Port Canaveral from Cozumel, Mexico. Both encounters were on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, during the ship’s day at sea.
Jewel of the Seas Offers Assistance
Jewel of the Seas was on the last full day of a 5-night Bimini and Cozumel itinerary when the ship encountered not one, but two boats of refugees in the Straits of Florida, between Cuba and Florida.
The first small refugee boat was spotted approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Havana. That boat appeared to be in distress, and the cruise ship launched one of its boats to investigate.
The refugee craft’s engine was having difficulty, but was able to be successfully restarted. The cruise ship also provided food, water, and other supplies to the refugees, and the