The Most Shocking Incidents to Ever Happen Aboard a Disney Cruise

Disney Cruise Line is known to be one of the safest and most exciting vacations on the high seas. The company prides itself on its commitment to guest satisfaction and has won a ton of awards over the years to prove this fact. While creating magic on the ocean is full of enjoyment, that doesn’t mean situations can’t happen. Over the years, there have been some shocking Disney Cruise Line incidents you may have never known about.

Stories range from tragic disappearances and deaths to belligerent guests dressed in formal attire. There can sometimes be unexpected mayhem behind the magic, and we’re here to tell you all about it. You’re in for some choppy waters! Let’s break down some of the most unbelievable occurrences to ever happen aboard a Disney Cruise.

Crew Member Disappears on Disney Wonder

Rebecca Coriam was a crew member last seen on March 22, 2011, when the Disney Wonder was sailing off the coast of Mexico near Puerto Vallarta. She was a youth counselor on the ship. Her disappearance was reported when she failed to report for her shift, and her belongings were found in a crew area. Despite extensive searches by the ship’s crew, the Mexican navy, and authorities, Rebecca Coriam was never found.

The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain a mystery, and there have been various theories and speculations about what might have happened to her. Some believe she may have fallen overboard, while others suspect foul play. Disney Cruise Line cooperated with authorities during the investigation, and her family has been seeking answers for years.

Rebecca Coriam’s case had several notable pieces of information over the years. Some crew members claimed she was having problems with a significant other. Her father also received an email from a random person claiming to have seen his daughter in Venice.

Michael and Anne Coriam flew to the United States with Rebecca’s cousin Trish Davies to get answers, but it never came to be. Despite ongoing efforts to uncover the truth, her disappearance from the Disney Wonder remains unsolved to this point.

Captain Steers Disney Dream Into Dock

When sailing onboard a Disney vessel such as the endearing Disney Wish, Disney Magic, or Disney Fantasy, you would normally expect the captain of the ship to be in control. The highlight of a Disney cruise vacation should be meeting Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse or getting turned into a princess at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. However, one incident in Nassau involving the Disney Dream did not turn out this way.

While leaving the port of Nassau in the Bahamas, the captain of the ship accidentally steered the vessel into a concrete dock where the cruise normally ties to in port. Scott Lewin uploaded footage of the incident to YouTube.

Reports indicate that there was major damage to the Disney Dream cruise ship by the waterline. It also cost Disney Cruise Line a pretty penny to fix. The vessel had to make some intense repairs in order to address the damage caused by the accident.

This was obviously not a relaxing visit to Castaway Cay like guests anticipated, but a nightmare for everyone sailing this particular cruise. Passengers want to visit different places, and really don’t expect a bumpy ride on the way!

Crew Member Dies During Repatriation Sailing

2020 was a devastating year filled with many untimely losses and a global shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the more hard-hit industries during the pandemic was the cruise industry, which completely stopped operating for over a year.

Disney Cruise Line was no exception to this reality. All vessels were out of commission, and Disney sailed its cruise ships on the high seas without any guests and just crew on board.

When it was finally time to bring these crew members home to their families via repatriation sailings, Disney tried its best to get everyone to shore. However, COVID-19 had spread onboard at this time.

Eddie Burgos Ragodon, a Filipino painter crew member aboard the Disney Wonder, went to the onboard medical facility after having symptoms of the virus, particularly chills. Shortly after, he sadly passed away from COVID-19 while en route to return home aboard the ship.

Mister Ragodon was not the only one to get COVID-19 from the Disney Wonder. Over 255 people aboard the vessel had confirmed cases, and many guests from the last sailings went home only to test positive later. It is a sad reality to see a crew member lost to the virus, especially when so close to returning home.

Guest Punches Character Attendant on Formal Night

Long itineraries aboard a Disney Cruise Line vacation usually have a formal night on one of the first evenings of the voyage. This is a chance for guests and crew to mingle in fancy attire one may normally see at a wedding. Much of the event takes place in the ship’s atrium, not up on deck.

The formal night also gives guests a small window in which some alcohol, such as champagne, wine, and assorted cocktails, are provided at no charge to passengers old enough to drink. With free alcoholic beverages floating around, this can obviously cause some issues for voyagers who have trouble holding their liquor.

On one sailing aboard the Disney Fantasy out of Port Canaveral, one such incident occurred between a character attendant for Goofy and a belligerent guest. Having a little too much to drink, the passenger was upset that his child did not make it in time to meet Goofy at this particular line. However, he chose violence instead of trying again at a future meet-and-greet.

This guest tried to punch the character attendant, managing to get some hits on the shocked crew member before others intervened. Disney Cruise Line has a zero-tolerance policy for such behavior. Security dealt with the violent guest and confined him to his room. He and his family were removed from the vessel at the next port of call.

It goes without saying that punching a person is never a way to respond to not getting your way. Related stories like this have happened and been shared on social media, but this one truly takes the cake. Remember to drink responsibly and plan ahead if you want to meet Goofy. He’s quite popular in his dashing formal attire!

Crew Members Find Passed Out Guest In Crew Elevator

Let’s continue our discussion about guests who just can’t seem to hold their alcohol. While Disney Cruise Line offers a ton of fun and enjoyable entertainment, it is not necessarily seen as a party ship. Carnival Cruise Line gets a reputation for the place to be on the high sea if you are a young vacationer looking to get wild with other guests and dance the night away while drinking. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate too much on a Disney vessel.

On one sailing aboard the Disney Fantasy cruise ship, several entertainment crew members found themselves in an awkward situation on the way back to their quarters. Crew Members often use exclusive elevators in the lower decks to access their rooms. Passengers do not see these elevators and should never be inside them.

The entertainment crew members surprisingly found a passed-out female guest in one of these elevators. It was obvious that alcohol played a role in the situation. The woman had too much to drink and ended up in the wrong elevator. However, how she got to the crew spaces and into one of their elevators was a mystery.

The crew members quickly called security to handle the situation. These crew members deal with a lot of sick passengers and other uncommon issues. The team was able to wake the guest, discover her identity, and get her back to her stateroom. Hopefully, she managed to get some good rest and didn’t party it up quite as hard the rest of the vacation.