A family from China’s Hunan province says their holiday aboard Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas turned into a nightmare after a three-year-old boy suffered a serious genital injury when a toilet seat allegedly slammed shut during rough seas.
According to Chinese media, the family of seven boarded the five-day, four-night cruise from Shanghai to Incheon, South Korea, in June. On the first night of the trip, the boy was using the toilet when the toilet seat suddenly fell and struck his penis.
The child’s uncle, surnamed Yang, said the ship was rocking heavily due to rough weather at the time.
“There was blood everywhere. My sister was beside him but had no time to react,” he said.
Yang claimed the toilet seat did not have a soft-close mechanism, and believes the combination of the ship’s movement and the seat’s design caused it to slam shut unexpectedly.
The boy was immediately taken to the ship’s medical centre, where the onboard doctor diagnosed him with a blunt genital injury. The family said the remainder of the cruise was spent caring for the injured child instead of enjoying their holiday.
After returning to China, the boy underwent further medical examinations. Doctors found bruising around the foreskin and said the glans could not be exposed, diagnosing him with phimosis, a condition in which the foreskin cannot be fully retracted over the head of the penis. Doctors said the condition can be congenital or caused by injury.
Because of the child’s age, doctors advised against immediate surgery due to the risks associated with general anaesthesia and recommended continued observation. However, Yang said the boy has since developed difficulty urinating because of a narrowed urinary opening and may require surgery in the future.
The family has been negotiating compensation with the cruise operator. In an email response, the company said its investigation found the toilet seat and lid were functioning normally and showed no defects.
The operator also claimed the child’s mother had suggested she may have accidentally touched the toilet seat, causing it to fall. As a result, the company said it would not accept liability or offer compensation.
Yang rejected the explanation and has asked the company to provide evidence supporting its findings.
When contacted by reporters, Royal Caribbean customer service said the case had been referred to the relevant department, but no further response had been provided as of publication.
Yang argued that toilet seats on cruise ships should be equipped with soft-close mechanisms, especially on vessels that regularly encounter rough seas. He also criticised the lack of warning signs, noting that the cruise is marketed as a family-friendly experience.
The family has filed a complaint with Cyprus’ maritime authorities, as the vessel is registered there, and said they are considering legal action.
