Four Filipino crew members working aboard Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas were deported by U.S. authorities on Friday, September 26, 2025, shortly after the ship docked in Fort Lauderdale.

According to an anonymous crew member onboard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requested that the four male crew members meet officials upon the ship’s arrival. All four were subsequently deported later the same day.

What has raised concerns among fellow crew is the lack of clarity surrounding the situation. The crew member who reported the incident said that the men were not escorted off the ship by law enforcement, suggesting that the case might not be crime-related. However, CBP reportedly gave no explanation as to why they were deported, leaving both the affected crew and their colleagues with many unanswered questions.

All four crew members were part of the Food and Beverage department, one from the bar team, one from restaurant, and two from the culinary section.

Questions remain about whether the deportations were linked to visa or documentation issues, new CBP policies. For now, speculation continues, while many crew express concern about the transparency and consistency of procedures they may face when arriving in U.S. ports.