A nine-month odyssey, advertised as the "most epic cruise to ever set sail", is entering its second month and the drama on board is captivating audiences on social media.
On 10 December 2023, the Ultimate World Cruise began in Miami, embarking on a 274-night journey on board the Serenade of the Seas, which is set to visit 65 countries.
The trip encompasses an "extraordinary itinerary that would make Phileas Fogg look as if he were shirking", said The Times' Hannah Gravett, and has drawn guests ranging from "retired people spending the kids' inheritance to Gen Zers and millennials".
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However, the melting pot of guests and their rumoured exploits has garnered hundreds of millions of views on the platform TikTok.
The background
"Serenade of the Seas is not Royal Caribbean's flashiest or newest ship" as it is 20 years old and the decor "in some areas is dated: think swirly brown carpets and wood-effect trimmings", said Gravett.
However, the boat does have extensive facilities that "will be put through their paces", including a climbing wall, a running track and an outdoor cinema.
Although the whole trip is nine months long, some will not stay for the entire duration as there are "four legs of the cruise", Time reported. Guests "can opt to join any part".
But securing a place on the coveted ship "ain't cheap", said The Cut's Olivia Craighead. The full nine months would cost $59,999 (£47,000) per person for the cheapest option: an interior cabin. Those who want to push the boat out, so to speak, can secure a junior suite for $117,599 (£92,000) per person.
The latest
Stories from inside the ship suggest the cruise may have already descended into chaos.
"There are already allegations of a class system emerging, rumours of swingers, a flood, allegations of racism, and outrage at the cramped conditions", The Standard reported.
"Rumours of animosity" between so-called "segmenters" (those on board for a short time) and those booked for the whole trip have been swirling. Some segmenters have reported "receiving different treatment to the full-boarders", the newspaper added.
However, there have also been more serious allegations. Brandee Lake, a Black content creator, claimed she had "dealt with microaggressions from passengers and the crew", Time stated. She alleged she had been "asked how she could afford the cruise". Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As the "inevitable drama" unfolds, "there is an opportunity for stuff to go down", said Mashable's Tim Marcin, who described the ship as "a little moving village that has unlimited booze, cafeteria food and nothing but free time".
"The cruise lasts nine whole months," he wrote. "You could enter this vacation not pregnant and leave it with a healthy baby. That's a capital-T Trip."
The reaction
Tales have been shared by numerous content creators and passengers aboard the ship, to the delight of social media users, who have dubbed it the "nine-month TikTok reality show". Millions of people are watching the story develop.
But this captivation on social media "wouldn't have happened even a few years ago", added The Times' Gravett, as Royal Caribbean was the first cruise operator to provide "high-speed internet across its fleet in 2012". It also benefited from a "further upgrade" in 2022, "using Elon Musk's Starlink technology".
As the cruise continues to captivate, some have even sought to secure themselves a place, despite the journey already being under way.
TikToker Marc Sebastian struck a deal with publishing company Atria Books for an 18-night stay after promising "to find out all the 'hot goss' on board", Business Insider reported. He has since been sharing videos on the social media platform about his experience.
Other influencers and creators have shared their itineraries, and what they are eating on board. But "perhaps the best update" on TikTok has come from older couple Mike and Nancy, who "dropped the bombshell" on 2 January that "the ship was running out of wine", said The Standard.
For now, many eyes continue to be glued on the Ultimate World Cruise as it sails towards Antarctica. But "rest assured", added Mashable's Marcin, whatever happens next, "TikTok will be there to document it all".
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Rebekah Evansjoined The Week as newsletter editor in 2023 and has written on subjects ranging from Ukraine and Afghanistan to fast fashion and "brotox". She started her career at Reach plc, where she cut her teeth on news, before pivoting into personal finance at the height of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. Social affairs is another of her passions, and she has interviewed people from across the world and from all walks of life. Rebekah completed an NCTJ with the Press Association and has written for publications including The Guardian, The Week magazine, the Press Association and local newspapers.
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