by “There will be riots, there will be blood, someone will go overboard. I want to watch.”
This is not a teaser from some Hollywood thriller, but the opening of a video shared on TikTok about a cruise. Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise, to be precise, an around-the-world odyssey that has become an unlikely online obsession. Since he first left the port in November, videos about the trip have been viewed millions of times by a growing cult following.
The scale of the tour is impressive. Over a period of nine months, 27,000 passengers will visit more than 60 countries across seven continents. Four main parts of the cruise – the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Europe – are divided into 17 legs. Passengers can choose to join one of the segments, mix and match the 17 legs, or stay for their duration. Those who signed up for the whole shebang will part with between $60,000 (£47,286) and $118,000 (£92,996).
It is a strange phenomenon because of the length and cost of the cruise. Yes, world cruises are nothing new – the first one left New York in 1922 – but this one has risen to the top of the social media algorithms like an innocuous iceberg, lurking, without a doubt, on people’s feeds, regardless of any previous interest in cruising.
In fact, that lack of interest may be the point. While the nuts and bolts of the cruise are unlikely to work out, the potential for close-quarters conflict — with nowhere to escape — gives it all a reality TV edge. There is also risk, and not just from storms and seas. Last year, the Cincinnati native made headlines after selling her home for a world cruise that was later canceled. Surely a Royal Caribbean tour would be full of drama?
Something of a micro-industry has sprung up to document the journey. Passengers are posting daily updates on TikTok and Instagram, describing life at sea. But dry land commentators are also offering analysis. Someone is diligently ticking off items on a global cruise bingo card, anticipating a Covid outbreak or a shock pregnancy.
A month later, the much-vaunted chaos and impoliteness of the buffet side and the false claim of swinging were the same – but people still expect histrionics.
South African influencer Amike Oosthuizen is not surprised by the online interest. She and her family are booked on the cruise from 2021. “I’ve always wanted to travel the world,” she says. “And the cruise is a great way to do it, because you have your cabin, you have your own space, and you don’t have to fly between destinations. People want to see your routine, how you live for nine months.”
Her favorite stop so far is Antarctica – which she says was “magical” – and she praises the conditions on board.
“I think there are some [social media content] creators over-exaggerating things,” she says. “And others – ones who aren’t even on the ship – are using this opportunity to increase their accounts by creating fake drama.”
Amike may not have experienced anything dramatic, but scores of videos are being posted regardless. Cruise expert Emma Le Teace said: “People are complaining that others are getting special treatment because they have loyalty to cruise lines. [status]. That may be news to them, but it is quite normal in the marine world.
“Are they treating those without loyalty as second-class citizens? I don’t think so, but people seem very surprised in the videos.”
For at least some viewers at home, the “reality show” aspect prioritized passengers over place. But the human melodrama has diminished somewhat in the face of nature. Just a few weeks later, the cruise sailed through the Drake Passage, a waterway between Antarctica and Chile subject to notoriously rough conditions. Videos posted online showed the ship going through choppy waters.
There were some suggestions that the “show” could end soon as well. Rumors surfaced online that due to the ongoing threat to shipping in the Red Sea, the entire course could not be completed. Some ships, like those operated by Viking Cruises, have changed their port calls, and the Ultimate World Cruise hopes to push on.
However, the online audience remains enthralled – perhaps due to the changing nature of the “cast”, which changes with each part of the itinerary. A recent favorite is TikToker Marc Sebastien, who was sponsored by a division of the publishing house Simon & Schuster, to participate for an 18-day stretch.
Clips posted to his TikTok account show cross-cabin “alliances” and onboard hijinks, including one video in which he “steals” a piece of Antarctic ice. In another, he complains about “non-stop music being pumped into every room, every hall, every dining room you walk into”. Along with other creators, he has detailed the number of missed ports and unplanned sea days – an insight not usually found in promotional material.
He is also apparently accused of “bad behavior” on the ship, and is apparently being reprimanded for being late for a restaurant reservation. In another, he is taken out of a private lounge while doing live video, and later summoned to guest services, or “the principal’s office”.
The phenomenon certainly introduced sea holidays to a new audience. Cruise passengers are typically in their 50s or 60s. Most of TikTok’s creators are between 18 and 34. Plus, with their steep ticket prices and long time commitments, world cruises tend to be beyond the reach of younger demographics.
Among those posting videos are crew on board, as well as couples who are proud to live their children’s legacy. Then there are people like Jenny Hunnicutt, who works remotely and travels full time.
“This cruise was the catalyst to change our lives,” says Hunnicutt who, along with her husband, booked tickets for a Royal Caribbean cruise two years ago. “We ended up selling everything: our condo, our cars, a lot of our stuff like furniture and clothes. And then we moved into an RV.”
Although she still works remotely, Hunnicutt is also describing her life on the cruise boat.
“Talking about a cruise like this can be bragging,” she says. “I never want to point that out. So the fact that we have received a lot of positive comments means. People are saying they are grateful for letting them live this experience through me.”
Although interest in cruising may have waned, Emma Le Teace believes the industry will eventually benefit from the attention. Although she has a word of warning for first-timers. “A round-the-world tour is very much a journey. Most people have done a lot before taking a world cruise. I would recommend people start with a seven-night cruise.”
About the influencers? “I think it will be difficult to go back to everyday life,” says Amike. “This is everyday life now.”
