Royal Caribbean is just two weeks into its fabled nine-month voyage, and TikTok is already anticipating some world-class sailing drama. Now known as #CruiseTok, viewers are following every move aboard Serenade of the Seas, the ultimate world cruise ship that Royal Caribbean sails from Miami on December 10 on a nine-month adventure that will take passengers to more than 60 countries , 11 wonders of the world, spanning all seven continents. But not without plenty of drama.
At least that's what users who follow CruiseTok (with 2.7 billion views and counting) hope. Some followers point out that Serenade of the Seas is essentially a floating town where any of the nearly 700 guests can join in on everyone else's business. Stuff a human baby together on a boat for its entire gestation period, and you've got an environment filled with wonder.
To be clear, the nine-month voyage is not the subject of a new reality TV show, and Andy Cohen is nowhere to be seen (at least not yet). But this particular voyage seems to have unleashed TikTok's imagination, with users already dreaming of a binge-worthy series sponsored by Royal Caribbean that's a cross between Love Island and White Lotus, with a twist A healthy dose of Below Deck. What could possibly go wrong?
Listen to Ultimate World Cruise
Some CruiseTok fanatics are hoping that if the tea spills, there will surely be some buffet-style bottomless tea spilled. Self-proclaimed "Haicha Director" TikToker @nchimad has amassed thousands of followers with dozens of cruise-related videos that now appear on their page, analyzing everything from cruise dance parties and theme nights to a passenger-only Facebook All content groups.
@nchimad's first CruiseTok video, which now has over 3 million views, captures the fear and fascination many people feel when thinking about nine months at sea. Among other things, they asked, "Can you imagine eating cruise ship food for nine months?" Sometimes, you just can't eat another popcorn shrimp.
Get to know "actors"
The Ultimate World Cruise, which starts at nearly $60,000, is one of the world's longest commercial cruises and promises to visit "the four corners of the globe," according to the cruise's website. But CruiseTok seems less interested in the destination on board and more invested in the passengers on board, although some highlights include the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids of Giza, the Taj Mahal and more.
Without the support of any major network, TikTok took it upon itself to create a reality show, creating videos that introduced cruise ship guests like a cast.
Not surprisingly, the ship is packed with plenty of influencers and social media professionals who will no doubt amass enough content to last a decade. They've both been busy posting exclusive tours of the ship and its rooms on CruiseTok, focusing on how they plan to stay organized throughout their trip.
But some cruisers have different reasons for boarding. Angie Linderman, an Oregon woman in her 30s who has a genetic mutation that puts her at high risk for breast, ovarian and skin cancer, is on board, USA Today reported. She recently underwent a double mastectomy and booked a cruise to check off items on her bucket list.
Drama aboard?
While CruiseTok holds its breath for a wave of drama - preferably in the form of a "mutiny" or "overboard" - so far the passengers seem to be getting along just fine. They even lean into a TV show vibe, such as when South African content creator and passenger Amike Oosthuizen posted a video on Dec. 20 featuring about a dozen fellow cruisers set to the "Friends" theme song. The text on the video reads: "Introducing the ultimate real-world cruise line cast!"
Still, drama-hungry and loyal CruiseTokers on land will be keeping a close eye in case anything fishy happens.
