Passenger dies aboard 9-month Royal Caribbean cruise around the world

A guest aboard a nine-month Royal Caribbean cruise around the globe has died, the company said Tuesday. 

“A guest sailing on board Serenade of the Seas has sadly passed away,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in a statement.

Details on the passenger and the circumstances of the death were not disclosed. 

“We are actively providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones at this time. Out of the privacy of the guest and their family, we have nothing further to share at this time,” the spokesperson said.

Serenade of the Seas took off from Miami on Dec. 10, 2023, on the Ultimate World Cruise voyage.

The trip takes passengers across the seas over 274 nights to all seven continents, over 60 countries and 11 world wonders, including the Taj Mahal in India and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.

So far, the ship has crossed through Mexico, the Caribbean, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador on its South America leg in January. On Sunday, the Asia Pacific leg of the voyage began that will see the ship pass through Hawaii, Polynesia and Australia. From there, the cruise will continue onto other major destinations including South Korea, Japan, India, the United Arab Emirates and Greece. 

Serenade of the Seas boasts 13 decks, 1,073 guest rooms and can accommodate over 2,100 guests.

The Ultimate World Cruise has piqued the interest of a corner of TikTok, with some users comparing the voyage to a reality TV show experience. Users have pointed out that with so much time at sea, much can happen, including relationships, fights, pregnancy and death.

Several passengers on board have been consistently documenting the journey on TikTok sharing a peek into life at sea.

One creator went so far as to make a “Ultimate World Cruise Bingo card” predicting potential events that could unfold, including “minor mystery to solve,” “stowaway,” “2nd COVID outbreak” and “staff dates passenger.”