[imagesource:instagram/Amike Oosthuizen]

The Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise, which set sail a month ago, has unexpectedly captured the internet’s imagination.

Hundreds of passengers are setting sail for nine months, stopping off along seven continents, living in close quarters of each other with unlimited alcohol – one of the cruise perks – so folks are watching knowing that there is bound to be some major drama.

Somehow, the cruise ship has become what social media user Beth Anne Fletcher calls the “unedited reality show that was never meant to be a reality show”.

“It’s just regular people going on this massive adventure,” TikTok user Fletcher tells CNN Travel. “People are invested in watching their journeys.”

TikTok content relating to the nine-month cruise has garnered some 253 million views and counting on TikTok already, where all the tea is spilt.

Passengers, whether seasoned TikTok creators or newcomers to the platform, are gaining recognition as emerging social media stars. They showcase a variety of content, ranging from glamorous balcony rooms to more modest windowless interior cabins, document the ship’s challenging voyage through the perilous Drake’s Passage, provide insights into onboard culinary choices, and passionately share the compelling personal narratives that motivated their embarkation on this journey.

While Fletcher, a 39-year-old photographer from the UK, has never been on a cruise ship, she’s providing insights into what happens on the Royal Caribbean as a dedicated fan.

Somewhere between intrigued and horrified, Fletcher found herself watching all of Brooklyn [Schwetje’s] videos. Then, she switched to Brooklyn’s sister Madison’s TikToks. Soon she’d consumed everything she could find about the nine month cruise on TikTok. She’d also Googled the ship, learned more about the itinerary (274 days, over 60 countries, over 150 stop offs) and astronomical costs (the price range for the full excursion is between $59,999 to $117,599 per person, plus taxes and fees).

In our humble South African currency, that’s over R1.1 million to R2,2 million. You could buy a nice house for that amount and live for life in peace, nogal.

Another person taking note of the ship shenanigans is American TikToker ND, who now dubs herself the “SeaTea Director,” posting via @nchimad. She’s posted 61 world cruise-related videos over the last few weeks to her 189,300 followers and is committed to chronicling the cruise for the duration of its voyage. One month in, ND says the interest doesn’t seem to be waning.

@nchimad I’m staying on cruisetok for the next nine months I want to see everything!! #royalcaribbeancruise #9monthcruise #whewchile #oceano #fyp #foryourpage ♬ original sound – ✨SeaTea Director, ND✨

A captivating ensemble of characters is a hallmark of every successful reality TV show, featuring individuals of various ages and backgrounds, each bringing unique perspectives to the narrative.

And that’s exactly what the Ultimate World Cruise seems to offer. Contrary to popular belief that there would mostly be retirees on board, there are actually plenty of young TikTokers, like twentysomethings Brooklyn and Madison Schwetje, in the mix.

Also included in the mix is a social media-savvy 26-year-old South African passenger Amike Oosthuizen, who is travelling with her husband and her parents, and posting on her account @amike_oosthuizen.

@amike_oosthuizen Here’s a few answers to your questions! ️ I am so thankful for this oppertunity in my life #SAMA28 #worldcruise #travel #travelvlog #royalcaribbean #foryou #fypシ゚viral ♬ original sound – Amike Oosthuizen

Oosthuizen tells CNN Travel that her prior influencing experience left her clear-eyed that this once-in-a-lifetime trip would be ripe for TikTok opportunities. Her current most popular TikTok post (6.3 million views and counting) depicts Serenade of the Seas’ journey through the perilous Drake Passage waterway:

@amike_oosthuizen Update: DRAKE PASSAGE morning ️ #cruise #travel #worldcruise #worldcruise2023 #SAMA28 #royalcaribbean #viral #cruisetok #foryoupage #fyp #antartica #ultimateworldcruise #drakepassage ♬ original sound – Amike Oosthuizen

PEOPLE also reported on Marc Sebastian who joined the nine-month world cruise and went viral for his dramatic updates on how the trip was going before he decided enough was enough. The drama had got the better of him:

“For 18 nights? fine. But for 9 months? No can do babe,” Sebastian captioned a TikTok of himself giving a room tour last week.

“The room was $8,500 for 18 nights on the South American/Antarctic leg,” he said while showing off his third floor ocean-view stateroom. As the clip continued, he filmed his closet, saying that he didn’t understand how anyone would fit “nine months of clothes in here.”

It’s called washing, my dude:

@marcsebastianf for 18 nights? fine. But for 9 months? No can do babe #ultimateworldcruise #marcreadsabook #worldcruise #serenadeoftheseas #royalcaribbean #cruisetok #cruise #9monthcruise ♬ original sound – Marc Sebastian

The complainy guy also expressed his frustrations with certain winter excursions being cancelled due to weather conditions and wind gusts.

@marcsebastianf who had “form alliance to get off the ship with a retired school teacher” on their bingo card?#ultimateworldcruise #worldcruise #serenadeoftheseas #cruisetok #cruise #9monthcruise #penguins ♬ Royal palace nobility, gorgeous orchestra – M.S.Music

He has also complained about other guests having trouble lining up in an orderly fashion ahead of scheduled activities.

“I don’t know why this is so difficult. Have you guys ever gone to school?” he asked.

Understandably, some passengers frequently find the relentless online buzz surrounding break-ups, hook-ups, conflicts, illnesses, and on-board mysteries (just a few examples from the TikTok Ultimate World Cruise bingo card) to be a source of frustration.

But other passengers are leaning into their roles as impromptu reality TV TikTok stars and reaping the rewards.

[sources:cnn&people]