It's a jam-packed 274-day journey across multiple oceans, and passengers on Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise are sharing what the experience was really like.
On TikTok, a select group of content creators have banded together to document nearly every day of their voyage, from sea conditions to meals to spacewalks.
“The cruise has been great so far, so I can't complain about anything,” South African Amike Oosthuizen told Fox News Digital. “I've always wanted to see the world. This is such an exciting experience and I get so excited when I see so many new places every day. And when the world is this big, we can It’s really crazy to think that you can see that.”
“It's really amazing that it's exploded so much on TikTok. I think it's so much fun,” she continued. “And it’s crazy that so many people actually want to see our journey.”
Oosthuizen and his family are just a few of the many passengers who will depart from Miami on Dec. 10 on a nine-month cruise that will take them to 11 world wonders and more than 60 countries. That's just part of it.
The cruise itinerary is divided into four geographic “segments” with a total of 17 unique sailings, and guests also have the opportunity to select specific destinations individually rather than traveling all nine months. there was.
The experience ranges from $60,000 to $117,000 per person (not including excursions), according to Royal Caribbean's website.
Before embarking on Serenade of the Seas, Oosthuizen's family had only been on a few cruises.
But this once-in-a-lifetime expedition was her father's wish after his retirement.
She estimated the total cost of the nine-month trip to be between $500,000 and $700,000 for lodging.
“My father saw a news article about Royal Caribbean starting this world cruise in 2020. Then he showed us the article and said he wanted to retire by then and his whole family “I said I wanted to take it on a cruise and have it feel like an ocean voyage,” she explained. “So we didn't believe it was going to happen, but in 2021 he booked it and surprised us.”
Oosthuizen's TikTok account originally started with a focus on fashion and beauty, but once she started posting daily updates about her Ultimate World Cruise, it quickly gained millions of views and likes. did.
“I thought there might be an opportunity to further grow the account and create more opportunities by going on a cruise,” she said. “But to be honest, I never expected it to be this big…and I hope to go back someday.” Check out all the videos of the different places I visited…I’ll keep it forever It's also like a special memory. ”
The New York Times called Ultimate World Cruise Vlogger “TikTok's favorite new reality show” in an op-ed published earlier this month.
Oosthuizen detailed the sense of community and camaraderie between her and the other creators, insisting there was no “drama” like there would be on a real reality series.
“Everyone I met, [are] It is very nice. It doesn't really feel like a reality show. Everyone is so nice that there's no drama, and I feel like the people making the drama aren't on board. So it's just funny to me,” she said.
Even after the first month, the Ultimate World Cruise hasn't exactly gone smoothly. Passenger videos show heavy rain could flood some common areas, and this week the boat will pass through the infamous Drake Passage on its way to Antarctica. .
Oosthuizen didn't witness last week's flooding firsthand, but he did see floors “very wet” amid high winds and rain, and the flooding in the video shows a series of automatic doors not closing. He explained that it happened because of the situation.
“It wasn't a major flood. It's nothing to worry about,” Oosthuizen said. “Honestly, I feel like conditions were even worse now than they were back then. So I didn't think there was anything to worry about. The ship's staff had received a lot of safety training, and they took great care in everything. We're paying attention. I think we're in very good shape.”
With one month left and eight to go, the TikToker reflected on how she's learned how minimalist living can expand her travel perspective.
While Oosthuizen would like to travel the world again, he admits he can't do another 274 nights on a cruise.
“The great thing about this trip is that you get to see so many places in such a short period of time. If I hadn't done this before, I definitely would have done it again,” she said. “I'm so grateful to be on this cruise. I feel so blessed to be here. I don't think I'll ever take this opportunity for granted.”
