A tragic incident unfolded on the Taylor Swift-themed Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas cruise when a 66-year-old guest went overboard near Nassau, Bahamas.
The cruise, which departed Miami for a four-night journey, was struck by tragedy on October 22, 2024, at around 9:40 p.m., about 17 miles from Nassau. Reports from the U.S. Coast Guard indicate that the Royal Bahamas Defense Force led the search for the missing guest, but the efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
“The Coast Guard added that it had diverted an HC-144 airplane crew and an MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter from Air Station Miami to assist with the search,” according to People. However, despite extensive efforts, the search around the Oasis-class Royal Caribbean cruise ship was called off.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Cruises shared, “We are also providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share.”
The search suspension was confirmed via a statement on X (formerly Twitter) by Lieutenant Connor Pascale, Coast Guard liaison officer:
#UPDATE #FINAL We were informed by @TheRBDF this afternoon that they are suspending the active search efforts pending further developments & were no longer requesting further @USCG assistance.
#UPDATE #FINAL "We were informed by @TheRBDF this afternoon that they are suspending the active search efforts pending further developments & were no longer requesting further @USCG assistance,” said Lt. Connor Pascale, Coast Guard liaison officer.@USEmbassyNassau #SAR pic.twitter.com/Vnn0NqD8BZ
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 23, 2024
According to TMZ (via Mail Online), officials reported that the guest jumped from the 14th floor of the cruise ship. A passenger named Ashley, who was on the top deck, described the tense atmosphere aboard the ship, saying, “I stayed up there for about three hours, just watching, praying, and wondering what was happening.”
Ashley added that a Royal Caribbean sister ship, Utopia of the Seas, came to aid in the search. “Another sister ship came over, and we were both doing rotating searches, along with a plane and a helicopter that came around midnight,” she recounted.
It remains unclear if the missing woman was part of a group of Taylor Swift fans, or “Swifties,” who had boarded the ship for the unofficial “In My Cruise Era” event. While not affiliated with Swift herself, the themed cruise was organized by travel agents Jessica Malerman, Nicole Rivera, and Shelby Reyes of Marvelous Mouse Travels. According to NBC News, the cruise featured Swift-inspired events such as “a welcome cocktail party, karaoke, friendship bracelet swapping, ‘Taylor Trivia,’ and ‘Nightly eras outfit themes.'”
The Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas set sail just a day after Swift’s sold-out performances at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium the previous weekend.
The Allure of the Seas is expected to return to Miami on Friday, October 25, 2024. As the cruise nears its end, the shadow of this devastating incident remains.
Disney Dining will continue to update this developing story.
