The family of the woman who fell overboard during a Royal Caribbean Taylor Swift-themed cruise is now suing the cruise line for allegedly over-serving alcohol.
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According to PEOPLE, Dulcie White fell overboard on Oct. 22, 2024, while on the Allure of the Seas, which was in the Bahamas during a five-day cruise. Unfortunately, the 66-year-old woman’s body was never found.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday, White’s family accused the Royal Caribbean crew of causing the accident. They claimed she had been served “at least seven alcoholic beverages continuously within a span of approximately six hours and eight minutes.”
The lawsuit further revealed that White was “swaying, stammering, slurring her speech, had alcohol on her breath, couldn’t keep her composure straight, had glassy eyes, while she was in plain view of the crewmembers.”
“Each of these crewmembers were negligent for continuing to serve her alcoholic beverages in her intoxicated state,” the complaint pointed out.
A witness onboard the ship said they noticed White was clearly intoxicated around 7:30 p.m. Although she was brought back to her cabin shortly after, she went overboard in direct view of her daughter that evening.
“Because of that [drink package, Dulcie did overdo it, trying to maybe get her money’s worth,” Dulcie’s daughter, Megan Klewin, previously told CBS Miami. “She was completely intoxicated in a way I haven’t seen before. It saddens me that this is my last memory of her.”
The Family Is Suing Royal Caribbean for Various Negligence
White’s widow and her daughter are representing her in the lawsuit. They are suing on one count of over-service of alcohol, one count of negligent search and rescue operation. They are also suing for one count of negligent infliction of emotional distress.
The complaint further stated that the ship never made a “Williamson” or “Anderson” turn, a maneuver used in overboard incidents. It was also noted that the crew members never gave a command to launch a rescue boat.
Klewin said the situation will haunt her family for the rest of their lives. “I feel the overconsumption of alcohol and the over-service of alcohol was the cause of this,” she added. “These crew members are incentivized to continue to serve them because that’s how they make their tips.”
Attorney Spencer Aronfeld is representing the family. The legal team believes Royal Caribbean is “putting profits ahead of passenger safety with these all-you-can-drink packages.”
“We hope to hold [Royal Caribbean] fully accountable for Dulcie’s death,” Aronfeld said. “And create and inspire industry change to discontinue these all-you-can-drink packages.”