Passenger dies on Royal Caribbean's 9-month world cruise

A passenger on Royal Caribbean International’s nine-month Ultimate World Cruise has died.

“We are actively providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones at this time,” a spokesperson for the line told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “Out of the privacy of the guest and their family, we have nothing further to share at this time.”

Adita Larson, a passenger on the sailing, said in a video on TikTok that the guest was an elderly woman. Larson said she saw the body being removed as she returned to her cabin.

The original video has been deleted but was reposted by another user on Sunday, though it was unclear when the passenger died. Larson was not immediately available for an interview and the Royal Caribbean spokesperson did not share any details about the passenger's identity.

Cruise lines have protocols in case a passenger passes away during a sailing, and most of the biggest vessels have morgues where they can store bodies as needed, The Points Guy reported. Ships must also have body bags on board.

Bodies are typically taken off the ship at the next major port on an itinerary. Royal Caribbean declined to answer an additional question about arrangements they are making to do so.

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The cruise line’s Serenade of the Seas ship is currently operating the 274-night sailing, which will visit more than 60 countries and marks Royal Caribbean’s first world cruise. Videos about the sailing proliferated on TikTok following its December departure from Miami, with guests sharing clips from their trip and other users recapping apparent “drama” a la reality TV.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Royal Caribbean passenger dies during 9-month world cruise