"Obviously drunk" Deaths after Taylor Swift cruise - family makes serious accusations against shipping company

Following the fatal fall of her mother from a cruise ship, a US-American woman is suing the shipping company Royal Caribbean. She holds their "all-you-can-drink" offer responsible for the accident and demands an end to such all-inclusive packages.

On October 22 last year, 66-year-old Dulcie White fell from a balcony of the "Allure of the Seas", a ship operated by Royal Caribbean.

She was on a four-day cruise with her daughter Megan Klewin - a themed cruise around pop star Taylor Swift. White's body has still not been found; she fell into the sea off the Bahamas - in front of her daughter.

Klewin has today filed a so-called "Wrongful Death" lawsuit against Royal Caribbean in Florida. It states that her mother bought an "unlimited drinks package", which ultimately led to her becoming heavily intoxicated.

"When I looked again, she was sitting on the balcony railing"

According to the court documents, the 66-year-old was served at least seven alcoholic drinks in the space of just over six hours. She then showed clear signs of drunkenness: she swayed, slurred her speech, stuttered and appeared absent-minded. At around 7.30 p.m., a fellow passenger brought White back to her cabin.

She later left the cabin again and went to the balcony, Klewin said in the statement of claim. Her mother initially thought she was busy getting clothes from the suitcases on the balcony. "When I looked again, she was sitting on the balcony railing - and then she fell before I could reach her," Klewin told CBS News.

After the fall, she immediately alerted the crew. According to the lawsuit, the cruise ship did not turn back or deploy lifeboats.
White was "obviously drunk" while she continued to be served alcohol.

"She was probably trying to get the most out of the package"

Klewin explained that it was the only time she had ever seen her mother so drunk. "I guess she wanted to get the most out of the package," she said. "It's sad that this is my last memory of her."

The lawsuit accuses Royal Caribbean of jeopardizing passenger safety with its alcohol policy. Klewin herself was put in immediate danger while trying to save her mother and has since suffered from anxiety, insomnia and recurring nightmares.

She is not asking for financial compensation - she wants the shipping company to take responsibility. "That night will haunt us forever. I am convinced that the over-supply of alcohol was the cause," she said.

"They sold danger"

Her lawyer Spencer Aronfeld accused Royal Caribbean of putting passengers at risk with unlimited drinks packages. "Royal Caribbean didn't just sell drinks - they sold danger," he said. "This is not an isolated incident, it's a pattern in the industry. We are putting cruise lines on notice: the days of making money by serving excessive alcohol while passengers die are numbered."

He is calling for such "all-you-can-drink" offers to be abolished in future. White is survived by her daughter, two sons and her husband Terry White, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the estate. The case has been filed in the US District Court in the Southern District of Florida.

When asked by the "Daily Mail", Royal Caribbean stated that it does not comment on ongoing proceedings. The shipping company has yet to respond to the lawsuit. Taylor Swift's team was also asked for a statement by the newspaper, but no response has yet been received.