Family sues Royal Caribbean over alcohol overservice after fall

A New York woman who fell from a cruise ship balcony and disappeared at sea last year was allegedly overserved alcohol before the fatal plunge, her family says in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Royal Caribbean. Dulcie White, 66, went overboard from the Allure of the Seas during a Taylor Swift themed cruise on Oct. 22, 2024, about 17 miles north of Nassau, Bahamas; her body has not been recovered.

The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, says White had purchased an unlimited beverage package and was served at least seven alcoholic drinks over roughly six hours. The filing alleges crew members continued to serve White despite visible signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, swaying, glassy eyes and difficulty standing.

White was with her daughter, Megan Klewin, who the suit says saw her mother climb onto the balcony railing and fall into the water at about 9:40 p.m. Klewin told investigators she had stored luggage on the balcony and initially assumed White was reaching for it. The complaint asserts a fellow passenger had earlier helped White back to the cabin after noticing her condition.