A lawsuit has been initiated against Royal Caribbean by the family of a New York woman who tragically fell overboard while on one of their cruises.
On Tuesday, Aronfeld Trial Lawyers declared they are representing the family of 66-year-old Dulcie White. The suit alleges that the cruise line’s excessive serving of alcohol contributed to White’s fall and subsequent death.
According to CBS News Miami, White, hailing from Westmoreland, New York, disappeared into the Caribbean waters on October 22, 2024.
CrimeOnline earlier reported that she was a passenger on the Taylor Swift-themed cruise, Allure of the Seas, which was en route to the Bahamas.
White was traveling with her daughter, Megan Klewin, and had opted for the cruise’s “unlimited alcoholic beverages” package, reportedly seeking to take full advantage of the offer.
The lawsuit claims White consumed at least seven drinks within a period of approximately six hours and eight minutes, suggesting over-service as a contributing factor to the incident.
The law firm’s release listed at least three different establishments on the cruise line that served her drinks during that time period.
Klewin shared her distress over her mother’s level of intoxication.
“Because of that, she did overdo it, trying to maybe get her money’s worth,” Klewin said. “She was completely intoxicated in a way I haven’t seen before. It saddens me that that is my last memory of her.”
Around 7:30 p.m., a fellow passenger assisted White in returning to her stateroom.
White and her daughter had kept their bags and luggage stored on the balcony to free up space inside the room. Klewin initially believed her mother was heading outside to retrieve some clothing.
“I assumed that what she was doing was going to check her suitcase,” he said. “I wasn’t looking, and the next chance that I did look up, I saw her back. She was seated on the edge of the balcony like she had climbed up. She was seated and then fell over before I could get to her.”
The family’s lawyer, Spencer Aronfeld, maintained that crew members on the ship were negligent for continuing to serve the grandmother of four, even as her intoxication became apparent.
Aronfeld stated that White exhibited visible signs of being over-served in front of staff, including slurring her words, swaying, having glassy eyes, and having noticeable alcohol on her breath.
“Each of these crew members was negligent for continuing to serve her alcoholic beverages in her intoxicated state,” Aronfeld said.
Klewin believes that the over-serving was financially motivated, accusing staff of prioritizing tips.
“These crew members are incentivized to continue to serve them because that’s how they make their tips.”
At approximately 9:40 p.m., White went into the water. The family also alleged that the ship failed to reverse course or deploy any lifeboats for a search operation.
The search for White involved two helicopters and teams from the US Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, but her body has never been recovered.
Klewin emphasized the lasting trauma the incident has caused. “It will haunt us for the rest of our lives,” Klewin said. “I feel the overconsumption of alcohol and the over-service of alcohol were the cause of this.”
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, by White’s husband, Terry, on behalf of her estate.
[Feature Photo: The cruise ship ‘Allure of the Seas’ of the Royal Caribbean International company is anchored in Palma, Mallorca, Spain, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)]
