To share everything with people at home, Martucci began recording updates for her four adult children. Children were encouraged to post the videos online. Almost overnight, a star was born.
Unbeknownst to Mr. Martucci, his insatiable interest in cruising had grown ever since his ship left the port of Miami. Who could survive a nine-month cruise? Who could afford to pay prices starting at $61,000?On the Internet, people wanted as much information as possible.
Dozens of TikTok accounts have sprung up to document everything about Serenade of the Seas. Some are run by just a few of his more than 600 travelers who stay on the ship for the entire 274-night itinerary. Others are track and field spectators. A culmination of content with hashtags like #ultimateworldcruise, #worldcruise, and #9monthcruise racked up hundreds of millions of views. Its cumulative effect rivals his reality TV show, complete with “cast members,” drama, and intrigue.
Unlike traditional reality shows, with their meddling producers and forced cliffhangers, The Nine Month Cruise’s content comes from your average Joe Martucci. That’s what makes #CruiseTok so appealing.
Beth Fletcher, 39, who started a series summarizing Ultimate World Cruise news, said: “If you’ve never been on a cruise before, or don’t even like the idea of cruising, you’re probably wondering, People must be crazy.”She called it “Ship Happens” TikTok account A few days after departure. “For example, we want to know more.”
While the internet loves the profane content shared by Martucci and others, it’s also hungry for reality TV infighting.
“Everyone likes to think there’s a conflict,” Fletcher said. “For the first few posts, I thought, ‘Oh my God, if I’m traveling with my family in a small cabin, after a week I’m going to want to throw them overboard.’ ”
Such a plot twist has not actually appeared yet. To understand the appeal of TikTok’s popular cruise, you have to meet the “cast.”
Joe Martucci: @SpendingOurKidsMoney
Martucci’s family asked him to post a summary online for his friends to see. He started a TikTok account under the handle “spendingourkidsmoney” because he often jokes that the cost of their cruises might have been their inheritance. On December 18th, he released his first public check-in. It has now been viewed over 1 million times.
“People say, ‘Joe, you’ve got 76,000 followers in three weeks, that’s amazing,'” Martucci said. “And I sat there thinking, ‘So how many should I have?'”
Serenade of the Seas’ most wholesome account, Martuccis is a great antidote to the increasingly chaotic nature of many viral videos. There are no real edits or second takes, just “mom and dad on a cruise” checking in.
“If I mess up, I’ll leave it at that,” Martucci said. “I have mild dyslexia, especially when it comes to pronouncing words…Audrey always corrects me, but we leave it at that.”
Follow this to feel like you have your parents on the Ultimate World Cruise.
Angie Linderman: @angelinderman
Passenger Angie Linderman said: Early Q&A She shared how she got on board.
After her parents died from cancer, Linderman realized she was also at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer. She underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy; intend to do something I plan to have both ovaries removed in the near future. “Retirement is never a thought for me,” she shared on TikTok. “Her motto is to do the best she can.”
Linderman used up his inheritance to book the Ultimate World Cruise with his brother’s family and continues to work remotely along the way.
“She will inspire many people diagnosed with cancer and cancer survivors to go out and just live their lives as if each day could be their last,” Fletcher said. Ta.
Adita (last name unknown) has been attracting a lot of attention from her fans. Saucy, a slightly quirky video that makes you squint at the possibility that she and her husband are swingers. The main reason for the rumors is her obsession with pineapples. When you turn the fruit upside down, is known to be Swinger community signals That you are game.Many of her posts gloss over that theory, but Adita does (perhaps not convincing) denied the allegations.
“She says no, she just likes pineapples,” Fletcher said. “But that’s a huge amount of pineapple.”
I love Adita too clean and share Trivia about boat lifelike her stay organized on board.
Daniele Salvatore Albisi: @singing.sailor
For a behind-the-scenes look at working on cruises, check out Daniele Salvatore Albisi from @singing.sailor. Originally from Essex, England, Albishi came to the ship as a performer and has amassed a following with his work. Crew cabin tours, thorough travelogue About port days, useful Q&A, etc. tapped the captain To find the best side of the ship for whale watching.
“He’s a very, very talented guy,” Fletcher said. “His content is great…He’s really likeable and very funny.”
Anthony McWilliams: @antonyantoine1021
Anthony McWilliams was working in public health at Emory University, a job he loves, when tragedy struck. “I lost my husband to cancer in 2018,” McWilliams, who goes by Anthony Antoine on social media, told The Washington Post. “It was literally eight months and one day from her diagnosis to her passing.”
Her late husband left him with the desire to travel the world. “He said traveling would be my saving grace,” McWilliams said. So he retired that year and went on a journey.
Today, McWilliams is one of the ship’s most beloved passengers, both to fellow cruisers and online fans.rear Confusion with Brazilian cruise regulations, he had to fend for himself on land for a week before being allowed to return. “Everyone was like that. support “For me to come back,” he said.
He mostly posts fun things Port summary And thinking.like when he said he would Obtained 10 pounds for 5 days on board. He constantly receives messages that his travels as a solo black traveler are inspiring.
“That’s my No. 1.” travel rules, don’t wait for others. If you wait for others, you won’t get anywhere. ”
Shannon Marie Lake: @swankalamode; Lake Brandy: @ambrandeelake
Over 9 months, room With my sister? That’s the social experiment Shannon Marie and Brandi Lake are conducting in real time for their fans. So far, “it’s going well,” Shannon Murray told The Washington Post.
“We travel a lot together, so we know each other’s hotel style. We’re like, ‘Okay, we’re going to take longer showers,'” Lake said.
When Brandi isn’t spending time with her parents, who are also in attendance, she stays in touch with her viewers through .sea day chat” she I made a headline in the first few weeks of the cruise after she and her sister shared a post about their experience of being regularly mistaken for staff because they are one of the few guests of color on the ship. “She was like, ‘Oh my God,’ is this going to continue for the next nine months?” Fletcher said. “It seems to have calmed down now, but it definitely leaves a bit of an aftertaste in your mouth.”
Shannon Marie is more likely to share street art From their overland travels.both sisters answer a lot national question and Walk around the ship while dancing. If you can’t get enough of their videos, you can also: listen to their podcast.
Brooklyn Schwetsche: @BrooklynSchwegger; Madison Schwetsche: @madisonschwetje
go on a trip with your parents, Brooklyn and Madison Schwetsche take their role as the eyes and ears of the ship seriously, posting tons of content to an ever-growing audience. They share video blogs of their low-key sea days. bad weather and Laundry dutyas well as highlights. What it’s like to visit the wonders of the world.
one of them Popular posts This was Madison’s extensive tour of the ship late at night, giving us an eerie and fascinating look at the gigantic ship, which was almost completely empty.
“They know how to create engaging posts,” Fletcher said. “They’re good at highlighting what people want to see.”
Little mouse brain: @little_rat_brain
Another bizarre Gen Z comedy is “Little Rat Brain,” whose real name is kept secret. Her other “cast members” also refer to her as such in videos and interviews.
“We love ‘Little Rat Brain,'” Martucci said.
Traveling with his mother, Little Rat Brain shares professionally edited and very silly updates about life on board. “Drake Shake” (Similar to the turbulence that occurs when crossing the Drake Passage) Change itinerary.
Amike Oosthuizen: @amike_oosthuizen
Amike Oosthuizen, an experienced social media user, posts satisfying daily videos that draw you into his world. A South African took us on a cruise with her parents and husband since for sea day gym sessionwhat does it feel like? eat on board and how did she I learned gel manicure It was to save money ahead of the cruise.
her mother, Lenske RamardingAlthough she previously appeared as a cast member on the reality show The Real Housewives of Pretoria, Oosthuizen told the Washington Post that people are most drawn to her everyday experiences.
She knows people are waiting for drama to break out, but unfortunately (for them, not her), “everyone I met on the ship was so nice and they all , I’m here with the people I love. I’m either taking a vacation or traveling the world,” she said. “To be honest, I don’t think those expectations will come true.”