Dulcie White family files wrongful death lawsuit blaming Royal Caribbean for over-serving alcohol before mom fell overboard [PHOTOS]

The family of Dulcie White, a 66-year-old New York mother who fell to her death from a Royal Caribbean cruise, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing the company of continuing to serve her alcohol even after she was visibly intoxicated.

White was a passenger aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, a Taylor Swift-themed cruise, when she fell overboard on October 22, 2024. Her body was never recovered after she plunged into the ocean roughly 17 miles off the coast of Nassau, Bahamas.

According to the lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County, White’s daughter, Megan Klewin, claims her mother had purchased an “all-you-can-drink” beverage package as part of the trip. The family alleges that crew members continued to serve Dulcie alcohol despite clear signs of intoxication.

Dulcie White died after falling overboard a Royal Caribbean Cruise on Oct. 22, 2024.

The filing states that White was served seven alcoholic drinks over approximately six hours, even after she began slurring her speech and struggling to stand. Klewin told CBS News this was the first time she had ever seen her mother so intoxicated.

“She did overdo it — just trying maybe to get her money’s worth,” Klewin said.

Moments before the tragedy, Klewin believed her mother was “going to check her suitcase.” Instead, she turned to see her mother sitting on the edge of the balcony before she fell into the waves below.

“I wasn’t looking, and the next time I did, I saw her back,” Klewin recalled. “She was seated on the edge of the balcony like she had climbed up. Then she fell before I could get to her.”

The grandmother of four began slurring her words, swaying, had glassy eyes and alcohol on her breath in front of crewmembers who shouldn’t have served her, the family alleged.

The lawsuit also claims the ship failed to stop or immediately deploy rescue operations, leaving the recovery effort to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, who were unable to locate White’s body.

Royal Caribbean, like many major cruise lines, offers unlimited drink packages allowing guests to consume alcohol throughout their trips. However, Klewin’s attorney, Spencer Aronfeld, argues that the policy promotes reckless overconsumption.

“Royal Caribbean didn’t just sell drinks — it sold danger,” Aronfeld said in a statement. “This isn’t an accident; it’s an industry pattern. We’re putting cruise lines on notice: the days of profiting from over-service while passengers die at sea are over.”

Aronfeld added that the family hopes the lawsuit will push cruise companies to rethink their alcohol policies, saying a true victory would be for lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian to end their “all-you-can-drink” packages altogether.

The case continues to unfold as the White family seeks accountability and lasting policy change in the cruise industry.