Cruise Passengers in Bed Film ‘Scariest Night’ As Ship Battles Rough Seas

A video showing cruise passengers lying in bed as their ship traverses rough seas has gone viral, striking a chord with TikTok users who shared their own anxieties about cruising.
The clip, shared by TikTok user @yourgirljodes, has garnered more than 2.7 million views since it was posted on September 29.
The video captures the couple in their cruise cabin bed as the ship battles large ocean swells, shaking the vessel. A note overlaid on the clip reads: “POV [point of view]: Your cruise ship goes through massive swells on the last night of your trip.”
More From Newsweek Vault: Find the Right Travel Rewards Credit Card
The caption shared with the post adds: “The coat hangers havin’ a ‘lil dance party. This was the scariest night of our trip. The video really doesn’t capture how rough it was.”
The phenomenon of rough seas, like those shown in the TikTok footage, is largely due to ocean swells.
The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) says swells are “wind-generated waves that have traveled out of their generating area” and can create unpredictable, rough waters.
More From Newsweek Vault: Best Cruise Insurance Plans
A swell “characteristically exhibits smoother, more regular and uniform crests and a longer period than wind waves,” the NWS adds.
Local sea waves can interact with distant swells, causing “unpredictably high waves and dangers for mariners,” says the government website for the Australian state of New South Wales.
More From Newsweek Vault: How to Choose a Travel Credit Card
This viral clip comes amid a significant resurgence in cruise travel in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says that 2023 saw cruise passenger numbers reach 31.7 million, surpassing pre-pandemic figures by 7 percent. Twenty-seven percent of these passengers were first-time cruisers, showing a growing interest in this mode of travel, according to the CLIA.
While some passengers enjoy the thrill of adventure at sea, others are rattled by the unpredictability of the ocean.
TikTok users in the comments section echoed the fear of the couple in the video.
“I’d be fully clothed, laying in bed, ready at any second,” posted Maria Wullaert.
Others shared similar sentiments, with shrinxirinxi_04 adding, “Getting seasick by only watching,” while @nacho.girlfriend wrote: “People would just hear me screaming from my room.”
Maui1993 commented, “just convinced me to never go on a cruise,” and elainegranillo agreed, saying: “This is why I will never go on a cruise.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via [email protected] and your story could be featured on Newsweek.