Cruise line worker reveals people 'die on ships more often than you think' – as she warns multiple people could die during viral nine-month round-the-world boat trip

A cruise ship employee has opened up about how often passengers die during long journeys.

Zoie Madigan, 28, from North Carolina, has nearly 13,000 followers on TikTok, where she documents her life on the high seas as an employee of Norwegian Cruise Line.

The content creator, who uses the handle @zoiemadiganrecently went viral after sharing a morbid fact about people dying on cruises.

“One thing I don't think anyone talks about enough about this nine-month world cruise is how often people simply die of natural causes while on vacation,” she began her video.

Zoie said she has been a crew member with the cruise line for about a year and a half, having previously worked at hotels and resorts.

“It happens more often than you think,” she said of people dying on the ship, but added that it doesn't happen every week.

Zoie estimated that the average age of passengers aboard her ship is “in the 60s,” saying they have an older demographic compared to Carnival or Disney cruise lines.

“I'm not trying to scare you, but a lot of elderly people go on vacation and then they just die in their sleep or something happens, and it's on the ship,” she explained.

She reiterated that the world cruise passengers are on the ship for nine months.

“I feel like they should have had a doctor sign this off and give permission to cruise for that long,” she said.

Zoie noted that it is also sad for the crew if a passenger dies before the end of the journey.

“I hope this doesn't happen, but imagine working with someone for eight months and serving them breakfast, and then he just dies in his sleep because he's old,” she said.

'That would be traumatic. I'm sure a lot of people have never thought about that because they don't have this experience and don't realize how often it happens.'

“Not to be morbid, but it does happen,” she added.

Zoie's video has been viewed more than 143,000 times and received more than 100 comments since it was posted last week.

“My grandmother died on a cruise,” someone said. “Then I heard they have a morgue.”

“We let a few people pass while I was on board [a] South American 14-day itinerary… Death happens every day. The only [guarantee] in life,” another responded.

'A lady has had a stroke or [something] while [snorkeling] and passed away when I went on my first cruise,” someone else added.

Others thought it was idyllic to die of old age on a cruise ship.

“Sounds like a good way to go!” In my sleep on a cruise, belly full of lobster,” one user commented.

'Death is only a transition, not an end state. What a wonderful honor to bring joy and service to the portal,” someone else agreed.