General Discussion

In a pair of viral TikTok videos, British author Toni Tone recounted what she described as “the most racist encounter” of her life while vacationing on a Virgin Voyages cruise with her mother. The incident, which took place in a VIP area known as “Richard’s rooftop,” involved a couple who repeatedly questioned her presence in the exclusive section, complained to staff about her, and eventually resorted to splashing water in her face while laughing.

Despite having legitimate access to the area through special VIP cards, Toni faced escalating harassment that culminated in the female aggressor implying she had exchanged sexual favors for her cruise tickets. “I was in so much shock,” Toni explained in her video, describing how she refused to give her harassers the satisfaction of an emotional reaction despite the humiliation they attempted to inflict.

The confrontation began innocuously when an older man photobombed a picture Toni’s mother was taking of her. Shortly after, the man approached Toni and questioned how she gained access to the VIP area despite staff confirming she had proper authorization. The situation escalated when the couple realized complaints to staff wouldn’t result in Toni’s removal from the area.

Toni described how the couple, whom she called “Chuck and Stephanie” from Alberta, Canada, attempted to provoke a reaction from her that might justify her removal. When Toni entered the hot tub where they were sitting, the woman deliberately kicked water into her face while the couple laughed. They explicitly questioned how a Black woman could have legitimately accessed the VIP area.