Torture, for some, might be spending five nights on a Taylor Swift-themed cruise in the Bahamas. But for Aubreigh Gniotczynski, a 26-year-old from Texas, it is a dream come true. Ms Gniotczynski and her husband—a “fan by marriage”—have each paid more than $1,500 to enjoy karaoke nights and fancy-dress parties on the cruise, which is not affiliated with the star. In preparation, Ms Gniotczynski has been busily making friendship bracelets showcasing Ms Swift’s lyrics, which she will give to her fellow passengers.
Cruise holidays are back in vogue. Some 35.7m passengers are expected to board ships in 2024, 6% more than in 2019, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, a trade body. Operators have been experimenting with themed trips in an effort to persuade new customers to climb aboard. “We were very surprised with how many of our clients are going to be sailing for the first time,” says Jessica Malerman, a travel adviser behind the Taylor Swift extravaganza, which will take up 199 rooms on an existing Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cruise.
Some themed cruises are based on TV shows, such as Star Trek: The Cruise and the Golden Girls Cruise. Others, like The Kiss Kruise and the Beach Boys Good Vibrations Cruise, are curated around bands. There are at least four country-music cruises, a reggae cruise, and several rock and jazz cruises. Fans of wrestling can gather on Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise and motorcycling enthusiasts can join the High Seas Rally cruise. Religious groups can board Kosherica (if they are Jewish) or Bountiful Travel (if they are Mormon). Those after adult experiences at sea can join the Desire, Temptation or Bare Necessities cruises.
Niche cruises, aimed at those who want to do more than sun themselves, appeal to old and young alike. Nostalgia can be a big draw for older passengers, reckons Chris Hearing of Entertainment Cruise Productions, which organises, alongside Star Trek and High Seas Rally cruises, an 80s music cruise. “That’s the music they loved when they were in high school,” he says. “So that’s what they are going back to relive.”
For younger passengers, cruise ships can present a haven away from judgmental festival crowds, says Gavin Simcoe, organiser of the Emo’s Not Dead Cruise, which has an average passenger age of 35. To attract even younger fans he plans to mix his line-up of bands from the 2000s with contemporary acts. Sometimes it pays to rock the boat. ■
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