Theme cruises explode: From '80s music to auto racing, there's a cruise for every fandom

Theme cruises offer fans a unique opportunity to sail the high seas with musical acts they love or immerse themselves in activities or hobbies they enjoy – all while mingling with like-minded fans in an intimate and approachable setting.

Unlike full charters, where the cruise organizer books the entire ship, “partial charters are smaller in size and can be just a handful of cabins of like-minded travelers,” says Chris Gray Faust, a managing editor with Cruise Critic. “Because of that, there are a ton of interest cruises you can find – everything from knitting and painting, to dog-training and professional development sailings.”

Pick an interest or event and there's probably a cruise for it

For camera lovers, Ecoventura offers photography-themed sailings through the Galapagos Islands. During back-to-back sailings in November 2020, naturalist and National Geographic certified photo instructor Antonio Adrian will teach guests the basics of photography and how best to capture their seven-night trip.

"Recording experiences from a once in a lifetime trip to this archipelago is fundamental to almost every passenger who travels with Ecoventura,” said Santiago Dunn, CEO of Ecoventura.

Mainstream cruise lines also are getting onboard with the theme-cruise trend. Celebrity Cruises has several theme cruises scheduled for 2020.

For fans of Rio's Carnival, Celebrity Cruises runs an 11-night "South America & Carnival" itinerary on Celebrity Eclipse. This Buenos Aires round trip voyage departs Feb. 16 and includes three days of Carnival revelry in Rio. Other ports of call include Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Montevideo, Uruguay.

Mardi Gras enthusiasts can board Celebrity Reflection for a 10-night cruise that runs roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, with stops in Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico, as well as three days in New Orleans (Feb. 23-25) that are primed for Mardi Gras festivities.

For the larger chartered sailings on traditional cruise ships, Gray Faust says there are a ton to choose from: entertainment-themed voyages featuring your favorite artists or comedy cruises such as February's Impractical Jokers sailing from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas.

Crystal Cruises caters to sports fans with its golf cruises (featuring instruction from PGA pros, discussions with the sport's stars and visits to famous courses) and Monaco Grand Prix cruises, which take Formula 1 fans to one of the world's most celebrated races.

Theme cruises let first-timers dip their toes in the water

Theme cruises are a huge catalyst for driving people to try a cruise for the first time. “And that’s largely due to the fact that theme cruise providers have created such once-in-a-lifetime experiences for fans of certain musicians or genres,” says Gray Faust. “You’re not just attending a concert that lasts a couple of hours, alongside tens of thousands of fellow fans. You’re enjoying multiple days of immersing yourself in your favorite music in a smaller floating festival at sea – and the bonus is you’re on vacation, traveling to some really cool destinations on a bustling ship.“

There are other benefits for cruise-goers. On most music-themed cruises, everyone on board is there for the same reason so you'll have at least one thing in common with your shipmates. Plus, concerts and other events go all day and all night, around the clock with other interesting events included.

“Besides concerts, expect Q&A’s with artists, autograph sessions and theme-night parties,” Gray Faust explains. “Where else can you literally travel the world alongside your idols and fellow fans?”

Experiences are trending

According to the U.S. Bureau of Commerce, it’s an experience economy, meaning people more interested in investing their limited time and money on experiences instead of things.

One of these experiences is indeed the music -heme cruise. “The memories created from unique experiences are proving to have more immediate and lasting value to consumers than what a new watch, outfit or even more generic vacation might bring,” says Anthony Diaz, CEO of Sixthman, which specializes in producing destination festivals at sea and resorts for bands and their fans.

“Social media has brought a direct digital pipeline from band-to-fan, fan-to-band and fan-to-fan," he says. "When fans learn they can vacation with their favorite artist, actor, athlete, etc., in a fully immersive environment that provides experiences not possible at traditional shows or festivals in their hometowns, they jump at the chance to escape with others who share their same passions.“

Music cruises are a win-win for artists, fans

According to Diaz, Sixthman has organized 138 festivals on sea, including the sellout Outlaw Country Cruise, which sets sail from Miami with more than 40 acts on Jan. 29. He reports 55% of the company's clientele are return customers.

It's a win-win for artists, Diaz says. Touring is a lucrative way for them to make money in the face of flagging music sales. Plus, performing at sea is a nice change of scenery from the usual road rigamarole.

"To be able to form deeper bonds with their core fan base, attract new fans and take a detour from the hard road of touring by setting sail in the comforts of a luxury cruise ship…the demand on the artist side is high as well,” he explains. “Overall, the experience of fans and bands together on vacation at sea is truly special and what is driving the category’s growth.”

Sixthman is producing a range of events serving distinctly different fan communities in 2020, all on Norwegian Cruise Line's Pearl and Jade ships

Sail Across the Sun, hosted by the band Train, embarks on its sixth sailing Feb. 14 along with Matt Nathanson, Ezra Ray Hart, comedian George Lopez and more brings a splash of wine, interactive fan-band activities, sing-along radio hits and visits to Nassau and Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas.

Another fan favorite is Kesha’s Weird and Wonderful Rainbow Ride. Curated by pop-rap-rock sensation, the second edition, scheduled for Oct. 16-20, features a number of special guests (K. Flay, Aly & AJ, Big Freedia and more) and takes fans from Miami to the Bahamas – not to mention a world of glitter, dance, drag and non-stop free-flowing good vibes.

Music cruises aren't limited to Caribbean itineraries, either. For those fans looking for a European experience, consider Knotfest at Sea powered by metal band Slipknot in August. Fans will take a voyage that awakens their darkest senses from Barcelona, Spain to Naples, Italy. The experience includes Slipknot Q&As, band-fan activities, additional metal actsand more.

First-time cruisers may get hooked

For those who have never cruised before, the cruise itself might not be of huge interest. They’re not booking for the onboard restaurants or even the destinations. They’re booking for the full-fan experience: concerts in intimate venues, meet-and-greets with the acts onboard, themed-events alongside fellow fans – even the chance to rub elbows with your favorite musicians at the ship’s bar or in the elevator, says Cruise Critic's Gray Faust.

“Once theme cruisers take their first cruise, they often realize just how special the cruise experience is and tend to return on future, non-themed cruises,” she adds. “They might not have booked for the cruise itself, but once they’ve experienced it, they tend to come back for more. Plus, it’s easy to make friends when you all like the same kind of things – so you find that these cruises often foster a community atmosphere that draws people back to the same cruise next year.”

2020 events you can cruise to: From the Olympics to Mardi Gras

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Theme cruises: Speciality cruises are industry's gateway drug