Sailing with Swifties and Disney Superfans: The Weird World of the Themed Cruise
March 16, 2024
THE TELEGRAPH – From Taylor Swift conventions to Motorbike rallies at sea, there’s more than you might think to these quirky holidays.
Ever found yourself in a lift with four Freddie Mercury lookalikes in full I Want to Break Free garb – pleather miniskirts, fishnets, sleeveless pink polo necks, moustaches and inflatable hoovers? This was just one of the many (oh, so many) surreal, weird and totally wonderful encounters I experienced on an Eighties Throwback cruise a few years ago. We’re talking full-on day-glo costumes, enormous wigs, shoulder pads the size of lilos and legions of die hard Eighties music fans lining up for selfies with the likes of Tony Hadley from Spandau Ballet, DJ Pat Sharp, former members of Bucks Fizz and comedian Bobby Davro. A long weekend of tribute bands, Eighties stars, smiles and hangovers all round.
Themed cruises are about living your passion and meeting hundreds of people with shared interests for immersive fandom sailings. Think dawn-to-dusk appreciation societies at sea, loud, proud and in your face. It’s all about as subtle as a drag queen’s lipstick and as different to “regular” cruises as you could imagine – no making small talk with that polite couple from Droitwich, or serenely watching the changing landscape in the piano lounge before a game of shuffleboard on the top deck.
Yes, there are cultured theme cruises, if that’s your bag, from Cunard’s Literature Festival at Sea, Dance the Atlantic and London Theatre at Sea to Oceania’s Culinary Luminaries Cruise for serious foodies, plus numerous wine appreciation, yoga, wellbeing, classical music and themed lecture cruises. There are also an increasing number of sailings that take in top sporting events, including river voyages to major golfing events and the Monaco Grand Prix (organised by both Windstar and Emerald Cruises).
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