A themed cruise gives you the opportunity to indulge in your favourite hobby during a cruise.
Much more than just a cruise, a themed cruise is an opportunity to surround yourself with like-minded people and spend time doing what makes you the happiest, as well as enjoying all the usual cruise benefits like great food, sightseeing and time for relaxation.
There are a whole host of weird and wonderful theme cruises for adults to choose from. In fact, you’ll likely be surprised at just how many different theme cruises are available in 2023, 2024 and beyond!
This guide to the best theme cruises showcases some of the most interesting ones, as well as providing a handy list of all of the current theme cruises on offer, with links to where you can find more information about them.
The Types of Theme Cruises
Before we begin, it’s important to recognise that not all theme cruises are equal in terms of how much of the cruise is actually themed. There are some cruises, like music cruises, where you can expect to see everyone on the ship in fancy dress, enjoying a round-the-clock schedule of events and activities.
In contrast, other cruises are more of a chance for hobbyists to meet up during what would otherwise be a ‘normal’ cruise.
Here are two important distinctions to make…
Full-ship theme cruises: The group will charter the whole ship, so everyone will be on-board for the theme cruise.
Partial-ship theme cruises: The group will book a number of cabins and take over certain areas such as a particular bar or a conference room.
Suggested read: The best cruises for singles to hook up
The Best Themed Cruises of 2023 and 2024
Without further ado, here’s a guide to the most exciting theme cruises that you should consider…
Electric Sunsets 80s vs 90s Cruise
Popular with British people, Marella’s Electric Sunset’s cruise is like a music festival at sea. On board you can enjoy 80s and 90s music from The Vengaboys, Pat Sharp, Go West and DJ Sash! With drinks included, this cruise is sure to get you in the party mood.
- Date: 01 May 2024
- Destination: Spain
- Cruise Line: TUI Cruises
- Ship: Marella Voyager
Learn more about the Electric Sunsets cruise
Chris Jericho’s Rock N Wrestling Rager at Sea – A wrestling themed cruise
Wrestling fans will take over a whole cruise ship for an epic journey with wrestling star Chris Jericho and his friends. The event will include wrestling matches in a ring set up on the pool deck, rock music performances, comedy shows, paranormal activities and live podcast recordings.
- Date: 26 to 30 January 2024
- Destination: Mexico
- Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
- Ship: Norwegian Pearl
Learn more about the Chris Jericho Cruise
Meow Meow Cruise – A cruise for cat lovers
Cat-obsessed cruisers, unfortunately, cannot bring their cats on this cruise. But what they can do is meet like-minded people to chat about and share photos of their favourite furry feline friends. Activities on this cat-themed cruise include trivia, meet and greet and group dining.
- Date: 21 to 25 February 2024
- Destination: Caribbean
- Cruise Line: Virgin Voyages
- Ship: Scarlet Lady
Learn more about the Meow Meow Cruise
The High Seas Rally – A biker cruise
This motorbike-themed cruise is ‘The World’s Only Biker Rally on a Cruise Ship’. A full ship of bikers will be enjoying wild pool parties, tattoo contests, concerts, theme nights and raffles as they cruise to places that they can’t reach by riding a bike.
- Date: 28 October to 04 November 2023
- Destination: Bahamas
- Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
- Ship: Radiance of the Seas
Learn more about the High Seas Rally
Star Trek: The Cruise
Returning to the Caribbean in 2024, The Star Trek Cruise is where you’ll find the most passionate Star Trek fans in the universe. This cruise will feature a lineup of actors and personalities with Star Trek-themed shows, events, activities and parties.
- Date: 22 to 29 February 2024
- Destination: Caribbean
- Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
- Ship: Mariner of the Seas
Learn more about the Star Trek Cruise
The In My Cruise Era (Taylor Swift) Cruise
Any Swifties who want to party will love this cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. It departs Miami the day after Taylor’s Eras tour finishes its third night in the city, and will offer events such as cocktail parties, dance events and, of course, karaoke.
- Date: 21 October 2024
- Destination: CocoCay, Nassau (from Miami)
- Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
- Ship: Allure of the Seas
Learn more about the In My Cruise Era cruise
Scrapbook cruises
Cruise and Crop is a cruise company offering scrapbooking cruises where guests can enjoy making scrapbooks together. But the fun doesn’t stop there! On certain cruises, you can also try your hand at card making, embroidery, knitting, jewellery making and other crafts.
- Date: Various
- Destination: Various
- Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
- Ship: Various
Learn more about scrapbooking cruises
The KISS Kruise
Fans of iconic 70s rock band Kiss can join them for an adventure at sea onboard the Kiss music-themed cruise. Expect performances from Kiss and their friends as well as meet and greet sessions and activities with each of the band members.
- Date: TBA
- Destination: TBA
- Cruise Line: TBA
- Ship: TBA
Learn more about the KISS Kruise
Knitting cruises
Craft Cruises offers a range of cruises where craft lovers can get together to improve their knitting skills will classes and workshops. On-board knitting instructors will advise guests about any local yarn stores in the ports of call. As well as knitting, Craft Cruises also offers cruises themed around crocheting, needlepoint, hand spinning and beading.
- Date: Various
- Destination: Various
- Cruise Line: Holland America Line
- Ship: Various
Learn more about knitting cruises
The Gothic Cruise
The Annual Gothic Cruise and Masquerade Ball is a cruise created by goths for goths. There’ll be live music performances by German electronic music act Rotersand and American aggrotech band Combichrist, amongst others. There’s also a zombie pub crawl and a ‘Spookeasy’ formal night.
- Date: 02 March 2024
- Destination: Bahamas
- Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
- Ship: Norwegian Escape
Learn more about the Gothic Cruise
The Genealogy Cruise
If you’re interested in learning more about your family tree, then the genealogy cruise offers you the chance to follow your family’s journey across the world with the help of professional genealogy experts. This cruise offers lectures and workshops to help people discover more about who they are and where they come from.
- Date: 08 February 2024
- Destination: Mediterranean
- Cruise Line: Princess Cruises
- Ship: Sun Princess
Learn more about the Genealogy Cruise
The 70s Rock & Romance Cruise
Lovers of 70’s rock can relive their youth with 50 live performances from artists such as Randy Bachman, Dave Mason and Orleans on what promises to be one of the best music cruises of 2024. This 70s-themed cruise also promises Q&A sessions with the artists, panel discussions, game shows, trivia, karaoke, wine tasting and pool parties.
- Date: 14 to 21 March 2024
- Destination: Caribbean
- Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises
- Ship: Celebrity Summit
Learn more about the Rock & Romance Cruise
The Flower Power Cruise
The Flower Power Cruise is a 70s-themed cruise where you can immerse yourself in the music from the ‘love generation’. With nightly performances and interactive celebrity events, this cruise has lots of Flower Power themed parties and activities.
- Date: 21 to 28 March 2024
- Destination: Caribbean
- Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises
- Ship: Celebrity Summit
Learn more about the Flower Power Cruise
The Country Music Cruise
Get your stetsons ready for The Country Music Cruise – a themed party at sea with nightly country music performances and the chance to meet the stars. Country music fans can enjoy Q&A sessions with the artists, trivia contests, line dancing and country karaoke.
- Date: 20 to 27 January 2024
- Destination: Bahamas
- Cruise Line: Holland America Line
- Ship: Nieuw Amsterdam
Learn more about the Country Music Cruise
The Soul Train Cruise
The Soul Train Cruise is a star-studded cruise experience featuring legendary stars from the classic R&B era. The lineup for 2024 includes Boyz II Men, The Temptations and En Vogue. Guests can enjoy artist Q&A sessions, dance lessons with original Soul Train dancers and tribute events.
- Date: 27 January to 3 February 2024
- Destination: Caribbean
- Cruise Line: Holland America Line
- Ship: Nieuw Amsterdam
Learn more about the Soul Train Cruise
The Ultimate Disco Cruise
With a special appearance from disco legends The Brothers Johnson, Rose Royce and Bee Gees Gold, The Ultimate Disco Cruise promises to be a star-studded affair with over 40 live performances and several costume parties.
- Date: 19 to 24 February 2025
- Destination: TBA
- Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
- Ship: Norwegian Pearl
Learn more about the Ultimate Disco Cruise
The 80s Cruise
The 80s Cruise is a non-stop all-inclusive concert with 20 bands including Air Supply, Debbie Gibson and Stephen Pearcy of Ratt. Guests can enjoy parties on the pool deck and themed costume parties such as the ‘John Hughes Prom’ and ‘Pop Icon Night’.
- Date: 29 February to 7 March 2024
- Destination: Caribbean
- Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
- Ship: Mariner of the Seas
Learn more about the 80s Cruise
Desire Cruises
Couples-only and clothing-optional, Desire Cruises offer sexually-charged lifestyle cruises with seductive entertainment, exotic theme nights and an electric atmosphere that will make you want to explore your deepest fantasies.
- Date: Various
- Destination: Various
Learn more about Desire Cruises
The Magic Castle Cruise
The Magic Castle cruise is a themed cruise all around magic – with live shows, workshop demonstrations and talks on the history of magic. It’s sure to conjure up some magical memories for anyone onboard!
- Date: TBA
- Destination: West Coast USA
- Cruise Line: Princess Cruises
- Ship: Discovery Princess
Learn more about the Magic Castle Cruise
Far East Reggae Cruise
Far East Reggae Cruise is the first ever music cruise on the largest ship in Japan produced by Mighty Crown, the pioneer of Reggae/Dancehall in Japan who won 8 world titles in Reggae/Dancehall Sound Clash. Top artists and DJs from Jamaica and Japan will be performing on a 5-night, all-inclusive cruise.
- Date: TBA
- Destination: Japan and South Korea
- Cruise Line: MSC Cruise
- Ship: MSC Bellissima
Learn more about Far East Reggae
Full List of All Themed Cruises
Above is just a sample of some of the themed cruises that are available to book at the moment. See below for a full list of all of the themed cruises, categorised by genre.
Music cruises
Rock music cruises
- The Rock Boat
- Cruise to the Edge
- Monsters of Rock Cruise
- Rock Legends Cruise
- Kiss Kruise XI Kisstory at Sea
- The Melissa Etheridge Cruise
Punk Rock cruises
Jazz cruises
Soul music cruises
Country music cruises
Irish music cruises
Heavy metal cruises
Blues cruises
Broadway Cruises
Reggae cruises
Electronic dance music cruises
50s music cruises
60s music cruises
70s music cruises
80s music cruises
Latin music cruises
Music festivals at sea
Hobby themed cruises
- High Seas Rally – motorbikes
- Meow Meow cruise
- Knitting cruises
- Scrapbook cruises
- Bridge cruises
- Genealogy cruise
Sports themed cruises
American football cruises
Golf cruises
Wrestling cruises
TV and movie-themed cruises
Religious cruises
Christian cruises
- K-LOVE Cruise – Christian music cruise
- Christian singles cruises
- Singing at Sea – Southern Gospel music cruise
Jewish cruises
Mormon cruises
- Cruise Lady Latter-day Adventures
- Bountiful Travel – LDS Cruises
- Morris Murdock Escorted Cruise Tours
Adult cruises
- Desire cruises – Couples-only erotic cruises
- Temptation cruises – Sexy party cruises
- Bare Necessities – Nude cruises
LGBTQ+ cruises
- Atlantis – Gay cruises
- Olivia – Lesbian cruises
- Vacaya – LGBTQ+ cruises
- Brand G – LGBTQ+ river cruises
- Big Gay Cruise – Gay cruise
The Best Themed Cruises of the Past
There have been some incredible theme cruises over the years. The cruises listed below aren’t scheduled for 2023 and beyond, but take a look at some of the unusual cruises that people have loved…
Harry Potter cruise
The Harry Potter cruise was a seven-night all-inclusive cruise that called at filming locations from the Harry Potter movie series and included a behind-the-scenes tour of Warner Bros. Studios. The cruise happened in 2018, on an eight-passenger barge cruising along London’s River Thames.
Walking Dead themed cruise
There were four zombie-themed Walking Dead cruises between 2016 and 2019. Known as the Walker Stalker Cruise, these Caribbean cruises on Norwegian Pearl featured a team of make-up artists to help cruisers turn into zombies before taking part in outrageous activities. Stars of The Walking Dead tv series were onboard for photo and autograph sessions.
Knotfest at Sea
Fans of the heavy metal bank Slipknot were eagerly awaiting the first-ever Slipknot themed cruise – Knotfest at Sea in August 2020. The cruise on Norwegian Jade from Barcelona to Naples was postponed until 2021 and then sadly cancelled. It’s not known whether this even may ever take place in the future.
NASCAR: The Cruise
American auto racing fans enjoyed a five-night NASCAR themed cruise on Norwegian Pearl in 2017. This stock car themed cruise gave guests the chance to meet some of the biggest names in the sport, including Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace and Bobby Allison.
How to book a themed cruise
Just like concerts and festivals, themed cruises can sell out fast, so if you hear of a themed cruise that you’re interested in, you won’t want to hang around.
Depending on the cruise, there may be a specialist travel agent handling the bookings. Each theme cruise has its own website, so take a look at that to find the details of how to book your place.
FAQs about themed cruises
A themed cruise is when an itinerary includes activities and events linked to a certain hobby. It encourages like-minded people to come together to share their enjoyment of a theme. Themed cruises can be full ship takeovers or partial themes that run alongside regular itineraries.
Speciality cruises are planned around a certain element of travel. Unlike themed cruises that are based on any hobby, a speciality cruise is tailored to part of normal cruise life. It may be based on a destination or event like the Northern Lights, or a culinary cruise with guest chefs.
You don’t need a themed cruise to enjoy a great adults-only trip. Many ships and regular itineraries are designated for adults-only, so you can find a cruise ship and itinerary that suits you without the noise of a family holiday.
There has yet to be a Harry Potter cruise on an ocean cruise ship, although it is the type of hobby and interest that could certainly attract a themed cruise in future. In 2018, a small company held a Harry Potter river cruise in London for just 8 guests.
There is not a Universal cruise. However, you can book packages with Royal Caribbean that include a regular Bahamas or Caribbean cruise plus a 2-, 3- or 4-night stay at a Universal Orlando Resort and theme park admission.
More themed cruises?
Do you know of any more themed cruises to add to this list? Please comment below or email me at [email protected] and I will add them.
Related posts:
- The Best Music Cruises
- The Best Cruises For Singles To Hook Ip
- The Best Nude & Clothing-Optional Cruises
- What Do Pink Flamingos Mean?
I’m specifically looking for book themed cruises, but only found a literary festival cruise full of authors I’ve never heard of. Do you know of any others in 2024?
Can’t leave off the New Kids On The Block Cruise. Absolutely the best theme cruise ever. Sells out fast every year. They are on their 11th year. https://nkotbcruise.com/#!/
How did I miss this?! I added it, thank you!
One incorrect piece of information. The next Star Trek Cruise is not, repeat NOT a Caribbean cruise. All the previous one have been Caribbean cruises, but in 2023, they decided to change it up and it ship is sailing from the Port of Los Angeles, cruising to 3 port cities in Mexico.
I have been on the 2 most recent Star Trek Cruises, and they are an absolute blast!
Event run from about 9:00 AM until about 2:00 AM the next day. And you should see the costumes! Dozens of Star Trek actors will be aboard, from every series, as well as make up people, technical ‘behind the scenes’ people, and we are hoping some writers and producers will also show up this year.
Thanks so much for spotting that, Colin. I’ve updated it now. Appreciate your help! Jenni
Wow. Such a great list. All of these sound fun…except Knitting and genealogy…sorry. not my thing. BUT you definitely should look at:
The Ren Cruise http://www.therencruise.com
The Geek Boat
http://Www.thegeekboat.com
That Pineapple Cruise
http://Www.thatpineapplecruise.com
Thanks so much for adding these to the list!
Any trivia themed cruises? Each night could do a trivia contest which includes questions about the port/country just visited.
Good idea! I haven’t heard of one, but P&O Cruises usually have daily trivia around the pool and one or two quizzes in the pub each day as well. Jenni
Hi Jenni,
I saw a TransAtlantic cruise that was doing a Health and Wellness theme in Spring 2022 from Florida, but I can’t remember who….
Have you heard of it ??
If so, please send to me.
Thx
Brenda
Hi Brenda, I haven’t sorry, but if you find it I’d love to add it to this list. Jenni
Hey, you forgot to mention the Capital Jazz SuperCruise (https://www.capitaljazz.com/supercruise/official-site-of-the-supercruise/2022-talent-lineup/)
Thanks so much for drawing my attention to this one. I’ve just added it to the list. Jenni