Ever been curious what goes on during a “theme cruise?” It seems every hobby or interest these days has an associated theme cruise. The Country Music Cruise. The NASCAR Cruise. There has even been a Dancing with the Stars Cruise. As a longtime cruiser AND a huge fan of ’80s music and movies, I decided to find out for myself this year by hopping on board the inaugural The ’80s Cruise, a seven-day voyage on the Holland America Eurodam that included 10 bands from the ’80s, three original MTV veejays and 2,000 fellow ’80s fans.
What did I learn? Let me share some tips with you culled from my experience and from tips from fellow ‘80s cruise passengers.
BRING SOME SWAG TO SIGN
And a Sharpie. Celebrities and musicians alike are usually happen to sign album covers, photos, books or whatever else you’ve collected over the years. And while some artists did bring merchandise you could purchase (and then get signed), it’s always more fun to have them sign your original album from 1984, isn’t it?
DECIDE ON PRIORITIES
You can’t do everything on a theme cruise. Each hour of the day might have two or three different event or concerts. On The ‘80s Cruise, guests sometimes had to choose from an wine tasting with an MTV veejay or an ‘80s trivia contest or a session of Giant Twister on the pool deck. Most bands on the cruise played twice, so if you missed their pre-dinner concert in the show lounge, you could catch them another day during a midnight performance. Enjoy the moment you’re in.
PLAN SOME TIME TO RELAX … AFTER THE CRUISE
A theme cruise is an adventure more than a vacation. Seven nights of concerts, late night dance parties, early morning aerobics dressed like Jane Fonda and excursions with your idols can leave a guest weary. Take an extra day off from work and use that time to go through your hundreds of photos, do a ton of laundry and to start planning next year’s theme cruise.
