The best themed cruises to book in 2025 & 2026
Whether you’re into classic rock or haute couture, these incredible themed cruises will ensure your holiday is packed with personality.
Looking for a cruise that offers something a bit more exciting than simply sun, shuffleboard and a seafood buffet?
Enter the themed cruise. Once a niche outlet for weird fandoms and tired tribute bands, this quirky corner of the cruising world is now fully mainstream. The best themed cruises rewrite the rules, buzzing with music, high fashion, pop culture and wellness – from Klingons to couture, it’s never been easier to find your people at sea.
Here’s your guide to the coolest themed cruises for 2025.
Manifest happiness – Soulshine at Sea
- Date: 4–8 November 2025
- Ship: Norwegian Jewel
- Route: Miami to Cozumel
Curated by musician Michael Franti, this spiritually nourishing wellness cruise blends live bands, yoga, workshops and conscious community vibes. It’s equal parts festival and retreat, with spontaneous dance parties and heart-expanding meditation sessions. Talk about chill wave.
Drop the mic – Rock the Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience
- Date: 27–31 October 2025
- Ship: Norwegian Pearl
- Route: Miami to Great Stirrup Cay
Founded by hip-hop legend LL Cool J, this four-night floating fiesta assembles giants of the genre – think Xzibit, DJ Jazzy Jeff and GZA – for concerts, panels, rap battles and block parties at sea. Or should that be deck parties?
This is a celebration of hip-hop culture in all its many forms – music, dance, style, and storytelling. Perfect, if you like big boats and you cannot lie.
Turn the page – Queen Mary 2’s Literature Festival at Sea
- Date: 8–15 December 2025
- Ship: Queen Mary 2
- Route: New York to Southampton
In partnership with The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, this cerebral sailing invites readers to spend a mind-expanding week with an elite crew of bestselling authors, poets, playwrights and pundits.
Expect literary salons, Q&As, book signings and high-minded debate – very novel.
Step to it – Dance the Atlantic
- Date: 8–15 August 2025
- Ship: Queen Mary 2
- Route: Southampton to New York
For those who love to cut a rug, this elegant transatlantic crossing pairs old-school oceangoing grandeur with the noble art of dance. Cunard’s English National Ballet partnership brings classes, performances and behind-the-scenes insights – all wrapped in the five-star service of Queen Mary 2.
Whether you're waltzing your heart out, or sipping Champagne as professionals pirouette past, this is cruising at its most refined. And you’re certain to get your steps in.
Rock around the mistletoe – The Hallmark Christmas Cruise
- Date: 6–10 November 2025
- Ship: Norwegian Gem
- Route: Miami to Cozumel
If you love Christmas – and honestly, who doesn’t – this is your happy place. Full of festive fun, cookie decorating, carol singalongs and easy-on-the-eye Hallmark Channel stars, this voyage also boasts an exclusive screening of a new Christmas movie from the company.
Snap selfies with the choicest Hallmark hunks, attend jingle-bell mixers and unleash your inner elf over cocktails. Prepare to get very merry indeed.
Relive your big hair era – The 80s Cruise
- Date: 27 February–6 March 2026
- Ship: Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas
- Route: Port Canaveral to Nassau, Falmouth and Labadee
The cruise that puts the "rad" in "radar" is back for its tenth anniversary. Bigger and brassier than ever, The 80s Cruise is a full week of wall-to-wall nostalgia. Expect nightly concerts from actual 80s stars – previous acts have included the Human League, Soft Cell and Ray Parker Jr. – with poolside dance-offs, neon-flecked theme nights, and more legwarmers than you can shake a glowstick at.
There’s even a costume contest, so don’t be shy – don your loudest shirt and dance like it’s 1985.
Go where no cruise has gone before – Star Trek: The Cruise IX
- Date: 20–27 February 2026
- Ship: Adventure of the Seas
- Route: Port Canaveral to Puerto Plata, San Juan and CocoCay
Hailing all Trekkies: your dream voyage is leaving space dock. For one glorious week, this ship transforms into a floating Starfleet convention, complete with appearances from franchise cast members, themed panels, trivia contests, and yes, Klingon karaoke.
If you’ve ever wanted to drink Romulan ale at sea, debate the Prime Directive in a hot tub, or dress in full Borg regalia with the blessing of the collective, this is your ship. Set faces to stunned.
Get loud – Headbangers Boat
- Date: 31 October–4 November 2025
- Ship: Norwegian Jewel
- Route: Miami to Cozumel
Warning: may cause spontaneous moshing. Hosted by metal giants Lamb of God, this lively and, frankly, loud cruise is a riotous mix of gigs, professionally judged drum-offs and fan-favourite Q&As. Expect full-volume chaos and probably the hardest-hitting Halloween costume competition at sea.
Not for the faint of heart – or the quiet of cabin.
Dance away the decades – The Flower Power Cruise
- Date: 28 Mar – 4 Apr 2026
- Ship: Celebrity Silhouette
- Route: Fort Lauderdale to St. Thomas & St. Kitts
Peace, love and singalong tunes reign supreme on this groovy week at sea. With a line-up including The Beach Boys, Tommy James & The Shondells and Micky Dolenz, it’s a rose-tinted trip back in time to your hippie heyday.
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.
Strut into style – Transatlantic Fashion Week
- Date: 31 October–7 November 2025
- Ship: Queen Mary 2
- Route: New York to Southampton
If your packing cubes (got to love them) contain more couture than comfy cargo pants, this one’s for you. Featuring runway shows, fashion talks and appearances from industry royalty – design king Christian Siriano is aboard this year – it’s high fashion, on the high seas.
Fashionably late is still a faux pas, FYI.
