From Strictly to Star Trek: four quirky cruises for 2020

There are so many cruises in the world, it stands to reason that there are some with quite specific interests.

By Ben Lerwill
Published 26 Nov 2019, 06:00 GMT
In recent years, special interest cruises have seen everything from Britpop sailings to Amsterdam, to electro ...
In recent years, special interest cruises have seen everything from Britpop sailings to Amsterdam, to electro rave-ups in the Med.
Photograph by Tuke Photography

The arch, witty pop songs of cult Scottish band Belle & Sebastian are well suited to the Glasgow streets where they were written — but the tunes travel well, too. In August, 2,500 of their fans joined the band’s Boaty Weekender cruise aboard Norwegian Pearl, a sailing from Barcelona to Sardinia that doubled as an onboard family music festival, with a (literally) rolling line-up of indie acts.

Floating festivals are nothing new. Recent years have seen everything from Britpop sailings to Amsterdam to electro rave-ups in the Med. And music is just one of dozens of special interests now catered for by the cruise industry.

1. Star Trek: The Cruise IV: 1-8 March 2020
This seven-day voyage on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas departs from Miami, Florida, and takes in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. It should keep Trekkies wide-eyed, with William Shatner among the dozens of stars on board. Beam us up. (Waiting list only.)

2. Sounds of the 60s on The Rhine: four sailings in 2020
Saga’s five-night Rhine cruise offers live 1960s music nightly as you twist-and-shout through the Netherlands and Germany. The trip also includes various excursions, ranging from wine tasting to a tour of Bonn. Price includes coach travel via Eurotunnel or ferry. From £849 per person.

3. London Theatre Transatlantic Crossing: 13-20 May 2020
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 has a transatlantic crossing with a difference in May, when it sails from New York to Southampton with Olivier Award-winning talent giving performances, lectures and workshops. There’s also a West End choir. From £1,329 per person.

4. Strictly Come Dancing Cruise: 20-27 June 2020
This weeklong cha-cha-charter from Southampton is one of four Strictly-themed sailings planned for next year and will feature everything from dance displays and familiar faces to lessons. The itinerary sees P&O Cruises’ MV Britannia call at Vigo, Porto and Lisbon. From £749 per person.

Published in the Cruise guide, distributed with the December 2019 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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