The Best Themed Cruises for 2027 (and Beyond)

Themed cruises are sailings built around one shared interest, such as a band, a TV franchise, a sport, food and wine, or a decade of music. In 2027 the busiest calendar is in the Caribbean, where Star Trek, 80s pop, classic rock, country, EDM, Broadway and heavy metal events have already announced their dates. Some are full-ship charters run by a festival organiser. Others are special voyages run by the cruise line itself.

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Below you’ll find the themed cruises we could confirm for late 2026 and 2027, along with an explanation of how charter cruises work. Charter terms are very different from a normal cruise booking, so it’s worth reading that part before you pay a deposit.

What is a themed cruise?

A themed cruise swaps the usual onboard programme for one focused on a single interest. On a music charter that means several stages of live sets from morning until late at night. A fan cruise usually has panels, autograph sessions and costume nights, and on a food or wine voyage you can expect chef demonstrations, tastings and talks. You still get the ship’s restaurants, pools and ports of call. The difference is that almost everyone on board is there for the same reason, and for many guests that shared audience is the main appeal.

There are two main types of themed cruise:

• Full-ship charters. An outside promoter, such as Sixthman, On The Blue or Entertainment Cruise Productions, books the whole ship and sells the cabins under its own brand. The theme runs across the entire ship. Norwegian Cruise Line warns that its regular theatre shows and game shows are suspended on these sailings.
• Cruise line event voyages and group sailings. The cruise line adds themed content to a normal sailing. Examples include Cunard’s arts voyages on Queen Mary 2, Virgin Voyages’ Halloween and True Crime sailings, and seasonal events on Royal Caribbean and Disney. On a partial group sailing, the organiser holds a block of cabins and runs private events while other passengers take a regular cruise.

Themed cruises 2027: confirmed sailings at a glance

Every sailing in the table below had been announced by its organiser or cruise line as of October 2026. Line-ups, ports and prices can change, so check the organiser’s own site before you book.

Still to come in late 2026

If you’d like to sail sooner, Norwegian Cruise Line lists several charters from Miami for the rest of 2026. They include Headbangers Boat (30 October to 3 November on Norwegian Jewel), Chefs Making Waves with Bobby Flay and Friends (6–11 November on Norwegian Joy), Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling (7–11 November on Norwegian Jewel) and Bert Kreischer’s comedy cruise Fully Loaded at Sea (19–23 November on Norwegian Jewel). In Europe, saxophonist Dave Koz’s SOMMA luxury music cruise sails on Silversea’s all-suite Silver Nova from Athens (Piraeus) on 6 November 2026. It’s a seven-day Adriatic itinerary via Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar to Venice. Most of these late-2026 sailings are likely to be sold out or close to it, so ask the organiser about waitlists.

Best themed cruises by interest

Music festivals at sea

Most themed cruises are music charters. Sixthman, the Atlanta-based promoter behind The Rock Boat and Cayamo, has run these festivals for more than two decades, and On The Blue organises Monsters of Rock and a classic rock and yacht rock cruise. For decade-themed nostalgia, the 80s Cruise and Rock Legends Cruise are both in February 2027. EDM fans have Groove Cruise and the jam-band crowd has Jam Cruise. In the UK, Ambassador Cruise Line has run decades-themed and country music sailings from British ports, which suits passengers who would rather not fly to Miami. Check the line’s current programme for future dates.

Fan conventions and pop culture

Star Trek: The Cruise has been running for about a decade. Its tenth sailing, in February 2027, moves to Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas from New Orleans and calls at Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay. Disney Cruise Line has seasonal programming such as Halloween on the High Seas on most of its ships. Virgin Voyages, which is adults-only, has a True Crime Voyage on 20 March 2027. One fan favourite has come ashore: KISS Kruise is now “KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas”, a land-based event held in November 2026.

Food, wine and culture

If you’d rather have tasting menus than mosh pits, look at cruise lines that build themed programmes into their own voyages. Cunard has four event voyages on Queen Mary 2 in 2027: Dance the Atlantic with English National Ballet (16–23 July), a National Symphony Orchestra crossing (1–8 October), Theatre at Sea with the Olivier Awards (20–27 October) and a Literature Festival at Sea (2–9 December). Norwegian Cruise Line’s Chefs Making Waves series goes to Alaska on Norwegian Jade from 21 to 28 September 2027. River lines such as Uniworld and Avalon run wine itineraries and Christmas market sailings.

Sports, comedy and once-in-a-lifetime events

Comedy charters are growing, Bert Kreischer’s included. Chris Jericho’s wrestling and rock cruise is also back. Golf cruises pair a luxury ship with tee times ashore, and Royal Caribbean holds a Super Bowl watch party at sea, which it calls The Ultimate Tailgate, on 14 February 2027. One unusual sailing stands out: Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady sails from Barcelona from 28 July to 8 August 2027, an itinerary timed for the total solar eclipse over Spain and North Africa on 2 August.

How themed charters differ from a regular cruise

This section matters most before you book. A full-ship charter is a product sold by the promoter, not by the cruise line, and that changes several things:

1. You book through the organiser. Charter cabins are sold on the event’s own website or through its approved agents. You usually can’t book them on the cruise line’s site. Cruise line loyalty perks, onboard credit offers and price matching often don’t apply.
2. Pricing is per person and usually bundled. Fares tend to include the concerts or events, and some include drinks packages or gratuities. Charters often cost noticeably more than the same ship’s regular fare for the same dates, because you’re paying for the line-up. Deposits are often due early, with the balance due several months before sailing.
3. Refund terms are stricter. Many charters have non-refundable deposits and their own cancellation schedules. Artists can change, and an organiser usually won’t refund you because a headliner pulls out. Read the terms carefully and think about travel insurance that covers cancellation for any reason you are allowed to claim for.
4. The ship runs differently. The usual entertainment is replaced, music often goes on into the early hours, and cabins near outdoor stages can be noisy. Some charters are adults-only or have age policies that the regular ship doesn’t.
5. They sell out fast. Popular events often sell most cabins to returning guests during priority booking windows. Joining the organiser’s mailing list is often the only realistic way to get a good cabin.

A cruise line event voyage, like Cunard’s or Virgin’s, is booked the normal way. The line’s usual fares, offers and cancellation rules apply, so it is the lower-risk way to try a themed cruise. For current fares on regular sailings, see our guide to the best cruise deals for 2027.

How to choose the right themed cruise

• Decide how much theme you want. On a full charter you’re immersed in the theme all day. An event voyage on a regular sailing gives you a few themed highlights alongside a normal cruise.
• Check the guest profile. Some events are lively and go on late into the night, while cultural voyages are calmer. Adult-only travellers can compare the options in our round-up of the best adults-only cruise lines.
• Look at community cruises too. Many of the most social themed cruises are built around a community, not a band. Our guide to the most fun gay and LGBTQ+ cruises covers charters and group sailings in that space.
• Allow a buffer for travel. Most US charters leave from Miami, New Orleans or Los Angeles. Fly in the day before, because a ship won’t wait for a delayed flight.

Adults-only lifestyle charters are a separate niche, covered in our guide to swingers cruises.

If live music is the theme you care about most, our guide to the best music cruises for 2027 lists the rock, country, jazz and festival charters with confirmed sailings.

FAQs

What are the best themed cruises for 2027?

Confirmed highlights include Star Trek: The Cruise X (February, Mariner of the Seas), the 80s Cruise (February to March, Mariner of the Seas), Rock Legends Cruise 14, Outlaw Country Cruise 11, The Broadway Cruise 4, Monsters of Rock (May, from Los Angeles) and Cunard’s Theatre at Sea on Queen Mary 2 in October.

Are themed cruises more expensive than regular cruises?

Full-ship charters usually cost more than a regular fare on the same ship because the concerts or events are included. Event voyages run by the cruise line, such as Cunard’s arts crossings, are generally priced like normal sailings.

Can I cancel a themed cruise charter and get a refund?

That depends on the organiser’s terms. They are often stricter than the cruise line’s, with non-refundable deposits and no refund if performers change. Check the cancellation schedule before paying and consider suitable travel insurance.

Do regular passengers sail on a themed cruise?

On a full-ship charter, no: every guest booked through the organiser. On a partial group sailing or a cruise line event voyage, themed guests share the ship with regular passengers.