Gone are the days of just playing shuffleboard with elderly folks and overeating until you’re sure the ship is going sink under your weight. Modern-day cruising is now targeting demographics so diverse — from cat lovers to music fiends to poker junkies — that there’s little chance a traveler will ever again encounter that outdated stereotype (unless they want to).
These seven cruises prove that when it comes to cruising, there is truly something for everyone.
Along the Viking Trail Cruise
By the hammer of Thor, history and mythology buffs will nerd out on this journey from Lindblad Expeditions that follows in the footsteps of 10th-century Viking explorers.
Traveling from Iceland to Greenland beginning July 19, guests tour important Viking sites and settlements; meet locals who have maintained Scandinavian traditions; and learn about the evolution of the area’s history and culture. Adventure like a Norse seafarer with options such as Zodiac cruises in fjords, kayaking among icebergs and hiking across the Greenland tundra.
www.expeditions.com
Carnival Live
Don’t stop believin’ in cruisin’. With Carnival Cruise Lines’ annual concert series, this year guests can enjoy tunes from artists such as Journey, Smokey Robinson, Rascal Flatts or Little Big Town while they sail the eastern Caribbean, western Caribbean or the Bahamas.
Past concerts have featured performers such as Styx, Kansas, Martina McBride, Foreigner, Chicago, Olivia Newton-John and more. Dates for concert cruises run through June.
www.carnival.com
Ghost Hunter’s Cruise
Paranormal activity awaits those who dare to seek out the unknown with the seven-day Ghost Hunter’s Cruise. This voyage onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic explores the most historic and paranormally-active locations in the western Caribbean, including Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico.
Special guests onboard include Barry Fitzgerald and Karl Pfeiffer, paranormal investigators on reality show “Ghost Hunters International,” and Sarah Lemos, a psychic medium. All paranormal investigations, seminars and ghost-hunting expeditions are included.
If you missed this cruise, which departed Miami on March 1, there’s more spooky fun available from the operator, including ongoing cruises (dates TBA), as well as Paranormal Ireland and Scotland tours this summer.
www.ghosthuntercruise.com
Meow Meow Cruise
Cat lovers unite on this four-night Caribbean trip from Cruise Planners onboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Victory. Though furry friends unfortunately cannot join their owners on the excursion, the cruise brings together feline-philes for events such as scavenger hunts, karaoke, gambling and mixers.
This year’s trip departed Miami on Feb. 26 and visited Key West and Cozumel. But, don’t worry if you missed it: Next year’s second-annual cruise is already in the works, and its date will be locked in soon.
www.cruiseplanners.com
www.meowmeowcruise.com
Psychics Unleashed Cruise
Awaken some spirits and find what your future holds on Theme Cruises Australia’s Psychics Unleashed cruise. Top psychics from Australia and New Zealand, including Julie McKenzie, Kelvin Cruickshank, Michael Wheeler and Maria Elita, will be onboard Carnival Cruise Line’s (aptly named) Carnival Spirit to hold live readings and workshops for guests interested in otherworldly matters.
Private readings can be pre-booked, and the cruise departs May 19 from Sydney.
www.themecruisesaustralia.com
Soul Train Cruise
Groove with soul, funk and R&B superstars such as Smokey Robinson, Billy Ocean, The Whispers, Stephanie Mills and The O’Jays on Soul Train Cruise. In addition to live, nightly performances, guests onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation will enjoy activities such as artist meet-and-greets, dance lessons from original “Soul Train” dancers, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and costume parties, as well as onshore excursions in the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
This year’s trip set sail in February, but bookings are already available for next year’s sailing, which departs Jan. 30, 2016, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
www.soultraincruise.com
World Poker Tour Cruise
It’s high stakes on the high seas onboard Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas for the fourth-annual World Poker Tour (WPT) Cruise. Activities include freeroll tournaments exclusively for attendees, a high roller tournament, cash games and daily sit-and-go tournaments, as well as photo and autograph sessions with cast members from the “World Poker Tour” television series associated with WPT’s international tournaments.
The cruise departs Sept. 27 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and visits Puerto Rico, St. Maarten and St. Kitts.
www.worldpokertourcruise.com
