Cruise ships are the new conventions for TV and film
Cruising is reinventing itself to offer passengers world class facilities, accommodation and activities. Now, cruises are offering passengers to hop on board to experience conventions for the best TV and film titles.
Earlier this year, the first official Star Trek: The Cruise sailed with passengers having the rare opportunity to travel William Shatner who played Captain Kirk in the saga. Fans had the opportunity to talk with the actor about anything including physics, global warming and his experiences on set. Reportedly, he was required by his contract to pose for one photo per cabin.
Popular zombie show The Walking Dead held a cruise where 2,500 fans came on board with actors Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean and other cast members of the series. The cruise involved three days of Q&A sessions, panels and parties. The Walker Stalker Cruise is in its second year of running.
TV themed cruises are also becoming increasingly popular with home-design show Property Brothers holding a cruise that sold out almost straight away. Lip Sync Battle has even gotten on the bandwagon, creating an experience where passengers can experience an authentic recreation of the show. Oprah Winfrey’s magazine even has its own cruise with the Holland America Line.
Fan cruises appeared in the 1990s and are especially popular for music stars (including the Backstreet Boys). These cruise conventions set themselves apart as they give fans to have an intimate experience with the story world and stars that they love. Pop-culture conventions such as Comic Con are hard to get into as there is such a high demand of fans who want to attend.
Fan cruises are generally organised by outside production companies who book ships during off seasons. As fans are more interested in the experience being offered to them, rather than the destination they are going to, they are happy to pay a greater price to go on board.
Bloomberg reported that the 2,300 fans who attended the Star Trek cruise paid an average fare of $2,400 per person. This price is double Norwegian Cruise Line’s price in January.
Although they cost a lot, TV and film cruises offer a hyper-reality holiday that is hard to find anywhere else.
Would you go on a TV or film convention cruise? Let us know in the comments below.