The Jacksons, Kool & The Gang, KC and the Sunshine Band, Studio 54 legend DJ Robbie Leslie, and other blasts from the past are setting sail on the Ultimate Disco Cruise this February 26 through March 3 2021, and you’re invited!
Departing from Miami, the Ultimate Disco Cruise visits Cozumel and Costa Maya on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula sailing onboard the luxurious Celebrity Summit turned into a giant immersive floating discotheque with a nonstop disco soundtrack. It’s a giant party with great music, great food and drinks, and the best of folks to help you dance the night away.
The Ultimate Disco Cruise is one of several fully immersive cruise experiences from StarVista Live. Their other themed cruise experiences include Soul Train Cruise, Flower Power Cruise, ‘70s Rock and Romance Cruise, and Abbey Road on the River Festival.
Out Traveler spoke with Ultimate Disco Cruise executive producer Alan Rubens to discuss the all the experiences offered by StarVista Live, as well as the highlights of his upcoming disco at sea cruise and why you might just need to put on your dancing shoes for some boogie nights at sea this February.
How do you identify and what pronoun do you use?
I identify as a male and my pronouns are he/him/his.
Can you tell us a little about how you got involved with the Ultimate Disco Cruise?
I had the original idea for our company, Direct Holdings, to start a theme cruise business in 2008. We started with our Malt Shop Memories cruise in 2010 – we have now sailed 10 of those. Due to the enthusiasm of the customers and how well the experience was received, we decided to expand and launch more themes. We have since launched a Country Music Cruise, a Soul Train Cruise, a Flower Power Cruise and a ’70’s Rock and Romance Cruise. All of these cruises sail once a year, except of course during the pandemic this past year. As the executive producer of many of those cruises, we thought the next exciting cruise that would find a strong fan base and would be an unbelievably wonderful experience would be the magic of disco. I had a vision of bringing that music and the whole social phenomenon of disco to a cruise ship, so we could all celebrate that time period and be filled with that special sauce that the era brought to all of us. We sailed the first Ultimate Disco Cruise in 2019 and are thrilled to be sailing again in February 2022.
Evelyn Champagne King
Why do you think the disco cruise is was so successful?
The music is happy, fun and filled with great memories. Many of these legendary disco artists continue to put on great live performances, and who would not want to dance, smile and stay up late in a disco for five days and re-live that magic!
We know that people travel for beautiful locations and delicious food, but a growing number of people are traveling to experience music. Why do you think that's such a draw?
To me, music is all about the memories it brings back-what you were doing, who you were with and how those songs made you feel then and still do today. It's also about making wonderful new memories. For longtime disco fans, this is a great way to revisit a special moment in music and time, and share that experience with 2,000 like-minded fans, and some of many great artists who provided the soundtrack for that era, all while on a wonderful vacation cruise. We also love welcoming new fans who are discovering disco. It's a great way to experience the music and meet the icons of the genre.
Scenes from the first disco cruise
Can you tell us a little about your passengers?
Our disco cruise has the widest, most diverse passengers of all our cruises, from different age groups to geographic locations, including American, European, and South American fans who travel for the cruise and both straight and members of the LGBTQIA community. In general, they tend to be fun-loving disco music fans (whether longtime or newly minted) who want to see great performances and enjoy the best party on the high seas.
What brings fans back multiple years in a row?
The fantastic fun they had, the memories they re-lived, the new ones they've just made and the glow they feel from being part of something very special!
The Ultimate Disco Cruise sets sail from Miami, Fla., February 26 through March 3, 2022. Cabins start at $1,649 per person. The price includes all meals (except specialty restaurants) and entry into all events and concerts. You can check out the full lineup of entertainment, learn more about the Ultimate Disco Cruise, and book your reservation at ultimatediscocruise.com
