Gone To Sea
GET THAT DISCO NAP IN EARLY BECAUSE THERE’S A WORLD---------------- OF NIGHTCLUBS TO HIT UP EVERY NIGHT.
Get that disco nap in early because there’s a world of nightclubs to hit up every night.
Not too long ago, a get-down, get-funky night of dancing to popular music was nearly unheard of aboard a cruise ship. A disco, if there even was one, was stashed away like an afterthought in the bowels of the ship or on the topmost deck so as not to offend passengers for whom “dancing” meant attempting to cha-cha to “The Girl from Ipanema” in the main lounge. In the late 1970s, the small, lackluster spaces. And for years, these mirrored glass icons warped vinyl copy of Saturday Night Fever or Starson45. How things have changed.
With cruise ships attracting a vastly younger demographic, nightclubs (the word “disco” seems to have faded away while I wasn’t looking) and their high-tech sound systems and professional disc jockeys are riding a powerful wave at sea. The music has morphed from the rock and disco tunes of the ’70s and ’80s to bass-thumping hip-hop and hypnotic techno played, most often, at ear-splitting volume. The humble disco ball was retired and has been replaced by an entertainment experi
ence, characterized by mesmerizing visuals like undulating light displays, programmable lasers, video walls, and outlandish theme décor. Cruising’s hottest new clubs are aboard ...
Virgin Voyages
It’s not surprising that a cruise line with origins dating back to the launch of the punkand new wave–driven Virgin Records would showcase today’s hottest sounds on its first cruise ship. Scarlet Lady brings with her The Manor, a two-deck space pierced with multi-colored beams of light and designed specifically for dance parties that rock into the wee hours. You’ll also find the revolutionary Red Room, a transformative space that can morph from a traditional theater to a flatfloor dance configuration just like that! But Virgin takes its dance parties ashore as well with The Beach Club at Bimini, the line’s private island, and its resident Deck DJ program that, on specialty sailings, features such renowned talents as Mark Ronson, Diplo, DJ MK, and Sofi Tukker.
Norwegian Cruise Line
A rainbow of pulsating LED lights, music videos transmitted on plasma screens, and a cast of eccentric characters melding with the high-energy crowd bring bliss to music lovers at Bliss Ultra Lounge aboard the ships of Norwegian. Think color-drenched, quirky, and lush with plenty of velvets, satins, billowing drapes, and spotlights. And Norwegian turns up the heat even higher with the White Hot Party (white attire, please!) where guests glow — literally — as they dance until dawn under dramatic black lights!
MSC Cruises
Enter another world of sound and spectacle at The Galaxy Lounge. This multi-functional space transforms from lavish supper club to dance oasis in the late evening, and the action — and music — doesn’t stop until the guests do. Located on Deck 16 of such ships as
MSC Preziosa and MSC Divina, The Galaxy Lounge offers spectacular views, though you might prefer sitting back and enjoying the room’s sophisticated mauve and chrome décor and its high-energy light show. If you like a little automotive with your nightlife, head to The Garage Club aboard MSC Seaside where classic cars, gas pumps, streetlights, vintage posters, and a whole lot of neon are served up along with the music.
The humble disco ball was retired and has been replaced by an entertainment experience.
Celebrity Cruises
When you don’t want the night to end on Celebrity Edge, head off to The Club, a two-deck celebration of lights, videos, and
heart-pumping music. Aboard Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Equi
nox, and Celebrity Eclipse, Quasar is the retro-chic choice for late-night partiers. Don’t miss those cool easy chair “swings” suspended from the ceiling; they’re the perfect place to sip a cocktail between songs.
Holland America Line
On numerous Holland America ships, cruisers can check out B.B. King’s Blues Club, its soulful B.B. King’s All-Star Band, and even enjoy a few specialty cocktails like the Lucille or the Rock Me Baby. Once the show is over, the DJ commands a late-night dance party. Classic rock fans might want to stroll down the Music Walk aboard Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam and pop into the Rolling Stone Rock Room, a new addition that features live performances of the best of four decades of rock ‘n’ roll.
Princess Cruises
After most cruisers have turned in for the night, Princess’ party-seekers head to Skywalkers, the star-themed dance club located at the top of the ship. Grab a drink from the bar — specials at this late-night haunt are frequent — or step on to the illuminated dance floor to work off that gooey chocolate dessert.
Royal Caribbean International
While many Royal Caribbean fans still mourn the end of The Crypt, the haunting and cavernous nightclub aboard Freedom of the Seas, a number of Royal Caribbean ships boast the nearly alfresco (depending upon the position of the retractable roof) Club Twenty, with electronic music sets created by the disc jockeys of New York City’s celebrated Scratch DJ Academy, living statues, and pulsing lights and colors. Expect extravagance, a South Beach atmosphere, and plenty of surprises!
No matter what ship you sail, if you and your partner can’t agree on a single musical genre, the “silent disco” may be the answer. Offered by many major cruise lines, partiers don flashing earphones that may be programmed to one of a number of different types of music, letting you get down one way while he or she grooves another. (Musically, the only thing you’ll have to share is the dance floor!)
Of course, some of us older dance fans would prefer to forego the latest trends and rock to the classics of the British rock invasion, Motown, and traditional disco. Fortunately, today’s cruise lines still celebrate those genres as well — they just do so a bit earlier in the evening.
No matter what ship you sail, if you and your partner can’t agree on a single musical genre, the “silent disco” may be the answer.