Throwback to the 80s with your pop idols for music festival on water W
Aasma Day gets into the party groove with stars of yesteryear for this floating spectacular on board a cruise ship
hen people are youngsters, they feel a desperate need to grow up quickly. Yet when they reach the heady heights of adulthood, they often find themselves yearning for childhood pleasures.
In moments of nostalgia, I find myself harking back to my teenage years when the music, fashion and silly laughter brought so much pleasure to life.
Fancy dress is something you just don’t get enough opportunities to wear as a grown-up, and I sometimes petulantly find myself thinking “why do kids get all the fun?”
When it comes to live music, adults are also shortchanged. What if you want to enjoy a music festival consisting of your favourite acts – but don’t want to rough it in a tent or trample knee-deep in mud?
The answer to my dreams came in luxurious ship-shaped form when I boarded the Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas for the inaugural 80s Throwback cruise for a three-night seaborne adventure.
Being 80s music fans, you can imagine the palpable excitement experienced by my friend and I when we realised we would be sharing a ship with iconic acts including The Human League, OMD, Erasure’s Andy Bell, Chesney Hawkes, Sonia … and not forgetting Jason Donovan, who we both used to have a massive teenage crush on!
As well as experiencing the cheesy yet fun music of your youth on Throwback, you get the chance to mingle and rub shoulders with the idols of yesteryear as they’re onboard for the whole ride. Many were happy to chat and have selfies taken. Floating Festivals’ Throwback 80s Festival at Sea is the brainchild of cruise entertainment expert Jonathan Blackburn and is supported by a unique partnership with Royal Caribbean and leading live music promoters Cuffe and Taylor.
The party-fuelled three-night round trip included a full day in picturesque Bruges, where we enjoyed a sightseeing and beer tasting trip coupled with the chance to buy some delicious Belgian chocolates.
But there were so many fantastically fun activities on the ship that those who chose not to leave for land were easily forgiven.
For us, it was the little touches and attention to detail that made the whole experience so magical.
This wasn’t just a cruise with music acts in the evening, but a celebration of all things 80s and a music festival without any mud or a welly boot in sight.
Everywhere you went, you’d hear nostalgic 80s tunes being played, see 80s movies on the big screens and get to enjoy theme nights, including Rocky Horror vs Pretty In Pink and I Love Lycra. You could even join in 80s trivia quizzes and karaoke. So much thought went into everything related to the era down to the hanging props of Space Hoppers, giant cassettes and Rubik’s cubes. When it came to fancy dress, people truly got into the spirit with some dazzlingly colourful, flamboyant and spectacu- lar creations. There’s no need to worry about being too over the top as the only people who got strange looks were those not in fancy dress.
In between all the 80s mayhem, there’s plenty of pampering and sporting activities. If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s a FlowRider surf simulator and a rock climbing wall.
However, we contented ourselves with a luxurious Swedish massage and a dip in a relaxing whirlpool.
You get the chance to mingle with your idols as they’re onboard for the whole ride