This originally appeared on The Huffington Post.
Have you ever wanted to spend a day in the middle of the ocean on a boat hanging out with other Star Wars fans? I’ll be honest, I wasn’t aware that this was a thing I wanted until Disney invited me to go on their cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy to experience what their “Star Wars Day At Sea” offered.
Having never been on a cruise before, I had no idea what to expect. I really wasn’t aware of how regimented the life on a cruise ship was, and how busy it was, and how much there would be to do.
For Star Wars fans, there’s something Star Wars to do every day of the cruise. My first full day aboard the ship, I got to watch Episode IV, and every day thereafter I was able to catch at least most of every single Star Wars movie. Seeing Star Wars movies on the big screen is worth the price of admission on its own, but Star Wars Day at Sea brought so much more.
Naturally, since Star Wars is involved, there is definitely an element of exclusive merchandise and food that you can only get aboard the ship. I spoke to two members of the Disney Fantasy team about those two aspects of the cruise and it was recorded for posterity here:
Another aspect were all of the events that happened. There was a classic Disney fireworks show set to the music of John Williams, Jedi Training for the kids, and even pub-quiz style Star Wars trivia events. There were costume contests for fans of all ages and, since it’s Disney, there was no shortage of Disney cast members dressed in full Star Wars regalia. Everyone from Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett to Captain Phasma and Zam Wessel were represented.
To talk to me about the events on the ship was Tony Giordano, and you can see that here:
Perhaps the thing I loved most about Star Wars Day at Sea was the sense of community. I felt like I was floating aboard a welcoming and inclusive Star Wars convention in the middle of the ocean. There were kids and adults aboard the ship of all ages reveling in Star Wars. That’s something I need as often as I can get it. I like not being the center of attention for being “the Star Wars guy.” Being on the Disney Fantasy while they had their Star Wars Day at Sea made me feel like I was part of the community I’d want to be in all the time.
Actually, the thing I did love most about the cruise was winning the Star Wars trivia contest. But that’s the great thing about this cruise. There’s something for every level of Star Wars fan to do and I didn’t hear one bit of the division that sometimes plagues the Star Wars fandom. I even spent an entire evening on the deck in my Jar Jar Binks necktie and got nothing but compliments and thumbs up.
The Star Wars Day at Sea sails on 15 Disney cruises each year. There are still 2017 sailings and a number of sailings have been announced for the 2018 season. If you’re a Star Wars fan and interested in a cruise, there really isn’t a better option.