Special Interest Cruises
Theme cruises built around what you love — music, food and wine, learning, hobbies and the people who share them.
Get a Theme Cruise QuoteWhat Is a Special Interest Cruise?
A special interest cruise — often called a theme cruise — is a voyage built around something you love. The ship, the ports and the sea days are still there, but the program onboard is shaped by a shared passion: a genre of music, a cuisine, a hobby, a field of study or a community of like-minded people.
Theme cruises come in two basic forms. Some are full-ship charters, where an organizer rents the entire ship and every guest aboard is there for the same reason — a rock festival at sea, for example. Others are theme groups sailing on a regular cruise: a block of cabins reserved by a club, a host or a tour company, with private events for the group while the rest of the ship carries on with an ordinary vacation. Many cruise lines also run their own themed sailings or permanent enrichment programs, such as guest lecturers, cooking classes or wine tastings, that any passenger can join.
The difference matters when you book. A full-ship charter usually has its own pricing, its own booking rules and a schedule that runs from breakfast to the small hours. A group block lets you mix a themed program with everything a regular cruise offers. A line-run program is the lightest touch of all. This site explains each type so you can pick the one that fits.
Explore Theme Cruises by Interest
Music Cruises
Rock, jazz, country, pop and big band: concerts on deck, artist meet-and-greets and late-night jam sessions.
Music cruises →
Food & Wine Cruises
Hosted wine tastings, chef demonstrations, hands-on cooking classes and shore tours to markets and vineyards.
Food and wine →
Learning & Enrichment
Lecturers, historians, naturalists and cultural performers who bring each port to life.
Learning at sea →
Hobby & Interest Cruises
Photography, wellness, dance, card and poker tournaments, crafts and more.
Hobby cruises →
Charters & Theme Groups
How organizers fill a whole ship, or a block of cabins, around one theme — and how to start your own.
How theme cruises are organized →Why People Choose a Theme Cruise
- Instant community. Everyone aboard (or everyone in your group) shares your interest, so conversations start easily at dinner, at the bar and on shore.
- Access you can’t get on land. Performers, chefs, authors and experts are on the same ship for days, often in small-room settings.
- More happening every day. A theme program fills sea days with sessions, workshops, concerts and tastings on top of the ship’s normal entertainment.
- Simple logistics. Your hotel, meals and venue move with you. Unpack once and enjoy several destinations.
- A trip with a purpose. Many guests sail the same theme cruise year after year and plan vacations around it.
Things to Know Before You Book
Charters sell out
Popular full-ship charters often sell most cabins to returning guests and fan-club members first. If a theme cruise matters to you, ask about it early.
Booking rules differ
A charter organizer sets its own deposit, payment and cancellation terms, which can be stricter than the cruise line’s standard rules. Read them before you pay.
Line-up changes happen
Performers, speakers and chefs are announced in advance but can change. Book because you like the overall theme, not for one name alone.
Regular cruises have themes too
Many lines include enrichment talks, cooking demonstrations and dance classes on ordinary sailings. You may not need a dedicated theme cruise at all.
Not sure which kind of theme cruise suits you? Tell our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise what you enjoy, when you can travel and who is coming. They will look at line-run programs, group blocks and charters and come back with options and free quotes.
Who Is Behind This Site
Special Interest Cruises is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →
Find a Cruise Built Around Your Passion
Tell us your interest — music, food, learning or a hobby — and our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will send free quotes on matching sailings.
Get a Theme Cruise Quote