Fancy spending a few nights away with your favourite 80s pin-up or stage star? Jane McGowan discovers a new concept of cruising
Michel Verdure
Navigator of the Seas
It comes to us all. Your Glasto phase is well and truly behind you, and no matter how you may reminisce about the heady days of tents and trance, your idea of a holiday nowadays comprises dipping your toes into the cool blue of an infinity pool – not spending hours on end up to your waist in, well, waste.
But wait. Camberley-based company Blackburn International has come up with Floating Festivals: quite possibly the perfect vacation for all us former 24-hour party people who still have a bit of spring in our step.
“We’ve been in the industry for many years providing entertainment for the various cruise lines,” explains agent Jonathan Blackburn, creator of the concept. “We’ve seen how the vessels have evolved to become floating resorts in their own right.
“I enjoy finding the acts for these boats and I suddenly hit upon the idea of a festival at sea. I love the idea of music festivals, but I’m not a huge fan of mud or camping, so I just thought it was a good marriage. Why not bring a festival to a cruise ship?”
Why not indeed? And this autumn, Royal Caribbean liner Navigator of the Seas will be transformed into an 80s party paradise for Throwback – a three-day return trip from Southampton to Bruges (Oct 12-15) featuring stars such as Jason Donovan, OMD, The Human League and Erasure’s Andy Bell – before getting a West End makeover to host Stages: a four-day musical theatre extravaganza for a cruise from Southampton to Amsterdam and back (Oct 15-19).
It’s a programme that combines two of Jonathan’s great passions: 80s music and the theatre.
“I grew up listening to 80s music and it really seems to resonate with people,” he explains. “It also comes with a certain amount of silliness and escapism, which we wanted to offer. The 80s enable people to forget about the woes of life; to dress up and let their hair down.”
But while that rapidly receding decade is currently enjoying something of a revival, as its then teenage tearaways totter on the brink of the big 50, Jonathan acknowledges that Choose Life T-shirts and fluorescent socks may not be to everyone’s taste. The hope is that Stages – a festival dedicated to musical theatre, featuring big names such as Michael Ball, Beverley Knight and Lee Mead – will appeal to a different audience.
Michael Ball
Certainly every effort has been made to recreate a top-notch theatrical experience. The on-board proscenium arch theatre seats 1,500 people over three tiers – more than the London Palladium – ensuring that no one need miss out on any of that old West End magic. And to add to the festival vibe, pop-up experiences dotted around the ship will include Q&A sessions with top choreographer Arlene Phillips and legendary lyricist Don Black, a West End trivia event, musical theatre workshops and autograph signing sessions.
“We have a fantastic history of musical theatre in this country. There’s a real love for it here. I certainly love it – and it’s my festival,” says Jonathan with a chuckle.
Was it hard to convince such stellar acts to come aboard?
“We told them about the ship and how wonderful the theatre was. Once we started to talk, it didn’t take too long for them to get excited. The theatre has state-of-the-art lights and sound and there is a guaranteed audience too. Which artist would not want to perform in such surroundings?
“The days of Simon Cowell putting somebody down with ‘Oh, you’re a bit of a cruise ship singer’ are over. That is really for the uneducated. Cruise ships are the new platform for great entertainment and big, big names. All I’m doing is getting on the bandwagon before anyone else does.”
And in between all the ‘experiencing’, guests will be able to enjoy the luxury affordable to cruise passengers – whether that’s eating in one of the ship’s11 restaurants, having a go at the climbing wall or relaxing in the spa.
“People are really going to be pushed to do and see everything,” says Jonathan.“I would describe it as ‘cruising on steroids’.”
With hopes high for this year, Jonathan is already planning for 2019. Topping the list of mooted events – unconfirmed as yet – is a ‘Heritage Festival’ with the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Supertramp on his wishlsit.
“I am trying to bring a lot of like-minded people together, not only to enjoy some great music in luxurious surroundings, but to have other educational and entertaining experiences too.
“Sometimes the best ideas are the most obvious. I really believe it’s a no-brainer enabling people to enjoy all the various pleasures that festivals bring – the music, the acts, the all-round entertainment – in an environment which is both comfortable and safe.”
I’ll get my passport!
- Prices start at £649 for Throwback and £799 for Stages. Further details can be found at: floatingfestivals.co.uk
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