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Festival at Sea cruises focus on Black cruisers (Photo: Festival at Sea)
Festival at Sea cruises focus on Black cruisers (Photo: Festival at Sea)

Black Cruises: What to Know About African-American Cultural Cruises

Festival at Sea cruises focus on Black cruisers (Photo: Festival at Sea)
Festival at Sea cruises focus on Black cruisers (Photo: Festival at Sea)
Contributor
Heather Greenwood Davis
Cruise Critic Contributor
Jason Gordon

Last updated
Dec 7, 2023

Read time
8 min read

If you've ever typed the phrases "Black Cruise," "African-American Cruise" or "Grown and Sexy" into your Google search window, you know what I'm about to tell you.

Black cruising is hot.

From incredible music to phenomenal theme nights, cruises aimed at an African–American audience are popping up in destinations around the globe.

We take a closer look at these black-themed cruises, so you can whittle down your options and find the right opportunity for your next getaway.

On This Page

  • What Is a Black Cruise?
  • What to Expect on a Black Cruise
  • Black Cruise Options

What Is a Black Cruise?

Party on the pool deck on a Festival At Sea cruise (Photo: Festival at Sea)
Party on the pool deck on a Festival At Sea cruise (Photo: Festival at Sea)

You'll find African–American travelers on all kinds of cruise lines. It's a testament to a community that has a wide variety of interests.

Whether they are wellness seekers, animal-lovers or science buffs, you're likely to find African–Americans in the mix on most cruise ship sailings. In fact, a recent Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) report found that cruisers who identify themselves as black or African–American overwhelmingly chose ocean cruises as the top choice for "best overall vacation" when compared to river cruises, land-based nonresort vacations, house rentals, escorted tours, resort packages and more.

You'll find all of the things that people love about traditional cruising on an African–American cruise, but the difference is that American black vernacular and culture aren't limited to side chatter. On a black cruise, they take center stage.

Black cruises, like Festival at Sea, put the spotlight on black cruisers and culture (Photo: Festival at Sea/Blue World Travel Corp.)
Black cruises, like Festival at Sea, put the spotlight on black cruisers and culture (Photo: Festival at Sea/Blue World Travel Corp.)

The other common ingredient: people having a great time. There's simply something about getting together with people who share an unapologetic love for your culture that can't be ignored.

The black cruises we found aren't sponsored by the cruise lines -- though river cruise line AmaWaterways has a whole offering of cruises that celebrate Black history and culture. They are cruise charters that take place on regular cruise ships but are managed and sold by independent companies. That means that they are likely to appear as one-week only options that run in between scheduled general public sailings. In some instances, they are simply organized gatherings on sailings that are already happening.

The ships themselves will feel familiar to avid cruisers. Carnival, Holland America and Royal Caribbean ships seem to lead the pack in terms of the brand names that are often associated with black cruise sailings. And the ships themselves, though they may be transformed in terms of thematic offerings, don't change their layout, room sizes or restaurants just because there's a specific group onboard.

For that reason, when choosing which black cruise to book, you will also want to consider which cruise line and ship has been chartered.

What to Expect on a Black Cruise

Image: Live performance on the Soul Train Cruise - Photo courtesy of The Soul Train Cruise via StarVista LIVE
Live performance on the Soul Train Cruise (Photo: The Soul Train Cruise/StarVista LIVE)

If you've ever been to an African-American barbecue, beach party or potluck, you know that having a great time is non-negotiable. A black cruise is no different. You can count on a few things:

Predominantly Black American Passengers. There is no race or skin color requirement to attend black-themed cruise, but most people who have chosen the cruise have done so specifically to be in a majority space that they can't find elsewhere.

Incredible Music Playing Constantly. Music is a huge part of most of these cruises, and there are as many options as there are interests. (See below for cruises that focus on a particular genre.) The result is an on-ship atmosphere that can feel like an intimate concert and a music festival at the same time. On some ships, the party goes all night. Don't be surprised if you see people making their way to breakfast directly from the party the night before.

Festival at Sea passengers pose in front of their ship in Labadee (Photo: Festival at Sea)
Festival at Sea passengers pose in front of their ship in Labadee (Photo: Festival at Sea)

Themed Nights and Dress Codes. Each cruise is different, but you will feel left out if you haven't packed your afro wig for '70s night or the crisp, white suit for the All-White Affair. Themes are taken very seriously onboard, so this is no time to pack light. Costume changes may require several suitcases, but you'll regret it if you don't dress the part.

Wide selection of Entertainment including Intellectually Stimulating Offers. The party atmosphere is a given, but it doesn't sacrifice opportunities for enlightenment. Many ships offer art exhibits, comedy shows, wine tastings and more. Guest lecturers and panel discussions are common, and there is always the option to hang out and relax if that's your preference.

Groups of People Traveling Together. While there may be people who show up solo, most will come with at least a significant other or roommate, and many will turn up in groups of friends, extended family and fraternity/sorority connections. There are also groups that have formed on the ships after return visits, year after year.

Festival at Sea passengers gather in the ship's atrium (Photo: Festival at Sea)
Festival at Sea passengers gather in the ship's atrium (Photo: Festival at Sea)

A Lack of Children. Most of the cruises caters to adults. You may have children in your life, but you’ll likely want to leave them at home with relatives to fully enjoy these sailings.

Fundraising. Many of the larger black cruises offer opportunities to raise money that will go back into the African–American community. The Fantastic Voyage, for example, helps Historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) with its Party with a Purpose theme and mantra. And on Festival at Sea, money is raised for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) through a Bachelor Auction Fundraiser.

Culture-specific activities. Wedding vow renewals will have you jumping the broom, dance parties will require knowledge of The Wobble and don't be surprised if steppers take over a section of the dance floor. And a bold hat for the Gospel brunch goes without saying.

Age is in the Eye of the Beholder. On some cruises, you'll find seniors singing along to the oldies. On others, millennial's work their angles for the camera. There are trips that skew more to one age or the other, but most often, you'll find a variety of ages and life stages on the same ship. Choose your cruise according to interest, destination and how young you feel.

Black Cruise Options

Family dressed in African Attire for annual Africa Night, a celebration of the African diaspora onboard Festival at Sea (Photo: Festival at Sea/Blue World Travel Corp.)
Family dressed in African Attire for annual Africa Night, a celebration of the African diaspora onboard Festival at Sea (Photo: Festival at Sea/Blue World Travel Corp.)

Sold? Here are a few of the most popular African–American cruises with details on their themes and what to expect.

Big and Popular

Tom Joyner's Fantastic Voyage: Veteran radio DJ Tom Joyner hosts annual Caribbean sailings, called Fantastic Voyage cruises. Expect a crowd that ranges from your college roommate to your mom's uncle. Comedians, singers and performances onboard are A-list (today's and yesteryear), and a portion of the money raised goes to the Tom Joyner Foundation which raises money for Historically black colleges and universities.

Grown and Sexy: Offering party packages onboard various ships throughout the year, Grown and Sexy cruises usually have a theme (such as Super Bowl, Halloween and Under the Influence) and some celebrity guests onboard. Created by radio personality Keith "KJ" Jones and friends, the cruise is celebrating its 18th year of operation in 2019.

Festival at Sea: With the goal of "Cruising with an African–American Twist," Patricia Yarbrough launched Festival at Sea in 1992, 14 years after she had started her travel agency Blue World Travel Corp. Now, with more than 40 years of travel industry experience to her name, she is at the helm of one of the most popular black cruising options around.

The full ship charters of Celebrity Equinox offer everything from Bid Whist card games to step competitions. When clients were interested in going beyond the Caribbean, Yarbrough launched Friends of Festival at Sea -- where Yarbrough's team takes groups onboard luxury cruises (along with their DJ and dance instructor) and leads explorations to spots like Africa and Southeast Asia.

Music Genre Specific

Image: Stephanie Mills performing on day three of the 2019 Soul Train Cruise - Photo provided by The Soul Train Cruise via StarVista LIVE
Stephanie Mills performing on day three of the 2019 Soul Train Cruise (Photo: The Soul Train Cruise/StarVista LIVE)

Jazz: Traditional Jazz lovers will enjoy the offerings of the The Jazz Cruise. Billed as a “Constellation of Stars,” there are more top jazz musicians on this special sailing than any other traditional jazz event, festival or concert in the world.

Contemporary Jazz: There are two popular Contemporary Jazz sailings: The SuperCruise and the Smooth Jazz Cruise. Both cruises provide ample opportunities for fans to experience memorable performances.

Soul: Whether or not you are old enough to remember "Soul Train," the TV show that focused on funky tunes and shimmying your way down a Soul Train line, joining the Soul Train Cruise will bring you up to speed. Expect musical legends, such as: En Vogue, Boyz II Men, and Melba Moore to be on the lineup, plus dance lessons will be led by the famous Soul Train dancers.

Old School: The very best music acts of Funk, R&B, Hip-hop and more will perform some of their hits throughout on the Old School Cruise.

Reggae: From Bob Marley tunes to Beres Hammond croons, the Love and Harmony Cruise celebrates the best of the genre and Jamaican culture. You'll also find Soca music fitness classes, domino games and more in between shows.

Hip-hop: The Days of Summer Cruise continues, featuring top acts such as Jeezy, Cardi B, Fat Joe and DJ Khaled. The cruise is geared towards those who love their hip-hop and the culture that surrounds it.

Lifestyle

Geo Vanna Gonzalez and Najja Moon enjoy a trip to the Retreat Sundeck pool on Celebrity Edge. (Photo: Naima Green/AIPP)
Geo Vanna Gonzalez and Najja Moon enjoy a trip to the Retreat Sundeck pool on Celebrity Edge. (Photo: Naima Green/AIPP)

Football: The Huddle on the Sea Super Bowl Cruise sails out of Tampa, Florida, over the Super Bowl weekend. In its sixth year, the theme cruise offers a cigar sail-away party, a lip sync battle and, of course, a tailgate party during the game.

LGBTQ: The Ebony Pyramid Black Gay & Lesbian Cruise provides a safe and comfortable space for same-sex couples and singles. This special sailing offers all of the things you'd expect on any other cruise – except having to contend with the intolerance emanating from other people's opinions.

Publish date October 10, 2019
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