The Groove Cruise – Miami

I have traveled the world and experienced countless euphoric wonders, but few of them have managed to even graze «just the tip» of the majesty of the Groove Cruise. Even when you strip away the electrifying DJs, non-​stop 96-​hour party, breathtaking Bahamas beach, unobstructed views of sunrises and sunsets along the amazing ship, there is still so much more to the Groove Cruise. There is a special magic sauce erupting like a geyser from the ship — it was flowing from the people, better known as the Groove Cruise Family, or #gcfam.
Picture over 2,700 people more amped up for this trip than they have been for anything else all year. This family is here to smile, hug, love, party and have the most epic time of their lives. With an 80% retention rate, these people are more than friends, they are family — and they likely have been grooving and cruising together for many years. We were virgins, yet instantly felt like part of the fam’. There are no cliques on board, just open arms. People have such a phenomenal time that they book next year’s Groove Cruise before they have even gotten off this year’s cruise!
I have been to many festivals and raves (Ultras, EDC, Life In Color, Bonnaroo, Phish Festivals…), yet the intoxicating vortex of energy swirling around the ship from the attendees was unlike anything I have ever experienced. Not only were the people fun, adventurous, sweet and loving, but they were also good-​hearted. This is a trip where five iPhones and a diamond cartier watch were lost and instead of being pocketed by attendees, they were turned in to the ship’s Lost and Found.
Besides the people, the costumes were our favorite part of the Groove Cruise. The costumes were as prolific as an end-​of-​the-​world gay party. People really GET INTO THEIR COSTUMES that range from the hilarious and debaucherous to the interactive and nostalgic. There are six different theme parties during the journey.
The music was literally non-​stop, with DJs playing every second of the 96 hour party. The DJ’s were marvelous and very diverse. Oliver Heldens, Bynon, and Arty put on our favorite sets.
Oliver Heldens kicked off the Groove Cruise with an exquisite set backlit against the orange and gold Miami skyline. It was pure magic.
Bynon blew our minds and had the entire theater going bananas with an eclectic set of popular oldies, hip-​hop, and dance with flawless transitions. He opened with Whitney Houston «I will always love you» and mashed it up with a plethora of sick tracks and favorites like Tupac, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Dr. Dre. He also spun a stellar hip-​hop set the following night.
Arty’s show was a masterpiece, entwining a glorious set with some of the coolest lights and effects I have ever seen. He is a brilliant magician/​artist/​DJ and I apologize that the video below does not adequately capture his enormous talents.
We also chilled with Scooter who is such a funny dude. We met him while he was teaching the insightful «How to be a DJ 101″ with Darude. It was more of a comedy show, because they were freaking hilarious. I developed a newfound respect for what these DJs do, having gained a better understanding of the the intricacies of their craft. All of the DJs were out chilling, drinking and partying with their loving fans.
People were getting into the fun and the music everywhere. Check out this rambunctious crew tearing it up in the dining hall.
The people I met hailed from all across the world. I am quite a hugger, but I believe I hugged more people on this cruise than I did all of last year. The #gcfam is so blissful and warm. I had strangers come up to me and say «I saw you yesterday and you seem so awesome, I just needed to meet you.» They then proceeded to give me a delightful, warm and lengthy hug.
The generosity overflowed throughout the ship with random strangers buying you drinks, beers as well as sharing goodies and love. Spirit-​Ill was onboard greeting everybody with hugs, sharing pure love and hosting meditation circles that ended with a group chanting and hugging session.
It was also an opportunity to appreciate and connect with the majesty of nature. I was able to relish the unobstructed view of four sunsets and three sunrises that made me truly appreciate life, the universe and this magnificent journey we were all on. The cascading tides and waves in the ocean stretched out beyond my vision’s reach brought me such joy and serenity, even in the midst of a wild party.

The beach party was magnificent with deep aqua blue water and skies against snow white sand and beautiful people dancing.

The always smiling Norwegian staff was warm and amicable. The ship boasted a rock climbing wall, bowling alley and an arcade room. The food was solid with a diverse selection of goodies that NEVER CLOSED.
Ran out of space… full review, videos and pics here:

LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE!!! Also if you decide to book use promo code «Pharmacy» to save at least $ 50 per person ! So don’t Miss Out

Ont the NCL Sky which is one of the mid size ships with 2005 clients. It may be small but it has a big ship punch offering great food, service, shows, and clean up to date staterooms. However this is 2013 and no flat screen TVs like her big sister The Epic which holds 4,400 clients. There is never a dull moment on this ship. The island stop was fantastic better than the Princess Key. There are activities for all or just hit one of the three beaches where you can be a vegetable, snorkel, swim, read or work on that tan. The night parties were great, drinks good. IF YOU WANT TO GET A GREAT PRICE GO TO VACATIONS TO GO, CALL X 7833 ASK FOR MIGUEL, he can put you on the right ship at the right price.

Love EDM? Love the PLUR culture? Love beaches and nice weather in January? Then you’ll LOVE the Groove Cruise! This Friday-​Monday cruise out of Miami to the Bahamas is one of the best weekends you will have all year. 2200+ sexy, music-​addicted, fun-​loving, like-​minded people all on one boat (full charter, by the way!), 40+ DJs, a private island, and the music never stops! Themed parties, crazy costumes, and hundreds of new friends await you on this amazing cruise. There is a REASON this cruise sells all available spots in just a few days. Once you are part of the Groove Cruise family, you can’t wait for the next reunion!
Don’t miss the boat! Book as soon as the opportunity arises. If you go to UMF/​MMW, Coachella, EDC, Nocturnal… any of the landlocked festivals… this is a don’t miss!
Hope to see you on the boat!

This is better than Vegas better than coachella, better than EDC better than any other music festival out there! People are amazing. As soon as you get onto the ship, your greeted as family. So glad they are becoming large! I went with people that didnt even enjoy dance music before the cruise and then after he was a fan! ¹¹⁄₁₀ stars!

I had no idea the Groove Cruise had a listing on Unilocal!!!WOW this thing has come a long way now Jason!
I have been on 3 groove cruises now and I have to say that this almost compares to Ultra Music Festival except Ultra ends at midnight and the Groove Cruise ends… well it really never ends. This is 72 hours of NON-​STOP partying!!! Where else can you get that??? The DJ lineup is excellent and you really get to meet/​greet some of the talent. This is not like nightclub experience where you are treated like scum. You really feel like a part of the family once onboard and you can really let loose with some Goose!
If you have ever wondered what the groove cruise experience might be like, picture a non-​stop VIP party for 3 nights with exotic destinations every day and most importantly 2200+ of the most beautiful party people along for the ride! This is truly one of the most unique experience you can have in your life!

The Groove Cruise is a great vacation choice for any young professional that loves Electronica Dance Music (EDM). The NCL staff are very friendly and accommodating. The Whet Travel staff are also very helpful and know how to organize a professional yet exciting event. If you love to cruise as much as I do and love EDM, this will be the only cruise you’ll ever want to take. Regular cruises are boring after you’ve been on a Groove Cruise. 2012 was my 3^rd Groove Cruise experience and it continues to get better and better every year. I also love the private parties in the Bahamas and NCL’s private island. It’s a bit pricier then a regular cruise, but where else can you see some of the world’s greatest EDM DJs all in one weekend on a cruise? I’d like to compare the Groove Cruise to a floating Winter Music Conference.

I agree with the previous reviewer about the mix of people… this was my 5^th Groove cruise (I’ve done 2 west coast ones previously) This was the first year they had an entire ship to ourselves which meant we had 2x the amount of people. The parties and the DJ”s were amazing… I really like Dirty South in the Bahamas and being able to dress up in crazy costumes (Tutu, bling, cowgirl, pink party)
The vibe onboard is that of a group of people out to have fun, I went with my hubby and some single friends and we met a TON of new friends onboard again this year… it’s the plus of great nightclub music (house) but with the feel of hanging with your good friends… No fights I knew about, and people were friendly and it made it easy to meet new people. I did LOVE the Bliss pajama party too!
After 5 of these cruises I’m looking forward to my 6^th one (hopefully a west coast one) and I already booked my Miami 2012 Groove Cruise trip
I was able to use a discount code: MEETUP (feel free to use as well it works for all the Groove Cruises) for $ 50pp off so my room was $ 579pp for a balcony, but others got inside rooms as low as $ 379pp.

The groove cruise was an amazing experience.
The Groove cruise is a yearly music event which combines dozens of world famous DJ’s with two thousand house music fans on a cruise ship for three days of non-​stop music and partying. I’m glad that I survived the weekend!
The crowd was a mixed bag of retro punks, douche-​bag fist pumpers, party animals, hard core house heads, and nightlife lovers, with both singles and couples in attendance. Most people were friendly and respectful. Of course there were the usual annoying frat party boys, but they weren’t too pushy and luckily left our group alone for the most part. Some rude drunk people ripped apart the decorations that I put up on our door in celebration of my boyfriend’s birthday, but the vast majority of the crowd was just there to have a great time and there weren’t any fights or issues like at a normal nightclub.
The Music, DJ’s, and sound systems were all very good. My favorites were Dj Gary G at the Bliss Pajama Party, George Morel, Dirty South, Louis D, and Funkagenda. The parties were well orchestrated. The booking process with Whet Travel, while a bit complicated, worked out well, and Kathy, the Whet Travel event administrator, was incredibly helpful and always available to answer questions.
The Norwegian Sky itself is huge. The staff is friendly and well trained. There is always someone ready to take your drink order and deliver your bottles or drinks to your table. There were always enough tables by the pool and the nightclub. The staff was so well trained they were almost invisible. Whatever you wanted was just instantly available wherever you were on the ship.
The prices for drinks were very reasonable. You could buy a bottle of champagne for $ 22.00 plus gratuity, and you could take your bottle with you from place to place on the ship. That made it so convenient to move from pool to party and back to your room. There was a lot of freedom and no reservations were needed for tables by the pool or in the clubs.
There was a buffet open 24 hrs a day, which was great because the parties never stopped and you were never sure when you were going to have the time or inclination to eat. Unfortunately, while there was a large variety of food which was changed often to avoid repetition, nothing was really great. The mushrooms in the build your own pasta made me sick twice in a row. Once I figured out the mushrooms didn’t agree with me, I was fine. I hear the restaurants were great, especially the steak house, but we never seemed to be able to get ourselves there to try it.
Our whole group had an amazing time. We all left exhausted and shell-​shocked, but it was so worth it! Very little sleep was had, but who wants to sleep when there are three amazing parties going on at any given time.
This is a life changing experience, and we will definitely be back next year!