Why Groove Cruise Will Be Your “Forever Festival”

A common theme with Groove Cruise is, surprisingly, the inability to find the words to truly capture the magic of the experience. In 2024, I called it an “escape to utopia“, and I still stand by that. In trying to cover some new ground, I was struck by a short review written (shown at the end) by a 2026 attendee and posted to the attendee-only Facebook group. She explained that despite going to Ultra Miami, EDC Vegas, and Tomorrowland in 2025, by the end of Groove Cruise 2026 day 1, she knew it was going to be a “forever festival” for her and her partner, and didn’t mind dropping all of the major festivals to continue going on Groove Cruise every year. And in fact, it’s well known that Groove Cruise “virgins” return in very high numbers, and a surprising number of Groove Cruisers keep coming back year after year. So what is it about Groove Cruise that engenders this type of adoration? The unique aspect of having a shared journey aboard a gorgeous cruise ship is certainly one part. Groove Cruise 2026 set off aboard the largest and newest ship to ever host such a charter, let alone a music festival. The Wonder of the Seas was completed in 2022 and has a capacity for almost 7000 passengers. The only ship class that is newer or larger is the Icon of the Seas, but frankly, those ships don’t have the fan-favorite Aquatheater outside at the back of the ship. And yet, the ship is only one small factor in what makes Groove Cruise so magical that it defies explanation. What I found is that it’s a million different things (big and small) that all come together at once to create this incredible feeling within all Groove Cruisers from beginning to end, almost like a high, but without a downside. It’s a feeling that Groove Cruise’s faithful leader, Jason Beaukema, has coined the “Groove Effect”. The Groove Effect Groove Cruise is way more than a music festival or a party. It’s a community, it’s a spiritual pilgrimage, it’s a family reunion – all united by good music and good vibes. Once you go, you’ll understand this on day 1 as described above. The Groove Cruise experience has become so astounding that Jason (@traveljason) has been invited to SXSW to give a talk about the Groove Effect. To him, the Groove Effect is like a blueprint for how to create a similar event-based interest community. In fact, Whet Travel, which hosts Groove Cruise, also produces cruises for farmers (yes, really) and is debuting an Emo music cruise in 2027. This is an event where a 2026 couple met, got engaged, got married, and hosted a gender reveal on all Groove Cruises over the years. During the course of the voyage, there were numerous proposals and weddings, with Jason Beaukema officiating the wedding ceremonies. There was even one divorced couple that managed to rekindle their love during Groove Cruise 2026 and remarried onboard! I’ll admit that Jason’s explanation for the Groove Effect has become so detailed that it could be its own book, but here’s what the Groove Effect means to me. The Groove Effect is a feeling that is reached early and sustained for all throughout the entire Groove Cruise voyage. It’s a feeling that can only happen because everybody at Groove Cruise checks their problems, stresses, and hassles at the gangway when they board the ship. Groove Cruisers embody the work hard, play hard mantra. While all the Groove Cruisers have very busy personal and professional lives, there is an agreement to forget all problems for a few days and live life to the fullest. For these 5 days, nobody will dull your shine! Think of the moments early in your raving/music festival career where you’re settled in with a good spot at your favorite set of the event, you’re in the best mood, with good friends around, watching a musical journey unfold before your eyes, and you think to yourself “this is just an incredible moment and it’s hard to imagine being any happier”. Nowadays, at a DJ show or festival, this moment is usually short-lived because of all the little hassles that kill the vibe before, during, and after the feeling sets in. It’s a hassle to gather your crew and get there, dealing with pre-spots, Uber, driving, and parking. Once you get to the event, the hassles continue. You fight through the crowd, wait in long lines for drinks, search for enough space to dance, deal with people who have never heard of PLUR, and wait for the openers to play before your favorite DJ so that you have a decent spot. Eventually, the time comes when you want a drink, food, or the bathroom, and you have to go through more hassles. Maybe you just skip them altogether, causing more stress. Then the set(s) end after a few hours, and you have to fight through the crowds to get home. It’s because of these things that many people slow down on music festivals and club nights as they get older, and many quit altogether by their 30s. Convenience At Groove Cruise, nobody has to worry about any of those things. Food is free and all around you. Stop by the buffet at t