Whether you're a die-hard fan of AMC's hit TV series "The Walking Dead" or a craft beer connoisseur, there's a strong chance there's a themed cruise available to accommodate your interests.
However it's not only passionate fans and hobbyists who are benefiting from the emergence of themed cruises. In addition to connecting with fans at seas, individuals and brands themselves are also indirectly connecting with millions of supporters at home, according to TravelPulse founder and CEO Mark Murphy.
In a recent interview with Adweek, Murphy said theme cruises "put a face on the brand and create a personal relationship" between themselves and fans.
Murphy went on to explain how social media plays a key role in the success of many themed cruises.
"You take 3,000 passengers and each of them is sharing photos with 400 to 500 friends, and suddenly you're in the millions," Murphy told Adweek, referring to the phenomenon as "the selfie effect."
Alaidriale Derway, the communications director for themed cruise operator SixthMan, echoed Murphy's notion, telling Adweek that "if you're a brand, you have to do something that touches someone's life. You have to do something people will talk about and tweet about. That's the only way to do it these days."
It's worth noting that SixthMan will operate one of the most anticipated themed cruises on 2016, Gronk's Party Ship, a three-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas hosted by NFL superstar Rob Gronkowski and his family.
But before anyone gets Gronk'd aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Pearl in February, the ship will host the annual Walker Stalker Cruise in January. That sold-out three-day voyage to the Bahamas will feature 10 stars of The Walking Dead and likely generate thousands of brand-building social media posts.
Kid Rock's seventh annual Chillin' the Most Cruise this upcoming March is yet another example of how celebrities are expanding their brand at sea.
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