In 1996, storied writer David Foster Wallace wrote an essay for Harpers magazine about the nearly-lethal luxury of megaship cruises. He spent a week on deck, whining and wondering why being cloistered with thousands of dissatisfied—and old—folks, "in an enormous stew of death and decay," was such a popular American vacation fantasy.
Presumably, mostly young people will join Diplo on this year's inaugural Holy Ship! electronic music cruise, an open-sea stew of glowsticks, sushi and poolside yoga. Wes is signed up to perform onboard the joint venture of HARD, Cloud 9 Adventures and the Bowery, setting sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 6th, 2012. Following a pre-launch party, Holy Ship! will stop at Port Lucaya, Bahamas before docking at a private island, where Fatboy Slim will headline a Beach Boutique party. A $250 down-payment, plus the cost of your cabin ($499 to $999), will guarantee your spot in their company on the MSC Poesia, an opulent ship outfitted with foyer waterfalls, a poker palace and 12,000 square foot spa. A-Trak, Rusko, Skrillex, and Tommy Lee will also be along for the ride.
Holy Ship!'s all-stars aren't the first boat-load of entertainers to capitalize on the cruising industry's reggae elevator music and open bars. John Mayer led his vanity Mayercraft Carrier cruise for two years, and Jam Cruise has hosted hippies at sea for a whole decade. Last year at the indie Bruise Cruise Festival, one "bruiser" proposed marriage to another during a Ty Segall set. That 500-guest, three day "tropical rock 'n roll vacation" will ship out to the Bahamas again this February.
