Groove Cruise LA: Where Artists and Attendees Become Family [Event Review]

Gooood Morning Groove Cruisers! If you were in attendance aboard Groove Cruise LA last weekend then you heard those infamous words sung over the intercom system each beautiful morning, and we have to say, we sure do miss it.

Last weekend, Groove Cruise LA 2017 marked it’s 13th year at sea! The original floating music festival catered to over 2,000 veteran and virgin cruisers, charting from Long Beach, California to the stunning city of Ensenada, Mexico for three days of nonstop music and activities, four days if you attended the 20’s themed pre-party at the historic Queen Mary floating hotel.

Ship/Staff

Groove Cruise LA was aboard the beautiful Carnival Inspiration, an all inclusive cruise ship with ten decks and nine stages prepped for all your partying needs. The ship included all of the luxurious amenities of a regular cruise with a full spa, fitness center, waterpark, casino, grand pool, two fine dining rooms, buffets, and bars galore. One of the major perks of a cruise is the options are not only endless, but also convenient, so whether you want a cut of premium filet mignon for dinner or a greasy burger to ease your drunken hunger pains at 3 AM, both are readily available. We also cannot forget to mention the wonderful accommodating staff that make it all possible. From the security guards to the kind stewards that seem to know everyone by name, the staff truly contributed to the amazing vibes aboard the ship.

Themes

Immediately upon arrival, we caught a glimpse of the first official theme of Groove Cruise LA, Identity, where attendees were asked to wear items that represent their individuality, whether that be their heritage, hometown, etc. Many rave families boarded the ship in matching outfits and flags representing their home state or country. As the night fell on day one, we saw a vast change in attire…let’s just say the pimp and hoes were out to play! Men and women took the night decked out in leopard print everything from furry hats, robes, tight dresses, undergarments, gold chains, and even some cruisers honoring the late Hugh Hefner. Saturday’s daytime theme was I heart uniforms, where cruisers took full advantage of lounging in their bathing suits and customized captain hats. As the sun started to set, it signified another outfit change, Saturday night’s theme being EDM vs Hip Hop. The “EDM themed” festival goers glowed in the night with their neon colored accessories, old school rave fits, and light up gear, while the “Hip Hop themed” individuals broke out their Adidas shirts, gold chains, and bandanas. Finally, day three was Derby Day, our favorite of the themes. Attendees arrived in Mexico with full sized Kentucky Derby hats, fascinators, sun dresses, jockey clothing, and even some sporting horse heads and costumes. Once we made our return from Mexico, we were able to witness possibly the most interesting theme of them all, A.B.C. (Anything But Clothes). A.B.C went one of two ways, either people were super creative (shout out to the woman with the dress made of CDs) or just really naked. Either way, cruisers were encouraged to express themselves!

People a.k.a. GCFAM

What made Groove Cruise truly a magical experience was the people. Many of us jumped aboard as strangers, but we definitely left as family. Think of it this way, when you attend a regular music festival, you may meet many fellow festival goers, but how often do you bump into them again. The beauty of a cruise ship is for three days, you’re all sharing the same quarters so you’re bound to dance the night away together. This does not only include the attendees, but the artists as well. In just the short time we spent on the cruise, we shared an elevator with Billy Kenny, ate dinner next to Convex, and even grooved on the Serenity deck beside Shiba San. The artist interactions did not end there, Whet Travel planned many one-of-a-kind onboard activities including tequila tasting with Jody Wisternoff and Grum, twister with Liquid Todd, Jose Estrada, and Damaged Goods, deep house yoga with Alissa Jo, shuffling class with 3LAU, Elena Cruz, and Vanesa Seco, and many more.

Although we set sail a week ago, the GC LA Facebook groups have remained active, as we all reminisce on the good times and start planning our next voyage together! #GCFAM

Music/Hosted Stages

Groove Cruise LA had possibly the best lineup we’ve seen all year. You can say it was for the trance, house, and techno hearted (a.k.a. us)! GC LA became home to some of our favorite labels with hosted stages from Anjunabeats, Space Yacht, Basement Leak, This Ain’t Bristol, Desert Hearts, and Incorrect. Day one, Shiba San’s Basement Leak took over their first stage ever, GC’s main pool. Here, Shiba slayed the decks along with Billy Kenny, Dateless, Tim Baresko, and more. Space Yacht also took charge, delivering house music to the Rock N Roll Club with artists such as Born Dirty, Bijou, Dombresky, and Billy Kenny yet again! During this time, Anjunabeats brought the lasers and the feels to Paris Lounge. Acts including Jason Ross, Andrew Bayer, and Alpha 9 reminded us why we fell in love with trance in the first place.

Day two brought us the best stage and possibly the most wild stage of all (wild may be an understatement), This Ain’t Bristol. Label heads, Billy Kenny and Maximono, drove the crowd mad with their eclectic mix of tunes and closed the stage on a groovy note with a Goodvibes Soundclash, which included a b2b (actually many b2b’s) set with the TAB talent and Lee Reynolds of Desert Hearts and his clan. Since Saturday was EDM vs Hip Hop night, it was only appropriate to host a hip hop party at the Rock N Roll Club. Artists such as Londonbridge, Adam Auburn, Scooter, Rizzo Vassallo, and Born Dirty showed their versatility and had the crowd shaking to their urban beats.

Sunday did not have any stage takeovers, however we witnessed some of the most memorable sets this day. Upon our return from Mexico, the Waterworks deck was filled with trance fam. As the sun was setting upon the serene water, the beautiful sounds of Andrew Bayer b2b Jason Ross followed by Ferry Corsten was exactly what we needed at that moment. Another highlight of the night was 3LAU’s takeover of the Atrium, this was his second performance of the day, however this set was extra special as it doubled as a shuffle class from his insta famous friends, Elena Cruz and Vanesa Seco. Hundreds of people gathered in the Atrium, some attempted to learn to shuffle, while others grabbed drinks at the bar and mingled. The night continued with a two hour set from Mr. Dash Berlin at the Paris Lounge. Dash always has a unique way of making you rage and hit you with the feels all at the same time and that is exactly what he did. Everyone in attendance was fully engaged, dancing with their Groove Cruise glowsticks, singing, laughing, and even crying when Dash’s slower ballads filled the room. After Dash’s set, some cruisers retired for the night, whereas others caught a second wind and concluded the weekend with a sunrise set from the king of tropical vibes himself, Thomas Jack.

Destination

On day three, we docked at the seaport town of Ensenada, Mexico. Here, cruisers had many options to choose from. You could choose to explore the tourist attractions, embark on excursions, or attend a private clifftop estate party at Casa de los Siete Patios. There were a few ticket options for the party, but for only $60, cruisers were provided transportation, unlimited tacos, and an abundance of tequila. The clifftop oasis overlooked the beautiful Mexican coastline, it held many seating areas, a pool, and two stages booming with the sounds of our favorite artists. The underground stage blessed us with a b2b set from Shmitty and No Requests, a final set from Billy Kenny, the legendary Green Velvet, and a closing set from the well-respected Doc Martin. Main stage held just as many talented acts including Liquid Todd, Dombresky, Autograf, 3LAU, and Mahalo.

We would like to thank Whet Travel and Infamous PR for allowing us to make new friendships and beautiful memories aboard Groove Cruise LA. RaverRafters, we highly recommend including Groove Cruise in your 2018 festival schedule! The next GC sails from Miami to Cococay and Nassau, Bahamas from January 26-29, 2018. Staterooms are almost sold out, so act fast and book your rooms here!

Connect with the Groove Cruise:
https://facebook.com/groovecruise
https://twitter.com/groovecruise
https://instagram.com/groovecruise
https://youtube.com/TheGrooveCruise
http://thegroovecruise.com

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