Groove Cruise is the world’s longest-running and most successful electronic dance music cruise festival, produced by Whet Travel, the leading charter partner for transformational cruise experiences globally. Founded by Jason Beukema in 2004, Groove Cruise pioneered the “floating festival” model, blending world-class dance music lineups, curated immersive experiences, and exotic destinations aboard luxury cruise ships.
Over the last 20+ years, Groove Cruise has evolved from a grassroots gathering of 125 fans into a sold-out spectacle sailing on the largest cruise ships in the world, including Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. It attracts 6,500+ music lovers annually, with a waitlist thousands deep and headliners including Tiësto, Deadmau5, Eric Prydz, Diplo, John Summit, Kaskade, Green Velvet, and Claude VonStroke.
Whet Travel is the premier independent producer of full-ship music festivals, conferences, and corporate events at sea. With 20+ years of experience and 28+ full ship charters, it’s the go-to name for brands and communities seeking epic, turn-key cruise takeovers.
Notably, Whet Travel has:
· Won Charter Partner of the Year from both Norwegian and Carnival Cruise Lines
· Appeared on the Inc. 500 list
· Been featured in Forbes, Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV, NBC, USA Today, and The New York Times
· Delivered corporate charters for companies like American Eagle Outfitters and Red Bull
In addition to Groove Cruise, Whet Travel operates Smiles at Sea (dental CE cruises), as well as yoga, salsa, and wellness-focused cruises.
Groove Cruise isn’t just a music festival. It’s a transformational journey at sea.
· 10+ Stages: From poolside takeovers to deep-sea afterhours to private island beach raves
· 24/7 Programming: Music never stops. Neither does the energy!
· Dance Music & More: Genres span everything from EDM, house, techno, trance, drum & bass, and melodic dubstep to crossover genres like emo, country and hip-hop
· Theme Parties: Elaborate daytime and nighttime themes like “Down the Rabbit Hole” and “Reflections of the Deep”
· Interactive Artist Experiences: DJs host intimate meetups, island excursions, dinners, friendly competitions, classes and tastings
· Epic Destinations: Past cruises have stopped in The Bahamas, Haiti, Mexico, Jamaica, Catalina Island, and Grand Turk
· Beyond The Music: On board programming includes mental health workshops, fitness classes, crafting, music industry panels, demo listening parties, and much much more
· Charity + Impact: Whet Foundation’s Destination Donation program organizes beach cleanups, school rebuilds, and aid drops at every port
· Recognition: The only cruise festival to be named among DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals in the World (2023–2025)
Jason Beukema is the visionary behind Groove Cruise and the cruise charter revolution. He became the youngest person to charter a full cruise ship solo in 2011 and coined the term “Celebration Marketing,” a strategy that turns passion-based communities into powerful movements.
Jason has spoken at SXSW, Cruise360, and other major conferences, and he’s been recognized as a top experience curator across the travel, music, and cruise industries.
Every cruise is a chance to give back! Whet Travel’s nonprofit arm, Whet Foundation, organizes:
· Destination Donation aid events
· Beach cleanups in partnership with 4Ocean
· Mental health workshops at sea
· Home builds for single mothers in underserved communities
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