Themed cruises have been around the travel industry for ages, but only recently have concert promoters recognized the economic potential in chartering ships and putting musical names (rising rock acts, jam bands, veteran road warriors and everything in between) together with passengers for what's typically sold as "a once-in-a-lifetime experience." A variation on the fast-growing VIP-ticketing segment of the concert biz, cruises with musicians who perform on board -- and then actually sidle up to the buffet line with fans -- are a growing business, seemingly about to get bigger.

A three-day cruise with country music as the theme will begin February 27, and Kenny Chesney provides the climactic superstar beachfront performance. He is billed for the island only and will not be on any of the ships or at the Florida ports). Still, the lure for fans -- aside from what will likely be three unbridled days of tropical partying and the unique location of the key concerts -- is that Chesney is a big-hall guy who rarely play for small crowds. Prices range from about $1,200-$3,000, depending on the type of cabin booked and other personal preferences and do not include airfare. Chesney is regularly among the top North American touring artists and was in Billboard Boxscore's Top 10 again for '05. Chesney is unique in the Top 10 in that he continues to earn their top grosses with everyman pricing -- about $45-$60 a ticket -- not the triple-digit prices now standard among many top concert acts.

Crusie orgainizers acknowledged that spending several thousand dollars won't be possible for all fans. "This is an expensive investment for a fan, but seeing Kenny or Dave on a beach and all the other bands is the kind of multi-day event that fans will walk away from going 'wow!,"' he says. Staging performances in unprecedented settings (rather than standard arenas and amphitheaters) and servicing higher-spending fans has become a new niche for promoters like Live Nation as they look for new revenue streams amid a years-long attendance slide. Red Light, which has built an empire marketing outside typical musical industry channels, is well known for booking its bands in off-the-beaten-path locations. Additional private island concerts from other superstars are reportedly already in the works. "We like doing business with open-minded people," promoter says. "And we're definitely looking for artists who want to provide unique experiences for their fans."
Chesney Cruise Info

KENNY CHESNEY

• Kenny's Bio
• Listen to his latest album
• Rate his music we play on K92FM
• Ringtones: Have Kenny singing from your phone
• Check out Kenny's Photo Album here!