Possible Destination for an interstellar cruise ship?

[DeadParrot]

On planet oddities like a 17 year cicada cycle except these cicadas weigh 5 pounds and feed on blood like giant horse flies. How many can you shoot without getting blood sucked?

The Pon Farr like tournaments on Zeta 5. For an extra fee, you can participate. Win and you get your choice of a mate. Fail and your heirs inherit early.

See the exciting post zombie apocalypse world of Circie Alpha 2 complete with still animated hordes of zombies. For extra fun, tickets are available that allow you to attempt to gather a few artifacts. Avoid the zombies and get precious loot. Fail and you become an attraction for future visitors.

Run with the triceratops on Jurassic Planet.

On the planet of Lovecraft, yell out Cthulhu 3 times and then try to escape. No refunds!

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Many cruises make the ship itself the main attraction. Why not a ship that is seen as a cross between Mardi Gras and Spoleto. Parties, parades, performances, gallery showings, grand balls, and a wild mixture of social and cultural events. The ship mainly travels to keep the festival/carnival/celebration going. No one location being able to support the eternal celebration.

That's a good idea. I have heard of themed cruises such as clothing optional, or swingers' types. Such parties that could work best on a technically separate location not as near judgmental eyes.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by whswhs

An amusing note would be to have a cruise to the original home of humanity—a planet orbiting some star other than Sol, either one that's fairly close (but far enough so we can't rule out its having a life-bearing planet!) or one in some entirely other sector of the galaxy with a made up name.

A scam cruise possibly built on conspiracy theory believed by a few celebrities and/or billionaires would be a wonderful setting for a one off adventure or short campaign. Wonderfully "helpful" NPCS a must.

[jason taylor]

One Honor Harrington short story was a spy yarn in a hotel suspended in a comet.

The ship could just be going in a circle-the destination is the journey.

The Emperor's coronation.

Actually a really good one would be a Congress of Vienna like close to an interstellar war. Plenty of chance for intrigue.

The first intelligent race discovered.

Minbar equiv

[Flyndaran]

Have there been cruise ships uncomfortably close to war zones? That sounds both plausible and incredibly foolish.
It sounds harder to make work with the vastness of space, but that just means the ones in charge have to be even more foolish and stubborn. Though that's a commodity rarely in short supply.

[thrash]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Have there been cruise ships uncomfortably close to war zones? That sounds both plausible and incredibly foolish.
It sounds harder to make work with the vastness of space, but that just means the ones in charge have to be even more foolish and stubborn. Though that's a commodity rarely in short supply.

There is an anime (with a ridiculous name) where the main character comes from a world that preserved its independence from the Encroaching Empire many years ago by issuing letters of marque. Now she has to take the ship she inherited and go privateering in order to renew the letters in her own name.

She enters into an arrangement with several Imperial cruise lines that offer voyages through the "dangerous frontier sector, inhabited by pirates." She and her crew stop the ships -- in the flashiest but most carefully choreographed way possible -- and rob the passengers of their portable wealth.

Nobody gets hurt. The passengers get a thrilling story that they can tell for the rest of their lives. The cruise lines (or their insurance policies) pay for the passenger's losses, which are trivial compared to the ticket fees they charge. Our Plucky Heroine gets to maintain her family's legacy (and eventually have other adventures).

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by malloyd

...
The [superlative] Whatzis - the biggest, oldest, most famous, most visited, least visited... whatever - those are always popular, but not really that [different]. Alien biospheres, which have stuff you haven't seen before, at least in the details, seem like your best bet.

...."

That does seem the best bet for a setting grounded in a little bit of realism.
Then that leads into what biosphere oddities would be interesting for tourism.
Low G worlds with strange possible "impossibly" large life forms sounds perfect for tourists. High G worlds would only work if tourists have access to superscience gravity nullifying tech.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Have there been cruise ships uncomfortably close to war zones? That sounds both plausible and incredibly foolish.
It sounds harder to make work with the vastness of space, but that just means the ones in charge have to be even more foolish and stubborn. Though that's a commodity rarely in short supply.

There are people like tornado chasers who find it a thrill to get close to a natural phenomenon that could kill them. Conceivably you could have war chasers. Or supernova chasers who sign up for tours that place them close to a star that's scheduled to self-destruct.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by thrash

...
She enters into an arrangement with several Imperial cruise lines that offer voyages through the "dangerous frontier sector, inhabited by pirates." She and her crew stop the ships -- in the flashiest but most carefully choreographed way possible -- and rob the passengers of their portable wealth.

....

That sounds like taking a serious detour after describing a murder mystery get-a-way. A sub genre of interactive performance crime to coin a phrase.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Have there been cruise ships uncomfortably close to war zones? That sounds both plausible and incredibly foolish.
It sounds harder to make work with the vastness of space, but that just means the ones in charge have to be even more foolish and stubborn. Though that's a commodity rarely in short supply.

If there was a good reason for it (like being converted to a troop ship).

Diplomatic caravans on their way to Vienna had to trek through the mess of 1814 Germany. I still say the peace conference idea is a good one. Lots of spies, partying, terrorists, etc. And like I said the war doesn't have to be over.