Star Wars at Sea: Mingle with Darth and Chewie

The Disney Fantasy, on earth — well, at sea.

While it’s certainly true that subsequent generations have discovered Star Wars, baby boomers were among the first to take the interstellar journey to a galaxy far, far away back in 1977, albeit in the comfort of their local cinema.

Now that Disney has taken over the franchise with the ultra-successful Episode VII (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), the same boomers — and yes, subsequent generations — can awaken to a special “Star Wars Day at Sea” aboard a Disney cruise ship. (Disney cruises, by the way, are geared to adults as well as kids.)

Eight sailings of the appropriately named Disney Fantasy will transport Star Wars fans of any age to a sea far, far away —  well, not that far away, but at least out of the United States: the Western Caribbean, where even in winter it feels like Tatooine’s twin suns are shining down at you at the same time.

Blast off (aka embarkation) — also appropriately — is from Port Canaveral, Florida. Other ports include Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands; and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas.

Castaway Cay — it’s better in the Bahamas than on Tatooine

The sailings take place from January to April 2016. While you’ve already missed the January 9 sailing (sorry about that) and would really have to hustle to catch the January 23 sailing, there are two sailings coming up in each of the months of February (6th and 20th), March (5th and 19th), and April (2nd and 16th).

Chew the fat with Chewie during the meet-and-greet.

Here’s what you can expect, according to Disney:

• A deck party with a Star Wars-themed show, fireworks, lasers, and Star Wars music included
• Meet-and-greets with Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Stormtroopers, and other Star Wars characters (who will also roam the ship, so keep The Force ready at all times).
• A seaborne version of the Jedi Training Academy, where budding young Jedis — such as your grandkids — can learn how to wield a lightsaber and duel with Darth Vader
• Star Wars-themed trivia games and activities for both adults and kids
• “Out-of-this-world” food and drink, including Star Wars-themed specialty cocktails for boomers and other adults in the intergalactic cantina
• Screenings of all the Star Wars films, including the only at-sea screening of Episode VII
• Star Wars celebrities and insiders sharing stories and signing autographs

If you’d like, you or your multi-generational clan can dress up as your own favorite Star Wars characters to really get into the swing of it. (Wonder how many Jar Jar Binks there’ll be?)

Keep in mind that the Star Wars festivities will occupy only one day during the week-long cruise — an “at sea” day following the stop at Grand Cayman. The rest of the cruise you’ll have to make do with Mickey, Minnie, and other non-lightsaber wielding characters, when you aren’t in port lazing on tropical beaches.

But how many people on your block will be able to say they enjoyed a meet-and-greet with Stormtroopers?

Travel Tip of the Day: For those who really want to fly into space, Richard Branson is still ironing out the kinks in his Virgin Galactic venture, but stay tuned.