Ahoy mateys! All aboard the party of a lifetime – “It’s The Ship 2016”.
The 3rd instalment of the world’s 2nd largest EDM cruise festival took place aboard the very luxurious Mariners of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean International from 4th to 7th November and the annual event saw some 3,200 partygoers from 36 nations, including Australia, Thailand, Korea, China, Italy, France, and the United States.
With over 60 amazing acts, 4 stages (Main stage, Hot Tub Time Machine, St. Tropez, and Viking Crown), as well as several pop-up parties and side activities, it’s easy to see how “It’s The Ship 2016” became a sold-out event.
Thanks to our friends from The Livescape Group, we were able to attend the highly-anticipated event that is filled with some of the world’s biggest DJs such as Knife Party, Dada Life, Far East Movement, Sander Van Doorn, Marlo, Andrew Rayel, Joel Fletcher, and David Gravell.
Truth be told, we miss waking up to the soothing sounds of the ocean waves, dancing till the sunrise, and the scrumptious 24-hour buffet at Windjammer’s Cafe. So for those of you who missed it this year, don’t worry ’cause we’ve got you covered 😉
Here are some things we loved about this year’s “It’s The Ship”:
When Dada Life and Knife Party ruled the first night
The first night saw Swedish DJ duo Dada Life, which consists of Olle Cornéer and Stefan Engblom, galvanising partygoers with many of their crazy, hardcore beats and some fans were lucky enough to get their T-shirts and flags signed. Staying true to their motto, Dada Life’s 1-hour-30-minute “Dada Land” set was totally bananas! But in a good way, of course. Just when we thought the music couldn’t get any better, Gareth McGrillen of Knife Party blew our minds away with a slew of the group’s spooky-themed dance tracks. He even managed to mix in theme songs from “Baywatch” when David Hasselhoff stepped up on stage in his iconic red life guard ensemble, making the already high-spirited crowd go berserk. The only downside was that the “Largest Pillow Fight At Sea” had to be cancelled due to strong winds. Bummer 🙁
Of T-Rex, Playboy bunnies, man-kinis, and other shenanigans
Keep your conservative thoughts at home because “It’s The Ship” is no place for anyone’s judgement. Be it a T-Rex raving in the middle of the crowd, men running around the main deck in obscene man-kinis, or a half naked chef grilling hamburger patties, what happens on the ship stays on the ship. The other great thing about this year’s instalment is that bunnies from Playboy Thailand were onboard! How often do you get to see a real life Playboy bunny right before your eyes? Exactly.
Penang Street Carnival – Party at Upper Penang Road
“I came, I saw, I partied” – that’s the life, right?
Instead of organising a huge beach party like the previous 2 instalments, The Livescape Group decided that transforming Upper Penang Road, one of the island’s most happening nightlife areas, was a good idea. And they were right! Besides the cheap drinks, upbeat music, and multiple club/bar options, revellers were also able to try out some local delicacies such as char kuey teow, satay, and laksa at the mini hawker food village that was specially set up for hungry “It’s The Ship” patrons. Trishaws were also made available for attendees to ride for free!
A little rain never killed nobody
The 2nd night was invaded by heavy rain (no thanks to the monsoon season), but that did not dampen the spirits of happy revellers. Instead of going back to their warm rooms, many embraced the rain by jumping into the pool! Now that’s what we call a pool party 😉 Unfortunately, the fun didn’t last long as the main pool deck’s sound system were affected by the accumulated rain water. So all of the night’s following outdoor acts (Thaitanium, Far East Movement, Bangkok Invaders, and more) were relocated to indoor venues.
As they all say, the show must go on.
Far East Movement’s epic stage
We don’t know about other “It’s The Ship” attendees but Far East Movement’s 1-hour set was hands down, the best one. Though the trio only got onto the ship a couple of hours before their performance, their energy levels were through the roof! The group busted out their super infectious hits like “Like a G6”, “Turn Up The Love”, and “The Illest”. They even played some new songs off “Identity” and the crowd surprised the trio by singing along to the lyrics of “Freal Love”.
“To be honest, we needed to do some soul-searching. We’ve spent some time in Asia because our name is the Far East Movement! So through that journey we’ve met some amazing friends, so we decided, after 4 years, let’s make one more album!” said Kev Nish while standing on a table.
The Sexy Sax Man was everywhere!
For some reason, we couldn’t get away from Sexy Sax Man, real name Sergio Flores. Not only did he wow shipmates with his amazing saxophone skills, the man also performed at every nook and cranny of the cruise. From the promenade (duty-free shopping area) to the hot tub filled with happy revellers, he swept everyone off their feet with his rendition of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”. He even played that song while standing on Playboy Thailand’s table during the Gala Dinner and all the estrogen-charged ladies went wild.
P/S: Sexy Sax Man is best known for playing the saxophone hook on Redfoo’s hit “New Thang”.
DJ Hoff vs. Broadway Hoff
If there’s one guy who stole everyone’s show, it would be David Hasselhoff aka The Hoff! The former “Baywatch” star, who is also the captain of “It’s The Ship”, played an afternoon set on Day 3 and it was classic. Featuring songs like “Jump In My Car”, “Hooked On A Feeling”, and “I’m Gonna Be”, DJ Hoff ended his session with “Sweet Caroline”. During the Gala Dinner, The Hoff performed once again and this time, it was all about Broadway. From “Feeling Good” to “This Is The Moment” from Jekyll & Hyde, he serenaded us with all his heart and we honestly loved every minute of it. Also, The Hoff played witness to a couple’s proposal during the dinner! That goes to show that anything can happen at “It’s The Ship”.
Party till sunrise, because you can
The St. Tropez stage was meant for partygoers to party till they see the sunrise. With DJs spinning from 1am till 7am each morning, the rooftop deck is the best place to see the sun rising over the calm ocean. We can’t describe how satisfied we felt when we saw the sun’s orange hues slowly peeking out of the clouds, shining over the cruise-liner. Ah, how we wish to be there again 🙂
What was your favourite part of “It’s The Ship 2016”? Who would you like to see at next year’s festival? Let us know in the comments below!
For more information and official photos, hit up “It’s The Ship” via their Facebook page or The Livescape Group’s Facebook page.
Featured image: Colossal Photos x All Is Amazing
