tcm cruise 2023 reviews

Aboard the TCM Classic Cruise, the Most Fun I've Had at Sea in Years

It was evident that this cruise wouldn’t be like any other when someone’s phone rang in the middle of the pre-departure lifeboat drill—and it was Elton John calling on FaceTime.

“He was bored,” explained the recipient, Dave Karger. A personal friend of the pop superstar, Karger hurried to end the call politely so the group safety training could proceed.

Karger wasn’t the only intimate of Sir Elton’s aboard the TCM Classic Cruise on the Disney Dream . Standing nearby, you’d have seen Bob Mackie , the legendary costume designer who has dressed every luminary diva of our time and created so many of John’s most iconic performance outfits, from that Donald Duck suit to his gem-encrusted Dodgers uniform from 1975. 

And so it went for the next five days at sea, awash in casual celebrity. Most of the passengers were regular people who booked the special sailing as they would any other cruise. Except on this one, a full-ship buyout produced by the Turner Classic Movies channel , they sailed alongside some truly distinguished fellow travelers—who, it turns out, are just regular people, too. I was aboard, too, and as a classic film fan and the editor-in-chief of this platform, I was somehow selected to serve as the cruise’s sole journalist. I've taken a lot of cruises, but never one like this. Let me tell you a little about what this special annual adventure was like.

Chevy Chase was spotted on the water slide. Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss (pictured above) could be glimpsed taking leisurely afternoon dips in the pool. At night, singer Deana Martin , the accomplished daughter of crooner Dean Martin, performed her act to a packed house in one of the ship’s nightclub spaces. During one performance, 88-year-old Pat Boone , a record-setting pop superstar in his own right, jumped onstage as midnight approached to sing an unplanned duet.

The eighth sailing of the TCM Classic Cruise , held in November 2022, was a five-night Caribbean celebration of classic entertainment so propitious that it required more than a single master of ceremonies. Instead, there were four principal hosts, each of them a certifiable film nerd and a regular on-air personality on Turner Classic Movies. 

Most of the year, hosts interview celebrities and introduce commercial-free classic films on TCM, which has earned a fervent following since its 1994 debut. But on the TCM Classic Cruise, which began sailing nearly annually in 2011, hosts function like a team of entertainment directors, introducing screenings, calling bingo games, making wry public announcements over the address system, and anchoring Q&A sessions with a short list of invited stars. On the 2022 incarnation of the cruise, the roster included Chase, Dreyfuss, Mackie, Boone, Martin, and actress-singer Lainie Kazan , whose appearances attracted standing-room-only audiences.

Principal emcee  Ben Mankiewicz (also pictured above) manages to be simultaneously genial, approachable, self-effacing, and warmly sarcastic. The other hosts:  Alicia Malone , bookish, insightful, and relatable; Dave Karger , boyish, precise, and as debonair as Cary Grant but perhaps even more immaculate; and film preservationist Eddie Muller, the so-called “Czar of Noir,” a dark horse who’s a little like what would happen if a street tough grew up to be a professor of cinema. 

TCM’s fifth regular host, Jacqueline Stewart , actually is a professor of cinema at the University of Chicago. She’s also the director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Stewart was reluctantly kept ashore in 2022 by an unexpected personal conflict.

All the hosts have encyclopedic understandings of film history, and all of them clearly relished the rare chance to interact with their audience on deck instead of through a camera lens. 

The TCM Classic Cruise is a tradition going back more than a decade. In the spring of 2010, TCM launched a springtime, land-based film festival in Hollywood . TCM general manager Pola Changnon told me that her network’s special cruise began development the same year as a separate revenue driver for a “comedy-based” sister corporate channel. “But as they started to explore that business, they realized it's really hard to take comics off the road. Even for a night,” said Changnon. “But then the thought was, What if we do this for TCM? "

“The film festival is a different animal. There's an intensity around being in Hollywood, going to film, to film, to film,” said Changnon. “But the cruise was still a cruise vacation. You still have an opportunity to sit on deck, get some sunshine, have a cocktail, and then amble into a theater somewhere.”

There’s programming on the cruise from 9am to midnight except when the ship is in port. At many times, there’s something going on at six venues at once, including screenings of classic films (with free popcorn), Q&A sessions between celebrities and TCM hosts, movies under the stars, book signings, live performances, quiz events, and games.

A typical hard choice: Attend a conversation with actress and singer Lainie Kazan in the Evolution lounge, hear Richard Dreyfuss introduce a screening of 1977's  Close Encounters of the Third Kind in the Walt Disney Theatre, watch a Tarzan classic poolside on the top deck, or see Adam’s Rib  (1949) in the Buena Vista Theatre.

For many years, the late Alex Trebek —a huge classic movie fan—emceed the sailings’ trivia contests and games, and his regular appearances became a firm fan favorite. “He was so integral to how we thought about planning the cruises,“ said Changnon. “He was just a really special, unique feature for us.”  

On the 2022 edition, some of Trebek's duties were picked up by Bruce Goldstein , who, as repertory programmer of Manhattan’s Film Forum since the 1980s, claims virtual deity status among cineasts, and by Mankiewicz’s bright 9-year-old daughter Josie, making her public hosting debut calling bingo numbers.

For one, passengers are never required to wear formal outfits for dinner. In fact, with so many back-to-back events on the schedule, there are evenings when particularly engaged passengers don’t even have time to attend their assigned seatings and must grab supper from the buffet instead.

Because of controlled attendance, and because there were so many TCM-arranged events scheduled at venues across the ship, the usual Disney cruise content was offered at half power: fewer characters wandering around, fewer Disney-produced live shows, fewer filler activities like scheduled deck games. Even the normally tricked-out dinner service at the Animator’s Palate restaurant was operating in what theme park fans would call “B mode,” with the special effects disabled.

The Disney talent remains on hand, though, to help with TCM’s own events, such as a special movie-themed sail-away party and one costume party (with Disney fireworks) per cruise—2022’s theme was the 1920s (pictured above). Even Pat Boone dressed up.

There are very few kids on board. One crew member told me there were only about 44 on our sailing on the Disney Dream , which can hold up to 4,000 people when fully booked. Thankfully, the TCM cruise wasn’t nearly so packed, and attendance was kept at a level that meant screenings and interviews never required reservations and always had a few seats available. 

If you missed an interview with one of the celebrity guests, there was usually a repeat scheduled with a different TCM host to give it a new spin. Many guests made sure to catch both sessions, but for those who couldn’t, the major talks appeared as streaming videos on stateroom television sets late in the journey.

In the public spaces, a special soundtrack of great film scores replaces the usual loop of nonstop Disney tunes. On the last day of the trip, one of the cabin stewards looked at me and said, more than a little dolefully, “I’m going to miss this music.”

The knowledge that discussions were only for passengers of the cruise, and not for broadcast, seemed to free the stars to speak more freely than they might do for a televised interview. When someone asked Bob Mackie about the work he did for the cult favorite Star Wars Holiday Special , a 1978 debacle that isn't available for legal streaming, the designer flatly told the audience, "That show was a piece of crap!"

I’m sure there are some former film stars who are approached for the cruise who think no one would want to hear their stories anymore, or that no one remembers, or that no one wants to see that they’ve aged and changed. But it was obvious from the jump that the people who pay to go on a TCM cruise aren’t hung up on those worries. Just being invited to be a part of the cruise is an indication that a celebrity indeed still has fans, and if there’s one thing classic movie lovers understand, it’s that we all age and change—but the past is still worth celebrating.

When Lainie Kazan momentarily forgot the name of Frank Sinatra’s hotel, a fan piped up with the answer. When Joel McCrea and Frances Dee’s grandson Wyatt McCrea spoke about the documentary he’s putting together about his grandparents, an attendee raised her hand and said she knew where he could find some rare footage he’d been searching for.

It’s a group that knows full well that although times change, there will always be some audiences that crave the old stories.

“It shows you that people who had careers maybe not as number one on the call sheet still have so many fans out there because their work was spread over so many beloved movies,” said Changnon.

There wasn’t a single velvet rope on board, and no inappropriate fan behavior. Instead, everyone played as equals. That was clear the night Deana Martin was joined for an impromptu duet by Pat Boone, who defied the notion that midnight is past the bedtime of an 88-year-old. Insead, he jumped up on stage (pictured above) to perform "Memories Are Made of This," a song made famous by Deana's father, Dean. 

The next day, Martin stopped Changnon in passing. “She said, ‘Do you know what kind of moment that was for me?’,” said Changnon. "It stopped the show," Martin told me later. "So then I sat on the stool to do ' Quando Quando Quando .' And Pat had [released] ' Quando Quando Quando ' [in 1962]! I had forgotten."

Some of the talent uses the event to weigh in on their legacies. Dreyfuss, for example, opened up during his interviews to explain his famously exacting reputation, but from his own perspective. And Pat Boone, who in recent years has been asked about appropriating Black music for white fans in the late ‘50s and ‘60s, spoke unprompted about his collaborations and friendships with many of the African American artists whose songs he covered, and how he provided a link between Black and white pop music culture at a time when the two worlds rarely intersected.

In a way, the cruise gives celebrities a chance to take a victory lap and help write the narrative of their lives. 

Boone told me he got some personal satisfaction from the cruise, too: He’d never watched his own 1962 movie State Fair until he caught it on the pool deck during the cruise. 

“I cried in it! I didn't remember that I cried.” he told me. "I mean, I actually cried on camera, and it brought me into tears watching it now today."

But one of the biggest surprises of the trip came during one of the more popular events, TCM Open All Night, a sometimes bawdy get-to-know-you late-night session that closes out some evenings.  ( Note : TCM Open All Night was not revived on the 2023 cruise.)

One evening, Richard Dreyfuss (a two-time TCM cruiser) insisted he wanted to join the TCM hosts on stage to play an impromptu round of the revealing parlor game Two Truths and a Lie (pictured above).

One of his truths: He once slept with Gloria Grahame, who won an Oscar the year he was born. 

The audience howled. This was stuff you won’t find in Wikipedia profiles, let alone on regular vacations. 

I’ve been on a lot of cruises in my time as a travel writer—and remarkable moments like that made my spin on the 2022 TCM Classic Cruise the most fun I’ve had on a ship in more than a decade.

• December 8–12, 2011: Eva Marie Saint, Norman Jewison, Ernest Borgnine, and Tippi Hedren aboard the Celebrity Millennium , with stops in Key West and Cozumel

• January 21–26, 2013: Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Arlene Dahl, Sally Ann Howes, and Norman Lloyd aboard the Celebrity Constellation , with stops at Grand Cayman and Cozumel 

• December 8–13, 2013: Jane Powell, Robert Wagner, Margaret O'Brien, and Theodore Bikel aboard the Disney Magic , with stops at Nassau and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay

• October 21–26, 2014: Diane Baker, Ann Blyth, Richard Dreyfuss, Tab Hunter, Shirley Jones, and James Karen aboard the Disney Magic , with stops at Key West and Castaway Cay 

• November 1–6, 2015: Angie Dickinson, Eva Marie Saint, Louis Gossett, Jr., Roger Corman, and Ruta Lee aboard the Disney Magic , with stops at Grand Cayman and Castaway Cay

• November 12–19, 2016: Kim Novak, Leslie Caron, Jerry Lewis, Michael York, and Dick Cavett aboard the  Disney Fantasy with stops at St. Maarten , San Juan , and Castaway Cay.

• October 22–27, 2019: Diane Ladd, Mitzi Gaynor, Leonard Maltin, and Cicely Tyson (pictured above with Ben Mankiewicz) aboard the Disney Magic , with a stop at Bermuda

• November 12–17, 2022: Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Pat Boone, Bob Mackie, and Lainie Kazan aboard the Disney Dream with stops at Grand Cayman and Castaway Cay

The 2023 cruise is scheduled for November 6–11, 2023, sailing aboard the Disney Magic from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico, with a lineup to be determined. Sign up at TCMCruise.com .

Related stories:   TCM's Alicia Malone on Great Movies That Used Their Locations Brilliantly TCM Airs TravelTalks, Movie Shorts That Took Audiences Around the World Before Jumbo Jets Pat Boone Secretly Forced South Africa to Suspend Apartheid for His Concerts

Frommer's joined the  2022 TCM Classic Cruise , a themed vacation experience in the Caribbean. Offered by the movie channel TCM since 2011, the TCM Classic Cruise invited Frommer's to attend the 2022 sailing. We retained full control over the topics and content of our coverage.

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Love Mickey and movies? This Disney cruise is a movie marathon at sea

Looking for a Disney cruise with a twist? The TCM Classic Cruise appeals to lovers of Mickey and classic movies alike with its annual theme cruise aboard Disney Cruise Line ships. And in 2023, Turner Classic Movies will try something new with its ninth chartered sailing: It will offer its first West Coast departure from San Diego to Mexico on board Disney Magic.

The five-night sailing departs Nov. 6, 2023, and it takes guests to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico. "We love seeing our most seafaring fans year after year, and we hope that by sailing out of San Diego we will meet some new West Coast cruisegoers as well!" Pola Changnon, general manager of TCM, said.

On board, passengers can dive deep into the world of cinema, with movie screenings, Q&A sessions with movie star guests, presentations by film experts, film trivia sessions and other activities. Ben Mankiewicz, film critic and host of Turner Classic Movies, hosts the cruise. The TCM Classic Cruise is a full charter, meaning everyone on board will be part of the movie-going group on this themed sailing .

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Celebrity guests have not yet been announced for the 2023 cruise, but this year's cruise sailed with stars such as Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Lainie Kazan, Deana Martin, Pat Boone, Bob Mackie and Sean Young.

Plus, passengers can enjoy everything Disney Magic has to offer, with a few exceptions. All of the restaurants are open with Disney's rotational dining system in place, so you can try out Animator's Palate, Lumiere's and Rapunzel's Royal Table. Mickey and Minnie will be in attendance, and you can spend your free time at the ship's spa, bars and pool deck.

However, TCM film screenings will replace the line's famous musical stage shows, and the princesses will suspend their meet-and-greets. This way you can go gaga over the stars of the silver screen instead.

If you're a Castaway Club member, your amenities and benefits will be honored on the cruise.

Presale registration for the 2023 TCM Classic Cruise cruise begins Thursday at tcmcruise.com . At this time, you'll add your name to a list, so you can receive a booking window when the cruise goes on sale in early December. Cruise fares start from $1,900 per person.

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Kim Novak, Elliott Gould & George Chakiris Will Be Among the Attendees Aboard the 2023 TCM Classic Cruise

Ahoy, classic movie fans! Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is once again setting out upon its popular Classic Cruise, the network’s ultimate fan experience at sea.

The 2023 TCM Classic Cruise will be sailing Nov. 6-11, 2023, from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico, on the Disney Magic . Fans can join the waiting list for staterooms at this link .

Over the course of the cruise, TCM personalities Ben Mankiewicz , Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Eddie Muller and Jacqueline Stewart will curate film screenings, special fan events and in-depth interviews.

Here’s a brief recap of what went down at the 2022 TCM Classic Cruise, to give you a little sense of what to expect:

TCM recently announced several notables who will be attending its 2023 Classic Cruise:

Courtesy TCM

One of the most glamorous leading actresses of her generation, Novak was a top box office draw throughout the 1950s and early 1960s — including being the biggest box office star in the world for three consecutive years.

She worked with some of the most celebrated directors and leading men during that time, in acclaimed films such as Picnic (1955), alongside William Holden ; The Man With the Golden Arm (1955) and Pal Joey (1957), with Frank Sinatra; Alfred Hitchcock ‘s Vertigo (1958), with James Stewart ; Bell, Book and Candle (1958), also with Stewart; Strangers When We Meet (1960), alongside Kirk Douglas ; and many others.

Despite her worldwide success, Novak preferred to leave Hollywood at the peak of her career to freely express herself through painting and writing. Her paintings have been exhibited at museums in San Francisco and Prague, and at The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio.

Elliott Gould

Elliott Gould is a prolific American actor and producer. He earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his performance as Ted in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), quickly followed by his iconic portrayal of “Trapper” John McIntyre in Robert Altman ‘s M*A*S*H (1970).

Other memorable film credits include Ingmar Bergman ‘s The Touch (1971); The Long Goodbye (1973), also helmed by Altman; Capricorn One (1977), Bugsy (1991) and his portrayal of Reuben Tishkoff in Steven Soderbergh ‘s trilogy Ocean’s Eleven  (2001), Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and Ocean’s Thirteen (2007).

On television, a new generation became enthusiastic fans when Gould appeared as Jack Geller, Ross and Monica’s dad, in 20 episodes of Friends between 1994 and 2003. Among his numerous other TV work, Gould guest-hosted Saturday Night Live six times in the show’s early years, between 1976 and 1980 . 

George Chakiris

George Chakiris took the entertainment world by storm with his smoldering, Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winning performance as Bernardo in 1961’s big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical West Side Story . 

Chakiris made his feature film debut in 1947, singing in the chorus of Song Of Love . He can also be seen singing and dancing in such classic musicals as White Christmas (1954) and Brigadoon (1954), and as one of Marilyn Monroe ‘s wealthy suitors in the iconic “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” number in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).

Since taking home the Oscar, Chakiris has enjoyed a decades-long career on the big screen, on television, in the theatre, in the recording studio and as a jewelry artist. In 2021, he released a book, My West Side Story: A Memoir .

Ernest Dickerson

An acclaimed, award-winning film and television veteran, Ernest Dickerson has a brand of visual storytelling that has been entertaining movie and TV fans for more than 40 years, as a cinematographer and a director.

While attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Dickerson met filmmaker Spike Lee , and the two became collaborators, with Dickerson working as director of photography on Lee’s feature films, including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991) and Malcolm X (1992). Earlier, Dickerson had also been cinematographer on memorable films such as John Sayles ‘ The Brother From Another Planet (1984) and the musical comedy/drama Krush Groove (1985).

Dickerson’s feature film debut as a director was 1992’s Juice , which he also cowrote. His visionary work has also been showcased in not only other feature films, but on some of the most influential television series ever, including The Wire and  The Walking Dead .

Born to the legendary Judy Garland and producer Sid Luft, Lorna Luft began her career singing “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” on the 1963 Christmas episode of her mother’s TV series, The Judy Garland Show , at the age of 11. She went on to perform on Broadway in Promises, Promises, Snoopy, the Musical and Extremities, and has performed in domestic and international productions of They’re Playing Our Song; Guys and Dolls, Grease, The Wizard of Oz, Holiday Inn and White Christmas.

Luft appeared on film and TV in Grease 2 (1982); Where the Boys Are (1984, aka Where the Boys Are ’84 ) and Trapper John, M.D. In 2001, she shared an Emmy nomination as coproducer of Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows , a television miniseries based on her 1998 book Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir.

Luft’s most recent book, 2018’s A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film that Got Away , was released to rave reviews. She has also celebrated her mother’s songbook in the one-woman show and CD, Songs My Mother Taught Me.

Wynn Thomas

Award-winning production designer Wynn Thomas has worked with some of the most important filmmakers of the late 20th century. He designed both A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Cinderella Man (2005) for director Ron Howard ; A Bronx Tale (1993), directed by Robert De Niro ; Wag The Dog (1997), directed by Barry Levinson ; and both Analyze This (1999) and Analyze That (2002), directed by Harold Ramis .

Thomas also has a long-term collaborative relationship with Spike Lee, starting with She’s Gotta Have It , followed by School Daze , Do The Right Thing , Mo’ Better Blues , Jungle Fever , Malcolm X , Crooklyn (1994), He Got Game (1998), The Original Kings Of Comedy (2000), Inside Man (2006) and, most recently, Da 5 Bloods (2020).

His many other credits include the comedy 80 For Brady (2023), the award-winning drama Hidden Figures (2016), the 2019 remake of Shaft  and the drag queen road movie To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995).

Thomas is the first Black production designer to become a member of the Art Directors Guild in Los Angeles, and the first African-American nominated for a Guild award, for his design work on Tim Burton ‘s Mars Attacks! (1996).

You have definitely heard her beautiful voice.

Andy Marx is an award-winning photographer, writer, and musician whose work has appeared in The New York Times , the Los Angeles Times , Variety , The Hollywood Reporter  and Entertainment Weekly , among others.

In 2014, Marx’s first novel, Royalties , was published to enthusiastic reviews. The multi-generational, historical romance is based on the lives of his paternal grandfather, legendary comedian Groucho Marx , and his maternal grandfather, renowned songwriter Gus Kahn , whose hits included “It Had to Be You,” “Makin’ Whoopee” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me.” Marx is currently recording an album on which he’ll cover many of his grandfather’s most popular songs.

Bruce Goldstein

Bruce Goldstein is the award-winning founder and co-president of Rialto Pictures and Founding Repertory Artistic Director of New York’s Film Forum . He’s also the director of acclaimed short films including Uncovering the Naked City, In the Footsteps of Speedy  and TCM’s Pelham One Two Three: NYC Underground .

Goldstein has been a popular guest at every TCM Classic Film Festival and Classic Cruise, with his fun-filled quiz So You Think You Know Movies a particular fan favorite. Earlier this year, he was honored at New York’s Museum of Modern Art with a 25th anniversary tribute to Rialto.

For more information on the 2023 TCM Classic Cruise, visit tcmcruise.com .

A classic is a classic. It should be cherished, preserved and not messed with. That includes Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

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Login required, please login or register first to download this content., tcm classic cruise returns in 2023 with brand new west coast itinerary.

TCM Classic Cruise

Voyage Sails from San Diego on Nov. 6 Aboard the  Disney Magic

Back by popular demand,  Turner Classic Movies (TCM)  will once again sail the high seas in 2023. The immensely popular  TCM Classic Cruise  will embark out of  San Diego, CA , for the first time and sail to  Cabo San Lucas, Mexico , and  Ensenada, Mexico , from  Nov. 6 – 11, 2023  on board the  Disney Magic . TCM’s  Ben Mankiewicz  will again serve as host for the voyage and travelers will be treated to a wide variety of TCM-themed events and activities, including appearances by legendary classic film stars, screenings of great movies, unique presentations with film experts, in-depth interviews, Q&A sessions, trivia games and more.

“We are just disembarking from the 2022 TCM Classic Cruise and we are already looking forward to sailing with Disney Cruise Line again next year,” said  Pola Changnon, general manager of TCM.  “We love seeing our most seafaring fans year after year, and we hope that by sailing out of San Diego we will meet some new West Coast cruisegoers as well!”

The 2022 TCM Classic Cruise just completed its 8 th  trip, sailing out of Miami, FL, with stars on board including Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Lainie Kazan, Deana Martin, Pat Boone, Bob Mackie, and Sean Young.

Pre-sale registration for the 2023 cruise begins today at  tcmcruise.com .

About Turner Classic Movies

Turner Classic Movies  (TCM)  is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “where then meets now.” TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With more than two decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through popular events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Big Screen Classics screening series, and the TCM Classic Cruise. In addition, TCM produces the wildly successful podcast “The Plot Thickens,” which has had more than 6 million downloads to date. TCM hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app. Fans can also enjoy a classic movie experience on the Classics Curated by TCM hub on HBO Max. 

About Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line  ships are modern classics that celebrate the legendary ocean liners of the past while combining innovative technology with magical Disney touches to create extraordinary guest experiences. The moment guests are welcomed aboard, they begin a journey complete with legendary Disney service and attention to detail, incomparable entertainment, and unforgettable dining. In short, it is an unparalleled vacation for every member of the family.   Disney Cruise Line  has received more than 250 distinguished awards from the travel industry since first setting sail in 1998. 

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Taryn jacobs, public relations manager.

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Do You Love Classic Movies? This Cruise is For You!

Who doesn’t love classic movies like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca  or Singin’ in the Rain ? As part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, Turner Classic Movies is setting sail once again on a themed cruise for classic movie lovers of all ages. The 5-night cruise on board Disney Magic will feature a wide variety of TCM-themed events and activities, including appearances by legendary classic film stars, screenings of great movies, unique presentations with film experts, in-depth interviews, Q&A sessions, trivia games and more.

RELATED:   Cruise Connection: Turner Classic Movies

Movies and Cruising

The TCM Classic Cruise hasn’t sailed in 3 years, but Jennifer Dorian, General Manager of TCM & FilmStruck and EVP of 360 Brand Strategy for Turner, explained why the 25th anniversary of the company offered a unique opportunity to bring the cruise back.

“TCM has a passionate and devoted audience that is the driving force behind our success, and we wanted to do something special for our upcoming 25th anniversary to celebrate with our fans,” she said. “The TCM Classic Cruise has always been such a beloved fan experience that we felt this landmark anniversary was the perfect time to re-launch this immersive, curated and engaging fan experience.”

TCM host Ben Mankiewicz | Photo: Turner Classic Movies

Hosting the cruise, which leaves New York on Oct 22, 2019, will again be Ben Mankiewicz, who played host for previous TCM Classic Cruises. Ben currently acts as a show host for Turner Classic Movies and has a long career in the television industry.

The TCM Classic Cruise Itinerary

The TCM Classic Cruise leaves from New York and spends a day at sea before stopping at King’s Wharf, Bermuda where the ship will overnight. Along with plenty of classic movies, Disney Magic offers incredible dining, fun activities for all ages and of course, a whole cast of your favorite Disney characters. Movies and cruising, what could be better!

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• Events - Past and present

TCM Classic Cruise (Nov. 6-11, 2023) San Diego to Cabo

TCM Classic Cruise

The annual TCM Classic Cruise is for movie lovers, especially classic movie lovers and fans of the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel.

4 days, 5 nights, over 2,000 attendees .

The cruise goes from San Diego, California , down to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and back.

The ship is the Disney Magic cruise ship , which is 965 feet long and has 11 decks.

What :          TCM Classic Cruise

When :          November 6-11, 2023

Where :        Departs the Port of San Diego (1140 N. Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA)

Cost :           $1,900 – $14,000 

https://www.tcmcruise.com/

https://www.tcmcruise.com/talent/

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More stars are ready to board the 2023 TCM Classic Cruise!

Look at these luminaries ready to board the 2023 TCM CLASSIC CRUISE to give you the ultimate classic film fan experience!

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) today announced iconic screen star Kim Novak, acclaimed actor and producer Elliott Gould, and stage and screen legend George Chakiris are set to attend the TCM Classic Cruise, sailing November 6-11, 2023, from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada on the  Disney  Magic.  In addition, filmmaker Ernest Dickerson, actress and singer Lorna Luft, production designer Wynn Thomas, author and grandson of Groucho Marx and Gus Kahn, Andy Marx, and fan-favorite and founder of Rialto Pictures and Founding Repertory Artistic Director of New York’s Film Forum cinema Bruce Goldstein will join TCM hosts Ben Mankiewicz, Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Eddie Muller, and Jacqueline Stewart, for film screenings, special fan events and in-depth interviews aboard this unforgettable classic movie experience at sea.

Fans can join the waiting list for staterooms at tcmcruise.com .

Site Development: SoCal Web Content

November 2023 TCM Cruise

Chart a course for movie magic

Experience the excitement, romance, comedy, and glamour of Hollywood in a whole new way.

Magic from stem to stern

The Disney Magic combines classic nostalgia and modern amenities with Disney’s signature service.

Frequently asked questions

Have any questions before you book? Find answers here or reach out to us for more information.

Welcome to the TCM Classic Cruise site!

Join the Pre-Sale!

TCM Classic Cruise 2023 Recap Video

Photos from TCM Classic Cruise 2023

The Disney Cruise Line Blog

An unofficial disney cruise line news, information, weather, and photo blog..

Disney Magic to Host the 2024 TCM Classic Cruise Sailing from Fort Lauderdale

Following last week’s sold out TCM Classic Cruise, it was announced the Disney Magic has been chosen to host the chartered sailing in 2024. The TCM Classic Cruise will set sail from Disney Cruise Line’s new year round home in Fort Lauderdale on October 26, 2024 on a 5-night Western Caribbean Cruise.

The scheduled itinerary is as follows for the October 26, 2024 Disney Magic sailing :

• Saturday October 26, 2024 –  Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Sunday October 27, 2024 – At Sea
• Monday October 28, 2024 –  Cozumel, Mexico
• Tuesday October 29, 2024 – At Sea
• Wednesday October 30, 2024 –  Castaway Cay Thursday October 31, 2024 –  Fort Lauderdale, Florida  (Debarkation)

TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz will again serve as host for the voyage, and travelers will be treated to a wide variety of TCM-themed events and activities, including appearances by legendary classic film stars, screenings of great movies, unique presentations with film experts, in-depth interviews, Q&A sessions, trivia games and more.

Mike De Luca and Pamela Abdy, Co-Chairs & CEOs, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group said, “The TCM Classic Cruise, which just wrapped a hugely successful 2023 edition, will again set sail in 2024 and offer an incredible opportunity for classic movies fan to join Ben Mankiewicz and a host of special guests to celebrate the very best in cinema.”

Recently completing its 9 th  trip, the 2023 TCM Classic Cruise sailed out of San Diego, CA for the first time, visiting Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada on the Disney Magic. While at sea, passengers had the opportunity to attend a wide variety of TCM-themed events and activities, including film screenings and conversations with special guests including Kim Novak, Elliott Gould, George Chakiris, Ernest Dickerson, Lorna Luft, Wynn Thomas, Andy Marx, and Bruce Goldstein. TCM hosts Ben Mankiewicz, Jacqueline Stewart, Dave Karger, Eddie Muller, and Alicia Malone were also on board, ushering festivities throughout the week. Other fan events included film discussions, movie trivia games, beverage tastings, live music, and dance classes.  The weeklong celebration of film also hosted multiple parties, including a “Back to High School” themed party where guests were encouraged to dress in outfits inspired by their favorite high school era styles from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Pre-sale registration for the 2024 cruise is underway at  tcmcruise.com .

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Turner Classic Movies television network. tcm.com

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What You Need To Know

Welcome to the tcm classic cruise site, join the pre-sale, tcm classic cruise 2023 recap video.

Photos from TCM Classic Cruise 2023