It was the last full week before the Dark Times. Before the Trumpire.
But as the world held its breath, thousands of Star Wars fans from around the world had paid TOP dollar months ago to book a weeklong Star Wars-themed Caribbean cruise aboard Disney's equivalent of a Star Destroyer, the Fantasy — and they were going to have their fantasy vacation, dammit, even if many of them had a Very Bad Feeling About This.
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The cruise in question only had one official "Star Wars Day at Sea." But it was greatly expanded from an experimental sailing in January 2016 — this time with more characters, more activities, more Star Wars themes on the ship's horn. Fans and Disney cast members alike were decked out in their Star Wars finery every day of the week.
Between ports they WATCHED every one of the eight movies in the two on-board theaters, including Rogue One in 3D. They ate Vader-shaped fudge and played Star Wars Battlefront and learned to bake Wookiee cookies, then watched firework-laden shows that ran tributes to the late, great Carrie Fisher. They attended Lucasfilm-approved lectures on "Star Wars 101" for the casual cantina crowd, as well as trivia contests to decide the ultimate Jedi Master among the 4,500 souls on board.
As the ship skipped its way from Port Canaveral to Cozumel, Mexico, to Grand Cayman, to Jamaica, to Disney's private island Castaway Cay — most of it in unusually choppy seas — a small group of reporters had been invited to document this strange, celebratory moment out of time.
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Here's what I saw on a cruise that almost convinced us we were in a galaxy far, far away, and could look forward to a happy ending.
Almost.
It's not Scarif, but it'll do
Stormtroopers were aboard as we visited beautiful aquamarine beaches in the Caribbean, but tragically failed to pose for Rogue One-style photos knee-deep in the surf. Heck, they wouldn't even get in the pool.
Stormtroopers were aboard as we visited beautiful aquamarine beaches in the Caribbean, but tragically failed to pose for Rogue One-style photos knee-deep in the surf. Heck, they wouldn't even get in the pool.
IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRIS TAYLOR
The galactic gang's all here
The ship came fully equipped with a contingent of screen-accurate characters -- from original trilogy through Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma and Ahsoka of Clone Wars and Rebels fame.
The ship came fully EQUIPPED with a contingent of screen-accurate characters -- from original trilogy through Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma and Ahsoka of Clone Wars and Rebels fame.
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