The sun has set on Insomniac Events’ third EDSea voyage. From November 1-6, the festival giant’s cruise ship event set sail from Miami to Belize and back, bringing over 60 artists and close to 4,000 ravers on board the Norwegian Joy for five nights of luxurious partying in tropical paradise.
EDSea isn’t the scene’s first cruise ship festival, but since Insomniac launched the seafaring adaptation of its famous Electric Daisy Carnival in 2023, the promoter’s joint endeavor with destination music experience companies Vibee and Sixthman has emerged as one of the most highly touted events of its kind—and after another week on ‘the Electric Sea,’ its easy to see why.
Packing eight stages of music across 15 ship decks, plus a dusk-to-dawn party on the shores of Harvest Caye, and all of the comfort and amenities that come with cruising on one of Norwegian’s top-ranked ships, EDSea is an electronic music experience in a class of its own.
Read EDM Maniac‘s full report on EDSea 2025.
Vibes: ★★★★☆
As we scaled the gangway, we were hit with a tidal wave of PLUR from our fellow ravers, the kindhearted ship crew, Insomniac and Sixthman staff, and even the performing DJs, who seemed as excited to be there as the rest of us. Before we knew it, we were pulling out of the Port of Miami as fireworks erupted overhead.
With the boat decked out in colorful decorations and photo ops, with Insomniac’s famous roaming performers, the EDC charm was alive and well, as fans donned thoughtful outfits for daily and nightly themes. Attendee-decorated cabins felt like festival campsites, with guests roaming the corridors to catch a vibe and trade trinkets.
Like a “lock-in” from our grade school days, the captive audience was especially ready to connect and make new friends, and we delighted in seeing familiar faces as we bounced from stage to stage. Everyone is in it together, and as we arrived at the end of the party marathon on the final night, the shared release and sense of accomplishment were second to none.
The SoCal rave community, Insomniac’s main audience, showed out in force at this one, creating a homey feeling for those from the West Coast. But no matter where you were from, how you got there, or which sounds you love most, the EDSea fam welcomed everyone with open arms. On the boat and the beach, we also bumped into dozens of DJs, who mingled and danced with fans as they came to sets to support their fellow artists.
Five nights is a lengthy party by anyone’s standards, and there were some occasions where we felt the dancefloor energy wavered, even during some of the most anticipated sets. When stages were packed, it felt like a sick private party, but when attendance was low, the vibe felt hollow, and the commercial nature of big-ticket resort festivals was front of mind.
Still, EDSea’s most redeeming quality is the ability to go at your own pace, whether you need a retreat to your room for a quick nap or want to park it at the rail all night long.
Production: ★★★☆☆
Stage design and production have their limitations on a working cruise ship at sea, and at EDSea, you won’t find anything close to the level of production seen at Insomniac’s flagship events or other land-bound festivals. Instead, the show experience is more about intimacy and the novelty of raving on a cruise ship in the first place. But within the logistical confines of the boat, EDSea delivered.
On the main pool deck, Kinetic Ocean was the main stage destination, set on risers in front of a large LED video wall, with lasers, cold sparks, and fog. Perched on either side: an avian guardian overlooking the roomy dance floor and VIP section below. Walking out of the elevators on Deck 16, it was clear you’d arrived as bass rattled the doors to the deck.
Tucked away on the top deck at the back of the boat, Neon Splash was a more intimate decktop party with two lasers and a modest LED screen. Located in one of the ship’s main atriums, the Pearl was backed by a colorful inflatable clam with a variety of beats booming for fans walking through the main corridors and seated at the restaurant balcony above.
With a large LED screen, top-notch lasers, cold sparks, CO2 cannons, and confetti, Circuit Waves offered the boat’s best indoor production. Though you could take it all in from the comfort of the venue’s movie theater seats, we couldn’t help but get up and boogie.
Elsewhere, the shoebox-style Rave Cave and Deep Dive Disco brought fans up close and personal, while the Kandi Casino played into a renegade vibe with surprise B2Bs among the slot machines. Cosmic Coral encountered setup delays on night one. Once up and running, the converted dining room frequently reached capacity because it was the primary destination for the lineup’s top bass acts.
Fine-tuned for an impressive run of house artists on beach night, the Sonic Paradise stage at Harvest Caye featured fewer screens for a stripped-back feel among the palm trees. Sound and lasers were dialed in all night long, accented by pyro for select performances. Beyond the beats, programming included activities such as rave bingo, character brunches, yoga, comedy shows, speed-dating, open decks, and artist-hosted game tournaments.
Music: ★★★☆☆
EDSea’s 2025 lineup featured another mighty assemblage of the scene’s leading names. Top moments from our week at sea included Noizu and Westend soundtracking our farewell to Miami, packing out the Kandi Casino for several surprise B2Bs (SIDEPIECE, Westend, BOLO, and BROSA came through), and raving in the rain to the high-speed sounds of Dimension, Sara Landry, and Shlømo.
While bass lovers raged on the boat to the low-end sounds of Chef Boyarbeatz, Maddy O’Neal, Jon Casey, YDG, Ganja White Night, Mersiv, Juelz, and more, the beach night offered waterfront bliss for house heads with a perfectly programmed sequence of sets.
KinAhau, Tom & Collins, and OMRI. built the energy ahead of dancefloor classics and lively UKG from Armand Van Helden and Disclosure. BLOND:ISH and Jamie Jones guided us through the night before Dombresky staked his claim as the king of sunrise, moving through his groovy hits and rinsing disco staples as the sun rose and dancers took an early morning dip in the ocean.
But the headline-stealing highlight was the return of Sara Landry’s “Blood Oath,” a girl-powered, all-female B2B featuring Sara Landry, Maddy O’Neal, TOKiMONSTA, Chyl, ALLEYCVT, Jenna Shaw, Bailey Greenwood, Zorza, and Julienne By, who threw down a menacing drum & bass set.
Many artists played multiple sets. This creates an almost familiar understanding between the DJ and the crowd, and is awesome if your favorite artist is on board, but a few repeat tracks and similar-sounding sets are inevitable. We also felt that this year’s lineup offered less variety than in previous years, and we were bummed to find out that several artists, such as Vintage Culture, Morgan Seatree, and Nikita, the Wicked, couldn’t make it.
Venue: ★★★★★
There is simply nothing like raving on a cruise ship. The novelty of experiencing our favorite music in an unprecedented location never wore off, but moreover, we’ve rarely, if ever, been more comfortable at a music festival.
With each stage located along the ship’s three main stairwells and elevator shafts, bouncing between dance floors was a breeze. If you need to take a break, you’re guaranteed to find a comfortable seat just steps from the stage or easily dash off to your room for a quick power nap or hot shower. Even better, the free buffet is steps from the main stage.
Via window or balcony, everywhere we went, we caught gorgeous views of the open water as we explored the Norwegian Joy’s 17 decks, featuring cruise amenities such as a gym, casino, spa, jogging track, mini-golf, go-karts, a swimming pool, waterslides, and hot tubs. Bars, water stations, and restrooms were easily accessible at each stage. The ship is truly your oyster.
Each set of rooms had a personal concierge, and the crew was incredibly helpful, offering friendly service at the bar and restaurants, quickly sorting reservation details at guest services, and encouraging guests to “washy-washy” their hands before eating.
On shore, we grooved with our toes in the sand and our backsides in beach chairs at Harvest Caye, a private island cruise destination with a bevy of lounge spots, restaurants, bars, and vendors, as well as a colossal pool with its own lights and dance music soundtrack. Walk down the beach, and you’ll find intricate sand sculptures, fire performers, and a small secret stage.
We wish we could have spent more time at Harvest Caye, but a later-than-scheduled arrival meant our beach day was more of a beach overnight, from around 7PM to 8:30AM the next morning.
Food & Beverage: ★★★★★
EDSea may also be the best-fed we’ve been at a festival. The ship’s main buffet offered a variety of dishes for a variety of diets, from burgers, pizza, and pasta, to Asian, Indian, and Mexican dishes, along with breakfast, salad bars, ice cream, hot tea, coffee, juice, and much more. At the slightest hint of an appetite, we could stop by for a quick bite and pop right back out to the main stage.
Four more casual restaurants are also included with your booking, including American fare at Savor and Taste, home to the EDSea character brunch, and pub grub at Local Bar & Grill and the American Diner. Guests can also reserve a seat at Insomniac’s Salvage City Supper Club, a themed, cabaret-style dining experience born at EDC Las Vegas.
Other restaurant seating is available to book for a $30 cover charge, and room service is included with a $9.95 convenience charge and a 20% tip. Guests can visit the onboard Starbucks to purchase specialty coffee or wrap their daily brew into a beverage package.
Temporary and permanent bars were stocked with an exceptionally wide variety of beer, wine, seltzer, liquor, and energy drink options, easily accessible from almost anywhere on the ship. Like airports, theme parks, and many major festivals, drink prices on any cruise are high. Most seltzers and beers cost $18, and single mixed drinks were $24. At roughly $122 per day, including service charges, the unlimited open bar package pays for itself after about five to six single drinks daily.
Overall: ★★★★☆
EDSea 2025 will live in our hearts and memories as one of the most unique raving experiences we’ve been a part of. If you’re a fan of electronic music and resort vacations, this one is a must-visit. The cruise ship festival experience is incredibly different from any shows we’ve encountered on land, and light-years removed from the underground environs favored by rave purists.
Though we missed reveling in the scale of major outdoor festivals, EDSea scratches a different itch, offering unmatched comfort, an intimate music environment, and enough amenities to fuel your party shenanigans for even more than the five nights we spent at sea.
A week-long music cruise is a significant investment of time and money for both patrons and promoters, both of whom dove in headfirst to make EDSea a rewarding experience for all.
Find EDM Maniac‘s complete Festival Report Card archive here.
Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events.