ABOARD ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S ALLURE OF THE SEAS -- For Taylor Swift's fans, aka Swifties, friendship, love and inclusion are the "invisible string" that binds them.
I've long been a Taylor Swift fan -- I have vivid memories of belting the lyrics to "Fifteen" (from her 2008 album Fearless) into my hairbrush when I was … you guessed it, 15. Her hit "All Too Well" came out shortly after my first teenage heartbreak. ("I was there, I remember it, all too well.")
And I've stayed on the Swiftie Train throughout her subsequent six albums, each known affectionately to her fans as her "eras." I've seen Taylor Swift in concert three times and introduced friends met during the various chapters of my own life to each other, knowing that they were already bonded through their shared love of her music. My bachelorette party was Taylor Swift-themed. Heck, I even walked down the aisle last month at my wedding to Swift's song "When Emma Falls in Love." For whatever I was going through, Swift had a song for it.
And it's clear that I'm not alone, judging by the success of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
Emma Weissmann stands next to a decorated stateroom door on Allure of the Seas. Source: Emma Weissmann
In fact, it's what inspired Jessica Malerman, Nicole Rivera and Shelby Reyes -- travel advisors with Marvelous Mouse Travels -- to plan the In My Cruise Era affinity cruise (not affiliated with Taylor Swift) on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas last week. I had asked a fellow Swiftie (my college friend, Sean) to accompany me on the sailing. The cruise went viral late last year when it was announced. At one point, the waitlist was about 10,000 Swifties long.
Our itinerary touted exclusive themed events, from Bestie Bingo and Karaoke to late-night dance parties and friendship-bracelet swaps (a trend made popular by Swift's 2022 song "You're on Your Own, Kid"). And as I observed the In My Cruise Era crowd, I was in awe at the instant camaraderie of this group, with many of its members a decade -- or more -- younger than me.
I saw young girls dressed in the theme of their favorite eras. I watched them sing the lyrics of songs that were written before they were born, to a room full of adults, who sang them right back. I witnessed men and women from different states -- and even different countries -- identify each other around the ship from their In My Cruise Era pink lanyards, featuring each person's name and favorite Swift song (in my case, "Wildest Dreams.") I decorated my stateroom door with Taylor Swift stickers and woke up to find homemade friendship bracelets left on my cabin's door handle overnight.
Emma Weissmann made fast friends with other Swifties on Allure of the Seas. Photo Credit: Emma Weissmann
I reconnected with my old friend and made several new ones. And that's the allure of affinity travel, which brings like-minded people together -- and, in my case, had the potential to make even a 6,826-passenger cruise ship feel small.
On the second day of our cruise, just after a young Swiftie performed a karaoke version of "Love Story," a song about a Romeo and Juliet-esque romance that ends in a proposal, a couple walked up to the mic and announced they had just gotten engaged. Within seconds, they were swarmed with other Swifties offering their congratulations.
I waited until the crowd died down, then took off my "Bride" friendship bracelet -- given to me by my long-distance best friend, a newly converted Swiftie herself, during my bachelorette party -- and handed it to the bride-to-be.
Farewell, In My Cruise Era. To quote Taylor Swift's "Long Live" -- "I had the time of my life with you."