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Groove Cruise Will Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary With Historic Sailing In 2024!

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Whet Travel’s flagship event Groove Cruise will celebrate 20 years on the open sea in 2024, adventuring from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas from Wednesday, January 24 – Sunday, January 28, 2024. To cement the impressive milestone, Groove Cruise Miami 2024 will be hosted on the award-winning Norwegian Encore – the largest and most luxurious Groove Cruise ship to date. 

Over the last two decades, Groove Cruise has evolved into the world’s “premier floating dance music festival.” Since its inception in 2004, Groove Cruise has remained the only independent music cruise sailing from both the East and West coasts of the United States. The nautical festival brand is famous for championing creative self-expression and curating inclusive environments that welcome attendees to follow their inner compasses toward adventure. Groove Cruise’s central ethos is all about finding your own individual flow, while simultaneously connecting with fellow passengers for a tight-knit, community-oriented experience. 

Setting sail from Miami, Florida on Wednesday, January 24, Groove Cruise invites veterans and newcomers alike to indulge in a once-in-a-lifetime experience aboard the Norwegian Encore. The sailing will feature 96 hours of nonstop music, as well as Groove Cruise’s signature immersive programming which will include 9 stages with world-class production, over 80 renowned artists, daily themes with dedicated parties, artist-hosted activities, beachside destination parties, Whet Foundation volunteer experience, mental health panels, and so much more. 

Selected by Porthole Cruise Magazine as the 2020 Editors’ Pick for Best New Ship, the Norwegian Encore will be the newest and largest ship to join the ranks of Groove Cruise’s 20-year history. Spanning an impressive 20 decks above the ocean, the list of onboard amenities feels endless with the largest race track at sea for over 1100 feet of pedal-to-the-metal action, 10,000 square foot open-air laser tag arena, and virtual reality interactive gaming including a ride simulator at the Galaxy Pavilion. If that wasn’t enough the ship also hosts an aqua park with 2 multi-story waterslides that extend over the edges of the ship, 8 hot tubs and pools, high-tech Pulse fitness center with workout classes, Encore casino, and more. 

The Encore also offers a slew of health and wellness amenities including a state-of-the-art spa with 50 specialty treatments, Vitality Pool, thermal suite, and a salt room which features a dramatic grotto surrounded with layers of body-cleansing salt crystals. 

Exploring all of the various amenities will leave Captains ready to indulge in the various food and beverage options with 40 bars and restaurants onboard. The Encore boasts six complimentary restaurants and 12 speciality restaurants including a brand-new Onda by Scarpetta, Q-Texas Smokehouse and dinner show, Teppanyaki, Food Republic, Los Lobos and more. For your favorite libations, attendees can check out A-List Bar, District Brew House, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, Maltings Whiskey Bar, Vine Beach Club and a spectacular Observation Lounge in the front of the ship with 180 degree views. The Groove Cruise Captains will have everything they could possibly want aboard the Encore

Marking another new offering for 2024, the Norwegian Encore will offer 80 studios rooms with a private lounge for singles that might prefer their own room. Additionally, the Encore features the Haven luxury suite complex with its own pool, dining room and butler service for Haven guests. 

Groove Cruise Miami will sail to the breathtaking location of Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, an exclusive private island only accessible to Norwegian Cruise Line guests. The tropical climate and white sand beaches will deliver the perfect party getaway for Groove Cruise attendees, who can revel in the Groove Cruise-curated island party and partake in various expedition offerings. 

When the Groove Cruise Captains step onto the private island, they will be transported into a music lovers’ tropical paradise featuring performances from the world’s most sought-after electronic music acts. In addition to the Groove Cruise curated event, Captains will be able to splurge on a gorgeous cabana at Silver Cove beach with protected coves for swimming and snorkeling for the ultimate getaway experience. The island’s rental and expedition offerings include snorkeling the gorgeous underwater reefs, riding wave runners or paddleboards, drifting away on floating mats, and more. Attendees can also choose from 22 shore excursions including a zip-line adventure at one of the island’s two courses, parasailing above the island’s shores, spa treatments at Mandara Spa at Silver Cove, swimming with pigs at Treasure Island, and more.

Outside of organizing unforgettable parties, Groove Cruise also runs its own 501c3 organization, the Whet Foundation. Started by Whet Travel’s founder Jason Beukema, Whet Foundation seeks to impact the communities visited by Whet Travel cruises, inviting cruise attendees to donate and volunteer at their events. The foundation gives back to local communities via clothing, food, school supply donations, beach and community cleanups, painting and art programs, and providing facility repair and improvement costs. 

The Whet Foundation launched its biggest initiative on the most recent Groove Cruise Cabo sailing, visiting Casa Hogar in Cabo San Lucas (made famous by the Netflix movie Blue Miracle) as well as Solmar Foundation and Heart4Cabo. Nearly 100 volunteers interacted with the children through live art, games, music, and costumes.

Groove Cruise’s 2024 20th anniversary announcement comes at the heels of Groove Cruise Miami 2023 selling out. Marking the 35th overall sailing, Groove Cruise ‘23 will sail from Miami to the private paradise of Labadee, Haiti aboard the state-of-the-art Celebrity Summit from Thursday, January 19 – Monday, January 23, 2023. 

The cruise consists of 96 hours of non-stop music from more than 70+ artists from around the world. Headliners include Swiss-South African deep house connoisseur Nora En Pure, German trance music legend Markus Schulz, the mysterious Claptone, and Bite This label head Jauz who will be performing a special ‘Off The Deep End’ set.  

Groove Cruise Miami 2023 is now completely sold out, but fans can plan to grab tickets for Groove Cruise Miami 2024. After a slew of loyalty ticketing tiers, tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, December 7 at 3PM EST.

Due to inflation, the travel industry has seen prices skyrocket a staggering 25-30% this year alone. For Groove Cruise Miami 2024, the general pricing for inside rooms will only increase $50 per person per day and the rest of the pricing for oceanviews, balconies and suites will remain comparable to the prices of the sold-out 2023 sailing. 

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Founder, Owner & Manager of EDMHouseNetwork. Instant lover of all things electronic dance music from the moment I heard Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy. After pursuing a career as a DJ, creating EDM content quickly became a love of mine and it has been my mission to keep delivering high quality content ever since.

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EDM news

Swedish House Mafia Return to Sweden for Four Exclusive Nights in 2027

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Following their sold-out homecoming in Gothenburg this year, Swedish House Mafia are returning to Ullevi for four more nights in 2027.

Set to be the Swedish House Mafia’s only European live shows next year, the Swedes will return to Scandinavia’s biggest open-air concert arena on 2, 3, 9 and 10 July.

With no other European arena / stadium tour, and no festival appearances on the continent, Ullevi will become the centre of all things Swedish House Mafia in 2027. The band is not just taking over a 75,000 capacity venue, but the city of Gothenburg itself.

Uniting the world in Sweden, these four dates will bring a new experience, on a larger scale than in 2026. Fans will have the opportunity to explore Gothenburg and be part of a unique Swedish House Mafia fan experience, with pop-ups, fan spaces and merchandise stores spread across the city.

Onto the concert, Ullevi 2027 will deliver a show specifically designed around the stadium and its atmosphere, a unique production that will only be performed across the four nights.

From Miami 2 Ibiza Ullevi: Why Swedish House Mafia Are Doing This

Looking back at the special Ullevi night on 29 August 2026, it wasn’t just the audience who were left in awe, but the artists too. Reflecting on the emotions they felt during the show, the trio said:

“Standing in the heart of Gothenburg, we felt something. The scale, the energy, the connection. The pride of standing together on Swedish soil, with music that travelled from our home to every corner of the world, and hearing it come home through the voices of the crowd. And it’s something we want everyone to experience with us. That’s why we are coming back.”

There is no doubt that this was one of the most memorable Swedish House Mafia shows to date. From walking out to the Swedish national anthem, to the energy of the crowd and heartfelt moments such as Sebastian Ingrosso’s daughter singing ‘Don’t You Worry Child’, the trio made history in Gothenburg. More importantly, fans will have the chance to experience that same magic on an even larger scale next year.

Tickets for Ullevi 2027 go on general sale on Saturday, 19 September, with fans able to register for the pre-sale now via this link. Those who purchased tickets for the first Ullevi show this year, which was set to take place Friday, 28 August 2026, will receive exclusive pre-sale access to the 2027 dates.

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Amsterdam Dance Event News

ADE Insider’s Guide: How to Make the Most of Your Amsterdam Dance Event Experience (Like a Pro)

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Crowd at Amsterdam Dance Event dancing under blue and purple laser lights inside a packed arena

Amsterdam Dance Event turns an entire city into your festival grounds for five days straight. In 2026, that means October 21–25.

Amsterdam Dance Event turns an entire city into your festival grounds for five days straight, and in 2026 that’s October 21 to 25. If you’ve never done it before, the scale is genuinely disorienting: 300+ venues, thousands of artists, and more good decisions available to you than there are hours to make them in. Longtime attendees, including those who’ve covered the event as media, tend to land on the same short list of things that actually change how you move through the week. Here’s what most first-timers only learn the hard way.

1. Pick the most strategic accommodations you can

This is the decision that quietly shapes your whole week, so sort it before anything else. The downtown core is where most of the action lives, which also makes it the most expensive place to sleep. The smart move is staying just outside it, along a tram or metro line. This way, you can hop into town whenever you need and get back out just as easily.

Hostels are a real option here, not just a budget compromise. ADE fills them with people doing exactly what you’re doing. This makes them genuinely good for meeting people, and a private room at a hostel is often cheaper than a hotel room. So, you still get your own space. Flying Pig and ClinkNOORD are two of the top picks. Both are reliable and both are well connected to the rest of the city.

2. Organize and schedule every event you plan on attending

Before you land, start a running list of every event you actually want to hit. Drop the key ones into your phone calendar so you get reminders, then build a proper Google Sheet alongside it. For each event, track the name, the headliner or DJs playing, the venue address, and your guest list contact if you have one.

It feels like overkill in August. However, it saves you in October, when you’re standing outside a venue at midnight trying to remember which artist’s manager you were supposed to text.

3. Get on the guestlist, don’t count on the Pro Pass alone

Most people at ADE are running on a Pro Pass, and it earns its price since it gets you into most of the program. If you’re media, a press pass gives you a little more room than the Pro Pass. But here's the catch either way: with that many pass holders trying to get into the same rooms, capacity limits turn into one in, one out. As a result, you can end up stuck outside a venue you had every right to be in.

The only real way around that is getting on a guest list, ideally from the event producer or, better yet, from the DJs playing. A spot on the list beats any pass in your pocket. Start reaching out before you land, not after.

4. Plan your routes like a tour manager

ADE is not centered on one festival ground. Venues are scattered across the entire city. Some of the best ones sit well outside the downtown core. If you actually want to catch every artist on your list, you need to map the distance between venues, not just the events themselves.

Amsterdam was not built for cars, so public transit is how you get around. The good news is the Pro Pass comes with a free transit pass through GVB, the city’s transit authority. Sign up for it the moment you get your Pro Pass. Next, look up every address ahead of time and build in more travel time than feels necessary. Trams and buses during ADE week get packed, sometimes with pop-up performances happening right on board. Therefore, treat extra time as part of the plan, not a backup.

5. Cut your list of events down to your top 3-4 per day

Here’s the reality: most of your favorite DJs will be in the city at the same time, and on any given day you could probably find six shows worth going to. Your body will not cooperate with that plan. Between sleep and the travel time between venues, something has to give.

What works best is picking three or four events a day to actually commit to, and leaving the rest of the day open. Decide those in advance. This way, you’re not making the call at 2am when you’re exhausted and everything sounds like a good idea.

6. Leave Room to Go With the Flow

Planning gets you most of the way there, but some of the best moments at ADE come from what you didn’t plan. This is a week built for networking, and you will meet people: someone who works at a label you love, someone on an artist’s team, an event producer whose parties you’ve always wanted into. They might invite you somewhere that was never on your list. Even so, it might turn out to be exactly where you needed to be that night.

This is another reason the Pro Pass is worth it over buying individual tickets: you’re not losing money by bailing on a plan. Hold your schedule loosely enough that you can actually say yes when the moment shows up.

7. Protect your sleep and add it to your schedule

Some nights run until 6am. Some daytime programming starts at 10am. If you don’t actively schedule sleep into your week, ADE will happily take it from you. Be honest with yourself when you’re building your calendar. And don’t skip the daytime side of it either: a lot of the talks and conferences are genuinely worth attending, which sometimes means sacrificing a party the night before so you’re actually present for them the next morning.

8. Bring a set of winter clothes, just in case

ADE lands in the third week of October, and Amsterdam weather at that point can go either way. Some years it stays mild, other years it turns flat-out winter cold. Pack a real jacket, a scarf, and a hat, even if you’re hoping you won’t need them. Between the lack of sleep, the cold rain, and running around the city all week, it’s remarkably easy to get sick, and being underdressed is the fastest way there.

9. Eat smart

Amsterdam has excellent food and no shortage of ways to overspend on it. Grocery stores are everywhere, so grab something premade and cheap for lunch, a sandwich, a wrap, a bowl, and save your real budget for dinner. When you do eat out, noodles and shawarma or doner are consistently the best value you’ll find. Albert Cuyp Market is a good one-stop option for exactly that, a dense strip of stalls where you can eat well without spending much.

10. Network the Right Way: Get the WhatsApp

When you meet someone worth staying in touch with, go straight for their WhatsApp. Don’t bother asking for Instagram or email in the moment, both tend to get buried and ignored. Once you’ve had an actual conversation on WhatsApp, Instagram and email naturally follow from there. WhatsApp is where people actually talk, email is where business gets done once the relationship exists, and Instagram is where you stay loosely in touch after. If you’re serious about turning ADE contacts into real connections, WhatsApp first is the move.

ADE rewards people who plan and people who stay loose in equal measure. Get the logistics right, then let the week surprise you.

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EDM Festival News

Asia Music Event Launches in Hong Kong This November

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A DJ performs at Asia Music Event in Hong Kong as a large crowd gathers in front of the stage with the Asia Music Event logo on screen.

A new electronic music conference is coming to Hong Kong as Asia Music Event brings global electronic music industry leaders together this November

Hong Kong is set to host a new electronic music industry conference this November with the launch of Asia Music Event (AME). The inaugural edition will take place at Soho House Hong Kong on November 26 and 27, bringing more than 1,000 music professionals and 200 companies together for two days of panels, keynotes, workshops, networking and showcases. Beatport, Warner Music, Zamna Festival, Ismaya Group, Djakarta Warehouse Project and The Magic of Tomorrowland are among the names already involved, giving the first edition a mix of global companies and major players from across the Asian market. As electronic music continues to grow across the region, AME is launching with the aim of creating a dedicated industry meeting point in Asia, where labels, festivals, artists, agencies and platforms can meet and do business in one place.

What to Expect From Asia Music Event 2026

Across two days, Asia Music Event (AME) will feature more than 30 sessions looking at different parts of the electronic music industry across Asia. Keynotes, panel discussions and workshops will cover topics relevant to artists, labels, festivals, promoters, agencies, platforms and brands, with more than 100 speakers and industry figures expected to take part. The first group already includes names from Beatport, Warner Music, Ismaya Group, Djakarta Warehouse Project, Lisbon Dance Summit and The Magic of Tomorrowland, with further speakers and session details expected ahead of November.

Attendees will also have access to curated networking and matchmaking sessions, creating more direct opportunities for companies and professionals from Asian and international markets to meet. Showcases and brand activations will also give the conference a live music component across the two days. The two-day event will conclude on November 27 with the AME Official Closing Party, with its artist lineup set to be announced separately.

Meet Some of the Speakers at Asia Music Event 2026

A major part of Asia Music Event (AME) will be the range of people contributing to its discussions, with the current speaker list already covering several sides of the electronic music industry. Becky Yeung, Regional VP of Brand Partnerships, Sync and Business at Warner Music APAC, brings experience across 13 markets, giving the conference insight into how music, brands and commercial partnerships operate across the region.

 

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Ayudita Hariadi, Head of Artist Bookings at Ismaya Group, adds the perspective of large-scale live events through her work with Djakarta Warehouse Project, where international bookings and Asian talent development are both central to the festival’s growth.

 

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That range continues with Jesper Skibsby, founder and CEO of WARM and Co-Founder and Head of Vision at Lisbon Dance Summit, whose work combines music data, radio tracking and conference development across international markets.

 

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Leo Arbez brings the discussion closer to Hong Kong through Magic Room, Nodes Rec. and 22Systm Studio, covering events, releases and nightlife within the city itself. Together, those different backgrounds give AME more than a speaker lineup of executives, because the conversations can draw from people working directly across recorded music, festivals, data, artist bookings and local nightlife. More speakers and further session details are expected to be announced in the lead-up to the conference this November.

 

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Why Asia Music Event 2026 Matters for Asia and Beyond

For Asia, the importance of AME comes from giving the region’s expanding electronic music sector a dedicated place to meet on its own terms. The region already has major festivals, labels, promoters, artists and nightlife markets, but they operate across countries with very different business structures, audiences and opportunities. Bringing those parts of the industry together in Hong Kong gives regional companies more direct access to international partners, while also giving global businesses a clearer understanding of how electronic music operates across different Asian markets.

That access becomes more valuable when considering how different those markets can be from one another. Markets across Asia can differ significantly in their booking structures, audience habits, local partners and commercial realities, which can be difficult to understand from outside. A conference like AME gives those differences space to be discussed directly by the people already working within them, while creating more opportunities for artists, promoters and companies to form relationships across borders. If the event continues to grow in the years ahead, its importance could extend well beyond Hong Kong by giving the wider electronic music industry a more direct way to engage with Asia.

 

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