Enjoy observing stars, planets, and whatnot with a highly decorated amateur astronomer! I shall expertly point at things and talk about them, plus answer astronomical questions. Lights should be out on the deck, no phone flashlights plz, red glowy stuff to be distributed to all.

Qigong is a gentle, movement-based meditation that anybody can do to stimulate your ‘qi’, or energy for the day. Join Andrea Hildebran Smith for an hour of exercises from the Flowing Zen school of qigong. We’ll learn the Eight Pieces of Brocade series and enjoy practicing them together.

First there were a few outbreaks, then a flu pandemic. Then came the "latest" biggie: COVID-19. Now, RSV, norovirus, and seasonal flu. Next up? H1N1 "Bird Flu" is staring us down. I will give an update on the current viral infections with a focus on H1N1 and Q&A.

In historic fashion the uke players on the ship will be meeting and playing together each morning! All levels welcome! We are happy to teach.

Today is the day to really let your cosplay flag fly! While you're welcome to cosplay any and all days of the cruise, this is your day for pulling out all the stops. Particularly if you're cosplaying as a pipe organ.

If you need information, well heck we have information! Come here for any JoCo Cruise-related questions or issues you may have. If you have questions or problems relating to the ship—your cabin, billing, etc—please go to the ship’s Guest Services Desk, located on the opposite side of the Atrium on Deck 1.

A no-pressure, no-judgment hangout for people who are learning different languages, or are thinking about learning other languages. All levels of proficiency welcome! Willkommen, bienvenue, bienvenidos, welkom—welcome! If you're interested in attending this event, please fill out this brief google form to help us better prepare the event towards everyone's needs.

Emily Nussbaum and Clive Thompson discuss the ins and outs of their two-writer household existence.

Diamond painting is a fun, relaxing, and almost meditative craft. In this class we will learn the basics of diamond painting as we complete a sea creature themed coaster. All materials provided.

A friendly meetup for folks who have had or are interested in weight loss surgery. Also those who have had or are interested in all the new weight loss medications. We’ll compare stories and try to answer your questions.

A satellite store will be set up in the Lido Pool Area for all your JoCo Cruise merch needs.

World 9 Gaming staff are on hand to assist in browsing the video game library. Outside these hours a limited number of consoles will still be available.

If you're caring for an aging parent or other loved one, you might benefit from hiring a death doula, but who are they and what do they do? Find out and get your questions answered so you can decide who the best person is to support you and the people you care for.

Spread an hour with geologist and anthropologist Dr. Dana Pertermann as she gives a brief summary of why hurricanes form and what might be in the future for extreme weather around the globe.

The port side of this restaurant is a dedicated "quiet zone" for our attendees who may wish to use it. Please no gaming, meetings, loud conversations, etc. Look for signs pointing you to the correct entrance and tables. (Note: JoCo Cruise's morning meeting with the ship's staff occurs in this space at 9:30am; it's usually finished by 10 am, but some mornings it may run a few minutes overtime. Thank you in advance for your understanding and flexibility.)

Knitters, crocheters, stitchers, and fiber artists unite to swap yarn, unfinished projects, patterns, and supplies!

Join us for a free Magic: the Gathering draft, where you'll open booster packs and select cards to build a brand new deck. Thanks to some generous volunteers, you even get to keep the cards!

As a 15-year veteran of the Food Service industry, I have a lot of passion for Food Safety. Come and learn the basics of protecting yourself in your kitchen. We'll talk storage, prep, cooking, holding and leftovers and everyone will get a reference guide for your fridge!

The snack exchange is an opportunity for all JoCoNauts to get together and share their favorite snacks and treats. Sweet, savory, salty, spicy, meaty, chocolatey, or cheesey we love them all. Come and bring something to share. Everyone is welcome.

Learn the basics of painting 3D table top miniatures, then paint and take them home with you! Materials provided.

This is your final chance to bid on the items in the Silent Auction; proceeds benefit Equality Florida as well as the Nieuw Amsterdam's Crew Activity Fund.

The Nieuw Amsterdam's culinary staff are preparing this specialty meal of Indian cuisine as a one-time-only event for our passengers. Seating is limited, so sign up early if you are interested. This event is run by the ship's staff and costs a $10 surcharge (plus 18% service charges) that will be charged to your onboard account. You can sign up in the Main Dining Room, or by calling 88 from any phone.

When everyone else was getting into grunge or hip hop, you went old school and did a deep dive into the Fab Four. Good for you! Now it’s time to put that knowledge to use and win (sort of) fabulous prizes by impressing your fellow cruisers with John, Paul, George and Ringo facts!

Magic: Commanders Battle for Baldur’s Gate draft (8 people/ box). We’ll have a brief on the drafting process and the differences from standard Magic and Commanders format to account for the draft. Signup sheets posted day prior outside Game Library (deck 3, aft).

Come hang out with award-winning author and podcaster Mur Lafferty where we'll talk about writing, publishing, do writing prompts, sprints, and more! This is your writing retreat/workshop, and it's here to help you achieve your writing goals. To participate in this writing retreat, please complete this google form

Have you ever wondered exactly how bugs are used in a court of law? Come listen to Dr. Adrienne Brundage, board certified forensic entomologist talk about exactly what we can tell from insects at a crime scene. Get all your questions answered! Real crimes shown.

General discussion on grass roots political action that can be done to help take back school boards from the growing threat of Christian nationalism. Power mapping, political action groups vs non profits. How to become a school board member.

Bring your fiber arts craft and enjoy a beverage while stitching, admiring, and even teaching new tricks!

THIRD YEAR THIRD… BEER? FEAR? TEAR?! Whatever! We’re having a multiday tournament of BANANAGRAMS for the third time in a row! Join other word scrambling enthusiasts and work your way up the brackets over 3 days of JoCo to finally reach your lifelong goal of being crowned master of all things Bananagram! If you’ve never played the game before, Bananagrams is an easy game to learn—all are welcome! Prizes will be given to winners! Prizes will also probably be given to non winners as well!

We're back for the 5th year! This will be a intro to Acroyoga followed by some open practice time. Acroyoga is a the skill of balancing people on other people and moving through fun and interesting shapes. What could go wrong balancing on top of a person on a swaying boat

Have you ever found yourself making up new lyrics to a familiar song? Are you quick with a rhyme? In this workshop we'll break into smaller groups to write our own filksongs, and then sing them for each other. Writing prompts will be offered just to get your ideas flowing!

We’ve all been up at 2am saying “just one more chapter” to ourselves... but how do writers actually do that thing? Our authors share their favorite ways to get us reading and keep us reading, even if we really do have to be up early the next day. Also, some special surprise guests may join us!

High Score, the ship's arcade, is open daily from 1 pm to 11 pm. All ages are welcome at all times. Pinball, multicades, Skeeball, and more!

Are you really feeling it? Well here it is! World 9 Gaming is hosting a double elimination Smash Ultimate tournament. We will use most of the standard competitive ruleset - 1v1, no items, 3 stock, neutral stages, all characters available. Show me your moves!

Diceborn Heroes is a 1-4 player fantasy dice game inspired by old school JRPGs. Players control a party of heroes in 1 of 8 scenarios, facing 3 quests levelling up and working together to defeat a final boss at the end.

Put on your Middle Earth finest and join us for a rousing gathering on the Lido to celebrate everything Hobbits love: good food, good drink, and good friends! We'll raid the Lido Market buffets for snacks and gather around the pool to enjoy them. Shoes recommended while indoors.

Join Storm for a new solo acoustic set, featuring music from the Sidecar Astronauts album Play Again, and other original non-comedy songs

An overview of the beginnings of fandom and the emergence of queer culture and creations within fandom. Conventions and zines. Usenet, webrings, the rise of FF.net. The Premise, Xena/Gabrielle, Destiel, Catradora, and more.

Everything you ever wanted to know about poker but were afraid to ask! Well, okay, not everything. Join us no matter your level of experience -- we'll cover whatever is needed, from mechanics and hand values to reverse implied pot odds to GTO strategy.

Bring your commander decks to play with other MTG players who love the format. no tournament, no pressure, just good old fashioned magic. You must bring your own product to participate, loaner decks may be available but not guaranteed.

2025 is shaping up to be an inflection point for journalism in the United States: Journalists are fewer and expected to do more with less, billionaire owners are intruding on the newsroom more frequently, and the new administration is going to challenge the right to a free press more than the administrations before it. At the same time there is the growth of new models of publication and funding, non-profit newsrooms, and scrappy startups focused on local news. Where are we now? Where is it going? And what will a “free press” look like in the near future?

Have a significant other? Or an insignificant other? Don’t have an ‘other’ but just love small group games? Come join in as we put aside time and tables for two player games. We have staff on hand to teach games you haven’t played, or to help muddle out rule questions on games you have played. Meet new people, bring old people, meet new old people! No previous gaming experience needed as we enjoy these games together.

Join me on the mat for a beginner's level yoga class. I will lead a gentle yoga practice while sharing maritime myths and legends. No experience necessary. Feel free to join just to listen to the stories, even if you don't want to practice with us. Please, bring a mat or towel.

Have you ever had to resist the overwhelming urge to correct someone who was just SO confidently WRONG? You’ve been on the internet so...yes. Well now’s your chance to do it for fun and profit*! Based on the popular game show hosted by Mike Trapp this buzz-in style show will allow you to build a team of up to 6 pedants to correct tiny inconsistencies in nerdy topics! *there is no actual profit

Sci-prov combines science and improv in creative, funny, and never before seen ways. Scientists present their work in short, digestible presentations followed by brief Q&A, all of which can become fodder for the improv scenes.

I sometimes lead this writing group at Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn on Tuesdays. It starts w/ 15 minutes free writing, then a presentation w/ a writing prompt, then the presenter will read what they wrote. Everyone is welcome to read after, but no presh. Free stickers!

Are you a fan of Taskmaster? Come and participate in (or watch) a number of live tasks, where ridiculous tasks will be performed, scored and/or mocked by the Taskmastarr. The winner will receive fabulous* prize. (*fabulousness not guaranteed)

The Main Dining Room staff need time to reset the tables for dinner service; we ask that you please wrap up your games and clear the Main Dining Room at 3 pm each day. Thanks! Plenty more tables all over the ship for gaming!

Join us as we welcome in the Sabbath with traditional prayers, songs, and community. All are welcome.

Ever wondered what a supercomputer is? Are you trying to sort through terms like exaflops and petabytes but left your computer science degree in your other pants? If so, this talk is for you. We'll cover the basics and a bit of history—without the overwhelming jumbles of jargon.

Happy hour! Your second drink is only $2!

Do you have a favorite costume that you'd like to share on Joco Cruise 2025? Come meet fellow Cosplayers & Costumers on for a Happy Hour Mixer. You'll have a chance to say "Hi" to friends and meet some new ones. They'll be an opportunity for photos as well.

Happy hour! Your second drink is only $2!

The starboard side of the Lido Marketplace will be designated the "quiet side" after 9 pm. Other than at the designated 24/7 gaming tables in the aft section, no gaming, no meetings, no loud noises, please. Take yer excessive noise over to the port side, please—or to the back deck, where the late-night pizza is!

That’s right, we for some reason think stressful school events from our childhood are great inspiration for fun vacation activities! Test your ingenuity and indomitability with this traditional single-elimination-style spelling bee! Limited space for contestants but anyone can watch as we challenge contestants with words like, well, ingenuity and indomitability! And maybe restaurant. That one always tripped me up. Restaraunt? That looks wrong.

Drew & friends perform songs like they did in college.

Welcome all polyam and ethically non-monogamous JoCoNauts to your annual meetup(s)! Come chat with other ethically non-monogamous folks about google calendar, compersion, and whatever strikes your fancy. Of course we're having 2 again this year, can't have just 1 of anything!

So, you saw the Slideshow Soiree, but wanted to present or hear about about topics that were not all ages appropriate? Have I got news for you! Up to 9 presenters will present on topics that follow the JoCo code of conduct but wouldn't be appropriate for our younger JoCoNauts.

Four drinks, four bars (Crow's Nest Bar, Lido Pool Bar, Ocean Bar and Billboard Onboard), lots of people making friends. Hop, hop, hop, hop! Sign up via any bartender or bar server, or at the ship's Guest Services Desk. (This event is run by the ship's staff and costs a $29 surcharge plus 18% service charges, which will be charged to your onboard account)

Blood on the Clocktower is a bluffing game enjoyed by 5 to 20 players on opposing teams of Good and Evil, overseen by a Storyteller player who conducts the action and makes crucial decisions. Depending on player experience we will play intro or advanced games!

Whether you’re an experienced entertainer or want a supportive space to perform lip syncing and/or dancing for the first time- all are encouraged to participate! Audience members will be provided with (fake) dollars to tip our divas so come out and have a fun and inspiring time.

Draft Magic: the Gathering cards from a wide variety of sets. Play a few games. Return the cards to me afterword.

Come hang out and belt at the top of your lungs (as appropriate) with Principal Sabourin and a bunch of our performers in a big fun karaoke sing-along extravaganza. (Performers TBA)

If you yearn to just scream and scream and scream then this is the event for you! Bring all of your pent-up hollering and let the moon hold space for you! We'll gather in the Sea View Pool area then head toward the back railing so that we don't startle the unsuspecting.