Join Asia's Largest Cosplay Festival on a Cruise from Singapore to Penang

From The Walking Dead-themed cruises to knitting-themed cruises, the world of cruising is weird and wonderful. The 24-hour service, the ocean breeze in your hair, and the chance of experiencing your interests – knitting or EDM – all day on the boat. Cruising is gaining so much popularity that we're starting to see it branch out to tap into uncharted waters, i.e., the cosplay market. The dress-up subculture has gained worldwide recognition and it's not uncommon to see professional cosplayers show up on mainstream media now and then. Case in point: we wrote about the 12 cosplayers you should follow on Instagram.

Cosplayers Kanchiel (L) and Abraham Cruz (R)

To service the obvious hunger of cosplayers around Asia for more of their favourite past-time, Singapore's Cosplay Club birthed a little convention called COSFEST – 15 years ago. The little convention dedicated to cosplay only grew and earlier this year they embarked on their maiden voyage, Cosfest Sea: The Rising Tide – a cosplay festival on the sea.

There ain't no party like a cosplay party surrounded by the sea.

Next year, Cosfest Sea returns, with a more epic name, Cosfest Sea: Beyond The Great Horizons. From 17th February to 20th February 2017, the non-stop cosplay-vaganza (yeah) will set sail from Singapore on the 17th and drop anchor at Penang on the 18th for a parade. Then you spend one more day on the ship for some more cosplaying fun before you reach Singapore the next morning.

Want to meet Ashlikachu? Come to Cosfest.

The highlights of the cruise include the Asia Cosplay Meet Championship that's bringing cosplayers from eight territories such as China, Japan, and Korea, and for the first time, USA. Here are the rest of the events:

Cosplay Parade
Performances
Cosplay/Anime Party
Cosplay Photoshoots

If your inner otaku is frothing at the mouth looking at this then you can sign up for Cosfest Sea: Beyond the Great Horizons here. Tickets are SG$495 (RM1,533) plus taxes for a twin sharing room and an Ocean View room is SG$567 (RM1,756). You are required to purchase tickets through the Singapore Cosplay Club's website to enjoy the cosplay events on the cruise and you'll be entitled to a specially designed Cosfest Sea souvenir. Head to www.sgcosplayclub.org for more information and to find out more about the club in general.

For more on the Mariner of the Seas where the festival will be held, you can head here. You can read about the rock-climbing wall on board, the ice-skating rink, the shopping arcade, and a DreamWorks Entertainment section.