It was two weeks before my birthday when I realized: the last time I went out dancing was the 7AM Daybreaker party. This was unacceptable and my birthday was the perfect chance to rectify the situation. The last birthday of my twenties, my last birthday on a weekend for the near future, this was a go-big-or-go-home state of affairs! That’s when I discovered the night I turned 29 coincided with the “World’s Premier Dance Cruise “. That’s the ticket!

Bounce Boat is this “World’s Premier Dance Cruise” and they’re not kidding with that title. We boarded the giant five level Cornucopia Majesty yacht shortly after 10PM on Saturday night. (The website will tell you the boat leaves at 10PM and anyone attending should plan for this. However I was very pleased the boat didn’t leave until 10:30PM!) Immediately stepping on board we felt the pulsing energy of the dance floor, going strong even while people were still boarding!

I must confess to knowing next to nothing about “EDM”. I didn’t even know it stood for “Electronic Dance Music” before deciding to embark on this voyage. I also knew nothing about the headliner DJ TJR (which are his initials: TJ Rozdilsky). But though I did not know much, I did know two important things: #1 no one dances with more fervor than the techno crowd and #2 the boat promised a roof deck views of NYC.

I was not disappointed.

Even if you’re not a big fan of EDM, as long as you think dancing is fucking fun and this Manhattan is fucking beautiful, you will have a fucking awesome time on Bounce Boat. That is my honest, uncensored opinion.

If you want to meet people, this is a great place to do it. Apparently the boat is known for attracting “cute girls” aboard. I learned this from a fella who approached me right after we boarded. It was his second time on Bounce Boat and he said he had not trouble convincing his friends to join him this time. He was a really nice, intelligent dude but we didn’t exactly hit it off. My roommate however totally did connect with one of his friends, they’re going on a date this week!

Now I could have had a date this week too with a guy I met from this boat….Approximately 29 minutes before I turned 29, a 19-year-old tried to pick me up. I was fairly tipsy by then and thought it was HILARIOUS. I didn’t exactly let the poor little guy down easy…instead I kinda teased him mercilessly for hitting on some one a decade older… Sorry dude, but I don’t trust 19 year olds. I’m scarred from the 19-year-old the disaster I dated when I was 24! Everywhere we went, men were all too eager to start conversations. Much more so than at your typical Manhattan bar. Every one was super friendly, it was great. This translated really well to the dance floor.

I can’t think of a place with more energy and I’m gonna say fucking jubilation, but the industry phrase is probably “good vibes”, than an EDM dance floor. TJR kept the beats non stop, mixing in just enough pop music riffs to keep the newbs among us happily saying, “I love this song!” No one stops moving, every one is sweaty, and colorful strobe lights spotlight it all. You can embrace dancing like no one is watching on the Bounce Boat dance floor, I call that a rare and beautiful thing.

When we weren’t dancing, we were on the roof. Which was amazing and actually hard to pry yourself away from. We went up the East River just pasted Roosevelt Island and back. We passed right under the Brooklyn Bridge when the clock struck midnight! Best birthday beginning ever! Here, check out the “Insta-worthy” views!

The boat moved fast enough to make it hard to catch a clear photo so there is definitely a you-had-to-be-there deal with the view. All the east side bridges, all the iconic buildings, all the lights, smooth waters, and pretty people. If you do go, make sure to check out the roof early because they will close it before 1AM.

It was a great night, a great birthday, I had a blast dancing until the wee hours of the morn (the boat docked at 2AM). I will say the crowd is a bit on the younger side (this cruise was 18+, others are 21+). But when it comes down to it, I totally recommend a night on Bounce Boat to anyone who wants to dance the night away. That comes in scores and in style. Oh hey, you don’t eve have to wait long! Their next party is coming up August 14th (it’s 21+)! Check it out at bounceboat.com

Does a night dancing on the East River sound like fun to you? Are you more familiar with EDM than I am? I’d love to learn more about it + hear you experience!