In luxury travel today, the compass has shifted to no longer being just about where you go, but about why. The rise of passion-driven travel is proof that the most meaningful journeys are those that connect us to the pursuits we love most. It’s the rhythm of a game, the brushstroke of a painting, or the spark of an idea shared among kindred spirits. Travel is becoming an immersive stage for personal passions.

En Plein Air: Painting in Fresh Air

The French call it en plein air — painting in the open air — and it has inspired artists for centuries. There’s something about setting an easel in the hills of Provence or along the Mediterranean coast, letting natural light dictate color and mood, that unlocks creativity in ways no studio ever could. For today’s traveler, painting en plein air is a way of seeing the world with fresh eyes, capturing fleeting impressions before they vanish.

Art at Sea

Embark has embraced this artistic impulse with two distinct voyages aboard Windstar. The Watercolor Cruise traces Spain’s Mediterranean coast, immersing guests in the practice of painting in situ with workshops and guidance from professional artists. The Art Cruise, by contrast, moves through the cultural heartlands of the South of France and Italy, pairing curated museum visits and private studio tours with onboard creative sessions. Each journey transforms the yacht into more than a vessel—it becomes a floating atelier where inspiration comes as easily as the sea breeze.

The Play of Passions: From Tennis to Mahjong

But art is just one facet of this movement. Passions are as varied as the travelers who pursue them. For some, it’s tennis with the rhythm of a rally on clay courts in Monte Carlo or grass courts in Mallorca, paired with insider access to tournaments or private lessons abroad. For others, it’s literature where they trace Hemingway’s steps through Pamplona, attend intimate salons with contemporary authors, or voyage with fellow bibliophiles where the sea becomes a backdrop for story. Check out this amazing article from The Financial Times, Reading Moby-Dick in a gale with the extreme book club

And then there’s Mahjong, the unlikely craze sweeping a new generation. What was once considered a pastime for seasoned players has become a social phenomenon among twenty- and thirty-somethings. This fall, Embark and Windstar are hosting the first-ever Mahjong Cruise through the Caribbean. Led by Stephanie Brink — known to many as the Marvelous Mrs. Mahjong — the voyage pairs daily strategy lessons and onboard tournaments with the intimacy of Windstar’s small-ship sailing. Imagine learning the nuances of the game while gliding from St. Barths to Virgin Gorda, pausing only for a dip in turquoise waters before the next round begins.

The Three Embark Beyond x Windstar Passion Voyages

Together, these curated journeys form a trilogy of passions:

• Watercolor Cruise (Nov 7–14, 2025): Workshops at sea and plein air sessions in Barcelona, Valencia, and Málaga, guided by professional watercolorists.
• Art Cruise (Nov 7–14, 2025): A cultural immersion through France and Italy, from Saint-Paul-de-Vence’s artists’ studios to modernist villas and medieval spaces reimagined by contemporary installations.
• Mahjong Cruise (Nov 2–9, 2025): A lively sailing through the Caribbean, blending island exploration with the world’s most social game, taught by one of Mahjong’s most beloved teachers.

Why It Matters

These voyages capture the essence of passion-driven travel: niche, immersive, and deeply personal. They’re not about checking off landmarks; they’re about cultivating joy, community, and mastery in the company of like-minded travelers. The Riviera becomes more than coastline, Spain more than tapas and cathedrals, the Caribbean more than beaches. Each destination becomes a frame for the passions that make life rich.

Because ultimately, the most transformative journeys don’t just show you the world — they reveal something about yourself.

So, what’s your passion? Whether it’s painting in the open air, playing Mahjong at sea, chasing the perfect forehand, or losing yourself in the pages of a great novel, there’s a journey waiting to bring it to life. Let’s chat. I’d love to hear what excites you and seek out that perfect getaway for you!