Focused Writing
in an
Inspired Environment

#wavewriters

What We Do

We provide writing retreats at sea
A writers' retreat held on a cruise ship, including mini-consultations with professional editors and plenty of time for focused, undisturbed writing in a relaxing atmosphere where friendly crew cater to all of your needs.

A writer's laptop screen with a sun setting on open ocean behind it.

Why Would I Want to do This?

Get Away and Get It WrittenMark Twain wrote most of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn from a shed, isolated from the rest of the world.Bill Gates conducted ‘Think Weeks’ twice a year, often in a lakeside cottage.Carl Jung repeatedly spent a great deal of time in a secluded stone tower in the woods for his writing.“Getting away” to focus and write is a long-standing tradition. Writers require both inspiration and focus to do our job. A writers’ retreat, particularly one in a new location, is an excellent way to get both at once.

A writer's laptop screen with a sun setting on open ocean behind it.

A Few Reasons Not To Go

#moneytrees
Obviously, we don't know your finances, but you might be surprised at how affordable a cruise retreat can be. We strive to keep prices low to make our retreats open to as many writers as possible. A writer can come on our retreat for as little as a thousand dollars total, including food, travel, and accommodations. That’s about $152 per day, less than many mid-range hotel rooms. You can even book your spot for only $350, and pay the rest in installments over time.#familyfirst
You don't have to leave anyone behind. Bring your families on board, as well. The family can enjoy the included ship entertainment, such as Broadway shows, kids clubs, pools, or a teen disco, while the writer goes to a designated quiet writing space away from the noise and distraction to work among peers and professionals. Then rejoin the family in the evenings and on port days for adventures and precious memories together.#distractions
There are certainly parties available (including our private writer ones!), but they aren't ship wide. There are many quiet places for writing on board at all hours, including your own cabin, balcony, the ship's library, and, most importantly, our dedicated writing spaces that only Wave Writers can be in. Whether you write best in a blank room or with a gorgeous view, surrounded by other writers or all by yourself, you can find it on board.

Now Don't you Want to Find Out Why You Should Go?

The WaveWriters retreat on Royal Caribbean wasn’t just a getaway; it was a reset button for my creative life. I left with new pages, new friends, and a renewed sense of purpose in my writing. The combination of structured craft sessions, generous writing time, and the unique energy of being at sea made it an unforgettable experience. ~ Landres F.

Wave Writers Retreats

Each retreat includes:
~ 2 days of focused writing at sea
~ 1 face-to-face consultation with a professional editor
~ 2 adventurous port days in Mexico: Costa Maya and Cozumel (or extra writing time)
~ Multiple peer Read & Critique sessions
~ 5 nights of socializing with other writers in environments like the ship’s English Pub or Bamboo Room
~ and more

Curious what our retreats are really like?

April 2027

Chapter 2!April 26 - May 1, 2027
Sailing from Galveston, TX
Liberty of the Seas

April 2028

Days of WritingNights of SocializingFace-to-Face with EditorsNo Cooking; No Cleaning

My experience on the WaveWriters writing retreat aboard Royal Caribbean was nothing short of exceptional. It struck that rare balance between structured creative focus, meaningful community, and the kind of atmosphere that makes ideas feel inevitable. If you’re a writer looking for a blend of productivity and adventure, this retreat delivers. ~ Landres F.

Are All the Events Mandatory?

Certainly not. Everything we do on a Wave Writers Retreat is intended to assist or support your writing. If it isn’t something that helps you, you don’t need to attend. If you want to spend the week on your private balcony, that's okay with us. We'll save you a seat in case you change your mind.

How Much Does This Really Cost?

We don’t want to hide any costs from you, but recognize that there are nearly endless optional add-ons, including wi-fi, drinks packages, shore excursions, etc. The prices below are the total cost for the standard retreat options and include your stateroom, all your meals on board (but not premium restaurants), unlimited water, basic coffee, juice, & tea (but not soda, specialty coffees, or alcohol.)Attending writers will pay Retreat Fee + Cruise Fare + Gratuities. Everything else is optional. Nonwriters will pay the Cruise Fare & Gratuities, no Retreat Fee.For example:
Retreat Fee: $299 per writer
Cruise Fare: $560 to $1500 /person, varies by cabin
Gratuities: $92.50 per personThere is a $100/person deposit due at the time of booking. The Retreat Fee for writers is billed separately, due in 30 days. The balance of the cruise is due by Jan 13 and payment plans are available.These costs are based on sharing the room between two people. If you want more or fewer people in your room (i.e., solo or kids), or want a suite, you’ll need to request a quote from our travel partner, and in that case, time is definitely a factor. Costs tend to go up and availability goes down as we get closer to sail date.

FAQ

What do i get for the Retreat Fee?

As an official Wave Writer, you’ll get a sweet swag bag, access to the dedicated on board writing space, writers-only social and productivity events, and you’ll be assigned to a specific editor who will review ten pages and a synopsis of your WIP and meet with you face to face. (You’ll also be having dinner with them each night!)

How is this Different from a Traditional Retreat?

Many writing retreats have limited meal options, or even require writers to share the duties of cooking and cleaning. On board a Wave Writers’ Retreat, the only thing you need to worry about is your writing. (And sunscreen, if you’re taking your laptop to the Lido deck.)

Can i Bring a Friend?

Absolutely! We hope you’ll make some new friends, but it’s always good to bring your favorite. Non-writing guests will pay the cruise fare and gratuities, but not the retreat fee. They will have a seat at our table for dinner in the Main Dining Room, be welcome at the evening social events, but not be invited to the private writing events. (Editor meetings, focused writing space, etc.) All writers will receive a swag bag; non-writing guests will not. They will have access to all the ship’s usual entertainment and amenities.

What if I have to Cancel?

While we hope that is never a need, we understand that life happens, and not always the way we write it. Cancellations prior to 90 before the retreat will be refunded the full amount, minus a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations after this date will be subject to our cancellation schedule. See those details here

Got Swag(ger)?

Instead of charging our partners an arm and a leg like some shark to work with us, we prefer to work together to make our authors' retreat as awesome as possible. If you'd like to partner with us, here's how we do it.You get:
Brand Exposure to all of our retreat guests
Featured on our Partners page
Fictional Honor and GloryWhat we ask for:
A quality swag item for our swag bags.
Items must be approved in advance; duplicate item types are not allowed.
You may also include a brochure or sheet of information with your swag item at no cost.
Company logo or image and one paragraph of description for our Partners page.

Our Partners

Escape the Mundane

We connect adventurous readers with speculative fiction authors to provide an endless array of fantastical worlds to explore.

Rooted in Writing

It’s easy to get lost in the forest of publishing. That’s why we’re here to help you navigate the publishing process without losing sight of what matters the most—your story. We keep you rooted in the quality of the writing itself while firmly planting you as an evergreen fixture in the publishing landscape.You belong to this forest. Let us help you see the forest through the trees and thrive.

Seas'N Sun Travel

Full-service travel advisor who lives to send travelers off on Caribbean cruises. I will put in the work, so you can enjoy your vacation - relaxing, adventurous, or other. No extra cost, just extra value.

Reedsy Learning is a professional development platform for serious writers. Through live masterclasses, conferences, and structured courses led by bestselling authors, editors, and publishing professionals, Reedsy helps writers refine their craft and navigate the publishing industry.

Simpson & Vail Inc., one of the oldest tea companies in the USA, is a family-owned business dedicated to offering quality teas from around the world. S&V offers curated tea collections, such as our literary teas, which offer 18 different tea blends based on famous authors and their work. All our blends are hand-crafted in our facility in Brookfield, CT, in small batches to ensure freshness.

The Texas Authors Success Center and Texas Authors Museum work together to support, uplift, and preserve the voices of Texas writers. Through education, encouragement, visibility, and community-building, they help authors at every stage of their journey while also honoring the rich literary history of Texas. Together, they represent both action and legacy—giving writers the tools to grow today and ensuring their stories, contributions, and impact are remembered for generations to come.

From outline to on shelves, I love to see books in the making. I am an editor first and foremost specializing in fantasy and science fiction. Crisp, clean, captivating prose is what I live to write, edit, and perfect.

Got Swag(ger)?

If you'd like to partner with us by adding to our swag bags to make our authors' retreat even more enjoyable and let them know how you can help them succeed, we'd love to hear from you!

Cancellation Policy

1. Scope of Policy
This policy applies exclusively to fees charged directly by Wave Writers, such as the Wave Writers Retreat Fee and Additional Event Fees. This policy does not cover cruise fares, port fees, taxes, airfare, or other travel-related expenses, which are subject to the independent cancellation policies of the cruise line and your respective travel providers. Additional Event Fees for optional retreat-related activities on board or in port are subject to separate cancellation terms as defined below.2. Tiered Refund Schedule
To account for administrative costs and materials preparation, Wave Writer Retreat Fee refunds are processed based on the following timeline:

Cancellation DateRefund Amount
90+ Days Prior to EmbarkationFull refund of the retreat fee, minus a $50 administrative fee.
60–89 Days Prior to Embarkation50% refund of the actual retreat fee paid. Discounted Fees will be calculated based on the promotional rate.
Less than 60 Days Prior to EmbarkationNo cash refunds. Instead, you will receive a Full Credit valid for any future Wave Writers retreat within 18 months.

Additional Event Fees will be refunded until 30 days prior to sailing.3. Host Cancellation
Wave Writers reserves the right to cancel the retreat programming due to low enrollment or unforeseen circumstances up to 90 days prior to the event. In this specific instance, the $299 retreat fee will be refunded in full. Wave Writers is not responsible for any losses incurred regarding cruise bookings, flights, or other travel arrangements. We do strongly recommend Travel Insurance or Protection that may enable you to recover your costs in the event of unforeseen circumstances.4. No-Shows and Late Arrivals
No refunds or pro-rated credits will be provided for late arrivals to the ship, early departures, or missed workshop sessions.

Wave Writers Retreat 2026

Wondering what this is like?
Take a look at last year's exciting retreat!

In April 2026, we launched our inaugural retreat on Mariner of the Seas. We had 8 writers and 1 editor. Some writers sailed solo, others brought their spouse, their sibling, or their children. Combined, we wrote over 25,000 words on the retreat. Each one of us met with our editor to review sample pages and discuss our writing careers. We also met as a group for 'Read & Critique' and 'Advice from the Editor'.

But all work and no play makes writers burnt out, so there was plenty of fun to be had, too. We organized a photo scavenger hunt in Costa Maya and SCUBA diving in Cozumel. We challenged our inner mystery writers in the ship's escape room, challenged each other on the ship's mini golf course, and even rolled the dice on a few board games.

Each night, we enjoyed a white table cloth dinner all together in the main dining room, and later filled one of the local bars, usually either the sportsbar or the English pub, with laughter and stories.

We started the retreat with a private sail away party, loaded swag bags and the Pitch It Like You Wrote It blind book exchange. (During which, we accidentally discovered a new game: Stump the Editor!) We ended the retreat with a private farewell party, where even more books and other prizes were given out as awards amid celebrations and cheers. There were a lot of cheers (did I mention the two bottles of Texas fruit wine we served?).