Filled with students in suits and semi-formal dresses, the UGBC Annual Boat Cruise was an event to remember. Touring around Boston Harbor, the cruise aimed to create an enjoyable atmosphere for students through a large dance floor, complimentary food, and panoramic views of downtown Boston.
“I’m so happy about it … I consider it a success,” said Alisha Wright, manager of Diversity and Inclusion Programming for UGBC and A&S ’15. “We sold out … but the big thing we look for is we want a really diverse crowd, because we want to get a large group of students … We are diverse in race, gender and year.”
Other members of Diversity and Inclusion Programming were also content with the event. “Five hundred and eighty people showed up … so it was a good turnout,” said Jake Robinson, one of the coordinators for Diversity and Inclusion Programming for UGBC and A&S ’16.
“We didn’t sell out last year, but this year we worked really hard to sell out,” Robinson said. “We sold out … by 10 a.m. on Friday morning, so it’s a good sign for the next couple of events. It got our name out, so that was good, too.”
The boat cruise had approximately 580 attendees. Not only did the event sell out, but it also gave UGBC a better idea about how future events will look like, according to Wright.
“It’s reflective of the success of them [future events],” Wright said. “We hope to continue to sell out and get a diverse group of people.”
The Annual Boat Cruise is one of four main events, including the Annual Ball, Annual Gala, and Showdown, that the Diversity and Inclusion Programming Department hosts throughout the year. These upcoming events will likely reflect the department of Diversity and Inclusion Programming’s themes of unity, culture and integration. The variety of people who attended the Boat Cruise affirm their goal of representing different cultures, races, and genders at all events.
“We hope to continue to sell out,” Wright said. “But, more importantly, to continue to get a really diverse set of people at every event.”
Although the department of generally hosts four events, there may be a fifth event in the works, according to Wright. As students prepare for the upcoming events, the department has its own surprises ready for the student population.
“We have the annual gala, the annual ball, and Showdown … and we are working on a fifth event,” she said.
Students partook in three hours of live entertainment throughout the multiple levels on the ship. Alexander Bou-Rhodes, A&S ’15, known on stage as DJ IDES, operated the disk jockey, provided by Spirit of Boston, on the second level. Students enjoyed his mixture of hip-hop, Latin, rhythm and blues, as well as rap. BC dance teams Sexual Chocolate and F.I.S.T.S. made a few appearances on the dance floor, showcasing choreography from last year’s performances. Throughout the night, the dance floors remained occupied with students dancing to DJ IDES’s music compilations.
For dining, students visited the third and first floors of the boat, which provided eating spaces for guests. The buffet-style dinner consisted of pizza, chicken fingers, carrots and celery, among other options, and drink booths hosted by Spirit Boat Cruise employees accompanied each floor.
There were very few accounts of poor or inappropriate behavior during the cruise, Wright noted.
“We’ve been good on behavior,” she said. “I think BCPD cracked down in the beginning, so we didn’t see it come all the way through. A lot of people have been really respectful about alcohol … It’s been a pretty slim year for behavior problems.”
Not only did students frequent the dance floors and buffet, but they also had the opportunity to take pictures at the UGBC-sponsored photo booth. Accompanying the photo booth was a box filled with costumes and accessories that students could use to add some fun to their poses. Additionally, the photo booth had both color and black and white options for pictures.
“A lot of people took pictures at the photo booth,” Robinson said. “Even I took some. I’m pretty sure most people stopped by for at least one set of pictures.”
The Annual Boat Cruise welcomes students back to BC with music, pictures and food. Students stated that they enjoyed getting dressed up and taking photos with friends. Although ticket prices were the same as last year, this year’s Annual Boat Cruise sold out, indicating its success with the student population.
“I’m really happy with the turnout,” Robinson said. “To me, the boat cruise was a complete success. I know that I had a ton of fun and just by looking around, you could tell that everyone else was having fun, too.”
Featured Image by Huifeng Qian / Heights Staff
