Guests on Whodunit cruises have fun working with crew and cast members while solving mysteries

Looking for a unique family vacation or the perfect corporate retreat? Whodunit Productions, a Santa Clarita-based company, offers unique and innovative excursions where you will find yourself amidst a high seas adventure like no other.

On a Whodunit cruise, you might just be digging into dinner when mysterious characters appear, mixing among you to reveal a crime has occurred. Next, you may find clues mysteriously slid under your cabin door and secret phone calls made - all unraveling a mystery at sea.

Each Whodunit guest (usually about 300 per cruise) is actually part of the mystery. Taking each guest's personality into account, each passenger is assigned a role upon boarding. From a member of the mob to the ancestor of an ancient pirate, guests can get as involved as they'd like, ranging from being a quiet observer to dressing the part and playing along in full force. Activities pertaining to the mystery are part of each day on the three to four day cruises (excluding time in the ports) and the first four days of week-long cruises. Games, treasure hunts and mystery are intertwined with regular cruising activities, enabling guests to enjoy all aspects of their vacation. Even the cruise staff gets involved, from the cruise director to the captain!

Shauna Hoffman, president of Whodunit Productions, remembers back to the early days when the company began "role playing" at the Valencia Country Club in 1989. From there, they moved to Le Chene, where they began a 10-year stint of monthly murder mystery dinner shows. During that same time, the company performed at hundreds of private parties and fundraisers in town. The concept caught on quickly and soon, the group began performing in a variety of Las Vegas hotels including the Rio, The Aladdin and the Desert Inn. After a few years of selling out their weekend Vegas shows, they took their show to the seas in 1992 - beginning with one Halloween weekend cruise upon Royal Caribbean's Viking Serenade - and the rest was history. Though they still do Vegas shows and corporate events, today Whodunit's main focus is on cruising, averaging at least one cruise each month.

Though the company had its humble beginnings in Santa Clarita, Hoffman describes their growth as the equivalent of Santa Clarita's own development. "What started as a small local company literally went global," she explains.

Today, Whodunit Productions is the only themed cruise sponsored by Royal Caribbean. With six cruises available between now and the end of the year, guests can take part in a variety of mysteries and destinations.

In August, patrons take sail for the Bermuda Triangle for the premier of the new show "The Curse of the Santa Margarita." This week-long affair has a pirate theme and has "suspects" taking to the high seas in search of lost maps, diamonds and treasure. Other destinations include the Virgin Islands and Bahamas, Western Caribbean, Mexican Riviera and Baja. Whodunit's annual Halloween weekend mystery cruise is set for October 27, leaving out of Los Angeles and getting home just in time for Halloween.

Though they offer nine cruises through Royal Caribbean each year, cruises with Whodunit can be booked on any cruise line with any destination. Guests can book directly through Whodunit's local office or through any travel agent of their choice. Hoffman offers their cruises as the choice for those looking for "something out of the ordinary."

In addition to their family vacation packages, Whodunit offers corporate cruising events. Hoffman explains that, "The newest trend in corporate meeting planning is cruising. From sales meetings and kick-offs to executive board meetings and full company retreats, it is truly one of the most cost-effective ways a corporation can conduct a three-, four- or seven-day event." Themes can be geared around the hosting company, however, corporate cruise events can be planned with or without a theme or mystery.

For all of the adventure and fun packed into their cruises, prices are surprisingly reasonable. Three- and four-day voyages range from $400 to $500, while seven-night journeys average between $700 and $1,300.


For more information call Whodunit Productions at 297-3208 or visit them online at www.whodunitcruises.com. Mention the secret password - "Inside SCV" - for a special SCV mystery discount.