Celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month ’25
Since 2001, the National Museum of American History has curated a month-long tribute to the history of jazz called Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM). April has been the month selected for this celebration of a true American music genre and each year April 30th has been named International Jazz Day, a day famous for gatherings of top jazz musicians from around the globe.
At Signature Cruise Experiences, we like to say that we never stop “appreciating” jazz, but when JAM comes, we put our very best foot forward in support of this event. Having a bully pulpit, even for only 30 days, to preach the wonders of our music is a gift and a great opportunity.
To commemorate JAM this year, we will dedicate the next few editions of Jazz Notes to various topics of interest related to jazz and to share how many of our cruise programs honor this very special music and the folks who make it so.
Since this edition is the last before the beginning of JAM, we thought that we would take a moment to survey our history of presenting jazz and how our various programs were conceived and how the celebrate the genre of jazz, a giant of jazz, generations of jazz and the glee of jazz.
Journey of Jazz ’25
Celebrating the Genre of Jazz
Hosted by Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter, Journey of Jazz is our next jazz program. Sailing from Vancouver (9.12.25) to Los Angeles (9.19.25), with calls on the ports of Victoria and San Francisco, this program is the first West Coast program we have offered in a decade and one of the few cruise programs that has offered and extensive land-based excursion portfolio.
With visits to Napa and Sonoma planned, a culinary tour of San Francisco available, and special jazz shows in Victoria (Warren Wolf‘s dynamic History of the Vibraphone presentation) and at the world famous SFJAZZ theater (one with the legendary Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet and the other with the famous SFJAZZ Collective), the days in port on this cruise will be as exciting as the wall-to-wall music on the ship. But, why is it called Journey of Jazz?
In part, the “Journey” relates to the cruise itinerary, which fits the bill both in terms of the history of jazz and the lifestyle often attributed to its fans. Mostly the cruise is a “Journey” through the history of the music.
Marcus Miller has produced a History of Jazz program on our cruises for many years. His ability to relate that history by using tunes and songs has entertained and educated guests to the point where they are clamoring for a more extended version of this program.
Enter Journey of Jazz! For not only will Marcus’ show be expanded and presented in full, but the balance of the cruise will reflect the history of the music as well. We have performers with rich familial heritage (Ravi Coltrane, Brubeck Brothers), stars in the genre for many years (Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chucho Valdes), great voices of now (Diana Krall, Cecile McLorin Salvant…and, of course, Gregory Porter himself), great instrumentalists of now (Emmet Cohen, Sullivan Fortner, Benny Benack III, Bria Skonberg, Julian Pollack), a first-class example of the Big Band era (Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra) and more.
If there were a Jazz Appreciation Week, Journey of Jazz ’25 would be it.
Christian McBride’s World at Sea ’26
Celebrating a Giant of Jazz
While Journey of Jazz ’25 is the perfect celebration of the genre of jazz, Christian McBride’s World at Sea ’26 was created to showcase the many ensembles of one of the giants of jazz, Christian McBride.
Christian is one of the most compelling forces in the world of jazz today. As a composer, arranger, festival director, radio personality and teacher, his presence is palpable in every corner of the jazz world. But, to many, he is best known and most beloved as a bandleader of several important and very successful jazz ensembles.
Though he could not include all of his ensembles on the cruise, Christian will be presenting Inside Straight (featuring Steve Wilson, Peter Martin and Carl Allen), Remembering Ray Brown (featuring Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson), Ursa Major (featuring emerging jazz stars Nicole Glover, Ely Perlman, Mike King and Savannah Harris) and Christian McBride’s Big Band (featuring more than a dozen of the greatest players on the NYC jazz scene).
This giant of jazz will go beyond his famous groups and will mix it up with a whole set of great performers (Chris Potter, Sullivan Fortner, Christian Sands, Warren Wolf) as well as a litany of world class vocalists (Ledisi, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Angelique Kidjo, Jose James, and Melissa Walker).
Hard not to appreciate that jazz lineup!
The Jazz Cruise ’26
Celebrating Generations of Jazz
The year is 1999. After nearly two decades of jazz on the SS. Norway, Norwegian Cruise Lines decides that it is discontinuing all of its affinity cruises including the Jazz at Sea program. While never a full ship charter, the program attracted more than 1,000 guests annually, guests gathered by five distinct leaders.
One of those leaders was a 70+ year old travel agent from St. Louis. Faced with the loss of NCL’s support, she tried to rally the other four leaders to chartering their own ship and moving forward. The others refused, even ridiculed her for her proposal. What happened next would change the cruise industry and the path for presenting jazz forever.
Anita E. Berry proceeded to charter Holland America’s m/s Maasdam and produce The Jazz Cruise in 2001. That cruise has been sailing with a full manifest ever since and has spawned what we now know as Signature Cruise Experiences, a charter cruise company with nearly 100 sailings on its resume.
Why did this work? Simple. Berry knew that this music was magic and that if you present it properly, which includes hiring the best musicians, the best sound people, and the best production people, then the rest would take care of itself.
Her legacy remains intact today. Generations of fans have gone to sea on her ships to hear music presented by the very best musicians in the world and to share that experience with jazz fans from around the world.
Hats off to The Jazz Cruise! Serving several generations of fans for more than 25 years!
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1, ‘26.2 & ‘26.3
Celebrating the Glee of Jazz
No jazz cruise has sailed more times, entertained more fans, or created more smiles than The Smooth Jazz Cruise. Which is why, in ’26, there will be three such sailings.
Called “The Greatest Party at Sea,” from the moment that the emcee walks on stage until the last note is performed, the mood of the audience goes from giddy to gleeful to gratitude for the joy with which each musician performs and interacts with the guests. The music is amazing, but it is the respect and love that the guests and the musicians share that makes this cruise special.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.2 is already fully reserved. The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 is within a few staterooms of the same result. And, with 18 months before it sails, The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 is more than 75% reserved. Those facts alone should tell you why this cruise is so appreciated.
Jazz Appreciation Month
Stateroom Specials
- Journey of Jazz ’25: Special Pricing for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms, use promo code: JOURNEY
- Christian McBride’s World at Sea ’26: Special Pricing for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms, use promo code: CMW