With this being the last edition of The Weekender before many of you take off for the holidays, we thought it would be nice to share with you some of our holiday thoughts, events and traditions.
Our Signature Cruise Experiences team is significantly larger than it has been in the past, includes folks of all ages, backgrounds and life experiences. Nonetheless, when we gather, we are “one” and enjoy our time together.
Starting last Monday, team members from D.C., Laguna, Michigan and various cities in Florida began to gather in St. Louis for a week of pre-cruise meetings and our annual holiday party.
Additional folks from Maryland, Los Angeles and Nashville participated by phone and Zoom at various times. The time was spent walking through every minute of each of the David Foster: The Hitman Cruise, Christian McBride’s World at Sea, The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1, and The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.2.
At least 10 of us gather around a conference table and read through every event planned.
- Brian Rachko and Tim Berkibile were checking the production requirements for each show.
- Brad Pavlik and his team were reviewing the hospitality elements for our Talent and our Guests.
- Mario Vines was making sure that every fun event, party, game show and dance program is perfect for our Guests
- Paula Lazaroff and Rebecca Rasmussen were looking to coordinate the flow of Talent with their performance obligations.
- Eric Marienthal was to see if the participants have any performance requirements and whether they will need rehearsals and the rest of us are pretending that we are guests attending the shows looking to see if the scheduled shows provide the best guest experience.
- Gene Dobbs Bradford, our latest team member, was examining how we utilize our Talent in preparation for his new role as Talent Administrator.
- Aubrey Pavlik and Jordan Kostial were carefully checking to see that our guests experience all aspects of the cruise consistent with their expectations.
These are not the first walk throughs of these programs. Our goal is to have preliminary schedules ready at least six months before sailing. Walk throughs begin almost immediately and are repeated every three weeks. Sometimes new shows or new performers are introduced and special sessions are scheduled. No matter how many times you go through the schedule, you find improvements, inconsistencies, even mistakes.
While that team is working on the Performance Schedules, the rest of the team is working on guest relations, entertainment events marketing, and sales activities. Robin Jackson and Jamey Powell lead a team of Guest Representatives who assist Guests with reservations and we are thrilled to have Teresa Dennis back in the role of Guest Relations Director.
A large group of additional people provide support for our operations, and we encourage our folks to participate in various meetings as knowing about additional aspects of our activities makes each of more skilled at our main duties.
Our meetings are all toil and sweat. On Wednesday night, the entire group went to a local darts and food venue, Flight Club, where, for three hours, we took turns playing darts and imbibing. Gene, Mario and Brian displayed nearly professional dart throwing chops. Most of the rest of us were content with not impaling ourselves or others with the darts, though, by the end of the evening, even that was not a major concern.
Trust me, we had a lot of fun. Thursday, it was back to the Performance Schedules and working on the cruises. Most of us were reenergized by the darts and drinks event. Note the use of the term “most.” In Signature Cruise Experiences lexicon, “most” means (slightly) more than half. Everyone headed home on Friday. We will continue our work remotely next week and during the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
Preparing to provide over 10,000 fans with a great cruise and music experience takes time to do it correctly and doing it correctly is very important to us. No detail is too small and every decision we make is done so for the betterment of the cruise and the enjoyment of the guests.
I will be back next week with our “End of Year” observations and resolutions, but, until then, regardless of the holiday you are celebrating, all of us at Signature Cruise Experiences wish you the happiest holiday season, filled with love, great food, fun things to do and, of course, amazing music. No holiday celebration is complete without music…holiday music, jazz, pop tunes and Great American Songbook selections. Choose one or play them all.
Many use music to drown out those who they do not wish to hear or provide a measure of solace from the frenetic nature of the holidays. I call that the medicinal application of music.
But music is best when it is food for the soul and a pathway to joy. Music can take a dull evening and make it lively, it can bring you to tears, help you understand your love of others and, most of all, the purpose of your life. Embrace the sounds. Contemplate the lyrics (most of the time). But, for heavens sake, add music to your holiday season.
You can start with “Jingle Bells” and move on from there.
By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea, Christian McBride’s World at Sea, Journey of Jazz, David Foster: The Hitman Cruise and Top Shelf Country Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.
David Foster & Babyface: Comrades in Music
One of the more common questions about David Foster: The Hitman Cruise is what is the connection between Foster and Babyface?
Though not entirely intuitive, they share the top of the music-producing world, both having written, arranged and produced an amazing list of hit songs.
They are also personal friends, as noted in a recent Instagram posting by Babyface himself. Check out this holiday party! And, yes, that is Charlie Puth on keys and vocals.
Interested in the next joint performance of Foster and Babyface? A few staterooms remain for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise…check it out.
Last Minute Shopping Ideas:
Give the Gift of Music with One Phone Call!
Looking for a last minute gift of music and great times? We can help! Though most of our 8 cruise programs in ’26 are either fully reserved or nearly so, there are some opportunities for you to purchase a special gift for those in your life or, in the spirit of the holiday season, give yourself a well-deserved holiday. Check out these opportunities which we are offering now through the holiday season.
HOLIDAY SPECIAL OFFERS
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise
This sailing is more than 94% reserved, but, for a very limited time, you can sign up for either an Ocean View or
Inside Stateroom at special prices. (Promo Code: BUCKETLIST)
Christian McBride’s World at Sea
Same story as Foster. Soon to be fully reserved but check out the Ocean View and Inside Stateroom offers. A few Veranda Staterooms are also available (Promo Code: BUCKETLIST)
Signature Cruise Experiences Programs
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise
’26: See above for current offers
’27: Stay tuned for information about ’27 Sailing (1.12.27 – 1.17.27)
The Jazz Cruise
’26: ONLY 20 Staterooms remain
’27:’26 Guests may rebook their stateroom now;
others may establish their priority by Pre-Sail Reservations
The Smooth Jazz Cruise
’26.1: Fully Reserved
’26.2: Fully Reserved
’26.3: Fewer than 35 staterooms remain
’27.1: Open Booking (any guest may reserve any remaining stateroom)
’27.2: Open Booking (any guest may reserve any remaining stateroom)
’27.3: Cruise Information Soon!
Botti at Sea
Open Booking (any guest may reserve any remaining stateroom)
Journey of Jazz ’27
’25 Guests may rebook their stateroom now;
Others may establish their priority by Pre-Sail Reservations