When Going Out Gets Expensive for Music Fans…
Music Fans go Cruising!
A night of great music costs more than ever before. Whether you drive, fly or take another form of transportation, the cost of “getting there” continues to rise. Once you arrive, food, drinks, lodging and entertainment all add to the expense. These days, having a good time is truly an investment.
And yet, the allure of live entertainment remains as strong as ever. Fueled by the memories of the Pandemic when the paucity of human connection drove us to become cave dwellers, the thrill of interaction and involvement has been re-enforced as a valuable, if not vital, element of our daily lives.
Cruises are highly valued for bringing together entertainment, dining, accommodations, travel and community in one complete experience. Though not inexpensive, our cruises continue to offer exceptional value, considering the cost of 7 hotel nights, 7 days and nights of entertainment, 21 meals and the roundtrip cost of gas.
It’s easy to understand why so many guests continue to choose our programs year after year. Still, we recognize that not everyone who wants to sail on our programs is able to do so.
We would like to change that.
From now through July 4th, we are reducing the Cruise Prices for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms on cruises, starting this Fall with The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 (*) and Chris Botti at Sea ’26 and continuing into ’27 with the following programs:
- David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore (5 Nights)
- The Jazz Cruise ‘27
- Journey of Jazz ‘27
- The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1
- The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.2 (**)
| STATEROOM | 7 NIGHT PRICE | PRICE/DAY |
| Ocean View | $2,950 | $422 |
| Inside | $2,450 | $350 |
| STATEROOM | 5 NIGHT PRICE | PRICE/DAY |
| Ocean View | $2,225 | $445 |
| Inside | $1,800 | $360 |
(*) The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 is fully reserved. Wait List entries are available and, if filled, will not be eligible for this promotion. New Reservations Only. Cruise Prices are per person and based on Double Occupancy. Payments are non-refundable. Promotion may not be combined with any other offer and rates are non-commissionable. Offer ends on July 4th, 2026.
(**) Ocean View Staterooms on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.2 are “Wait List” only. Inside Staterooms are available and reservations for those staterooms are eligible for this promotion. New Reservations Only. Cruise Prices are per person and based on Double Occupancy. Payments are non-refundable. Promotion may not be combined with any other offer and rates are non-commissionable. Offer ends on July 4th, 2026.
As always, you may call the office during business hours and one of our team members will assist you with any aspect of the reservation process.
We would not go so far as to call this “giving back,” but it is our way of recognizing how grateful we are for the enthusiasm and support of our guests in the post-pandemic world. We want to make it easier for you to sail with us. Our only request is simple: enjoy the music, the experience and one another to the fullest.
The Jazz Community Celebrates Ken Peplowski
Last night, the life and music of our friend Ken Peplowski was celebrated in a memorial service held at the “jazz church,” Saint Peter’s in NYC, where many jazz greats including Miles Davis, Sheila Jordan and Roy Haynes have been feted in the past. The event, which featured a mix of remembrances and performances, was organized by Ken’s friend, Pamela Stark, with assists from Loren Schoenberg, David Ostwald, Mark Lopeman, Ehud Asherie and me, who all endeavored to pay proper tribute to Ken both as a musician and a man. Not that the two could be easily separated. During the course of nearly a dozen remembrances, a common theme emerged: that of Ken taking the music seriously, yet not taking himself (or any of us) seriously. It seems that just about anyone who knew Ken has stories about his self-deprecating wit, which could also be turned into a razzing weapon onstage or off. Pamela is planning on setting up a Legacy.com page for friends and fans to share those often-hilarious stories about Ken. We’ll share that with our SCE guests, many of whom were in attendance at the church last night.
As the emcee, David Ostwald, a longtime bandleader and friend of Ken’s, used short video clips of Ken to introduce the speakers and performers. I think Ken would have appreciated that David enabled him to narrate his own memorial in his own inimitable fashion. Friends who spoke movingly but also often humorously about Ken included Loren, Mark, Spike Wilner, Paquito D’Rivera, Dick Hyman (in absentia) and Ken’s brother Ted.
Of course, the artists who performed musical numbers couldn’t help but share remembrances when introducing their songs. Those songs, all exquisitely performed, included: “You Must Believe in Spring” by Tierney Sutton and Shelly Berg; “When You Wish Upon a Star” by Glenn Zaleski, Martin Wind, Terell Stafford and Wycliffe Gordon; “Here Comes the Sun” by John Pizzarelli, Madelyn Pizzarelli and Jessica Molasky; “Why Try to Change Me Now?” by Katie Thiroux and Matt Wilson and “The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else” by Catherine Russell and Ehud Asherie.
The service ended with two clips of Ken performing Elvis’s “Love Me Tender,” 40 years apart, one as a vocalist and the other on his favored instrument of the clarinet. It was a touching coda to a very powerful event. You can see for yourself and watch a copy of the livestream on the Saint Peter’s Church YouTube channel by clicking below.
by Lee Mergner
Signature Cruise Experiences Upcoming Programs
SCE Sailings in ’27
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3
9.11.26 – 9.18.26
34th Sailing of “The Greatest Party at Sea”
Known as “The Greatest Party at Sea,” The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, which departs from Vancouver on 9.11.26 and sails to Victoria, BC and San Francisco, before terminating in Los Angeles on 9.18.26 is fully reserved. If you wish to try to join the cruise, go to the website and JOIN WAITLIST for any stateroom category you wish. All cancellations for this cruise will be filled from the waitlist.
Botti at Sea III (’26)
9.18.26 – 9.25.26
The West Coast Edition – The Perfect Music Experience
When The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 docks in Los Angeles, we will turn around and head back to Vancouver (via San Francisco and Victoria BC) under the guidance of superstar Chris Botti. Chris Botti at Sea III will be the perfect combination of a topflight music cruise and exciting excursions.
Joining Chris on the cruise are several icons of the world of music: Elvis Costello, Boz Scaggs, Melody Gardot, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle and many others. When in San Francisco, guests may take winery tours in Napa and Sonoma, spend the day on the Napa Valley Wine Train, sample the finest cuisine in San Francisco and much more.
Another menu of excursions awaits guests when the cruise docks in Victoria, BC. Trust us, this is the perfect music experience!
SCE Sailings in ’27
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’27
1.12.27 – 1.17.27
Stay Tuned for the Lineup and Detail
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’26 (Foster ’26) was a runaway hit program. From the first note to the last song, the brilliance of David Foster was evident in every show and event.
The lineup for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore Sailing ’27 includes Michael McDonald, Dianne Reeves, Leslie Odom Jr., Katharine McPhee, Erich Bergen and more.
This cruise is now in Open Booking, where anyone may reserve any available stateroom.
The Jazz Cruise ’27
1.17.27 – 1.24.27
Still the Greatest Jazz Festival at Sea
The Jazz Cruise is the first program that Signature Cruise Experiences ever produced. Since its first sailing in 2001, The Jazz Cruise has been the world leader in presenting “straight ahead” jazz at sea.
The Jazz Cruise has reached “fully reserved” every year it has sailed and The Jazz Cruise ’27 is on its way to reaching that goal again. Open Booking began on February 24, 2026 and the cruise is nearly 80% reserved.
Journey of Jazz ’27
1.24.27 – 1.31.27
Now in Open Booking
Journey of Jazz ’27 will be an amazing cruise program featuring hosts Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter, a full lineup of great musicians and vocalists, a special two days in New Orleans which features Wynton Marsalis and a group of his hand-picked musicians.
In its second season Journey of Jazz proudly combines the very best music with opportunities to live the jazz life and learn more about the history of jazz. As an example, Journey of Jazz ’27 will present Ledisi as a main show performer on the ship. In keeping with the theme of the cruise, Ledisi will perform her universally beloved Tribute to Dinah (Washington) program.
Journey of Jazz ’27 is in Open Booking.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise
’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)
The Greatest Party at Sea presents its customary back to back weeklong programs in the Caribbean. Tampa is the port of embarkation and disembarkation for the first time and both sailings will call on Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman.
The star studded lineup is led by hosts Marcus Miller and Boney James and features Brian Culbertson, Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer, Kirk Whalum, Peter White and more.
Both sailings are in “Open Booking” and both are nearly 95% reserved at this time.
Botti at Sea IV (’27)
10.6.27 – 10.13.27
Chris Botti Takes His Cruise from Boston to Quebec
A Canadian itinerary in the Fall is one of the most popular cruise itineraries in the industry. Fall colors, beautiful scenery, hands on adventures in famous ports-of-call. If nothing else was taking place on the ship, a cruise with these features would be in high demand. So, when Chris Botti decided to take his amazing cruise program from Boston to Quebec City, with a full complement of the entertainers and performers that you have grown to love and expect, not only was he gilding the lily, but he was creating one of the top music cruise experiences ever offered.
Stay tuned for more programming and reservation procedure details. As is always the case on a Signature Cruise Experiences program, guests on Botti at Sea III (’26) (’26 Guests) will be able to rebook their current staterooms and those who are not ’26 Guests will be eligible to submit a Pre-Sail Reservation which will establish their stateroom selection priority after the ’26 Guests complete their rebooking procedure.
Look for most of this to happen around 8.15.26!
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.3
10.13.27 – 10.20.27
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.3 program will be an exciting combination of our customary great music, Fall colors and other special events.
This cruise is currently in Open Booking, where anyone may reserve any available stateroom.