The Ultimate Cruise Irony: When Do We Eat?
Though not finalized, over the weekend I reviewed our current programming for The Jazz Cruise ’27. It is spectacular. More than 100 jazz musicians. More than 210 hours of music and entertainment. As Randy Brecker says, it is “Jazz Heaven.”
You know a cruise program is special when you spend “planning time” finding ways for guests to enjoy a great dinner on the ship. With so many performers and so many shows to schedule, it is difficult to create a space where there is no music or, at the very least, the choices are reduced to a minimum that would encourage taking a moment for a sit-down meal (as opposed to an Ocean View Café walk through).
We will unveil our plan in the next few weeks, but we cannot help but recognize the irony of working to find time to eat on a cruise! It would be like scheduling “playing in the sand” at the beach or “having a drink” in a bar.
This dilemma reenforces the strength of the musical programming on The Jazz Cruise. All our programs are music centric, but none more so than The Jazz Cruise. From the very start, back in 2001, the cruise was created by jazz fans for jazz fans. We have added frills, enhanced greatly the production value of the performances and continued to provide alternative, though compatible, programming, but never at the expense of the music.
We are drawing a line at dining. The food on the ship is great, both in the Cosmopolitan Dining Room and in the several Specialty Restaurants. Taking a moment to enjoy a meal, share conversation with fellow guests or just catching your breath is important. One hint at our solution, we are increasing our daytime schedule of shows and, as if you must be told, the total number of hours of music will increase under this plan.
The Jazz Cruise…a fun and exciting cruise for serious jazz fans.
Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences
Food, Drinks and Music
As Michael points out above, our guests have almost too much to choose from when it comes to deciding where (and when) to eat and drink, as well as when to catch the music. In our programming meetings, there is much discussion about scheduling and whether to allow for breaks in the shows and activities, but when we have dozens of the greatest jazz musicians in the world aboard, we always opt for more rather than less.
The artists occasionally complain about being overscheduled, until they actually do the shows and events, from which they always come away grateful for the opportunities. Because we don’t just ask our artists to perform their music. We also ask them to talk about their music in interviews and listening sessions. And to Michael’s point about food (and drinks are implied), we ask our artists to host events in which our guests both partake and learn about everything from wine to whisky to, yes, pizza. For example, during The Jazz Cruise earlier this year, John Pizzarelli was the host for a pizza-making demonstration presented by one of the ship’s chefs in the Tuscan Grille. John always likes to joke that the only reason Frank Sinatra remembered his name was that it has “pizza” in it. During both sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise, fellow Italian-American Vincent Ingala filled that same role.
When it comes to wine, Mindi Abair (and her husband Eric Guerra) are legitimate experts in the field. Eric has had a long career managing wineries and the two present events on land bringing together wine and jazz. They also host a Wine and Music Club in which they curate playlists, do wine tastings and help jazz fans experience fine wines and great music. Naturally, the two will be hosting very special Wine and Jazz events during every sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise.
On the upcoming West Coast sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3 in September, we have a wide range of special artist-hosted events, including an Afternoon Tea with Boney James, California Crabs and Wine Tasting with Brian Culbertson, It’s All About the Coffee with Marcus Anderson, Galley to Table Lunch with Richard Elliot and World Wine Tour with Jonathan Butler.
The following week on Botti at Sea III, Alonzo Bodden will step into the pizza-making host duties, Benny Benack III leads the way with the California Crabs and Wine Tasting hour, Candy Dulfer will enjoy an Afternoon Tea and Caroline Campbell will present Women of Wine, just to name a few of the special sessions.
Of course, with both West Coast programs, the shore excursions offer even more opportunities to experience fine dining and sipping, thanks to the Napa Valley Wine Train and Michael Bauer’s culinary tour of San Francisco.
The onboard artist-hosted events during our ’27 sailings have not been finalized yet, but you can be sure that every day there will be plenty of opportunities for our guests to mingle with the artists, whether it be Bourbon Tasting, Food and Wine Pairing, Galley to Table Kitchen Tour, Martini Masterclass, Macallan Tasting or Mixology 101. Those inclined could even cap off the day with Cigars Under the Stars. The immersive aspect of our cruise programs does not stop with the live music.
Signature Cruise Experiences Upcoming Programs
SCE Sailings in ’26
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3
9.11.26 – 9.18.26
Vancouver – Victoria – San Francisco – Los Angeles
Known as “The Greatest Party at Sea,” The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 is Fully Reserved.
If you wish 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 ’26
9.18.26 – 9.25.26
Los Angeles – San Francisco – Victoria – Vancouver
JUST ANNOUNCED: JOSH GROBAN!
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.
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore
1.12.27 – 1.17.27
Tampa – Cozumel – Costa Maya – Tampa
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’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 star-studded lineup for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore includes Michael McDonald, Dianne Reeves, Leslie Odom Jr., Katharine McPhee, Erich Bergen and more.
The Jazz Cruise ’27
1.17.27 – 1.24.27
Tampa – Cozumel – Belize – Costa Maya – Tampa
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.
Journey of Jazz ’27
1.24.27 – 1.31.27
Tampa – New Orleans – Progreso – Tampa
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.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise
’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
Tampa – Ocho Rios – Grand Cayman – Tampa
’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)
Tampa – Grand Cayman – Ocho Rios – Tampa
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 95% reserved at this time.
Botti at Sea ’27
10.6.27 – 10.13.27
Boston – Portland – Saint John – Sydney –
Charlottetown – Quebec City
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 (8.15.26) for more programming and reservation procedure details.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.3
10.13.27 – 10.20.27
Quebec City – Charlottetown – Sydney –
Saint John – Portland – Boston
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.3 program will be an exciting combination of our customary great music, Fall colors and other special events. Marcus Miller, Boney James, Brian Culbertson, Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer and others will lead the team for another edition of this iconic program.
This cruise is currently in Open Booking, where anyone may reserve any available stateroom.