I just learned that, on February 13 and 14 at Catalina Bar (Hollywood), Steve Tyrell will be making his final performances as a singer. Perhaps best known for his iconic vocal of The Way You Look Tonight in the 1991 movie Father of the Bride, that turn was but a small part of his legacy. Over the past few years, Steve’s health has not been good. He has undergone heart surgery and has had an extended period of recovery. Having just turned 81, Steve has decided to move on from an amazing career as an artist, performer, producer, songwriter, radio host and more.
His Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride II breakthrough ignited the interest of classic standards for a modern-day audience. Soon, everyone was presenting the Great American Songbook, but, for my take, no one did it better than Steve. We can no doubt debate which of our favorite singers have the best range or vocal prowess, but no one can sell a song or enchant an audience like Steve.
Not knowing about his soon-to-be retirement, I recently wrote about how much I loved going to New York during the holidays to see Steve at Café Carlyle. If I could turn back the clock for one more holiday event of my life, it would be an evening with my wife listening to Steve.
I must have invited Steve to perform on The Jazz Cruise at least ten times before he finally relented. He claimed to have an inner ear issue, but I believe it was simply being uncomfortable at sea. Once on board, however, he was a hit and he became a regular until illness curtailed his travels. Often accompanied by his amazing wife, Janine, the Tyrells became the “It” couple on the cruise.
Steve is the kind of guy with whom you would want to share a beer. The use of the singular when describing the beverage is poetic license and wholly inaccurate. Scheduling his show on the ship opposite an NFL Playoff Game was never undertaken. We would lay the playoff schedule next to his performance schedule to make sure that not only was he not performing during the games, but that he would have ample time before the game to get ready and after the game to unwind.
Unfortunately for me, February 13 and 14 are days 30 and 31 of our upcoming 33 days at sea, so I will not be able to be there in person for the show. Trust me, I will find some way to participate. I consider Steve to be one of the great gifts of my life in the music world. I love musicians with heart and musicians who are true professionals. Steve is both with plenty to spare.
Steve is retiring from singing. He is not leaving us yet, but it saddens me to know that I will never hear him sing live again, much the same way I felt when David Sanborn died. Any shrink worth a dollar would say that depression is the realization of your own mortality. Maybe. Even probably. But that doesn’t change the sadness attributable to seeing and hearing someone perform for the last time.
I understand that tickets for the show are on sale now. If you decide to go, tell me and I will arrange a Facetime connection during the show. Yes, even us old guys can find a tech solution when pressed.
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.
Upcoming Schedule for Editions of The Weekender and Jazz Notes
As we move into ’26, Signature Cruise Experiences will soon be “at sea” for a considerable amount of time.
| Cruise | Sailing Dates |
| David Foster: The Hitman Cruise | 1.15.26 – 1.20.26 |
| Christian McBride’s World at Sea | 1.20.26 – 1.27.26 |
| The Jazz Cruise ’26 | 1.27.26 – 2.3.26 |
| The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 | 2.3.26 – 2.10.26 |
| The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.2 | 2.10.26 – 2.17.26 |
We know that our fans can exist without their weekly ration of The Weekender and Jazz Notes, but we want to make sure that you know that we are thinking about you even when we are sailing. Subject to change, here is the schedule for those notes during the upcoming cruise season.
- The Weekender will be issued every Saturday, as usual. The editions may be shorter in content, and we will be highlighting our activities at sea as the primary news items. Real time photos will be included and we will try to provide a glimpse of the vibe and excitement of each cruise program.
- Jazz Notes is scheduled to be issued on the following Wednesdays:
1.14.26 / 1.28.26 / 2.11.26.
Weekly editions will begin again on 2.25.26.
Over 40,000 people open each of these notes every week, so we take our commitment to providing the information very seriously. We love to hear your feedback and we take great pride in responding as best as we can. Our goal is to always answer your questions with candor and transparency. We cannot make everyone happy, but we can be consistent and thoughtful.
Signature Cruise Experiences
End of the Year Program Update
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise
1.15.26 – 1.20.26
A 5-Day Weekend Getaway with a Week’s Long Schedule of Talent
Take Advantage of Special Ocean View Stateroom Cruise Prices
The amazing lineup of David Foster, Michael McDonald, Babyface, Take 6, Nathan East, Peter Cincotti, Pia Toscano, Emmet Cohen, Jessica Vosk, Shelèa (and more) is in place for this 5-day Cruise Getaway from Ft. Lauderdale on Celebrity Summit.
Truly a weekend getaway (Thursday – Tuesday) vacation, there will be more than 7 days of music presented in a 5-day cruise! Only a few staterooms remain available…special Cruise Prices for Ocean View Staterooms. Be sure to use Promo Code: BREAK when booking online or by calling the office.
Christian McBride’s World at Sea
1.20.26 – 1.27.26
Christian’s Ensembles + World Class Vocalists
Boasting one of the most robust and decorated lineups we have ever presented and led by 9X GRAMMY® Winner Christian McBride, this program will present more than 220 hours of top music over 7 days at sea. Besides Christian’s lineup of amazing ensembles that he leads (Inside Straight, Ursa Major, Christian McBride’s Big Band, Remembering Ray Brown, Christian’s Trio), the cruise also features some of the very best vocalists in the genre: Ledisi, Samara Joy, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Angélique Kidjo, Melissa Walker and José James. Ledisi, Samara and Angélique were nominated for GRAMMY® Awards last month.
Staterooms remaining are available at FINAL Prices. Be sure to use Promo Code: FINAL when booking online or by calling the office.
The Jazz Cruise
’26 (1.27.26 – 2.3.26) ’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. With the new trend in land-based jazz festivals including non-jazz music, The Jazz Cruise surpasses land based events for “straight ahead” jazz, too.
The Jazz Cruise is fully reserved every year and fewer than 20 staterooms remain for the ’26 sailing. At this time, ’26 Guests are invited to rebook their current staterooms for The Jazz Cruise ’27 and those not sailing in ’26 may establish their priority for the ’27 sailing by completing a Pre-Sail Reservation.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise
’26.1 (2.3.26 – 2.10.26) ’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
’26.2 (2.10.26 – 2.17.26) ’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)
’26.3 (9.11.26 – 9.18.26) ’27.3 (10.13.27 – 10.20.27)
6 Sailings of “The Greatest Party at Sea”
Known as “The Greatest Party at Sea,” The Smooth Jazz Cruise has sailed over 30 times since 2004. Year after year, there is a waitlist for staterooms and the cruises hit “fully reserved” earlier and earlier.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 are fully reserved and The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, which sails from Vancouver to Los Angeles with a stop in Victoria and a special overnight stay in San Francisco, is 97% reserved All that remains available are 18 Concierge Class Staterooms and 16 Inside Staterooms. Certainly one of the oddest inventory configurations we have ever seen.
Guests on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 and guests who completed Pre-Sail Reservations have had exclusive opportunities to reserve a stateroom for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1 & ’27.2. Those procedures have been completed. As of Monday, both sailings are in Open Booking, which means that anyone may reserve any available stateroom either by calling the office or completing a reservation online. Both sailings are more than 75% reserved.
Guests sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 (’26 Guests) will soon have the exclusive opportunity to reserve their ’26 stateroom for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.3. This sailing starts in Quebec City on 10.13.27 and sails through Canada terminating in Boston on 10.20.27. Fall colors and other special events will be featured. Guests not sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 will be eligible to establish their priority for the cruise by completing a Pre-Sail Reservation during the same time that ’26.3 Guests are rebooking their staterooms.
Botti at Sea III (’26)
9.18.26 – 9.25.26
Chris Botti hosts a West Coast Cruise with Amazing Talent
Botti at Sea III (’26) is in Open Booking. Anyone may select any available stateroom and complete a reservation. The lineup has been set for a few months. Joining Chris will be Elvis Costello, Boz Scaggs, Melody Gardot, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle, Emmet Cohen, Candy Dulfer, John Splithoff, Morgan James, Benny Benack III, Kandace Springs, Harold Lopez-Nussa Trio ft. Gregoire Maret and more. The cruise will sail from Los Angeles to Vancouver, with calls in San Francisco and Victoria.
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 8.1.26!
Journey of Jazz ’27
1.25.27 – 1.31.27
Open Booking Begins 1.6.26
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.
The rebooking procedure for guests on Journey of Jazz ’25 (’25 Guests) has been completed and the Pre-Sail Reservation procedure for those who are not ’26 Guests is currently in progress. We will be sharing more information about the program in the upcoming weeks, but, for now, Journey of Jazz ’27 will start Open Booking on January 6, 2026 – which makes “now” the very best time to complete your reservation for Journey of Jazz ’27.