Many believe that last September’s sailing of Journey of Jazz ’25 was one of the very best programs produced by Signature Cruise Experiences (SCE) in its 26 year/100+ cruise history. That program combined SCE’s trademark onboard music programs with an exciting itinerary filled with special events and excursions curated by us.

The ’25 sailing explored the jazz life with stops in San Francisco and tours in Napa and Sonoma. Jazz shows at SFAZZ and a first-class culinary tour of San Francisco were also enjoyed. That was the Special Sauce.

For Journey of Jazz ’27, we have prepared another heaping portion of Special Sauce. To quote one of New Orleans more famous chefs, Emeril Lagasse, we are “taking it up a notch…maybe more than one notch!” Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter are back as the hosts of Journey of Jazz ’27, with Marcus reprising his famous “History of Jazz” show in which he tells the story of jazz…in music! And Gregory will bring his magical voice and grand presence to every aspect of the cruise!

Ready to add a notch or two? The ’27 sailing is going to the heart of jazz, its birthplace, New Orleans! Two full days and one exciting night. Did we mention that Wynton Marsalis will be our New Orleans host for the cruise!? While in New Orleans, guests will have the choice of fine dining, special jazz shows and excursions, all curated and operated by us.

Wynton’s shows on the ship will be spaced so that every guest who wishes to dine in New Orleans and enjoy his show will be able to do so. But, I am getting way ahead of myself here. Much of this information is on the website and we highlight some of the key elements in the other parts of this edition of Jazz Notes.

If I seem very excited about this program, trust me, I am. Marcus and Gregory with Wynton in New Orleans…very cool.

Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences

Journey of Jazz ‘27 is Hosted by Marcus Miller & Gregory Porter

An iconic bassist and a generational singing voice. That is what you have when your cruise is hosted by Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter. In music, often you must choose between great musicianship and entertainment value. Both Marcus and Gregory are top musicians who can share their gifts and talents in a way that embraces the audience and creates joy.

Their secret? Both are comfortable in their own skin, know their talent and refuse to take the shortcuts in performing that “entertainers” often take. I believe the word for both men is “authentic.” Yes, they have won GRAMMY® Awards and countless other awards, but, though all were earned, none were sought.

Wynton Marsalis: The Return of New Orleans’ Native Son

Although he’s lived many more years away from New Orleans than he’s lived there, Wynton Marsalis will always be associated with that storied and very musical city. Partially because his father, Ellis Marsalis, was a lifelong patriarch for jazz in the area, both as a pianist and educator. Partially because he received his first trumpet at the age of four from the local legend Al Hirt. Partially because he was the first of several younger jazz musicians to be signed by Columbia Records in the late ’70s and early ’80s – including his brother Branford, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison and Harry Connick, Jr. Partially because Wynton would later become a champion of both Louis Armstrong and New Orleans jazz. But that came later.

In fact, despite being raised in a jazz household and surrounded by live jazz in the neighborhoods, Wynton initially resisted the lure of that music. He and Branford preferred playing in a funk band called the Creators around town. In an interview Wynton did with Marcus Miller on one of our cruises a few years ago, he explained that jazz came later. “My father wanted me to take lessons from a trumpeter named Teddy Riley who we called Buck,” Wynton explained. “He played Louis Armstrong’s cornet when Louis Armstrong passed away. But New Orleans music didn’t interest us then. We thought we were the Crusaders. My father said, ‘Have you called Buck yet?’ I said to him, ‘No, I didn’t call Buck.” And later, ‘Did you call Buck?’ Finally, he said, ‘Man, you need to call Buck so you can learn how to play.’ I said, ‘Man, Buck can’t even read.’ My father said, ‘Son, people can either play or they can’t play. Look at you. You can read.’”

Wynton was soon listening to artists like Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. “I started to wonder if I could learn how to play jazz,” he said. “Then I got a gig with some college kids playing at a club. When I was 15, they called the house and one guy, a bass player named Alvin Young, called the house and asked me, ‘Are you Ellis’s son?’ I said, “Well, yea, there are five of us.’ He said, ‘No, are you the one who plays trumpet?’ I said, ‘Yes.” He said, ‘Can you play a gig with us at this place called Tyler’s Bear Gardens?” I said, ‘What are y’all playing?’ He said, ‘You know, tunes like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock.’ I couldn’t really play on changes at that time and I told him that I’m gonna be real sad. He said, ‘It’s all right. We’re all sad to start. You’ll get better.’” Indeed, Wynton did get better.

Ironically, it was classical music that brought him to New York City and put him on a path to international acclaim. Wynton was barely a teenager when an older musician introduced him to the virtuoso playing of classical trumpet Maurice Andre. “I said to myself, I wonder if I could learn how to play like him,” Wynton explained. “So I start practicing to play classical music off the record.” He was just 14 years old when he won a competition and performed Haydn‘s trumpet concerto with the New Orleans Philharmonic. Wynton has not forgotten his first rehearsal with that group. “When they played that first chord of the Haydn concerto, and that unbelievable big E flat chord filled the room, I got goosebumps,” he recalled. “The sound of it with 60 or so people playing it was so deep and full. All the times I’ve played concertos and played with orchestras, I always would go back to that first sound I heard.”

For Wynton, classical music offered him the opportunity to leave New Orleans. He had seen his father struggle economically as a local musician and he had also experienced racism in that city. After being admitted to the prestigious summer program at Tanglewood Music Center, Wynton applied and got into the Juilliard School. But like Miles Davis before him and Christian McBride after him, he left Juilliard to play jazz with his heroes, in Wynton’s case with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. 

That apprenticeship would lead to a storied career as a bandleader and composer and eventually the founding of Jazz at Lincoln Center, which has become the premier jazz organization in the world. More on that in a later edition of Jazz Notes. But despite being exposed to the music of Louis Armstrong, Wynton would only come to appreciate his genius later. “I was 17 and had a tape of Armstrong’s music,” Wynton said. “My father said I had to learn (Armstrong’s 1938 classic) ‘Jubilee.’ At the time I was learning solos by Freddie Hubbard, complicated things. ‘Jubilee’ was simple — and I couldn’t play it. Learning to play it made me understand I really had to study his songs. So, I started learning Armstrong’s music and his style. Being from New Orleans, I was aware of his style when I was young, from marching band and all the experiences he had, but I certainly didn’t know this was something you needed to study. We didn’t know the history well enough so we felt like Lous Armstrong was old-fashioned. We had a preconceived notion of him that kept us from appreciating how significant he was then and is now.”

During the last few decades Wynton has become one of the most foremost champions not only of Armstrong but of New Orleans jazz. That’s why it’s exciting for us to present Wynton and his group in performances in his hometown during Journey of Jazz ’27.

Lee Mergner
Jazz Consultant

Journey of Jazz ‘27 Presents Superstar Performers

When your headliners are Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter and Wynton Marsalis, the rest of the lineup can sometimes be overlooked. Not so on Journey of Jazz ’27.

GRAMMY® Winner Ledisi’s contribution to the Journey of Jazz concept will be her amazing tribute to Dinah Washington. She will perform many of the songs from her For Dinah tribute album along with the songs that have made Ledisi one of the top vocalists.

Winning GRAMMY® Awards has become routine to pianist Sullivan Fortner. Whether he is leading his own group or accompanying superstar vocalists, Sullivan has become one of the top names in jazz and a “go to” pianist for many.

Cyrille Aimee has been a star on many Signature Cruise Experiences’ programs over the years. Her French background will be the perfect tone and expression for our trip to New Orleans.

The list of instrumentalists reads like an all-star band: Sean Jones, Wycliffe Gordon, Edmar Castaneda, Herlin Riley, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gregoire Maret, Taylor Eigsti, Harold Lopez–Nussa, Gerald Clayton and, our Music Director, Eric Marienthal. Each one an accomplished leader and band member.

Journey of Jazz ‘27 Presents “Bucket List” Excursions:
The Very Best of New Orleans Will Be Available to YOU!

Journey of Jazz ‘27 will overnight in New Orleans, providing guests with two full days and one night to enjoy the wonders of the Birthplace of Jazz. We have curated a host of great excursions just for our guests, ranging from brunch at Brennan’s (we have secured the entire restaurant), to boat tours of the city, to fabulous jazz shows at local venues. 

The best way to check out the excursions the website: https://journeyofjazz.com/sce-excursions/, but here are a few of the highlights:

Sightseeing Tours

• Discover Magazine Street
• Natchez Steamboat Tour
• Mardi Gras World Tour
• Hidden Gems of New Orleans City Tour

Dining

• Antoine’s
• Arnaud’s
• Commander’s Palace
• Brennan’s (brunch)

Concerts

• New Orleans Jazz and Blues Market – Kermit Ruffins
• New Orleans Jazz and Blues Market – Donald Harrison

Back-to-Back with The Jazz Cruise ’27 and The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1

Journey of Jazz ’27 was intentionally scheduled between The Jazz Cruise ’27 and The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1. Though each of those cruises has its own identity, there are sufficient similarities between Journey of Jazz ’27 in terms of lineup and musical styles with each of the other programs that guests could easily create a two-week special music cruise vacation.

Benefits and pricing for sailing back-to-back will be dependent upon the Sailing History of the guest. If interested in doing so, please contact us at the office for Cruise Prices and other information.  

Great Time to Reserve a Stateroom

Journey of Jazz ’25 was fully reserved months before sailing, so we advise guests to select a stateroom and complete a reservation now.  

And, the sooner you finalize your reservation, the sooner you can reserve your spot on one of the amazing excursions in New Orleans. Stateroom selection and reservation may be completed online or by calling the office during regular business hours.

Signature Cruise Experiences Upcoming Programs

SCE Sailings in ’26

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

Encore! Encore!

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. As you recall, David wanted to learn more about how the cruise programs unfold before he casted the lineup for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore Sailing ’27.

That moment has arrived. Last week, the lineup for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore Sailing ’27 was announced and includes Michael McDonald, Dianne Reeves, Katharine McPhee, Erich Bergen and more.

Foster ’26 Guests are currently able to finalize rebooking of their staterooms through April 10, after which Pre-Sail Reservations holders will be eligible to select a stateroom and complete their reservation. There is still time to complete a Pre-Sail Reservation (no deposit or obligation required) on the website here

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 is in Open Booking. For more information, check out the articles above.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise

  ’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
  ’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)
2 Sailings of “The Greatest Party at Sea”

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 90% 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

This program will be an exciting combination of our customary great music, Fall colors and other special events. 

Currently, guests sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 (’26 Guests) have the exclusive opportunity to reserve their ’26 stateroom for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.3 through 3.31.26. Those who are not ’26 Guests may establish their priority for selecting a stateroom for that cruise by completing a Pre-Sail Reservation.

The post Jazz Notes: 3.25.26 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

I have always found New Year’s Eve to be a time for reflection, more than a time for elation. For those who feel the opposite, what are you celebrating that night? That ’25 is over? That ’26 is beginning? I understand the idea, but I cannot connect the dots between those feelings and wearing party hats, drinking champagne and singing “Auld Lang Syne.” 
 
If ’25 was a great year, why do we celebrate it being over? If it was a bad year, why are we celebrating at all? To celebrate the new year has some teeth to it, but, again, I see this as a time for thought, a time to set goals and reassess dreams.
 
There is a difference between “goals” and “resolutions.” Goals matter. Resolutions are more often trivial. I have had the same set of resolutions for 20 years. One of these years, hopefully soon, I intend to enact them, or at least the ones that require the lowest level of energy and sacrifice.  
 
I have chosen ’26 as the year that I stop swearing. I am committed to making that happen. Just curious, do you have to start a resolution on New Year’s Eve when you announce them or do you start on New Year’s Day? Damn it. I need to find out.
 
The average lifespan of a New Year’s resolution is 11 days. Certainly, I can beat that. For those of you fortunate enough to be sailing with us on David Foster: The Hitman Cruise, look me up on January 15 and I will share my progress.
 
On a serious note, on behalf of the team at Signature Cruise Experiences, thank you for a wonderful ’25 and we hope to see as many of you as possible in ’26. Until then, enjoy life, be safe, stay healthy and never let a day go by without music.
 
Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences

The Two Newest Vocalists to Join David Foster: The Hitman Cruise

If you missed the earlier announcement, Katharine McPhee has been offered a part in an upcoming movie that will start production during the cruise dates. Though we will miss her dearly, our goal is to enhance the careers of our performers, so granting her time for the movie was an easy call. Shoshana Bean was considered for the cruise, however, her previous engagements were so close to our sailing dates that it wasn’t possible to include her. Luckily for us, the stars have aligned!

David Foster is known for how his production and arrangements have changed and shaped the careers of countless female vocalists like Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston. So it was no surprise when it came time to find a replacement for Katharine on the cruise, David had ample choices and has worked hard to find just the right voices for the cruise. I say “voices” because David has decided that he needs two vocalists to do the job right. 

Welcome to the cruise, Jessica Vosk and Sheléa!

Vocalist and musical theater actress Jessica Vosk is best known for her performance as Elphaba in the musical Wicked – first on tour and then joining the show’s 15th anniversary on Broadway. She played the green witch for two years and was featured performing “Defying Gravity” in the PBS Great Performances 50th Anniversary Concert. However, since her Broadway debut in 2014 in Jason Robert Brown‘s The Bridges of Madison County, Vosk has played prominent roles in many high profile productions, including Waitress, Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter, Becoming Nancy, Something to Dance About, Fiddler on the Roof, Finding Neverland and, most recently, Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen. In March 2026, she will star as Cee Cee Bloom in the Broadway production of Beaches, alongside Kelli Barrett.  

Vosk had an unconventional journey to Broadway, beginning her career on Wall Street before taking the leap of faith to pursue her dreams on stage. In addition to her theatrical work, Vosk has made many concert appearances at performing arts centers and concert halls, including her 2021 debut at Carnegie Hall. She has released two independently produced solo albums – Wild and Free (2018) and A Very Coco Christmas (2020) – both of which debuted on the Billboard and iTunes charts.

Also coming aboard David’s cruise is singer, songwriter and pianist Sheléa, a protege of Stevie Wonder who has worked with hit producers such as Quincy Jones and, of course, David Foster.  

Born in Redwood City, CA and raised in Bakersfield, CA (also the home of Gregory Porter), Sheléa was inspired by the vocal gifts of both Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston and has performed numerous tributes to the latter. With a rich foundation in soul, R&B, jazz and gospel, Sheléa has released three full-length albums and an EP. Her gospel roots contributed to her starring role as Dorinda Clark-Cole in the 2020 Clark Sisters biopic The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. An accomplished songwriter, Sheléa wrote and performed the track “Love Fell On Me” for the 2011 film Jumping the Broom.

“Growing up in a home where we listened exclusively to gospel music, I have beautiful memories of being a toddler harmonizing with my mom and sitting at a wooden piano, writing little songs,” says Sheléa. “I’ve always said I didn’t choose music. It’s a divine thing and God chose me to be a vessel of musicality. No matter what I’ve been through in my life, I’ve never lost my childlike love of singing and creating it.”

NOLA, NOLA      NOLA, NOLA
Journey of Jazz ’27 – New Orleans

It is Bowl Season and colleges all over the country are rooting for their team to bring home the honor of winning a bowl game. Congratulations to NC State, winner of the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The name of that bowl game saves me four paragraphs of describing how silly the bowl season has become.
 
Though no college cheer includes a tribute to NOLA (New Orleans, LA), for those guests on Journey of Jazz ’27, the cries of NOLA, NOLA will be heard loud and clear in the Bayou as we spend two amazing days and one glorious night in the Crescent City.

The fine points of the opportunities will be presented soon, but we can share with you now most of the amazing events during our stay.

Wednesday, January 26, 2027

8:00AM – Journey of Jazz ’27 arrives in NOLA

9:00AM – Hidden Gem of New Orleans Tour (4 hours)/Discover Magazine Street (3 hours)/MardiGras World (3 hours)

11:00AM – Steamboat Natchez Tour & Lunch – Exclusive for JOJ Guests

2:00PM – Live Concert at New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market (2 hours)

3:30PM – Poolside NOLA Jazz Show

5:00PM – First Seating Fine Dining Dinner Options

5:30PM – Wynton Marsalis – Onboard Performance for Guests with BLUE Cards

7:30PM – Special Show in The Theatre: Rebirth Brass Band (All Guests)

7:45PM – Second Seating Fine Dining Dinner Options

9:30PM – Wynton Marsalis – Onboard Performance for Guests with RED Cards

11:30PM – NOLA, NOLA Party – Poolside Show and Party with Wycliffe Gordon

Thursday, January 27, 2027

9:00AM – Hidden Gem of New Orleans Tour (4 hours)/Discover Magazine Street (3 hrs.)/MardiGras World (3 hrs)

9:30AM – Brunch at Brennan’s – Exclusive for JOJ Guests

1:30PM – Live Concert at New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market (2 hours)

3:30PM – Poolside NOLA Jazz Show & Sail Away (All Guests)

6:00PM – Journey of Jazz ’27 departs from NOLA

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’26 – 1.15.26 – 1.20.26
Sails in 16 Days; 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
Sails in 21 Days! 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. 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. The musicians call the cruise “Jazz Heaven” for good reason. Every one of the 210+ hours of music are dedicated to this great music. The musicians are the very best jazz musicians in the world and they proudly adhere to the tenets of great jazz.

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)

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 fewer than 35 staterooms are available for 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.

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. Starting yesterday, both sailings are now 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. Open Booking has already started, meaning any guest may select any available stateroom and complete a reservation online or by calling the office.

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.

Journey of Jazz ’27 – 1.24.27 – 1.31.27
Open Booking Begins 1.6.25

As shown above, 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. Journey of Jazz ’27 will start Open Booking on January 6, 2026 – which makes “now” the very best time to complete your reservation.

The post Jazz Notes: 12.30.25 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

What a thrill when one of our favorite team members is honored. Lee Mergner, our Jazz Consultant, will become the 10th recipient of the Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award on January 7 in a ceremony to be held at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

The award was created in 2014 in honor of Bruce Lundvall, the longtime jazz record executive who was a champion and advocate for so many jazz artists over the last four decades. The annual award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and vision in expanding the audience for jazz and has made a difference for artists, the music and audience.

Previous award recipients include Randall Kline, Brice Rosenbloom, Christian McBride, Terri Lyne Carrington, Darlene Chan, Barry Harris, Danilo Perez, Dee Dee Bridgewater and John Clayton.

For more than 30 years, Lee served as an editor and publisher of JazzTimes, which won numerous ASCAP-Deems Taylor awards for music journalism. The publication was founded in 1970 and was described by All Music Guide as “arguably the finest jazz magazine in the world.” Lee remains an at-large contributor to the publication for which he’s written hundreds of profiles and stories.

Lee founded Jazz Connect Conference and has been instrumental in the development of Jazz Congress as well as several other jazz industry organizations. In addition to his invaluable daily contributions to our operations at Signature Cruise Experiences, Lee is also the lead writer for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s concert programs. Over the years, he has been an advisor and volunteer with various jazz organizations and events such as Jazz House KiDS, Montclair Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz Philadelphia, Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Exit Zero Jazz Festival and several others.

If there is a better friend to jazz than Lee Mergner, I do not know who that would be. As an advocate for jazz, Lee is right out of central casting, humble, unassuming, carefully critical and always subtly in command always. Do not let the Inspector Clouseau act fool you. He possesses a razor-sharp mind and wit, expresses his thoughts with eloquent words and phrases and commands a vast sea of knowledge. I cannot recall a reference that he did not know.

I forgive his Philadelphia sports bias and his penchant for advancing the cause of performers who do not draw well. Lee is a great human being and we are lucky to have him in our midst. 

I never met Bruce Lundvall, but I have heard all the stories. He would have 100% endorsed this award to Lee.

Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences

Still Time to SHIP Out on The Jazz Cruise ’26! 

As we are sending you this note, fewer than 30 staterooms remain available for The Jazz Cruise ’26. That number varies daily, as some guests complete reservations while others are forced to cancel due to various reasons.

The current limited inventory of staterooms available include a few Concierge Class, Aqua Class, Ocean View and Inside Staterooms, but other Stateroom Categories may open up due to cancellations. 

As a past guest, you have the highest priority for these staterooms. If you are interested in learning more about the availability, feel free to contact the office. Or you can reserve one of the available staterooms now!

Just for our past guests, we are extending the Sailing History Individual Pricing (SHIP) offer through January 20, 2026. A sample of those prices are listed below. Ready to return to Straight-Ahead Jazz Heaven?

Select your stateroom and complete your reservation online or by calling the office.

Use Promo Code: SHIP at booking.

These prices are per person, based upon double occupancy, do not include Pass Through Charges and are available for new reservations only.

Jazz Cruises Conversation Podcast
A Listening Party with Bria Skonberg

During the Journey of Jazz cruise, Lee Mergner hosted a Listening Party with Bria Skonberg who played tracks from her recent album, What It Means and talked about the making of the recording. The album blends many different influences, but it has a decidedly New Orleans flavor thanks to contributions from Herlin Riley, Don Vappie and Ben Jaffe. Click on the image to the right to hear an excerpt from the conversation.

LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’26

Sailing Dates: 1.15.26 – 1.20.26                
Staterooms Available: Veranda, Ocean View and Inside
Special Offer: FOV Cruise Prices
Best Prices on Ocean View Staterooms

Christian McBride’s World at Sea

Sailing Dates: 1.20.26 – 1.27.26
Staterooms Available: Limited Availability in Most Categories
Special Offer: FINAL Cruise Prices! Best Offer in Years

The Jazz Cruise

Sailing Dates: 1.27.26 – 2.3.26
Nearly Fully Reserved
Staterooms Available: Only 33 Remain; 8 Staterooms with Balconies, 25 Ocean View & Inside Staterooms

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 & ‘26.2

Sailing Dates:
2.3.26 – 2.10.26
2.10.26 – 2.17.26
Fully Reserved; JOIN WAITLIST

Top Shelf Country Cruise ‘26

Sailing Dates: 2.27.26 – 3.6.26
82% Reserved
Staterooms Available: Concierge, AquaClass & Veranda
Promo Code: CHRISTMAS

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3

Sailing Dates: 9.11.26 – 9.18.26
96% Reserved; fewer than 60 Staterooms remain
Staterooms Available: Fewer than 50 Staterooms Remain; 21 Concierge Staterooms; 9 Veranda Staterooms;18 Inside Staterooms

Botti at Sea III (’26)

Sailing Dates: 9.18.26 – 9.25.26
65% Reserved
Staterooms Available:
Concierge, AquaClass and Veranda (with balconies); Ocean View and Inside

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’27

Sailing Dates: 1.12.27 – 1.17.27
Lineup Announcement: TBD

The Jazz Cruise ’27

Sailing Dates: 1.17.27 – 1.24.27
Guests on TJC ’26: Now through 1.30.26, Guests may Rebook their ’26 Stateroom
Guests Not on TJC ’26: New Guests may complete a Pre-Sail Reservation
Guests with Pre-Sail Reservations may start to select Staterooms on 2.6.26

Journey of Jazz ’27

Sailing Dates: 1.24.27 – 1.31.27
Guests on Journey of Jazz ’25: Now through 12.12.25, Guests may Rebook Stateroom from Journey of Jazz ‘25
Guests Not on Journey of Jazz ’25: Now through 12.12.25, New Guests may complete a Pre-Sail Reservation
Starting on 12.15.25: Guests with Pre-Sail Reservations may start to select Staterooms

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.1

Sailing Dates: 1.31.27 – 2.7.27
Guests on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1: Now through 11.26.25, Guests may rebook their ’26.1 Stateroom/Guests Not on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1: New Guests may complete a Pre-Sail Reservation
Starting on 12.4.25: Guests with Pre-Sail Reservations may start to select Staterooms
Open Booking Starts: 12.29.25
Cruise Prices: As shown on website

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.2

Sailing Dates: 2.7.27 – 2.14.27
Guests on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.2: Now thru 11.26.25, Guests may rebook their ’26.2 stateroom/Guests not on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.2: New Guests may complete a Pre-Sail Reservation
Starting on 12.4.25: Guests with Pre-Sail Reservations
start to select Staterooms
Open Booking Starts: 12.29.25
Cruise Prices: As shown on website

Top Shelf Country Cruise ‘26

Sailing Dates: TBD
Announcement: TBD

Botti at Sea IV (’27)

Sailing Dates: TBD
Announcement: TBD

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.3

Sailing Dates: 10.13.27 – 10.20.27
Announcement: TBD

The post Jazz Notes: 12.17.25 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

Wynton Marsalis joining Journey of Jazz ’27 may be the most exciting headline for Jazz Notes that we have ever presented! Each of these three jazz icons are among the most talented in the world! Individually, they are headliners, collectively they are a “can’t miss” event! 

For those not yet “hip” to Journey of Jazz, our first sailing was a 7-day trip from Vancouver to Los Angeles, with a full day in Victoria and an overnight in San Francisco. While in those ports, the guests were treated to special jazz programs, high-end dining, excursions to wine country and more.

Musically, the cruise traced the origins of jazz and highlighted its past, near-past and current trends. From a leading Big Band to iconic vocalists to famous instrumentalists to the offspring of some of the greatest musicians ever, the cruise blended musical, culinary and participatory experiences that have defined and supported the jazz community for years.

Yes, the “Journey” was more than a 7-day cruise. It was a trip through the history of jazz and a menu of experiences that jazz fans have savored for decades. To many, Journey of Jazz ’25 was the perfect jazz outing. We agreed and are creating another chapter in this “Journey” for January 24 – 31, 2027 on Celebrity Cruises’ Summit.

Marcus and Gregory are returning as your hosts and the itinerary features an overnight in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. Your “tour guide” for New Orleans will be none other than Wynton Marsalis. Be sure to check out Lee Mergner’s touching and insightful take below on what Wynton Marsalis means to jazz and what his participation in Journey of Jazz ’27 means to the program (and to you).

From now through December 12, 2025, Guests who sailed on Journey of Jazz ’25 have the exclusive right to rebook their ’25 stateroom for Journey of Jazz ’27.

Those who did not sail in ’25 may establish their priority for Journey of Jazz ’27 through the Pre-Sail Reservation procedure. Instructions for rebooking or for completing a Pre-Sail Reservation may be found on the Journey of Jazz ’27 website.

I have buried the most important date – December 3, 2025 – the day that we present the Program Lineup for the cruise. With the announcement of Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter and Wynton Marsalis, Journey of Jazz ’27 is off to an amazing start, but, trust me, there will be more. We will also begin to share the details of the various NOLA excursions and events. Our team of NOLA experts are working overtime to create events that are unique and on-brand with our world of jazz.

Whether you are Rebooking or completing a Pre-Sail Reservation, no Deposit is required and no obligation is made until ten (10) days AFTER the announcement of the Program Lineup.

Signature Cruise Experiences has been on a “journey” for jazz since 2001. Creating a cruise program that highlights that odyssey has been one of the most rewarding experiences in our history. The best part being sharing it with you.

Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences

The GRAMMY® Nominations Are Announced

The GRAMMY® nominations were announced last Friday, November 7, and, as is always the case, the nominees included several artists with ties to Signature Cruise Experiences’ programs.

From Christian McBride’s World at Sea:

• Christian McBride was nominated in three categories: Best Jazz Performance and Best Jazz Instrumental Album (both for Trilogy 3 – Live with Chick Corea and Brian Blade) and Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album (for Without Further Ado – Vol. 1).
• Samara Joy, who appeared on that big band album as well as released her own Portrait album, received two nominations – one for Best Jazz Performance and the other for Best Jazz Vocal Album. 
• Ledisi is up for two awards – for Best Traditional R&B Performance and for Best R&B Album – both tied to her recording, The Crown.
• Angélique Kidjo was nominated for Best Global Performance. 
• Finally, Sullivan Fortner received a nomination for his Southern Nights album in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category.

From The Jazz Cruise ‘26:

• Sullivan Fortner is sailing as well on The Jazz Cruise, which was also represented in the list of nominations by featuring Paquito D’Rivera & the Madrid-New York Connection Band for La Fleur de Cayenne is nominated in the Best Latin Jazz Album category.
  

Finally, Gerald Clayton, who has sailed on several of our programs, was nominated in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category for his recording Ones and Twos.

We wish all of them the best with the awards to be given on February 1. Even though a few are competing against one another in some categories, they’re all winners to us.

Wynton Marsalis:
Bringing New Orleans to the World (and Bringing the World to New Orleans)

It’s difficult to bring a proper perspective to the legacy of Wynton Marsalis. Not because his impact is in question, but rather because he’s had such a powerful influence in so many spheres. As a musician, he is clearly one of the most virtuosic trumpeters of his, or just about any, generation. As a composer, he is one of the only jazz musicians to receive a Pulitzer Prize. As a mentor, he is someone who has nurtured multiple generations of jazz greats – from Christian McBride to Jonathan Batiste. . As an educator, he is a person who has overseen the distribution of hundreds of big band charts from the jazz greats to high school programs all over the world.

As a jazz advocate and presenter, he is the founder and leader of Jazz at Lincoln Center, arguably the greatest non-profit jazz organization in the world. There’s plenty more that he’s done and he still does, but that’s enough for now.

What we wanted to share here is how he represents and champions the music of New Orleans, his birthplace. It started with his father, Ellis Marsalis, the pianist, educator and esteemed patriarch of New Orleans jazz. Interestingly, Wynton and his brother Branford did not immediately embrace jazz in their early years as teens, preferring to play in the horn sections of R&B and funk bands. Eventually, both fell in line, so to speak, and would come north to study – Branford for jazz at Berklee and Wynton for trumpet performance at Juilliard. Both apprenticed, like so many jazz greats before them, with Art Blakey’s band and both were signed to record deals by Dr. George Butler, who saw in them a means to reach younger audiences.

That kicked off the Young Lions movement, during which a slew of younger artists were signed to record deals and promoted as future stars. Wynton, of course, was the brightest star and even branched out to classical music, which Butler often attributed as a turning point in the trumpeter’s career. Although his early records and sound were a direct link to Blakey and the Miles Davis Quintet of the ’60s, Wynton always retained the New Orleans influence in his music. In time, he would immerse himself in the music of Louis Armstrong and, not only include that influence in his recordings, but also champion Pops as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century. That seminal influence would manifest itself directly in albums like Crescent City Christmas and Congo Square and indirectly in just about every recording or concert he has done in the last three decades.

In part because he was a role model, but also because of his hands-on involvement, Wynton mentored and/or collaborated with generation after generation of New Orleans jazz musicians – including Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Marlon Jordan, Herlin Riley, Wessell Anderson, Adonis Rose, Jonathan Batiste and so many others. I remember doing an interview with Troy Andrews, aka Trombone Shorty, more than a dozen years ago backstage at the Newport Jazz Festival. Towards the end of the interview, he saw Wynton getting into a car about 100 yards away and he ran that distance and leapt over a fence to shake Wynton’s hand before he left for his next concert. When Troy came back to the interview, he said to me, “That man changed my life.”  

Indeed, Wynton Marsalis changed the lives of so many artists, and not just those in New Orleans. From the SCE family, Wycliffe Gordon, Sean Jones, Russell Gunn and Christian McBride were all appreciative recipients of Wynton’s unique ability to pay it forward.

We’re honored to have Wynton perform for the Journey of Jazz guests and share his appreciation for the music of his hometown while we’re in New Orleans in January 2027. 

Lee Mergner
Jazz Consultant
Signature Cruise Experiences

Jazz Cruises Conversations Podcast:
Emmet Cohen with Benny Benack III

This episode from the recent Journey of Jazz cruise features an interview with Emmet Cohen by his longtime friend Benny Benack III. Emmet shared the story of his journey from being a student at the University of Miami to being a regular, then host, on The Jazz Cruise. He also talked about his Masters Legacy Series of recordings with his elders. And, of course, he explained the creation and evolution of his Emmet’s Place online concert series. 

Click above to hear Emmet talks about the origins of the Emmet’s Place video concert series

Finding Cruisers at Exit Zero Jazz Fest

If you attend any jazz festival in this country, you’re likely to see several of our guests supporting and enjoying the music. Such was the case at the recent Exit Zero Jazz Festival in Cape May, NJ, where our own Lee Mergner caught up with eight guests from The Jazz Cruise, Journey of Jazz and McBride’s World at Sea. This photo of (l to r) Mike and Cathy Axel, John and Susan Corkery, Dr. Greg Koons, Vicky and Tony Jacobine and Jan Koons  was taken minutes before Cassandra Wilson‘s performance celebrating the 30th anniversary of her seminal album, New Moon Daughter, which closed out the festival.

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise

1.15.26 – 1.20.26
A 5-Day Weekend Getaway with a Week’s Long Schedule of Talent

The amazing lineup of David Foster, Michael McDonald, Babyface, Katherine McPhee, Take 6, Nathan East, Peter Cincotti, Pia Toscano, Emmet Cohen (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! The remaining inventory includes only Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Staterooms.
 
Staterooms in all remaining categories are available at FOR A SONG Cruise Prices. Be sure to use Promo Code: FORASONG 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.

Staterooms in all remaining categories 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) – Still the Greatest Jazz Festival at Sea
’27 (1.17.27 – 1.24.27) – Stay Tuned for More Information…Soon!

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.

This cruise is fully reserved every year and fewer than 50 staterooms remain for the ’26 sailing. Past Guests may use the Promo Code: SHIP to reserve a stateroom at favorable prices based on their sailing history. Information about The Jazz Cruise ’27 will be available on or before November 13, 2025.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise

6 Opportunities to sail on “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. Rich with great musicians, great fans and great times, The Smooth Jazz Cruise has created a community of fans that span the globe. The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2, both of which sail in the Caribbean, are fully reserved with significant waitlists. The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, which will sail from Vancouver to Los Angeles with calls in Victoria and San Francisco, is more than 95% reserved at this time. This is a great opportunity to secure a reservation on this cruise which establishes your priority for other sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise.

Guests sailing on ’26.1 & ’26.2 have until November 26, 2025 to reserve their current stateroom for ’27.1 & ’27.2, respectively. Guests not sailing on either ’26.1 or ’26.2 may queue up for the ’27 cruises by completing a Pre-Sail Reservation. Pre-Sail Reservations are activated in the order received starting on December 4, 2025. Over 600 Pre-Sail Reservations, representing nearly 1,200 guests, have completed a Pre-Sail Reservation for the ’27 Cruises.

Guests on ’26.3 have opportunities to book on any of the ’27 cruises, subject to rules which have been shared with them. If you are a guest on ’26.3 and you have not received that information, please call the office (888.852.9987).

Botti at Sea III (’26)

9.18.26 – 9.25.26
Chris Botti hosts a West Coast Cruise with Amazing Talent

The wait is over. It is time to begin the planning process for Botti at Sea III (’26). 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. Open Booking has already started, meaning any guest may select any available stateroom and complete a reservation online or by calling the office.

Journey of Jazz ’27

1.25.27 – 1.31.27
Where is Journey of Jazz Headed Next? New Orleans!

The inaugural sailing of Journey of Jazz ended a few weeks ago. The cruise was a wonderful experience and both hosts, Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter, are coming back for the next voyage. Joining them on the cruise as the special guest host in New Orleans is Wynton Marsalis. Indelibly sketched in our minds as the ultimate NOLA jazzman, we are honored to have him join us on the program. In keeping with our theme of great jazz experiences, Journey of Jazz ’27 will be headed to New Orleans for a special overnight jazz experience. Guests who sailed on Journey of Jazz ’25 have until December 12, 2025 to rebook their current stateroom. Others may complete a Pre-Sail Reservation through December 10, 2025. The full lineup will be announced shortly after Thanksgiving.

The post Jazz Notes: 11.12.25 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

For 25 years, Signature Cruise Experiences and its predecessors have provided the finest jazz experiences in the world. Starting with The Jazz Cruise in 2001, our presentation of straight-ahead jazz has been second to none. Never wavering from our mission to present the finest jazz musicians in the world, The Jazz Cruise has celebrated the music that has defined the lives of so many top performers and fans.

Embracing “smooth jazz” was our next undertaking. The Smooth Jazz Cruise may be the most popular music cruise in the world. Since 2004, there have been more than 35 sailings of this program, each one fully reserved. Earning the title “Greatest Party at Sea,” thousands of guests have sailed on this program numerous times.

The Jazz Cruise and The Smooth Jazz Cruise can be viewed as bookends with the rest of the world of jazz in the middle. Bridging that gap has been a challenge, both optically and musically. The North Sea Jazz Cruise, Playboy Jazz Cruise and Blue Note at Sea Cruise were undertakings geared to present this robust and energizing section of the jazz world.

The reaction was like that experienced by Goldilocks. The first was too cold, the second too racy and the third was just about right until it ran out of time. Enter the next variety of cruise programs meant to straddle the various splinters of jazz.

Christian McBride’s World at Sea, Chris Botti at Sea and Journey of Jazz are programs intended to provide a wider bandwidth of great music. Christian’s cruise has a significant “straight-ahead” leaning, reflecting the nature of his music and legacy. Chris’ tastes run the gamut of musical genres as he paints with a broad brush.

Journey of Jazz will become our jazz program that melds jazz and experiences, each enhancing the other. The ’27 cruise, headed to New Orleans, is a case in point. In many respects, it will become the ultimate jazz experience.

Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences
michael@scecruises.com

Hitting the High Notes on Journey of Jazz ’25

Michael gave me the daunting assignment of writing about the music during the Journey of Jazz cruise, as he wrote in this past Weekender that I would cover hundreds of hours of music in, well, a few hundred words. I decided instead to simply write about what I found most memorable during our week hugging the West Coast with dozens of the greatest jazz musicians on the planet.

Celebrity Theater Concerts

This cruise, like many of our programs, featured special performances every night in the state-of-the-art Celebrity Theater, done as two shows so that every guest could experience the same set. Michael has talked about Marcus Miller’s History of Jazz show, which was excellent. But I wanted to give a nod to the “Great American Songbook” concert by Gregory Porter and Cècile McLorin Salvant, both of whom presented their own powerful sets. The theme aside, Cècile and Gregory both unapologetically performed material outside the usual jazz standards.

Watching Cècile perform her repertoire of veritable art songs in a duo setting with the gifted pianist Sullivan Fortner was like watching two noted actors playing a two-hander in a small theater. She later came out to sing a rendition of “If I Only Had a Brain” from The Wizard of Oz and sing a duet with Gregory on one of his originals. Yes, you had to be there.

Late Night Shows

Jazz people do tend to stay up late and they were rewarded on Journey of Jazz with multiple sets taking place around the Midnight hour.  

Everyone from Emmet Cohen to Sullivan Fortner to Tivon Pennicott kept our guests wide awake very late. My favorite late-night show was by Benny Benack III and Bria Skonberg, who have been touring together in a Sing & Swing show. Doubling as trumpeters and singers, they presented a whirlwind show that showcased their chops and charm.

Special Guests

With so many gifted musicians aboard, you had to expect that there would be plenty of sitting in on shows. A memorable one for me was the noted tap dancer Brinae Ali performing with Dee Dee Bridgewater, as well as with her husband, Sean Jones. As far as I know, it’s the first time we’ve had a tap dancer perform on one of our cruise programs.

Debuts

A few artists sailed with us for the first time, but I was excited to see the performances by saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, who came aboard with an all-star band featuring Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dezron Douglas and David Gilmore. Ravi also sat down with Marcus for a conversation in which he discussed his father’s legacy and its impact on his own life and music. So many of the artists are the progeny of past jazz players, including Niki Haris (Gene Harris), Benny Benack III and the Brubeck Brothers. That multi-generational aspect of jazz is one of its greatest assets.

Jazz on Film Sessions

I hosted three sessions showing clips of iconic musicians and talking with our artists about the subject. Dee Dee Bridgewater shared personal stories about Abbey Lincoln and Sean Jones explained how Dizzy Gillespie influenced him and so many other trumpeters. But it was the session on Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson that was a highlight for me, thanks to a stellar panel featuring Cècile McLorin Salvant, Sullivan Fortner and Kelly Peterson, who each offered insights into the unique greatness of those two legends.

Listening Parties

There were three sessions in which artists played music from one or more of their recordings, including Benny Benack III on his last two albums and Bria Skonberg on What It Means. Playing cuts from her album Lift Thine Eyes (that featured Eric Marienthal as guest soloist), Niki Haris not only explained the personal challenges and travails that inspired the recording, but sang along with the cuts being played, making the music come alive for us.

Master Classes

There were two master classes: a piano one by Tadataka Unno and a drum one by Carl Allen. I hosted the latter and learned a great deal about the role of a jazz drummer in a band and about the intricacies of the drum set itself. Carl is a bit of a comedian too, which kept things light.

Let us know what was most memorable for you during Journey of Jazz. Send comments to JOJ25@scecruises.com.

Lee Mergner
Jazz Advisor
Signature Cruise Experiences
lee@scecruises.com

Queueing Up for Journey of Jazz ’27

If you did not sail on Journey of Jazz ’25 (or your friends, colleagues, family) and wish to sail on Journey of Jazz ’27, you can establish your priority for a reservation by signing up for Exclusive Insider Access. Doing so puts you at the front of the line when the Rebooking Process ends and before Open Booking starts.

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs

’26 CRUISES

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
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

Top Shelf Country Cruise ‘26
2.27.26 – 3.6.26

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3
9.11.26 – 9.18.26

Botti at Sea III
9.18.26 – 9.25.26

’27 CRUISES

Journey of Jazz ’27
1.24.27 – 1.31.27

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.1
1.31.27 – 2.7.27

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.2
2.7.27 – 2.14.27

More Programs to be Announced Soon!

The post Jazz Notes: 9.24.25 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

Victoria proved to be idyllic in terms of its gardens, architecture and ambience. Guests went whale watching and visited the Butchart Gardens. Tours of the city were popular and many guests took advantage of the weather to roam the center of the city enjoying the hundreds and hundreds of flower displays, beautiful sidewalk cafes and views of the government buildings and the Empress Hotel that define the city.

Just over 300 guests joined us at the iconic McPherson Theater in Victoria for a private afternoon concert that featured Warren Wolf with the Sullivan Fortner Trio. I attended the show and enjoyed every minute of the overlap of modern music being performed in an old-world venue. No matter what a guest chose to do that day, they were scurrying back to the ship for our Diana Krall shows. I said that I would leave that to Lee, but I cannot help myself.

A couple of days later, we arrived in San Francisco. Our crack team was ready to launch our excursion portfolio and led groups to several different wineries, the Napa Valley Wine Train, tours of Alcatraz as well as escorted visits to topflight restaurants for dim sum and seafood, curated by. Former San Francisco Chronicle food critic, Michael Bauer.

Nearly 400 guests boarded our coaches and headed to SFJAZZ, perhaps the most beautiful jazz venue in the world, for a private afternoon show featuring the SFJAZZ Collective (Chris Potter, David Sanchez, Mike Rodriguez, Warren Wolf, Edward Simon, Matt Brewer and Kendrick Scott). Besides enjoying 90 minutes of captivating music, our guests were treated to an introduction and presentation by Terence Blanchard, Executive Music Director of SFJAZZ. That was a pleasant surprise.

That night, Michael Bauer hosted several groups to exclusive dining experiences at top notch restaurants around the city. No complaints, only raves so far! In each case, we provided the transportation from the ship to the restaurant and back. The restaurants provided either private rooms or separate areas just for our guests.

Most of the tours and excursions were repeated the next day, including five winery tours, another Napa Valley Wine Train event and three dining events including a visit to Yank Sing, San Francisco’s #1 dim sum restaurant. 

The show at SFJAZZ featured Ron Carter with Renee Rosnes, Jimmy Greene and Payton Crossley. Every seats in the venue were filled! Since this event was not “on the ship,” I can talk about it without breaking my promise to Lee regarding music reviews being his domain. The quartet was fabulous. Ron Carter’s aura was in full bloom. Our own Marcus Miller did the introduction as Ron Carter is one of Marcus’ idols. Heartfelt and honest as always, Marcus was the ultimate emcee.

At 6PM, we left the port of San Francisco and headed for our last stop, Los Angeles. The final day being a day at sea was filled with more music than any other day of the week, a bittersweet ending to one of the most memorable cruise programs in our 25-year history. 

Journey of Jazz will sail again during the last week of January ’27. This time the “Journey” will be headed to New Orleans, the undisputed home of jazz. Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter will return as hosts and we are excited to announce our star-studded lineup soon.

Just as jazz continues to be the center of our music focus, Journey of Jazz will continue to meld the music with the jazz life experience. 

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.

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs

Stateroom Availability

The post Our Take: Back Home – Journey of Jazz ’25 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

“Jazz Notes, From Vancouver“? Now, those are four words that have never been written before in this column. A large portion of the Signature Cruise Experiences’ team is either in Vancouver or on their way here in anticipation of our sailing (Journey of Jazz ’25), which starts on Friday. We arrive in Los Angeles on September 19 after stops in Victoria and an overnight in San Francisco.

It has been years since we sailed on the West Coast and it’s our first time ever sailing from Canada. It will take a minute to realize that there will be no Diamonds International or Margaritaville to visit. Somehow, Napa, Sonoma and the Golden Gate Bridge will have to do.

More to be shared next week when we will be nearing the end of the cruise. But, as always, we have a full lineup of jazz information for you.

Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director
Signature Cruise Experiences
michael@scecruises.com

In This Edition of Jazz Notes

In this edition of Jazz Notes, Executive Director, Michael Lazaroff authors this week’s Signature Cruise Experiences News. With our ’25 Cruise season ending, he focuses on our cruise programs for ’26 and ’27, including Special Cruise Prices for certain ’26 cruises.

Our jazz guru, Lee Mergner, goes in-depth with Christian McBride and Brad Mehldau on their upcoming tour and also introduces us to Nathan and Noah East, the father-son duo performing on David Foster: The Hitman Cruise. 

SIGNATURE CRUISE NEWS: 

While We Are Away Special Cruise Prices

One of the longstanding traditions of Signature Cruise Experiences is the offering of Special Cruise Prices when we are at sea. So, starting today and going through September 22, 2025, we are offering Special Cruise Prices on the following programs:

(*) Your Concierge Class reservation includes a Reserved Seat for Nightly Main Shows

And be sure to check out Best Value #1, Best Value #2 and Best Value #3! The more you sail, the more you save.

Begin ’26 with Special Cruise Prices for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise and Christian McBride’s World at Sea!

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise

Our ’26 Cruise season starts with the inaugural sailing of David Foster: The Hitman Cruise, a program showcasing the amazing talents of one of the most decorated and honored persons in the world of music. David’s abilities as a performer, composer, arranger, and producer have resulted in 16 GRAMMY® Awards and 47 nominations.

Among the stars joining David for the 5-day/5-night program (1.15.26 – 1.20.26) are his wife and star vocalist Katherine McPhee, Babyface, Peter Cincotti, Pia Toscano, Daniel Emmet, Morgan James and Brenna Whitaker. David’s very special guest is Michael McDonald. 

SPECIAL CRUISE PRICES: End of Summer ’25 special prices for Ocean View and Inside staterooms continue through September 22. Concierge Class Staterooms are also available in this offer. Guests reserving a Concierge Class Stateroom will also receive a Reserved Seat for the Nightly Main Shows. Use Promo Code: EOS25.

Christian McBride’s World at Sea
Sail for 7 Days/ Pay for 5 – Two Days Free!

Just a few hours after David Foster: The Hitman Cruise docks in Ft. Lauderdale on 1.20.27, another inaugural sailing launches. Christian McBride’s World at Sea will set sail for 7-days and 7-nights of Christian’s fabulous ensembles, along with the very best lineup of vocalists we have ever presented.

Imagine Ledisi, Samara Joy, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Angélique Kidjo, Melissa Walker and José James on the same ship!

SPECIAL CRUISE PRICES: We want every music fan in the world to enjoy this cruise! For the time being, we are offering staterooms for a 7-day/7-night cruise at 5-day/5-night cruise prices! Clearly, the very best value we have ever offered. Join us and enjoy Christian McBride’s World…at sea. Sail for 7 days, pay for 5 with Promo Code: EOS25.

BEST VALUE #1

12 Days/Nights of Great Music

Guests who sail on both cruises not only enjoy End of Summer ’25 Cruise Prices, but also will be provided additional benefits related to sailing for 12 days in terms of beverage packages, laundry or specialty dining. If you have previously reserved a stateroom on one of the cruises, you will receive those benefits when you add the second cruise.

The Jazz Cruise ’26 – 90% Reserved
The Jazz Cruise ’27 – Launch Update

Following the McBride cruise is The Jazz Cruise ’26, the longest sailing full-ship charter in the world. While jazz festivals all over the world, including those with legendary names and histories, are including performers outside the world of jazz, The Jazz Cruise is the standard bearer of this music.

Emmet Cohen serves as the host of The Jazz Cruise ’26 and leads a group of jazz icons: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Paquito D’Rivera, Chucho Valdés, Monty Alexander, Ron Carter, Houston Person, John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, Lewis Nash, Benny Green, Herlin Riley, a cadre of “recurring stars” that include John, Jeff, Houston, John Pizzarelli, Kurt Elling, Shelly Berg, Catherine Russell, Ken Peplowski, Wycliffe Gordon, Niki Haris and some “frequent stars” such as Anat Cohen, James Morrison, Sean Jones, Terell Stafford, Benny Benack, Veronica Swift and more.

SPECIAL CRUISE PRICES: Presenting nearly 100 jazz musicians in total, The Jazz Cruise ’26 is nearly 90% reserved and reaches fully reserved status every year, so act now. Special Cruise Prices for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms are available through September 22, 2025.

LAUNCH UPDATE: The Jazz Cruise ’27 will be announced before Thanksgiving ’25.

BEST VALUE #2

14 Days/Nights of Great Music

Guests who sail on both cruises enjoy End of Summer ’25 Cruise Prices as well as additional benefits related to sailing for 14 days in terms of beverage packages, laundry and specialty dining. If you have previously reserved a stateroom on one of the cruises, you will receive those benefits when you add the second cruise.

BEST VALUE #3

16 Days/Nights of Great Music
The Jazz Trifecta

All three sailings are on Celebrity Summit, begin and end in Ft. Lauderdale and feature world class entertainment from morning to afternoon to night. If you were to sail on all three programs, in just 19 days you will have seen and heard the following:

David Foster • Michael McDonald • Babyface
Katharine McPhee • Take 6 • Peter Cincotti
Christian McBride • Ledisi • Samara Joy
Cécile McLorin Salvant • Dee Dee Bridgewater
Paquito D’Rivera • Chucho Valdés • Kurt Elling
& More than 200 other musicians and vocalists

The Cruise Price for the Jazz Trifecta will depend upon many factors (cruise history, current reservations, stateroom category, etc.). Each opportunity is different, so contacting the office (888.852.9987) is the only way to learn what the Cruise Price will be. We do promise, however, that if you are sailing for 19 days, we will make sure that you have a great time and an even better Cruise Price.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise
‘26.1/’26.2/’26.3/’27.1/’27.2/’27.3

A lot to talk about on The Smooth Jazz Cruise front. Taking them in order, The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 are fully reserved. Cancellations do create availability which is filled from the 3,000 guests on the Waitlist.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, sailing September 11 – 18, 2026, mirrors the itinerary that Journey of Jazz ’25 will be using next week and is nearly 90% reserved, despite being more than a year out! Still, staterooms are available!

Last week featured the launch of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1 & ’27.2. Guests on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 have until November 26, 2025, to rebook their current stateroom. Those who are not sailing in ’26 may complete a Pre-Sail Reservation now. Doing so establishes their priority to select a stateroom after the November 26, 2025 deadline.

Information about The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.3 will be presented later this year. Completing that rundown was quicker than anticipated.

Botti at Sea III
’26

The complete lineup for Chris Botti at Sea III has been announced and it is spectacular! Joining international star trumpeter Chris Botti are three international superstar talents, each one instantly recognizable and beloved:
 

• Elvis Costello
• Boz Scaggs
• Melody Gardot
  

The lineup also includes Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle, John Splithoff, Candy Dulfer, Emmet Cohen, Morgan James, Wycliffe Gordon, Terell Stafford, Taylor Eigsti, Reuben Rogers, Herlin Riley and more.

This program is in Open Booking and, though it sails more than a year from now, the cruise is filling up fast. Stay tuned for more information about the fabulous excursions that will be offered when Botti at Sea III docks in Victoria, BC and overnights in San Francisco.

Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau On Tour

Throughout October, Christian McBride will be touring the U.S. in a duo with his longtime friend and bandmate Brad Mehldau. The two first played together as members of Joshua Redman’s quartet in the early 90s. That band, which includes Brian Blade on drums, would reunite several times over the next three decades for both recordings and tours, while each of the members established their own formidable careers as band leaders. Among that quartet’s highly acclaimed recordings together are MoodSwing (1994), RoundAgain (2020), and LongGone (2023).

“Brad is justifiably revered as one of the greatest pianists of all time,” Christian says.“I’m very proud to have been friends and cohorts with him for almost 35 years. He was one of the first people I met when I moved to NYC in 1989, and it continues to be an uplifting experience every time we play together.” For the record, Christian often rocks his Philadelphia Eagles jersey with the number 89, which is not in celebration of either Eagles players Calvin Williams or Chad Lewis, but rather as a remembrance of his entry into the New York City jazz scene.

Brad arrived on the New York City jazz scene a little earlier in the ’80s and spent a few years just absorbing the incredible music being made on a nightly basis there. He was just 20 years old in 1990 when he found himself in what he called jazz heaven. 

“I moved from St. Mark’s Place into a studio apartment on Jones Street in the West Village, smack in the middle of jazz heaven,” he wrote in his memoir. “Surrounding me within several blocks were blue-chip jazz clubs: the Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, the 55 Bar, the Blue Note and the Village Gate. And Visiones, Bradley’s, Fat Tuesdays, Condon’s and the Knitting Factory were only a ten-minute walk away as well. There was so much great music around me every night. Often, there were tough decisions to make. Pianists Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, Barry Harris and Hank Jones were all titans, at the top of my list.”

Of course, he would channel all of that into his own music, but he found a kinship with Christian during those halcyon days and he’s grateful to rekindle that connection during this tour. “It is a dream come true to play with Christian in this duo setting” Brad says. “Playing with Christian, especially in this configuration, is both joyful and daunting all at once. His level of sophistication and swing, of emotional power and grace, is unsurpassed – not in the least on what he has achieved on his instrument, but also as one of our strongest voices in the music more generally, at the top of his game. I’m so honored to be on stage with him.”

During a recent sailing of The Jazz Cruise, the two performed together, along with vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, in shows that illustrate the unique aspects of our cruises. Specifically, one-of-a-kind collaborations that you’ll only find on our cruise programs at sea.

But throughout October you can catch Christian and Brad at any number of theaters across the country, starting with The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, MD (outside Washington, DC) on October 2, ending with the Brendel Recital Hall in Winston Salem, NC on October 21. Among the cities where they’ll be playing in between those dates are: Boston, Kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Catch them if you can.

– Lee Mergner

Nathan and Noah East: A Family Affair

Even if you don’t recognize his name, you have been hearing him all your life. That’s because bassist Nathan East has played with a virtual who’s who of American popular music, including Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins, Van Morrison, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and, most notably, Eric Clapton with whom he’s played for more than 40 years and who said about Nathan, “He’s the most supportive and caring musician I’ve met.” In fact, Nathan – along with Leland Sklar, Carol Kaye and Ron Carter – is one of the most recorded bassists in history. A founding member of the contemporary jazz super group Fourplay, Nathan is a jazz guy too, having also played with Stanley Turrentine, Al Jarreau, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and other legends.

Born in Philadelphia as one of eight children, Nathan’s family moved to San Diego when he was four. He was just 14 when he started playing around town with a local funk band called Power who were soon picked up by Barry White to tour as his backing band. Nathan was just 16. He soon became a first-call musician for both recordings and tours and hasn’t looked back since.

Among the many huge hits he’s played on include Collins and Philip Bailey’s “Easy Lover” (which East co-wrote), Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” and “Change the World,” Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Anita Baker’s “Giving You The Best That I Got,” Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose,” Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love For You” and Michael Jackson’s “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” 

Earlier this year Nathan collaborated with his 24-year-old son Noah, a keyboardist and vocalist, to release the appropriately named Father Son. Together they perform original compositions, as well as jazz classics and a reimagining of the Beatles‘ hit “Yesterday.” The two are joined by special guests Clapton, Hubert Laws, Seiko Matsuda, Merry Clayton, Billy Valentine and others.

“As a father, you try to lead by example,” Nathan says. “Noah showed extraordinary talent from an early age and it’s been a joy to watch him grow into a sought-after artist in his own right. I couldn’t be more proud of the musician and person he has become and this album is truly a dream come true.”

The process has been equally special for Noah. “Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to witness my dad’s career up close,” he explained. “Growing up around so many different amazing musicians has provided me with a rich musical background, which has immensely shaped my playing. Recording this album together is an experience I will cherish forever.”

We’re looking forward to hearing Nathan and Noah perform songs from this project during the David Foster Hitman Cruise in January.  

– Lee Mergner

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs

’25 CRUISES

Journey of Jazz ’25
9.12.25 – 9.19.25

’26 CRUISES

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
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

Top Shelf Country Cruise ‘26
2.27.26 – 3.6.26

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3
9.11.26 – 9.18.26

Botti at Sea III
9.18.26 – 9.25.26

’27 CRUISES

Journey of Jazz ’27
1.24.27 – 1.31.27

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.1
1.31.27 – 2.7.27

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.2
2.7.27 – 2.14.27

The post Jazz Notes 9.10.25 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

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.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.1 & ‘27.2 Live Lineup Announcement

Big news is on the horizon! Join us live on Thursday, September 4 at 3:00 PM ET for an exclusive Lineup Reveal for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.1 and ‘27.2! Cruise co-hosts, Marcus Miller and Boney James, will reveal which of your favorite smooth jazz musicians will be joining us.  Don’t miss this first look at the incredible artists who will be bringing the music to the Greatest Party at Sea!

REGISTER FOR LINEUP REVEAL!

Anthony Wilson’s House of the Singing Blossoms

Guitarist Anthony Wilson, who will be performing with Diana Krall on Journey of Jazz in a few weeks, has just released a new nonet album, House of the Singing Blossoms, performed live and recorded at Sam First Jazz Club in Los Angeles. The group includes pianist Gerald Clayton, trombonist Alan Ferber, tenor saxophonist Bob Reynolds, alto saxophonist Nicole McCabe, baritone saxophonist Henry Solomon, trumpeter and French horn player CJ Camerieri, bassist Anna Butterss and drummer Mark Ferber.  

“I’ve been feeling for quite some time that I wanted to revisit that instrumentation,” Wilson said about his fifth nonet album. “I’d heard people like B.B. King, or Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown, T-Bone Walker, those kinds of guitarists centered in a group with a horn section and over a period of years it kind of opened up. I’ve learned to have less of a hold over what we were doing, turning it into the kind of ensemble that incorporated improvisation in a more open, natural way.”

Signature Cruise Experiences Programs Stateroom Availability

’25 PROGRAMS

Journey of Jazz ’25 is Fully Reserved
 Journey of Jazz is fully reserved. A few staterooms are available due to guests forced to cancel their reservations. Call the office for cancelled stateroom pricing and availability. 

’26 PROGRAMS

’27 PROGRAMS

The post Our Take: Labor Day Weekend appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

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.

120 Days Until Journey of Jazz

By the numbers, Journey of Jazz ’25 sails in 120 days. 78 Staterooms remain available. 2nd Show Seating is 100% filled. If you act now, and are willing to accept a few restrictions, you can save up to 20%.

Anyone reserving a stateroom now on Journey of Jazz ’25 will be part of the “BLUE” guest group. What does that mean? We divide our guests into two groups: “BLUE” and “RED.” Guests with “BLUE” Cruise Identification Cards attend the 1st main show each night and dine afterwards. Guests with “RED” Cruise Identification Cards dine first and attend the 2nd Main Show.

The “RED” option is full, so anyone reserving one of the 78 remaining staterooms will be part of the “BLUE” group. Since the element of choice is gone, we have decided to provide savings for those who book now.

*Applies to new reservations only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Pricing is per-person, based on double occupancy and does not include pass-through charges. Offer expires June 15 (or while staterooms are available). 

Openings remain on most of the excursions that Signature Cruise Experiences has curated for this cruise.

David Foster: The Hitman Cometh

Signature Cruise Experiences has been fortunate through the years to be able to present some of the most respected and successful musicians and vocalists in the world. We have also worked with a few of the true legends of music in terms of writing, arranging and producing. Johnny Mandel and George Wein come to mind.

Johnny Mandel, known best for his “Suicide is Painless” theme, was a 5-time GRAMMY® Winner. He sailed on The Jazz Cruise and will forever be remembered as the man who received a standing ovation from the Big Band he was conducting as he walked onto the stage. George Wein, the founder of the Newport Jazz Festival among other jazz promotions, was a leader of a topflight band on The Jazz Cruise and is a member of that cruise program’s Hall of Fame.

Our next music icon to become a part of our team is probably the most significant living music impresario in the world. Though numbers are not determinative, at some point, they matter. David Foster has won 16 GRAMMY® Awards, been nominated 47 times and has launched, catapulted or redirected the careers of countless super vocalists. At the risk of forgetting someone, that list includes Celine Dion, Kenny Loggins, Joni Mitchell, Babyface, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Renee Olstead, Clarice, Kenny Rogers, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Boz Scaggs, Toni Braxton, LeAnn Rimes, Whitney Houston, Peter Cetera, Katharine McPhee, Brian McKnight, Blake Shelton, Chris Botti, Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Bryan Adams, Jewel and more.

Superstar Chris Botti, when creating the lineup for his first cruise, chose David Foster (and his wife, Katharine McPhee), as his first guest. He reprised that role for the second sailing and, to our pleasant surprise, was interested in hosting his own cruise program. When a slot opened for us (January 15-20, 2026), we went to work, finalized a deal and proceeded to work with David on a lineup. Digging into his repertoire of talented friends, Babyface and Michael McDonald were called and committed. Pia Toscano, Peter Cincotti and Daniel Emmet were next, followed closely by Nathan East, Noah East, Frédéric Yonnet, Emmet Cohen, Yacht Jazz Trio (John JR Robinson, Tom Scott, Mitch Towne) and one of our all-time favorite groups, Take 6.

The cruise will sail from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West and Nassau. Celebrity Summit, our customary cruise ship, will be the vessel. Pre-Sail Reservations are being processed now through May 23 and Open Booking starts on May 30.

SFJAZZ Events

SFJAZZGala

On Thursday, June 12, SFJAZZ will present its annual gala that includes a VIP cocktail reception and dinner, followed by an All-Star concert featuring Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, Kurt Elling, Ambrose Akinmusire, Melissa Aldana, Bill Frisell, Charles Lloyd, the SFJAZZ Collective and many others. In addition, Blue Note Records President Don Was will be presented with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award.

San Francisco Jazz Festival

SFJAZZ has revamped its San Francisco Jazz Festival, held this year June 13-15 at the SFJAZZ Center and Festival Tent, featuring 35 concerts over three days, with performances by Stanley Clarke, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Patrice Rushen, Cimafunk, The Soul Rebels, Charles Lloyd, Lakecia Benjamin, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dave Holland, Lisa Fischer and many others. It will also include an outdoor festival street market with rotating DJs, food trucks, beer garden, specialty wine vendors, art and a vinyl record swap and more.

Stateroom Availability

Cruise Programs – 2025

Cruise Programs – 2026

Signature Cruise Experiences’ Programs

Journey of Jazz ’25
Limited Time Promotional Pricing

The cruise is more than 92% reserved! The remaining staterooms consist, mainly, of Veranda Staterooms, Inside Staterooms and Single Inside Staterooms! These remaining staterooms are favorably priced through June 15, 2025(*). Please use the promo code: NOW. There is no obligation to complete a reservation once you learn the prices. *New reservations only.

BOOK NOW

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David Foster: The Hitman Cruise
5 Days, 5 Nights, 5 Star Experience

Join us aboard the luxurious Celebrity Summit for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise — five incredible days and nights celebrating timeless hits, legendary artists and 5-star entertainment, all curated by one of the greatest musical minds of our time. Join the Pre-Sail to register for first access to your stateroom of choice before Open Booking becomes available to the public. Register below! 

JOIN PRE-SAIL

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Christian McBride’s World at Sea
Limited Time Promotional Pricing

Open Booking has begun! Special pricing is available for a limited time on Ocean View and Inside Staterooms. Use Promo Code CMW when you make your reservation! *New reservations only

BOOK NOW

The Jazz Cruise ’26
is in Open booking

The Jazz Cruise ’26 is in Open Booking! Anyone may now reserve any available stateroom. This program always hits “fully reserved.” The only question is when!

BOOK NOW

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The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 is in Open Booking
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.2 is Fully Reserved

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.2 is Fully Reserved, but you may join the Waitlist. The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 is in Open Booking and staterooms are 99% reserved.

BOOK NOW

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Top Shelf Country Cruise
is now in Open Booking

With premium talent like Keith Urban, Lee Brice, Scotty McCreery, Parmalee, LeAnn Rimes, Thelma & James and Kassi Ashton, Top Shelf Country Cruise earns its title as the First-Class Country Music Cruise! Reserve your stateroom today!

BOOK NOW

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The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3
is in Open Booking

For the first time in many years, The Smooth Jazz Cruise will sail on the West Coast! 

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3 is in Open Booking and staterooms are more than 75% reserved. Reserve your stateroom today!

BOOK NOW

Botti at Sea ’26
is in Open Booking

We’re thrilled to be able to announce that Boz Scaggs, Elvis Costello, Melody Gardot and Peabo Bryson will be onboard Botti at Sea ’26. 

Open Booking has begun. Reserve your stateroom today! 

BOOK NOW

The post Our Take: Peabo is Back! appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

For Journey of Jazz, Marcus will use the first night of the cruise to complete the mission he has started over the years. Participating will be his co-host, Gregory Porter, the amazing Dee Dee Bridgewater, Music Director Eric Marienthal and a whole host of top musicians. As for additional insights to the history of jazz, the cruise features the Brubeck Brothers and Ravi Coltrane. Now there is some serious jazz history ready to be shared.

Journey of Jazz features a top lineup of female vocalists as well. In proving that point, in reviewing a recent list of the 25 greatest female jazz singers of all time, 20 are deceased. Of the five remaining, two are sailing on Journey of Jazz. We have mentioned Dee Dee Bridgewater, the talented vocalist and actress who has earned three GRAMMY® Awards, a Tony and induction as an NEA Jazz Master. The other is Diana Krall. To date the top-selling female jazz singer of the 21st Century, this three-time GRAMMY® winner, from British Columbia, combines a sultry voice with dexterous piano skills. For the record, another is Dianne Reeves, who is not on Journey of Jazz, but this 5-time GRAMMY® winner has sailed on our programs for years.

The remaining two living female jazz vocalists in the top 25 are Norah Jones and Madeleine Peyroux. Maybe one day. Journey of Jazz also features 3X GRAMMY® Award winning Cécile McLorin Salvant, whose place on the list of the Top 25 will be secured with time. And, of course, one of our favorite vocalists, Niki Haris, who cannot be defined by any single genre, will be onboard in several capacities.

In keeping with the theme of “journey,” for the first time in more than a decade Signature Cruise Experiences is curating its own excursions. For a complete list of special land-based events, click HERE and our favorite comic, Alonzo Bodden, will walk you through the choices. For those seeking the shorthand version, guests will be able to purchase tickets for a Warren Wolf show in Victoria along with several other offerings, including whale watching. While we are in San Francisco for two full days (one night), we are producing a special show at the famous SFJAZZ theater featuring the legendary Ron Carter with his quartet (Renee Rosnes, Jimmy Greene, Payton Crossley).  Famous food critic, Michael Bauer, will be your guide for dining opportunities including San Francisco’s #1 dim sum restaurant.

For the adventurous, we will have tours of wineries in Napa and Sonoma and guests can spend the day on the Napa Valley Wine Train. One train has already sold out, but we have managed to secure another one. Again, check out offerings, make your selection and get ready to enjoy your excursions. Recently, someone asked us the following question “with all these amazing excursions, will there be less music on the cruise?” The answer is a resounding “NO!” Journey of Jazz has a full schedule of music every late afternoon and night when in port and all day when we are at sea.

The only activity that will be less than our other cruises will be sleeping. Not much time for that.

Finally, though some staterooms with balconies remain, most of the available staterooms are Ocean View and Inside Staterooms. These staterooms are the least expensive on the ship, but, to provide as many jazz fans as possible with the opportunity to sail on this amazing journey, for the time being, we are lowering the price of those staterooms even more. This Special Offer for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms will not last long, so we urge you to call the office or go online to take advantage. Use the Promo Code: JOURNEY.

As you can see, I am as excited about this cruise as any we have ever produced. Great music. Great excursions. Great Journey!

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, Homecoming: The Cruise and Top Shelf Country Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

What’s Hot?

McBride B2B The Jazz Cruise

Scheduling the inaugural sailing of Christian McBride’s World at Sea (CMW) back-to-back (B2B) with The Jazz Cruise ’26 (TJC ’26) was meant to create a one-of-a-kind two-week jazz vacation. CMW ends on January 27, 2026 at 7AM ET. TJC ’26 starts boarding four hours later. Guests on both may remain onboard or spend some time in Ft. Lauderdale until we sail that afternoon.

Evidently, the message was clear and well received!

Hundreds of guests have decided to take advantage of this opportunity and have reserved a stateroom on both sailings! There is still time to complete what we call our Jazz Double Play.

Completing the Jazz Double Play

If you have a reservation on either CMW or TJC ‘26, please call the office to see if we can place you in that same stateroom for the other cruise. It may be that we switch your current reservation to keep both reservations with the same stateroom. If that cannot be done, no worries, Celebrity Cruises’ staff will move you to your new stateroom in minutes.

If you do not have a reservation for CMW or TJC ’26, you can call the office or go online to complete your reservation. Again, if you cannot reserve the same stateroom for both sailings, we have you covered! 

Jazz Double Play Benefits

Besides the opportunity to spend two weeks enjoying the music of more than 170 world class jazz musicians, guests who go for the Jazz Double Play are entitled to the following special benefits:
 

• Transition Day Brunch – January 27, 2026
• Reserved Seating for CMW Main Show Events
• Your Cruise Status is applied to both cruises and, to help cover your expenses, you will receive an onboard credit which you may use in any way you wish during the two weeks of sailing. The amount of the onboard credit/person is as follows:
  
  • Suite: $500
  • Conciere/AquaClass/Veranda: $400
  • Ocean View/Inside: $300

Jazz Double Play by the Numbers

Butler, Bodden Elliot at the 3rd Annual Desert Jazz Festival

Artists from the Signature Cruise Experiences’ family will be gracing the stage for the 3^rd annual Desert Jazz Festival located in Rancho Mirage, CA in the beautiful Coachella Valley October 2-5, 2025. This full VIP experience is a 3-night, 4-day event filled with music, comedy, food, golf, pickleball and community all nestled within the gorgeous San Jacinto mountains.  

In addition to the stellar talent highlighted there will also be concerts featuring the extraordinary vocals of Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle with more to be announced soon.

For a limited time, anyone who has sailed on any of our cruises in ’24 or ’25 will get 10% off using exclusive code DJFSC10 (valid until April 16^th). 

Spring Jazz Festivals

With April coming, we’ll soon be seeing not only showers and flowers, but also a flurry of jazz festivals.  Here are details on several (listed in chronological order) that will be featuring artists from our Signature Cruise Experiences programs.

Denver Jazz Festival

Date: April 3-6
Location: Various venues, Denver, CO
Lineup: Dianne Reeves & Romero Lubambo, Charles McPherson & Terell Stafford, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, others

LEARN MORE

Earl Klugh’s Weekend of Jazz at the Broadmoor

Date: April 3-5
Location: The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
Lineup: Earl Klugh, Bob James, Brian Culbertson, Eric Darius, Damien Escobar, Leslie Odom, Jr., others

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Berks Jazz Fest 

Date: April 4-13
Location: Various venues, Reading, PA
Lineup: Boney James, Brian Culbertson, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun & Richard Elliot, David Sanborn Tribute – sponsored by Signature Cruise Experiences and The Smooth Jazz Cruise, others

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Alexander Zonjic’s Cabin Fever Jazz Festival
 

Date: April 5
Location: Southfield Pavillion, Southfield, MI
Lineup: Alexander Zonjic, Keiko Matsui, Peter White, Lin Rountree, Angela Davis

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Charleston Jazz Festival

Date: April 21-29
Location: Various venues, Charleston, SC
Lineup: Paquito D’Rivera, Jazzmeia Horn, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, others

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Seabreeze Jazz Festival

Date: April 23-27
Location: Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater, Panama City Beach, FL
Lineup: Gerald Albright, Brian Culbertson, Boney James, Najee, Eric Darius, Norman Brown, Vincent Ingala, others

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Stateroom Availability

Having been at sea for four weeks, we thought it best to share what is new with respect to our next 9 cruise programs and to highlight special offers for select programs.

Cruise Programs 2025

Cruise Programs 2026

Hot Offers

Ocean View and Inside Staterooms are available on Journey of Jazz ’25. You can reserve an Inside Stateroom on the cruise for under $2,000/person and there are special prices for Ocean View staterooms. Reservations may be completed online or by calling the office and are based upon double occupancy, available for new reservations only and non-commissionable. Further, this discount may not be combined with any other offer (Promo Code: JOURNEY).

Signature Jazz Cruises’ Programs

Limited Time Promotional Pricing

Promotional pricing is available on Ocean View and Inside Staterooms for Journey of Jazz! Make your reservation today using promo code JOURNEY for significant savings*! Exciting land-based concerts and excursions are also available! *Discount applies to new reservations only. 

BOOK NOW

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Limited Time Promotional Pricing

Join us for a celebration of HBCUs and inspired by the tradition of the Divine Nine Challenge from recent sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise. Sailing January 15 – 20, 2026 (including MLK Day), this cruise will deliver Excellence, Education and Entertainment. For the best available prices on all Stateroom Categories, use promo code HTC during the booking process. Reserve Your Stateroom Today! 

BOOK NOW

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Limited Time Promotional Pricing

9X GRAMMY® winner Christian McBride will host our newest Signature Jazz Cruises’ program, Christian McBride’s World at Sea! The cruise will feature legions of musicians who comprise the various ensembles that are the hallmarks of Christian’s music world AND first-class comedy talent. See the full lineup here!

Right now, special pricing is available for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms. To save, use the promo code CMW during the reservation process. Open Booking has begun! Reserve your stateroom today! 

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Open Booking Now Available!

Hailed as “Jazz Heaven” by musicians and guests alike, The Jazz Cruise ’26 lineup will feature some of the most iconic musicians from the straight-ahead jazz genre. See the full lineup here. Anyone may now reserve any available stateroom. This program always hits “fully reserved.” The only question is when!  

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Open Booking Now Available

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 is in Open Booking (anyone may reserve any available stateroom) and staterooms are more than 95% reserved. The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.2 is Fully Reserved, but you may join the Waitlist. Reserve your stateroom today!

BOOK NOW

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Open Booking Now Available

The inaugural sailing will feature headline artist Keith Urban and widely popular personalities from iHeartMedia’s The Bobby Bones Show, led by Bobby Bones himself. Top Shelf Country Cruise is now in Open Booking! Anyone may select any available stateroom and complete a reservation. Guests are not required to submit a Pre-Sail Reservation and may proceed directly to the Stateroom Selection process. Reserve your stateroom today!

BOOK NOW

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Open Booking Now Available

For the first time in many years, The Smooth Jazz Cruise will sail on the West Coast, embarking in Vancouver, sailing to Victoria and San Francisco before disembarking in Los Angeles. Exciting land excursions will be available in the ports-of-call! The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3 is in Open Booking! Anyone may now reserve any available stateroom. 

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Open Booking Now Available

We’re thrilled to be able to announce that Boz Scaggs, Elvis Costello and Melody Gardot will be onboard Botti at Sea ’26. Of course, Chris Botti will be there with his very talented band and, as always, we will fill the remaining performance slots with a variety of great music, comedy and more.  Open Booking has begun. Reserve your stateroom today! 

BOOK NOW

Send us Your Mug Shot

We know many readers of The Weekender like to peruse each edition over their morning coffee. And, if you’ve sailed with us, you likely have at least one (or perhaps many) Signature Cruise Experiences mugs just for that purpose. Over the years, The Weekender has featured several pictures of cruisers showing off their mugs, pictures we affectionately refer to as “Mug Shots.”

If you want to share your “Mug Shot” with the 100,000+ readers who receive The Weekender each Saturday, email a photo of yourself and your mug to mugshot@scecruises.com. Who knows? You may just see yourself in a future edition.

Mug Shots

Linda M.
North Carolina

Tag us @thejazzcruise, @bottiatsea, @thesmoothjazzcruise, #signaturecruiseexperiences and #theweekender. Email your photo to MugShot@scecruises.com.

The post Our Take: How the History of Jazz has Become the Journey of Jazz appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.