Straight-Ahead Jazz Heaven!
Since 2001, The Jazz Cruise has presented the very best in “straight-ahead” jazz. The secret to its success is simple: great musicians, great production, great guest experience and the greatest guests in the world of jazz.
These benchmarks of excellence were cultivated by Anita E. Berry, founder of The Jazz Cruise, during her participation in cruise line sponsored jazz cruise programs during the 1980’s and 1990’s. When learning that the cruise lines were abandoning these programs, Anita took up the challenge of producing the very first full ship charter dedicated to “straight-ahead” jazz. More than 25 years later, The Jazz Cruise remains the only full ship charter of that theme and is the standard by which all music charters are measured.
Programming The Jazz Cruise starts with nearly 100 world-class musicians, scheduling them in exciting configurations for over 200 hours of music, and presenting the music festival-style over seven jam-packed days. The Jazz Cruise ’26 will feature more headliner performers than ever before and many of them will be participating in the legendary jam and all-star sessions. This amazing combination of factors creates our very own Straight-Ahead Jazz Heaven.
DAYTIME ENTERTAINMENT
When in port, lectures and other events are planned for the early part of the day and the music typically starts around 4 PM. When “at sea,” there are events and music all day. Daytime music shows may be presented in any of the music venues (The Theatre, Rendezvous Lounge or Sky Lounge). Special shows may also be seen and heard in The Cosmopolitan Restaurant, the main dining room of the ship, which converts brilliantly into a cabaret-style music venue. Some of the most revered shows on the cruise (The Jazz Cruise T-Shirt Party, Gospel Show and Keyboard Capers) are performed during the daytime hours.
NIGHTTIME SHOWS
On two nights of the Cruise (the 1st Night and Formal Night), special shows (The Jazz Cruise Welcome Show and The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame Show) are presented in The Theatre. Each such show will be performed twice, with half of the guests attending the 1st Show and the other half of the guests attending the 2nd Show. Which show you attend is determined by when you complete your Reservation and is reflected in the color of your Cruise Identification Card (BLUE or RED) which will be waiting for you in the message slot of your stateroom.
On all other nights, The Theatre hosts large group presentations and special shows that require greater seating capacity. For these shows, the “Festival-Style” open entry and seating procedures are in effect with the same regulations as those in any other venue.
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR JAZZ
The Jazz Cruise is renowned for providing guests with special late-night entertainment called “It’s Never Too Late for Jazz.” Starting around 10:30 PM throughout the entire ship, there will be more music, parties, autograph sessions, comedy, dancing and much more. Besides concerts in The Theatre and Sky Lounge, The Cosmopolitan Restaurant becomes a lovely late-night, cabaret-style venue which we call “Birdland at The Cosmopolitan.” The first show there every night features one of the vocalists on the Cruise. The Rendezvous Lounge hosts a special solo piano event each night.
Beyond The Music
Learn Events
Another specialty of The Jazz Cruise is our series of “Learn” events, which include one-on-one musician interviews, panel discussions, instrument seminars and tutorials, and presentations of special topics for our music lovers.
