With this background, no one should be surprised that my gravesite visit on Sunday was interrupted by a soft voice that only I could hear. At first, I did not understand the words nor could I recognize the voice. As the message continued, the words became clear and the identity of the speaker was unmistakable. Mom was admonishing me for spending too much time on The Weekender talking about all the other cruises we present and not enough time on The Jazz Cruise! Her criticism of my running of The Jazz Cruise was not new. If it were up to her, the cruise would never change. New ideas were met with skepticism, if met at all.

Her desire for sameness would sometimes apply to musician’s fees. There was the time that she asked me what we were paying a certain musician, only to be upset that the current fee was higher than what she had paid in the past. When I told her that the amount she was quoting was at least four years old, she exclaimed, “he hasn’t gotten any better!” Mom was not a comedian, but she said some truly funny things. 

The one innovation of mine that Mom liked from the start was The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame Concert and Induction. Mom loved honoring musicians, colleagues and music people who were important contributors to The Jazz Cruise. The one privilege that she held onto until her death was naming the annual recipients. Only once did we deny her choices. That was the year that she would be our sole honoree. Once she knew it was her, she happily demurred.

If she were still in charge of The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame, she would love the choices for The Jazz Cruise ’26. We are proud to announce that Paquito D’Rivera and Chucho Valdés will be the ’26 inductees.

Having shared much of their professional and personal lives, it is only right that they enter our shrine together. For those who have not seen them perform together, you will be in for a great treat. The mutual admiration and respect, coupled with their amazing musicianship, always produces something wonderful. Speaking of something special, the entire lineup for The Jazz Cruise ’26 is amazing.

The highest honor in jazz is being an NEA Jazz Master. The Jazz Cruise ’26 features three such members, Paquito, Chucho and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Other icons of jazz onboard are Monty Alexander, Houston Person, Randy Brecker, Herlin Riley, Jeff Hamilton, Lewis Nash, John Clayton, Renee Rosnes and Benny Green. We also welcome back our annual heroes, Ken Peplowski, James Morrison, Eric Marienthal, Shelly Berg, Wycliffe Gordon and Rickey Woodard.

For those guests who love their jazz in vocal form, we are loaded: Dee Dee, Catherine Russell, Janis Siegel, Bria Skonberg, Veronica Swift, Niki Haris, Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli and Benny Benack III. The ship is full of talented sidemen, Big Band Members and All Stars. Nearly 100 jazz musicians in all.

Of course, we have our Cruise Host, Emmet Cohen, to set the tone and the vibe for the cruise. Always friendly. Always engaged (no, not that kind of engaged). Emmet combines the very best in chops and charisma. 

In honor of the circle of life, it is only fitting that one of Mom’s picks for future stardom, a teenage Emmet Cohen when first onboard, would become the host of “her cruise”! Next time I visit the cemetery, I am sure she will tell me how much she loves The Jazz Cruise and how pleased she is that I have not buggered it up…yet.

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.

James Moody’s 80 Year’s Young: Live at the Blue Note

Linda Moody, the wife of the late great James Moody, is releasing a live recording of Moody’s
80th birthday celebration at the Blue Note in New York City in 2005. This was the grand finale of a week-long celebration that had already featured amazing performances from jazz giants like Jimmy Heath, Ray Barretto, Mike Long, and George Wein. The live recording features Jon Faddis, Paquito D’Rivera, Slide Hampton, Randy Brecker, Roberta Gambarini and Cedar Walton. Featured in the set was “Moody’s Mood for Love,” over a half-century since it was a major hit for King Pleasure and Moody’s signature tune over the decades. 

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James Moody’s 100th Birthday Concert

On May 27, an all-star collection of jazz artists will celebrate Moody’s centennial in a concert at Sony Hall as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival in NYC.

Performing music by and associated with Moody are Randy Brecker, Terri Lyne Carrington, Todd Coolman, Paquito D’Rivera, Jon Faddis, Roberta Gambarini, Christian McBride, Elena Pinderhughes, Madeleine Peyroux, Adam Nussbaum and Renee Rosnes.

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Jose James’ 1978: Revenge of the Dragon

Set against the backdrop of his birth year, Jose James’ new album, 1978: Revenge of The Dragon, captures the electric tension of a transformative cultural moment. Jose, who will be sailing on McBride’s World at Sea in 2026, draws from the swirl of influences that defined the late ’70s: the experimental edge of New York’s loft and jazz scenes, the pop brilliance of Elton John and Billy Joel, the revolutionary pulse of Bob Marley and the Isley Brothers, the cosmic funk of Parliament-Funkadelic and the unstoppable rise of punk and disco.

Beneath it all was a sense of convergence—genres colliding, boundaries dissolving. Jose channels that restless spirit into a bold, cinematic sound that feels both timeless and radical. Jose will be touring the U.S. and Europe this summer.

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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 94% 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: The Jazz Cruise ’26 – Bigger & Better Than Ever appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

• Labor Day is often viewed as the end of summer. Gone are the days of relaxation and simple pleasures. 
• Fall brings on activities, schedules, events and obligations. Just looking at my schedule for September gives me anxiety.
• At Signature Cruise Experiences, not only is this the time to finalize the programming for the ’25 Cruises, but the details of the ’26 Cruises are put in place. A total of 10 or 11 cruise programs will be active in some way after Labor Day.
• Even though the last time I headed back to school around Labor Day was 50 years ago, some habits die hard. Post-Labor Day has always meant a new set of notebooks, pens and pencils. What else could you want?
  

Enough about the “why” of making resolutions on Labor Day. Let’s get to the good stuff, my list of resolutions that will take effect as you are reading this edition of The Weekender.

Labor Day Resolutions

1. Spend more time listening to John Coltrane. In prior editions, I confessed my ambivalence to the music of John Coltrane. Many viewed my comments as heresy. I was simply being honest. He uses a lot of notes to convey his message. It feels overwhelming and a bit foreboding. My goal is to immerse myself into his music with the hope of gaining both an understanding and an appreciation of his work. ’25 is his Centennial, the perfect time for this undertaking.  
    
2. Find ways to support the radio broadcasting of “smooth jazz.” When we first entered the world of “smooth jazz cruises,” every large city had a signature smooth jazz radio outlet. Those stations ruled the genre. For reasons that will forever escape me, one by one the format of those stations changed. A few remain alongside the satellite and online stations which support the genre. Signature Cruise Experiences is looking to do whatever it can to support those stations, expand their reach and energize their listenership.  
   
   
3. Commit to including more “first timers” in the lineups of our programs. One of the most hotly debated issues both inside Signature Cruise Experiences and among our guests is whether the lineups should be dominated by our traditional favorites or be a showcase for new performers. Since the number of performers on any one sailing is finite, to add a new performer requires the subtraction of another. Guests propose new musicians to us all the time. Sometimes the suggestions are amazing, but, more often than not, the proposed musician is not as talented as our long time performers. I will ask guests who propose new musicians to tell us whom they would delete to make room for their choice. Only then does the guest understand the complexity of the task.
   
   Nonetheless, we need to find a way to present new talent without diluting the quality of the programming. We will be working on that project right after Labor Day.  
   
   
4.  Create even better ways for our guests to share information/comments with us. At the bottom of this article, you will find my email address, which is included to encourage guests to share information and their comments with us. Our cruise programs are for the guests, so knowing what you are thinking, what you like and what you do not like is important to us. We are working on more ways for you to share with us. I do not like surveys as they tend to be too formulaic. Plus, we are looking for more “feeling” than just words. No one wants to spend their time writing us a term paper!  Personal interviews may be the solution. Stay tuned.  
   
5. Attend more live concerts. The Pandemic is over. It is time to get out and attend live music shows. This is good for the musicians, the local economy, your community and, most of all, for you! We are losing the shared experience of watching a movie at a theatre in favor of viewing movies at home. Do not let that happen with music.
   
   Though I would argue vehemently that seeing a movie in a theater is vastly superior to watching at home, clearly there is no comparison with respect to music, particularly jazz. You need to be there to watch the call and response, to enjoy the happiness of the musicians performing, and, most of all, to hear the music in real time and in real tone.
   

If you can, take a moment this Labor Day weekend to consider a few resolutions of your own. For those who remain actively pursuing their New Year’s resolutions you are absolved from this undertaking. I take my hat off to both of you. For the rest of us, it is time to resolve! 

I am currently attending the Vail Jazz Festival and sharing time with cruise guests. If there is a performance of Coltrane tunes by a newcomer, I will have hit 80% of my resolutions in one weekend. 

Economy of effort should have been my sixth Labor Day resolution, but I was too lazy to include it.

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea and Journey of Jazz. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

Important Information for Fans of
The Smooth Jazz Cruise

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 have been announced. If you wish to reserve a stateroom on either sailing, you should act now.  The required action depends upon your current cruise status.

Guests Sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. If you have a reservation on either of the ’25 sailings, from now through September 15, 2024 (’25 Guest Rebooking Period), you have the exclusive right to rebook your current stateroom for a ’26 sailing. Rebooking is a simple process. Click on Rebooking and follow the prompts. Please refer to the email you received on August 15, 2024 for Your Personal Online Reservation Token that is required to book online. (NOTE: If you have not rebooked your current stateroom by September 15, 2024, that stateroom will be returned to inventory and will be available to those who have completed Pre-Sale Reservations. If you wish to reserve a different stateroom or sail on a different week than you are sailing now, please contact the office before September 15, 2024 to start that process.)

Guests Not Sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. Guests not sailing in ’25, but who wish to reserve a stateroom for a ’26 Sailing are urged to complete a Pre-Sale Reservation immediately. Doing so establishes your priority to reserve a stateroom once the ’25 Guest Rebooking Period ends. The order in which you will be selecting a stateroom will be determined by your sailing history with Signature Cruise Experiences and the date of your Pre-Sale Reservation.

A record number of Rebooking and Pre-Sale Reservations have been completed at this time, so please move forward as soon as possible.

’25 Guest Rebooking Period ends on September 15, 2024!

Labor Day Reminder

The Signature Cruise Experiences’ office will be closed on Monday, September 2, in recognition of Labor Day. During this time, guests may complete reservations online, check their Signature Cruise Experiences account and submit questions to us at info@scecruises.com. We will reopen on Tuesday, September 3, at 10 AM ET.

All of us at Signature Cruise Experiences wish you and yours a happy, fun and safe Labor Day.

New Albums

Two artists who will perform during the Journey of Jazz ’25 have recently released new albums.

Warren Wolf’s History of the Vibraphone

Vibraphonist (and multi-instrumentalist) Warren Wolf has just released History of the Vibraphone, which pays homage to the jazz greats on that instrument, including Roy Ayers, Terry Gibbs, Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Gary Burton, Dave Samuels and Joe Locke.
 
“What I decided to do on History of the Vibraphone is to play material from some of the top players who’ve ever held a pair of mallets in their hands,” Warren explains. Along with Warren are saxophonist Tim Green, pianist Alex Brown, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Carroll “CV” Dashiell III. Warren will perform the music from this recording in a special concert in Victoria, one of the stops during Journey of Jazz ’25.

Chucho Valdes & the Royal Quartet’s Cuba & Beyond

Recently named NEA Jazz Master Chucho Valdés and his group, the Royal Quartet, have just released Cuba & Beyond, an album that pays tribute to the rich musical history of his native country. The renowned pianist and band leader, who will sail on Journey of Jazz ’25, also gives a nod to his formal classical music education with “Mozart a la Cubana” and to his friend, the late Chick Corea, with a cover of “Armando’s Rumba,” a famous Chick composition.  

“Chick has had so much of an influence on me,” Chucho explains. “I definitely wanted to commemorate him on this album.” Performing with Chucho on this recording are Horacio El Negro Hernández (drums), José Armando Gola (bass) and Roberto Jr. Vizcaino (percussion).

2024 marks 60 years since Chucho recorded his debut studio record, Jazz Nocturno (Areito, 1964), at the young age of 22 years old.

Upcoming Jazz Events

Jazzmeia Horn with Texins Jazz Band

Vibraphonist (and multi-instrumentalist) Warren Wolf has just released History of the Vibraphone, which pays homage to the jazz greats on that instrument, including Roy Ayers, Terry Gibbs, Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Gary Burton, Dave Samuels and Joe Locke.
 
“What I decided to do on History of the Vibraphone is to play material from some of the top players who’ve ever held a pair of mallets in their hands,” Warren explains. Along with Warren are saxophonist Tim Green, pianist Alex Brown, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Carroll “CV” Dashiell III. Warren will perform the music from this recording in a special concert in Victoria, one of the stops during Journey of Jazz ’25.

Northampton Jazz Festival

Stroll, sip and dine your way through downtown Northampton to the sounds of jazz ensembles at establishments across town on Friday, September 27, and Saturday, September 28. The Jazz Strut & features free & evening jazz performances in breweries, bars and restaurants throughout downtown Northampton. Each ensemble starts at 30-minute intervals and plays for two hours, so you can be sure to catch a lot of live jazz and good times on Jazz Strut night!

Jazz Fest Day features a free music lineup of jazz musicians from around the region and across the country performing in a variety of downtown venues throughout the day, followed by a special evening with internationally known artists performing a ticketed concert at the Academy of Music.

Monterey Jazz Festival

Experience the Monterey Jazz Festival set against the breathtaking backdrop of Monterey, California. One of the world’s longest-running jazz festivals, this iconic event has hosted legendary performers like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Brubeck since 1958. Don’t miss the 67th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival September 27 – 29,  featuring 350 artists across five stages, including Samara Joy, Blind Boys of Alabama, Mavis Staples, Hiromi, Stanley Clarke and more. For tickets and details, visit https://montereyjazzfestival.org.

LEARN MORE

Jazz Cruises’ Programs

The Jazz Cruise ’25
FULLY RESERVED
Celebrating it’s 25th Anniversary

The Jazz Cruise ’25 is fully reserved. Since the cruise does
not sail for several months, there will be cancellations and staterooms will become available. Stateroom vacancies are filled from the Waitlist, which is not lengthy right now. If you wish to sail on The Jazz Cruise ’25, we urge you to JOIN WAITLIST now.  

JOIN WAITLIST

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 & ‘26.2
Lineup Just Announced!
’25 Sailings Fully Reserved

Both sailings for 2025 are fully reserved. Guests not sailing in ’25 who wish to sail in ’26 are encouraged to go to thesmoothjazzcruise.com and complete a Pre-Sale Reservation for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26. Doing so is the best way to establish your priority for a stateroom on those sailings.

JOIN PRE-SALE

Mug Shots

Guests on the ’24 jazz cruises received The Weekender mug, which we hope you will use with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the latest edition. Please share a picture of yourself & your mug with us so that we can include it for the 100,000+ folks who receive The Weekender each Saturday.

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

The post OUR TAKE: Labor Day Resolutions appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

The Jazz Cruise ’25 is Fully-Reserved!
Want to Sail? Join the Waitlist! 

The Jazz Cruise ’25, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is fully reserved. Since the cruise does not sail for several months, there will be cancellations and staterooms will be available. Stateroom vacancies are filled from the Waitlist, which is not lengthy right now. If you wish to sail on The Jazz Cruise ’25, we urge you to JOIN WAITLIST now.  

If contacted for a vacancy, you will have a short time to complete your reservation or that offer will be given to the next guest in line. There is no cost to JOIN WAITLIST and no obligation to complete a reservation if offered.

Labor Day Reminder

The Signature Cruise Experiences’ office will close at 2 PM ET on Friday, August 30, until Tuesday, September 3, in recognition of Labor Day. During this time, guests may complete reservations online, check their Jazz Cruises account and submit questions to us at info@scecruises.com. 

All of us at Signature Cruise Experiences wish you and yours a happy, fun and safe Labor Day

Jazz St. Louis Presents Paquito D’Rivera and
Chucho Valdes, Together Again

Jazz St. Louis Presents Paquito D’Rivera and Chucho Valdés, Together Again! at Steward Center, home of Jazz St. Louis, on September 18 and at The Sheldon on September 19.

Clarinetist, saxophonist, author, composer and arranger D’Rivera and pianist, composer and arranger Valdés first met in 1962. Both child prodigies and sons of musical families, the two worked together in Havana’s Musical Theatre Orchestra and in the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music.

Your purchase supports Jazz St. Louis and helps secure the future of their impactful programs and events for people in the St. Louis area. Jazz St. Louis has established an extensive record of developing future leaders in music, while also preserving and advancing the treasured American art form of Jazz through community engagement efforts, educational programming, and transformative live jazz experiences.

Learn more and get tickets at //jazzstl.org/together.

New Music

Two of our co-hosts on The Jazz Cruise ’25 have just released new albums.

Catherine Russell & Sean Mason’s My Ideal

GRAMMY®-nominated vocalist Catherine Russell has paired with the 25-year-old pianist Sean Mason for My Ideal, a recording of duets on colorful songs written by Fats Waller, Irving Berlin, James P. Johnson, Peggy Lee and others.

“Singing with the great pianist Sean Mason allows for the freedom to have fun and be in the moment,” says Catherine. “We understand each other.” My Ideal, Catherine’s ninth album as a leader or co-leader, stands alongside legendary voice-and-piano duet albums such as Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Sings Gershwin with Ellis Larkins, Tony Bennett’s collaborations with Bill Evans and Nina Simone’s Nina Simone and Piano.

Emmet Cohen’s Vibe Provider

Based on his friendship with the late Harlem-based creative Michael Funmi Ononaiye, Emmet Cohen’s latest album, Vibe Provider, features an all-star band including Bruce Harris (trumpet), Tivon Pennicott (tenor saxophone), Frank Lacy (trombone), Cecily Petrarca (koshkah), Philip Norris (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums) and Kyle Poole (drums, producer).

Funmi, who died of cancer in December 2023, worked as a chief programmer for Jazz at Lincoln Center, a DJ and an A&R executive, among other professional roles. The worldly Nigerian-born New Yorker was an omnipresent force of positivity and spiritual healing — “the Mayor of Harlem,” as Emmet describes him.

“Funmi was the vibe provider, but he taught us that we all have that inside of us,” Emmet says. “We all have the ability to brighten a room or to change someone’s world for a minute or a lifetime—with music, vibrations, energy or even just a smile. And those things are important. So I wanted to get some of his favorite musicians together and make a beautiful statement in tribute.”

Monterey Jazz Festival

Experience the Monterey Jazz Festival set against the breathtaking backdrop of Monterey, California. One of the world’s longest-running jazz festivals, this iconic event has hosted legendary performers like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Brubeck since 1958. Don’t miss the 67th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival September 27 – 29,  featuring 350 artists across five stages, including Samara Joy, Blind Boys of Alabama, Mavis Staples, Hiromi, Stanley Clarke and more. For tickets and details, visit https://montereyjazzfestival.org.

Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs

The Jazz Cruise ’25
FULLY RESERVED
Celebrating it’s 25th Anniversary

The Jazz Cruise ’25 is fully reserved. Since the cruise does
not sail for several months, there will be cancellations and staterooms will become available, which are filled directly from the Waitlist. If you wish to sail on The Jazz Cruise ’25, we urge you to JOIN WAITLIST now.  

JOIN WAITLIST

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 & ‘26.2
Lineup Just Announced!
’25 Sailings Fully Reserved

Both sailings for 2025 are fully reserved. Guests not sailing in ’25 who wish to sail in ’26 are encouraged to go to complete a Pre-Sale Reservation for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26 to establish priority for a stateroom on those sailings.

JOIN PRE-SALE

Signature Cruise Experiences’ Mug Shots

Guests on the ’24 jazz cruises received The Weekender mug, which we hope you will use with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the latest edition. Please share a picture of yourself & your mug with us so that we can include it for the 100,000+ folks who receive The Weekender each Saturday.

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

The post OUR TAKE: Showtime! appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.