jam cruise 6

Category 1 – Standard Inside – Decks 5, 8, & 9

• Cabin sizes vary between 139 – 172 sq. ft.
• Double bed which can be converted into two single beds upon request
• Three and four passenger occupancies are bunk style beds
• Electronic safe/lockbox, interactive TV, telephone
• The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same stateroom category).

Category 2 – Standard Inside – Decks 8, 9, 10 & 11

• Approximately 139 – 172 sq. ft.

Category 3 – Standard Inside – Decks 10, 11, 12 & 13

Category 4 – standard window – deck 5.

• Approximately 129 – 215 sq. ft.
• Close to venues/amenities such as the Theater, the Atrium, the Casino and the Black Crab restaurant

Category 5 – Standard Window – Deck 8

• Located mid-ship on Deck 8 – close to everything Jam Cruise has to offer!

Category 6 – Standard Balcony – Decks 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13

• Approximately 150 – 204 sq. ft.
• No triples or quads offered in this category

Category 7 – Large Balcony – Deck 8

• Offers additional seating area
• Triple and Quad occupancies have a pull out sofa bed

Category 8 – Large Balcony – Deck 9

Category 9 – large balcony – deck 10, category 10 – large balcony – deck 11, category 11 – large balcony – deck 12.

• Triple occupancies have a pull out sofa bed

Category 12 – Large Balcony – Deck 13

Category 13 – junior aurea suite w/ panoramic window – decks 10 & 11.

• Approximately 200 sq. ft.
• Located at the front of the ship – these cabins do not have balconies
• Double occupancy only
• Floor to Ceiling Windows
• Access to Thermal Suite
• Bathroom includes bathtub

Category 14 – Standard Aurea Suite w/ Panoramic Window – Decks 9 & 11

• Approximately 220 - 235 sq. ft.

Category 15 – Large Aurea Suite w/ Panoramic Window – Decks 9 & 10

• Approximately 250 - 280 sq. ft.
• Available in double, triple or quad occupancy
• Floor to ceiling windows

Category 16 – Standard Aurea Suite w/ Balcony – Decks 10 & 11

• Approximately 320 - 370 sq. ft.
• Located at the front of the ship
• Available in double, triple or quad occupancies
• Floor to Ceiling Windows and balcony

Category 17 – Large Aurea Suite w/ Balcony – Deck 9

• Approximately 415 sq. ft.

Yacht Club Suite w/ Balcony – Decks 15 & 16

• Approximately 300 sq. ft.
• Double bed that can be converted into two single beds (on request)
• Offers 24 hour butler service
• Complimentary dinner service at Le Muse restaurant
• Complimentary wi-fi package
• Complimentary beverages in ship wide (up to $14)
• 25% discount on wine and champagne bottle purchases on board
• Priority boarding

Yacht Club Large Suite w/ Balcony – Decks 15 & 16

• Approximately 350 sq. ft.

Yacht Club Junior Two Room Suite w/ Panoramic Window – Deck 12

• Approximately 425 sq. ft.

Yacht Club Large Two Room Suite w/ Panoramic Windows – Deck 12

• Approximately 550 sq. ft. with sealed panoramic windows - these cabins do not have a balcony
• Double bed that can be converted into two single beds upon request
• 24 hour Room Service
• Complimentary a la carte dinner service at Le Muse restaurant

Yacht Club Royal Suite w/ Balcony – Deck 16

• Spacious two room suite with large balcony
• Approximately 560 sq. ft. (includes 172 sq. ft. balcony)
• Comes with 24 hour butler service
• 24 Hour Room Service

BOOK YOUR CABIN NOW!

• Theme Nights
• Referral Program
• Pricing + Cabins
• Masters Camp At Sea
• Conscious Cruising
• Event Info & FAQs
• All listed cabin rates are per person .
• A $250 per person non-refundable deposit ($500 if booking a Cat 13 or higher) is due at the time of booking.
• Payments can be made using Visa, MasterCard, Discover & American Express – Cashiers checks and postal money orders are no longer accepted.
• There is a $310 fee applied per person which includes all taxes, fees, and gratuities. A portion of this port fee will support Positive Legacy and the Conscious Cruiser Program.
• Calculate your cost: If you book a Category 1 Double Occupancy  $1574 + $310 port fee = $1884 per person x 2 adults = $3768  total for the cabin.
• Jam Cruise does not permit downgrades (going down in occupancy or category). However, you are able to upgrade your cabin based on availability.
• Guests with ADA needs should make sure their requirements are listed in their Cloud 9 Profile and contact the Travel Team for options.
• There are Single Occupancy cabins available at single rates in select categories.
• Guests who are traveling with children should make sure the cabin has an occupancy capacity that includes them.  For example, 2 adults and 1 child need a cabin with a capacity of 3.

Cabin Details

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Jam Cruise Details 2025 Artist Lineup: STS9, Snarky Puppy, Thievery Corporation, Galactic, More

Cloud 9 Adventures  has announced the lineup for  Jam Cruise 21 , due to set sail from February 14th–19th aboard the MSC Divina and make port stops in Cozumel, Mexico and Belize City, Belize.

Topping the Jam Cruise 2025 artist lineup are STS9 , Snarky Puppy , Thievery Corporation , Galactic , Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe , Lettuce , LP Giobbi , Pigeons Playing Ping Pong , Andy Frasco & The U.N. , and Tank and the Bangas . The bill also includes Summer Zen , a supergroup featuring Steve Kimock , George Porter Jr. , Robert Walter , Lebo , and John Morgan Kimock , plus 40+ additional artists, with most playing two sets throughout the cruise.

Jam Cruisers will enjoy musical performances on eight unique stages including the Pool Deck Main Stage, the 1500-seat Pantheon Theater, the late-night Black and White Jam Room, the collaborative Jazz Lounge, the crystal Atrium, the scenic Garden Pool, and more, as well as a full service spa, fitness center, impressive casino, pools, and hot tubs.

The musician-led Masters Camp at Sea classes will return in 2025 with discussions, jam sessions, and hands-on workshops with legendary musicians—as will Brews at Sea and Chefs at Sea, which will once again showcase a variety of breweries and guest chefs from around the country. Wellness at Sea will offer opportunities to unwind and refocus with daily yoga, zen workshops, and mindfulness classes.

Charitable organization Positive Legacy will be aboard to help integrate service into the Jam Cruise experience with initiatives to positively impact the environment, offset the carbon footprint of traveling, and support the local communities who welcome Jam Cruise to their shores. Jam Cruisers will be able to participate in the annual Day of Service while in port and enjoy other service-oriented activities onboard.

Jam Cruise will celebrate the lineup announcement during a pair of concerts at New Orleans, LA’s Toulouse Theatre on Thursday, May 2nd as part of Live For Live Music ‘s Fest by Nite series during New Orleans Jazz Fest .

Those who reserved a spot during the pre-book period will be able to select a cabin starting May 8th. Any remaining cabins will go on sale to the public at 1 p.m. ET on May 10th. For more information, visit the Jam Cruise website .

Jam Cruise 21 Artist Lineup:

STS9 Snarky Puppy Thievery Corporation Galactic feat Jelly Joseph Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Lettuce LP GIOBBI Presents Dead House Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Andy Frasco & The U.N. Tank and the Bangas Summer Zen (Steve Kimock, George Porter Jr., Robert Walter, Lebo, John Morgan Kimock) ALO Dragon Smoke* (Ivan Neville, Robert Mercurio, Eric Lindell, Stanton Moore) Dogs In A Pile Mildlife The Nth Power presents Earth Wind & Power Southern Avenue Polyrhythmics lespecial MarchFourth Pink Talking Fish Club d’Elf Hot Buttered Rum Neville Jacobs* BERTHA: Grateful Drag The Sweet Lillies* – the spot The Psycodelics Sneezy Kanika Moore Super Jam* Everyone Orchestra Mark Farina DJ Brownie

SPECIAL GUESTS: The Horn Section Mike Dillon Shira Elias Sammi Garett Will Bernard Allie Kral Alex Wasily Brock Butler

MASTERS CAMP: Luther Dickinson Nikki Glaspie Nigel Hall Nate Edgar Vaylor Trucks Melody Trucks Matt Butler Andy Frasco Kanika Moore Benny Bloom Alex Wasily Ryan Zoidis Cliff Porter

(All Artists will play two shows, except those denoted with * will play one show.)

Jam Cruise Announces Daily Lineups for 2023 Voyage

On Feb. 6, the 19th edition of the beloved concert vacation at sea, Jam Cruise, will set sail from Miami for six days of music featuring an impressive lineup of musicians. Today, the folks behind the upcoming event dropped the daily schedules for the sold-out tropical event. See below.

This year’s previously announced lineup includes Umphrey’s McGee, The Fearless Flyers, Oteil & Friends, Galactic, Lettuce, Neal Francis, Andy Frasco & The U.N., The New Deal, SunSquabi, Doom Flamingo, George Porter Jr., Little Stranger as well as many additional artists. 

Onboard, guests can enjoy programs specially curated for the Jam Cruise community, such as the Masters Camp at Sea classes led by renowned musicians. Other artist-hosted activities that break the barrier between artist and fan will also be included.

Jam Cruise will have eight unique stages throughout the cruise ship, turning it into the ultimate music venue. Stages include the Pool Deck Main Stage, the 1500-seat Pantheon Theater, the late-night Black and White Jam Room, the collaborative Jazz Lounge, the crystal Atrium and more. 

See the daily lineups for the 19th edition of Jam Cruise below.

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Published: 2023/05/04

Jam Cruise Delivers 2024 Artist Lineup

Jam Cruise has delivered the artist lineup for its 20th iteration of the annual floating festival, set to sail from February 25 through March 1, 2024. The forthcoming event will depart from Miami, Fla., and stops at Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman.

At sea, attendees can anticipate sets performed by moe., Medeski, Martin & Porter, featuring percussionist Aba Diop. Also included on the bill are Cory Wong, Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s Remain In Light, Galactic with Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Lettuce, Steel Pulse and Lotus.

Franc Moody, Dumpstaphunk, The New Mastersounds, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass featuring The Hillbenders, Krasno Moore Project, Ivan & Friends, Perpetual Groove, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Eggy and more have also signed on to perform during the wintertime occasion. 

Onboard special guests include Marc Brownstein, Duane Betts, Kanika Moore, Cris Jacobs, Adrian De León, Lyle Divinsky and Elise Testone. While Eric Krasno, Nikki Glaspie, Nigel Hall, Vaylor Trucks, Ross James, George Porter Jr., Stanton Moore, Jimi’s Dead and Matt Butler make up the Masters Camp at Sea lineup. 

For more information, visit jamcruise.com . Public on-sale begins May 12 at 1 p.m. E.T. 

Watch the 2023 recap video below.

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Lotus performed "Hammerstrike" in Sacramento

[…] stops in Washington state and Montana before embarking on a sea tour to wrap up their winter tour. Jam Cruise 20 On February 25. Check here for tickets and more information […]

Lotus Perform ‘Hammerstrike’ in Sacramento

[…] in Washington and Montana to close out its winter tour, before embarking for sets on the sea with Jam Cruise 20 on Feb. 25. For tickets and more information, visit […]

Watch: Daniel Donato Presents “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” Tribute to Gram Parsons - Musicians Territory

[…] off his 13-stop East Coast run, which he will follow with two shows aboard the highly anticipated 2024 Jam Cruise. For tickets and more information on the artist’s upcoming performances, visit […]

Watch: Daniel Donato Delivers “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” Tribute to Gram Parsons at Joshua Tree Inn - Musicians Territory

[…] to kick off his 13-stop East Coast run, to be followed by two shows aboard the highly anticipated 2024 Jam Cruise. For tickets and more information on the artist’s upcoming performances, visit […]

Watch: Daniel Donato Delivers “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” Tribute to Gram Parsons at Joshua Tree Inn

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Was It All A Dream? Why Jam Cruise 19 Was The Best Week Of My Life [Festival Review]

It has now officially been almost TWO MONTHS since disembarking the MSC Divina, and still, with a solid chunk of time to process and reassimilate, I am still convinced there is not a sufficient way to encapsulate the experience that is Jam Cruise into words. However, an attempt must be made…if only for the crucial reason to have another piece of physical evidence that the days between February 6th and 12th on the ship were in fact, not a dream, but indeed a reality.

Jam Cruise has always been a bucket list trip for me. For years, I’ve heard tales of the insanely epic musical collaborations, the behind-the-scenes kickbacks with artists, and the undeniable magic of this one-of-a-kind floating festival experience. For years, I held off going, usually due to the duration of the event and the price tag. In fact, when the option was actually in sight for the first time for the boat’s 19th sailing, the final ‘YES’ did not arrive until November. However, once official Cloud 9 emails began sliding into my inbox, my inner (and outer) voice shockingly exclaimed, “I AM GOING ON JAM CRUISE” repeatedly for months. Although, I knew the reality of the trip and this personal accomplishment would not truly sync in until I was physically at Port Miami on the morning of Sunday, February 6th.

The Journey to Jam Cruise 19

Now, before I overly gush my heart and soul about Jam Cruise, let’s simply address the pillars of what makes JC the true creme de la creme of expeditions for live music lovers. Jam Cruise is everything you love most fused into one impeccably curated event. It is a vacation, a music festival, a never-ending costume party, a cruise, and a summer camp for adults – all beautifully wrapped into one. 

The length of the trip, which is typically five nights, but slated for six this go-around, truly allows individuals to immerse themselves in the experience. The duration is just enough to ease from the “real world” into the bliss of presence, to serendipitously slip into the “I can do whatever the heck I want and be totally myself and celebrated” mindset. This length of time is enough to make a true difference in a life, to actually kick a nervous system into parasympathetic, responsible party mode…to allow for surrender to the Jam Cruise flow, surrounded by a few thousand incredible humans, artists, creators, innovators, lovers, and music appreciators – all attempting to do the same. 

I already knew that Jam Cruise was going to be a true full circle moment, a return back to more purpose, a welcome push out of my comfort zone, and a re-committment to loosening up and really embracing fun, a “best week ever” type thing, you could definitely say. I metaphorically pinched myself as I packed and prepared – “I really get to pack all of my favorite clothes and run around with all sorts of friends on a boat listening to the most epic jams with some of my favorite musicians?” I thought. With a fine selection of handpicked wisdom, advice, and humor from the amazing “lifers” and “repeat offenders” on the Jam Cruisers Facebook group , I embarked on an adventure I had been unknowingly training for a decade plus. 

The six-night outing departed from Miami, making two stops, one in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and one in Grand Turk. There were three official theme days established by Cloud 9 and three unofficial theme days set up by the cruisers. This made for a dress-up, costume-filled boat the entire span of the trip. At any other point in my life, I would have been in slight distaste for a theme every single night. However, in this seemingly pivotal turning point of a once hard personal preference, the themes fit seamlessly with clothes I already had and the costumes become one of the best parts of the cruise for me personally! Seeing everyone and their one-of-a-kind spectrum of self-expression and creativity (or not – which was also cool), was absolutely delightful, entertaining, engaging, and oh-so…F-U-N! 

And while music is the dominating spearhead of the festival-at-sea, Jam Cruise also features top-tier teachings and offerings via programs like Masters Camp at Sea , Wellness at Sea , a full schedule of “activities ”, which involve a beautiful slew of summer-camp inspired slots of time watching or participating in exceptional and mostly ridiculous shenanigans with fellow cruisers and artists. Since the cruise is truly what they say, “a marathon, and not a sprint,” we shall marathon this rambling and personal recollection of possibly unreal events into a day-by-day playbook for you to divulge yourself in. Enjoy. ;D

DAY 1: ALL ABOARD JC 19 – Unofficially “3 Years of Sparkles”

Three years of anticipatory excitement buzzed palpably in the air at Port Miami as thousands of eager Jam Cruisers underwent the process of actually boarding the cruise ship. With the unofficial theme of “3 Years of Sparkles,” it was no wonder there was quite a special sparkle in the air. Glittery, colorful humans flung themselves into long-awaited reunion hugs and hellos and virgin cruisers relied on the “repeat offenders” to show them the way, as everyone enthusiastically found their appropriate place in the embarkation process. An enthusiastically beautiful frenzy to behold, thousands of attendees, staff, artists, and crucial teams made their way through the line, passing customs, obtaining their coveted cruise card, and lastly, crossing the threshold onto the grand MSC Divina. Embarkation complete.

Now once you’re on board, the first step is finding your cabin, setting your things down, hootin’, hollerin’, high fivin’, and then briskly strollin’ to the Atrium to attach your credit card to your cruise card so that you can keep the thoughts of responsibly at bay for the week. The Divina was obnoxiously more grandiose than I had pictured, with mirrored walls all over the place for maximum vanity and friend-making opportunities, crystal staircases (real Svorkskey in the Yacht Club – IYKYK), a true “luxury floating hotel” vibe (also known as a cruise I guess). 

An inaugural Jam Cruise right of passage is drinking a BBC, which is a blended Bailey’s Banana Colada (but fresh banana and a floater Meyer’s rum). As I began acclimating and slowly running into dear friends and meeting new instant pals, while waiting in the bar line for my first MSC bartender and BBC experience, the reality of being on motherfunkin’ Jam Cruise 19 seeped into my beaming, sensitive, overly excited being. As joyous interactions and synchronistic introductions occurred at every turn and everyone began to ease into the wildly wonderful vibe of Jam Cruise and find their shipmates, the three-year wait was FINALLY over and it was all happening.

Just around sunset, throngs of enthralled, sparkling Jam Cruisers began spreading their shine across all floors and stretches of the Divina. Bubbling cumulus clouds draped behind the pulsing Miami skyline as smiling people took pictures or got their pictures taken (shout out to the epic photo team whose photos will be used throughout this piece), letting the anxious excitement of the reality sink in as the party truly began. Well, technically the pre-party with Karina Rykman was a mini kick-off, but also technically, Jam Cruise doesn’t actually start until the official toast and George Porter Jr.’s opening set on the Pool Deck. As the Divina set sail southeast into the open sea and the Magic City skyline slowly kisses the dark horizon, we waved ‘ta-ta’ to life as we knew it. 

A small disclaimer: The thing about the schedule (and the “not schedule”) on Jam Cruise, is that incredible music and insanely cool jams that will never happen again are happening pretty much at the same time every day, all day and all night. It is simply impossible to catch it all. There is pure magic popping up and down every corridor and on each new floor you step to. You can have your “plan” and set sets to catch, but when it comes down to it, you are at the mercy of the Jam Cruise flow, the magnetic draw to the moment you were called to be in, you know, all that spiritual energetic hoopla nonsense. One huge positive that veteran festival goers will relish in though, is that pretty much every band on Jam Cruise plays at least two sets, sometimes even three, so if you miss the first, you may be able to see them again.

Okay, back to Day 1 now…

George Porter Jr. & the Runnin’ Pardners gracefully cast us away into the oceanic abyss, sharing the deep-rooted sounds of his funky majesty, sprinkling in favorites from The Meters, Hunter/Garcia, and Bill Withers, as the gracious breeze set the tone for a week at sea. Next up was The ominously genius Fearless Flyers (Nate Smith, Joe Dart, Cory Wong, and Mark Lettieri), in the bow-ly beautiful Pantheon Theater, an act I had somehow yet to had the undying pleasure to witness in real life. Lettuce followed by showcasing a full force in a funk-forward set on the Pool Deck. As seasoned vets on the ship, their set was a welcomed breath of returning home to the funk, gooey center of the live-music lollipop. The rest of the night was literally chock-full of hard-to-choose musical selections, with The New Deal, The Bamboos, and Neighbor all sharing set times, followed by undeniably talented supergroup The Word, SunSquabi , and a “new” band, Cool Cool Cool, that you must familiarize yourself with. I had recently seen The Word at Denver Comes Alive so I blasted off to Jamtronica-Future Fun trio Sunsquabi, before heading to an intimate triple Cool-ing in the Jam Room. 

Well, shoot…looks like we are going to take another detour here, as I think it’s necessary to set the mood for a few of the special spots that deserve a more, in-depth nod to set the scene.

The Black and White Lounge a.k.a. the Jam Room:

Masters Camp at Sea by Day & the Juiciest Jams by Night

A flashy and expansive room with low ceilings and high class, the Black and White Lounge features an odd but attractive clubby-lounge vibe with a once-was-cooler decor that you end up sort of loving after you spend so much time there in the wee hours of the morning. Large but intimate gathering spaces with white pleather seatings and curved booth spaces presented great zones to kick back and have conversations with epic jams in the background. The white-tiled dance floor was in itself an entire vibe, just look up and there’s a spherical ceiling made of mirrored glass ascending in the middle, spliced with led lights leading up into what is essentially the wormhole of jams past. Anyways, the Black and White Lounge a.k.a the Jam Room was host to some of my absolute favorite musical memories on the boat, each night hosted by a different artist who was able to completely curate the late-night tunes for everyone who was not getting their DJ on up top in the Galaxy Disco. The Disco was sadly a place I only went to twice for a total of 30 minutes, and not because it wasn’t legendary, I just found myself in the Jam Room nightly.

During the day, the Jam Room was host to the incredible Masters Camp at Sea . What I like to describe as the ultimate opportunity and experience for aspiring musicians and curious fans alike, Masters Camp at Sea presents the chance to take classes, watch, and participate in jam sessions with some of the best “masters” in their class. This completely immersive and enriching offering allows people to get up close and personal with top-tier musicians and humans that are there to share their wisdom and guidance, as well as give you a supporting nudge in the direction of your musical dreams. This year’s program featured “Masters” Isaiah Sharkey, Nikki Glaspie, Reed Mathis, Peter Levin, Vaylor Trucks, John Medeski, George Porter Jr., Adam Deitch, Robert Randolph, and Roosevelt Collier (yeah…WHAT?!). Master Camp at Sea is presented by Jam Cruise and Music Masters Collective Inc . a non-profit created with the mission of producing one-of-a-kind music events fusing education and inspirational live performances, as well as bridging the gap between artist and audience.

The Spot: Late-Night Deck Pickin’ for the Soul

The iconic “Spot,” located outside on the deck not far from the Jam Room, is a Jam Cruise staple whose “hosting” badge was awarded to The Sweet Lillies this year. Imagine a cross between a busking scenario and a pickin’ party that lasts into the wee hours of the night and can feature some mind-blowing string jams with the unlikeliest and most unthinkably brilliant groupings of players rotating throughout the evenings…and you have The Spot. 

The Atrium: The Classiest & Tackiet Piano Lounge You Ever Did See

Located in the lobby of the Divina, where a small circular seating area doubles as one of the most intimate and epic “stages” of Jam Cruise, The Atrium provides viewers with a truly unforgettable concert experience. Towering three floors, this legendary space presents ample room to view whatever magic is happening from multiple floors, just take the circular crystal staircases up and down to find the appropriate spot for your senses to feast. And at least once on the cruise, you had to incubate yourself into the glass elevator that takes passengers up and down to get a real one-of-a-kind viewing of the entire Atriatic spectacle. Picture this – you’re watching George Porter Jr. jump in on upright bass for “Insane in the Brain” with The Sweet Lillies or three members of Lettuce taking turns solo-ing with The Fearless Flyers, all the while witnessing insanely happy adults dressed in costumes having the time of their life going up and down the glass Atrium elevator – literally a priceless sight.  

Okay, okay, okay…back to the daily run-through. 

DAY 2: First Day at Sea & an Offical Theme of the Decade You Were Born

Aaah, the first full Day at Sea on the Divina with the theme of “Decade You Were Born”. This meant you had thoughtfully and awe-inspiring costumes from all of the decades strewn about the boat for roughly 22 hours. A musical outfit I became fancy to on the boat is Utah-based Pixie & the Partygrass Boys , fronted by a badass babe Pixie and spanning string-centered tunes in the form of bluegrass, Americana, pop, rock, you name it. They kicked off day two with an energetic set on the Pool Deck right around “lunchtime” (cause societal norms and times are out of the equation on JC). Then it was time for a split set: the first half was heart-warming storytellers The Lil Smokies , who so humbly bless their authentically sophisticated Americana Roots sound to the world. 

I had been very excited to finally catch Daniel Donato , who was playing his solo acoustic solo at the Garden Pool, stripping down his cosmic country sound to a backyard pool level for a slight peek into his guitar prowess that would be fully showcased as the week carried on. One of the bands I was also very excited to see (for the sheer rareness of the opportunity) was Cymande , a renowned British funk group that is a pillar in the making of the genre back in the seventies. Lamentably, their Pool Deck set was pretty much fully canceled due to unsafe weather (thankfully they had another set scheduled for the Pantheon Theatre later on). After just a slight but understandable small bummer, we were graced by a hauntingly stunning Fruition trio set in the Atrium, which featured some of my favorite harmonies in all the lands. 

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio gave us a schooling in pure SOUL, organ-ically guided classes in the land of jazz, funk, Motown, blues, you name it. Lucky folks were also able to see The Revered Matthew Rieger (amazingly talented multi-instrumentalist and artist also in The Lil Smokies) in the Atrium or Mihali (good vibe curator and also insanely talented multi-instrumentalist and singer also in Twiddle) in the Golden Jazz Bar (a spot I wish I’d have a clone for so I could have spent more time in), while the rest of the boat was getting their dinner or costume on, or in the Panthenon (due to weather) for the not-to-be-missed Neal Francis set (damn that’s a run-on but we love it). Resurrecting a vintage sound reminiscent of the best in R&B, funk, and the like, Francis brings a heartfelt enthusiasm that’s hard to deny, from his songwriting and lyricism to his stage presence and the talent and camaraderie apparent throughout the band. 

By far my highlight of the night and one of the top of the week for me was The Fearless Flyers , whose Pool Deck show was moved to the Atrium (wow thank you concert Gods), for a tremendously packed, face-melting set of literal genius, which is when the sit-in’s by Lettuce’s Eric “Benny” Bloom , Ryan Zoidis , and Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff occurred. Karina Rykman brought her infectious high spirited energy and bass playing to the lounge, while there was also a Honey Island Swamp Band set and West Seattle All-Star jam of legends in the Jazz Lounge (wow it pained me to miss both of these). I had signed up for Positive Legacy (don’t worry – I will get to that soon) scheduled for 9AM the next morning, but there was no way in any universe that I was missing an Andy Frasco & the U.N. set my first time on the boat (it may have been Andy’s birthday or something?!).

A frontman, songwriting, and piano-playing fool who wears his heart on his sleeve and is endlessly kind and giving, Andy Frasco and his radical band [Ernie Chang, Floyd Kellogg (half-time), Shawn Eckels, and Andee “Beats” Avila], delivered a rambunctious, A-FUNc-tion throwdown for the ages. By the end of the set, I had lost my dope glasses, found my dope glasses (surprisingly not crushed), was kicked in the face (lightly by a crowd surfer named Floyd), and strutted myself down the Frasco-directed aisle in the crowd after a man dressed as David Bryne in his iconic giant grey suit (who I later met eating breakfast the in his “regular” form – s/o to you, can’t remember your name). With a full heart and exhausted body, I attempted to sleep before my only early wake-up call of the week.

DAY 3: Port Day in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic with Positive Legacy and Unofficial Theme of LOVE!

Bright and begrudgingly early with a massive headache from lack of sleep and maybe one or two too many drinks just a few hours before, I put on my closed-toe shoes, grabbed my sunscreen and water, and dialed my buddies’ room to make sure they were up for our highly-anticipated adventure in the gorgeous country of the Dominican Republic. Since 2004, Jam Cruise has incorporated Positive Legacy, a non-profit whose mission is to integrate live music and service to positively impact the communities in the destinations Cloud 9 visits. Made up of a day of service, an insanely cool charity auction, and other fun extras, Positive Legacy was hands down something I knew I wanted to participate in when I first heard of it years before finally making it on the boat. This year’s positive legacy was spearheaded by an awesome guitarist and native Dominican Ricky Giordano, who plays with Karl Denson and helped coordinate the happenings for the service day. 

Excited and eager to see what was in store for the day, two bus fulls of 75 cruisers, the musicians involved, and a small but mighty crew of volunteers headed towards Project Esperanza where we teamed up with the incredible Bachata Academy for a day of service, learning, fun, and unbeatable community. We broke up into different workstations to assist with projects around the land like sifting dirt to create stucco and build a wall, helping build the foundation for an aquaponic vegetable garden, digging and transporting dirt and rocks to help clear space, and other tasks that were necessary for the growth of Project Esperanza. All the while, students from the Bachata Academy and musicians from KDTU and other bands broke off into their perspective instrument stations for an enriching musical lesson for all involved. We were also treated to a delicious homecooked meal, dancing lessons, and awesome demonstrations of Bachata-style music, all capped with an epic jam from members of Fruition and Pixie and the Partgrass boys to celebrate the accomplishments of the day. 

Sweat and dirt-covered and tired as hell, but so, so full of joy, my bestie babe Megan and I made it with just enough time to soak in the rays and jump in the refreshing waters of the northern shore of the country. Ah, thank you ocean medicine! I immediately felt ready to tackle the evening portion of Day 3. I retired to my cabin for a much-needed solo hour to shower and to get my rainbow tie-dye dress, pink heart sunglasses, sparkly platform Vans, and “Howdy Honey” trucker hat on. Now, a trusted source and four-time cruiser from back home had told me never to miss a Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Pool Deck set (like I would anyways…) so I rallied with my close homies to get the funk down on the deck to a LIFER legend (Yes, Karl has been on every single Jam Cruise). In what I assumed and prepared for and also very quickly cemented as truth, is that you are averaging around 20,000 steps a day. Which is what I LIVE for, to be honest. I funkin’ love walking, but also, that’s a lot on my aging and aching hooves, joints, and overall body (I think most of us were in the same … boat…). Anyway, I ran from bow to aft and up and down from the Pool Deck to catch bits and pieces of Little Stranger , Reed Mathis , lespecial , and then made sure to be in attendance for ALL of the Trouble No More set. 

The night peaked during the Lettuce Pantheon revival – surrounded by the babliest of core babes, and then hundreds of Lett-lovin’ folks just as fanatic as me, I die (and reincarnate into a more powerful being of love and realness and light, blah, blah, someone shut me up please). Anyway, if you haven’t seen Trouble No More, it’s probably because you don’t live in one of the maybe 10 cities they’ve played only once at. This eight-piece outfit has formed their own adaptations of the Allman Brothers Band legacy, delivering their poignant and spirited versions from the Southern Rock icons’ extensive catalog. I haven’t even got to what makes the band the most special and why I’ve been wanting to see them play so badly. It’s uh, the people in it, consisting of Brandon “Taz” Niederaurer (guitar, vocals), Daniel Donato (guitar, vocals), Dylan Niederauer (bass), Jack Ryan (drums), Lamar Williams Jr. (vocals), Nikki Glaspie (drums), Peter Levin (keys) and Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel).

I’m pretty sure I was instantly enraptured in the absolute presence and grit of this audible octagon. They carried listeners to the precipice of rebirth, completely reviving the spirits of the Allman Brothers but in a fashion fit for 2023 in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship. That is when I really got to see each of these players (most of which I hadn’t had the true pleasure of seeing play for more than a sit-in or a half-listen) shine their freakin’ superpowers. I scored an insanely awesome spot to view the scene from, feeling drenched in a thick layer of gratitude as I endeavored to breathe it all in and be in the moment. 

Switching scenes back to the intergalactic musical mission happening in the Theater with Lettuce, I was not, for various and obvious reasons, able to pull myself away to catch any of Polyrhythmics set on the Pool Deck (oh, boohoo). Post-set, I kissed my babes goodbye and jaunted on over to the Jam Room for a dun, dun, dun, dun – Shawn Eckels led Jam Room set til 5AM. Now if people weren’t hip to Mr. Eckels before this Jam Cruise, they surely are devoted fans now. Also the guitarist and integral part of “the U.N.” (of Andy Frasco), Shawn is a half-distinguished guitar player who is highly underlooked in my opinion, but very quickly changing that narrative one sick guitar solo and stage antic at a time. The Eckels-led jams were sick as hell (to be expected), but it was also just dope to see Shawn popping up all over the boat for exciting sit-ins throughout the week.

DAY 4: Officially “Fat Thursday”: Purple, Golf & Green, it’s Mardi Gras Day at Sea 

Oh, Mardi Gras! An early start to the day brought a fruitful amount of fun to choose from: a thunder drum meditation, Ba Duan Jin with Karl Denson, Dogs in a Pile playing on the Pool Deck, an acupressure workshop, a boat-wide scavenger hunt, and a “Shake That Brass” workshop with Polyrhythmics . ALL of that to choose from…and ALL before 2PM?! Complete Insanity. Unfortunately and fortunately for me, Thursday was the day I ended up having a much-needed “chill” sesh. I napped, ate, showered, and powered through as the halfway mark for the trip suddenly crept up on us like unwelcome cold sweats in the night. I threw on my Mardi Gras colors and affirmed to myself in the mirror that “I was a capable bad b**** who was going to have the best evening ever” as I packed the essentials into my mini backpack, bolted in my sparkling Vans up two flights of stairs across to the cafeteria for a “driveway” pizza slice, and briskly walked to the Pool Deck just in time to catch my ultimate faves Fruition for a full band shindig. The sun beat down in thick rays as heartfelt harmonies, raw guitar rippage, and joyous songs filled the saline atmosphere, as I pondered to myself (in my head and probably out loud to a friend nearby) “damn…is this real life”? 

A set I heard was insanely epic but I sadly missed (in lieu of an equally as cool time) was the Honey Island Swamp Band, playing a “Dark Side of the Swamp” set with special guests like Neal Francis and Mike Dillon . However, my 6’o clock hour led me to meet some buds at a spectacle I could not miss, Eric Benny Bloom’s Really Really Tacky Show. Let me tell you what, splendidly tacky it was. People should really let Benny have his own live variety show because everyone in the audience of the three-level atrium (which was THE best setting for this) was absolutely enthralled, laughing, and slightly shocked. The Bloom house band played a slew of genre-spanning bangers with Ryan Stastik on bass, DJ Williams on guitar, Michael Carubba on drums, Kenneth Crouch on piano, and Shira Elias on backup vocals. Nowhere else have I heard more hilarious insults, sultry trumpet solos, and songs by Frank Sinatra and Garth Brooks, as well as the theme songs to both Friends and Cheers. 

Neo-Jazz-Soul-Hop group from Richmond, Butcher Brown , set an entire sunset mood on the Pool Deck – thankfully I caught the last bit, before scooting back across the boat to the Theater for the long-awaited Cool Cool Cool show. You might recognize these high-energy players from Turkuaz, as this newly birthed group is sailing seas uncharted. With a pleasurable sit-in by Roosevelt Collier and their captivating cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” I left the Theater anything other than Cool. The excitement just energizer bunnies its way into a space where time is completely irrelevant on Jam Cruise. With confusing changes as the boat crossed time zones from Atlantic and Eastern and vice versa, sleep schedules become completely wack and any sense of normalcy starts to shine its irrelevant grin at your brain as it tries to sort out what’s up and what’s down. A feeling and state of being I honestly had anxiety about surviving through, but once you let the flow of Jam Cruise truly encapsulate your human form midway, the pure childlike joy takes ahold and third and fourth winds start to support the glorious madness against the gravitational pull towards your cabin bed. 

All that being said, after an incredibly noteworthy and extra funky Dumpstaphunk Pool Deck showdown, I finally found myself walking up the authentic Skavorksy crystal staircase in the famed Yacht Club . There are a few iconic spots on the boat that you hear about and selfishly want to make it to at least once on your journey and the Yacht Club is one of them. While I had a few friends staying in Yacht Club, it’s a little-known secret that the bar is stacked, open, and free (of course only if you’re with Yacht Club members). I ironically had my worst drink of the week there (LOL – no shade on Yacht Club, it was what I ordered that was not good). While the energy of the Fat “Tuesday” (but really Thursday) Second Line pulsed along the pool deck, bringing straight up New Orleans to the Divina, I strolled my way over to the Atrium to check out the Pickin’ Lounge, presented this time by Ben Weiss (mandolin, Pixie & the Partygrass Boys). Complete with members from The Sweetie Lillies, Pixie & the Partygrass Boys, Kyle Tuttle on banjo, and a lot of other dope artists that I don’t know the names of (sorry), this sweet lil’ jam was pretty much the ideal fusion of funk and bluegrass and I couldn’t have been more delighted. 

So in between catching a little bit of Galactic and a lil bit of The Lil Smokies, my sweet best friend babe and I were chilling at the bar in the casino waiting for a drink. Now, repeat offenders and lifers will tell you (as will the Jam Cruisers Facebook group) of the incessantly amazing kindness and joy the MSC staff bring to their jobs and how much fun they can be. Well, my friend and I experienced a true highlight of the cruise as we watched three boa-lad, water gun-toting, pink-sunglass wearin’ MSC staff members make a James Bond entrance down from the crystal staircase, play fighting each other, literally laugh-crying the entire time, barrel rolling on the floor, and putting on a complete show as they threw each other bottles of booze and brought everyone who had the pleasure of being there into a state of almost-pee-your-pants childlike laughter. 

Okay, enough of that fun, it was time to get serious…Dead serious. No really, with Joe Marcinek’s Dead Funk Summit. Now if you aren’t familiar with Joe Marcinek , who is quite the musical virtuosos and ringleader. A man with a heart of gold, Marcinek tours like none other, always bringing an incredible rotating cast of equally talented players with him. This time, it was funky Grateful Dead tunes with people like Goerge Porter Jr., Tony Hall, Nikki Glaspie, and Ian Neville. I ran back across the boat to groove my way through (another) Neal Francis set (can’t get enough), before finally witnessing the captivating essence of synth-wave goodness Doom Flamingo . A newer band composed of Kanika Moore, Ryan Stasik, Sean Bing, Thomas Kenney, Mike Quinn, and Ross Bogan, this lively band has been laying an impenetrable foundation in their live performances, with powerhouse queen Kanika Moore leading the way. 

Although bed was screaming my name, I sauntered for the thousandth time to Jam Room for the session that could not be missed with the godfather of funk and the godfather of Jam Cruise, Mr. George Porter Jr., knowing that tomorrow morning we would all wake up to the beautiful sight of Grand Turk island. The port stop in Grand Turk was a much welcomed added destination for Jam Cruisers, and I must say, a highly-ranked reason for me to get on that boat. Precisely so that I could get off it and get my body into the crystal turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Turks and Caicos, Grand Turk , is a historical hub for Bermudian salt collectors and the salt ponds and marks of the island’s Colonial history can be seen throughout the beachfront capital of Cockburn Town. 

DAY 5: The Beauty of Grand Turk and Unofficial Studio 54 Disco Night 

By this point in the trip, my constantly tugging desire to recharge alone with yoga, breath, music, and walking, was screaming in my face. To avoid any irritation or annoyance being projected on my lovely friends, I opted to veer from the group for a few hours to solo adventure in true Sydney fashion. I joined a few fellow cruisers for a cab ride (thanks to the sweet couple who gifted my fare on the way into town) into the very quaint and sparse downtown area of the island, before hoofing it directly to the sandy shore. Being the water baby I am, I spent a few serene hours slowly making my way back towards the cruise port, stopping at every single gorgeous stretch of beach along the way.

I recharged my batteries via salt, sun, and sand, as I attempted to etch every fractal of that view into my mind, oozing gratitude for that moment, for the entire trip so far, and for the continued epicness still to come. Every so often, I’d exchange a special moment with an island local or a familial Jam Cruiser, who was also totally sponging up the sensational sea-nery and relishing every moment on actual land. I eventually walked to the singular road that golf carts and cabs were carting cruisers to and from the port on, and thankfully, a sweet lady with an Astro van of cruisers pulled over and allowed me to join the ruckus inside the vehicle. Shout out to the group in this cab, who also randomly gifted me my $5 cab fare as we gassed each other up for being awesome and hopped back into the tourist port trap of “Margaritaville”. 

After I re-boarded the Divina, a much-needed siesta and recoup was in order before the evening kicked off with the sunset pool deck edition of my favorite rowdy rockers, Andy Frasco & the U.N. I regrouped, rested up, and recharged – ready to soar in the slow-burning disco fever Studio 54 night would entail. A huge aspect of JC that I appreciated was the fact that the “crowds” everywhere you went were filled with the most friendly, attentive, and lovely folx. I felt generally so safe, secure, seen, heard, and loved 99.9% of the time. As I joyfully sauntered up to the front of the A-FUN crowd, it took less than a minute to find my Frasco-loving aficionados. The set contained some of the heart-punching favorites and a wildly rockin’ guitar threesome sit-in with Eckels, Mihali and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (the 20-year-old guitar prodigy and Yale student who has been on the boat since he was a wee shredder). “Give it up for the guitar players – fuck yes” exclaimed Frasco after each player shredded their faces off and proceeded to drop into genuine childlike playtime, dragging each other across the floor, doing backward rolls, and grinning from ear to ear all the while not letting up on the licks. 

A perma-grin on my face, I stayed in the general vicinity with my babe Kelsey as we eagerly awaited the long-anticipated phoffman set, which ended up proudly being my FAVORITE SET OF THE ENTIRE WEEK (a very close call and for a slew of reasons that would bore you but ignite my innermost soul’s flames). The phoffman set was made of Paul Hoffman (mandolin, lead vocals, Greensky Bluegrass), Andy Dunnigan (dobro, vocals, The Lil Smokies), Matthew “The Reverand” Reiger (guitar, The Lil Smokies), Jake Renick Simpson (fiddle, The Lil Smokies), Tyler Thompson (drums, Fruition), Jay Cobb Anderson (guitar, Fruition), Jeff Lenoard (bass, Fruition), and The Horn Section (arguably the hardest working horns on the boat this year), composed of Chris Brouwers (trumpet), Greg Sanderson (tenor saxophone), and Josh Schwartz (baritone saxophone). It was the synchronistic fusion of Hoffman’s ooey, gooey songwriting and lyrical honey with the hard-hitting guitar gang, and the robustness of a full band PLUS horns closer to the end….ooooooweeeeee! I would have been fine dissipating from this earthly plane after this “Horny Fruity Smokie Phoff” musical experience – highlights include lots of Greensky classics like “Leap Year,” “All I Need,” and insane jams you just had to be there for. 

Sadly, I had to opt to miss the Honey Island Swamp Band (again), Fackin’ A (Mike Dillon’s newest super genius group with the lespecial dudes), and the second Trouble No More set. However, the universe handed me a spiritually moving incident in the form of an Oteil & Friends set , which encapsulated the breezy beautiful night flawlessly. The supergroup opened with Kool & The Gang’s “Let The Music Take Your Mind,” a fitting mood to set for really the entire Jam Cruise experience. The musical magic carried on through Allman Brother’s Band staple “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” before Jen Hartswick wooed us as she does by taking the reigns on Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” before a “Dark Star” that will long be unforgotten. The feeling of love and acceptance was tangible and the set ended with a memory of two beloved cruisers who had set up a surprise engagement (he said YES!) via Oteil that was capped off with a more than suiting “They Love Each Other.” 

A four-fold banger was on our plate next, as I nonchalantly swiped drive-by pizza slices to and from Cymande’s theater set to Pixie & the Partygrass Boys in the Black & White Lounge to a not surprisingly cool Little Stranger set on the Brews at Sea Stage that ended with the dudes galavanting through an ocean of dancers and up the staircase to the top deck where they de-clothed and retreated to the hot tub – mic drop – literally. The disco daze continued with blips and pieces of Umphrey’s Mcgee rockin’ the pool deck to a proportionally large crowd, Karl D funkin’ it out in the Theater, and a sardine-packed Jam Room throwdown lead by Prince “Taz.” I called it around 4AM to prepare for the final day of Jam Cruise 19 (holds back reluctant tears).

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DAY 6: COWBOYS Vs. ALIENS for the Last Galactic Hoorah

I awoke on Saturday morning with a bittersweet belly full of gratitude for how the week had divinely unfolded. We had all made it to the final frontier…and the official costume theme that had been most excited about….Cowboys vs. Aliens. For the first time ever, I custom-ordered an outfit – a cosmic bodysuit and full-length, fringe-lined gloves of my dreams (shoutout to Coquetry Clothing ). Paired with sequin boots, my genuine Texan cowgirl hat, and my honky-tonk sass attitude, I was giddy’d up. But first, I accomplished my goal of attending at least one curated yoga class, where I happened to run into my four dear buds, all from Denver. Our bodies at a point were, even with my somewhat consistent workout regime and relatively healthy diet and lifestyle, wrecked. We all needed endless hours of pampering i.e. massage, hot soaks, steams, stretching, and sleep (soon, young grasshoppers, soon). The yoga classes were part of larger “ Wellness at Sea ” program, which offered an incredible variation of workshops, classes, open forums, and offerings on self-care, mindfulness, energy work, and more throughout the week on board. 

Curated by Rebel + Muse , power duo teachers Melanie and Kaleo Wassman (the later part of Californian Rock band Pepper). A juicy ground-centered flow targeted the back, which we all delighted in as we inhaled life force into each scrumptious asana pose. Even though I was running on fumes, I decided to completely seize the last day, not wasting a minute and sponging up every last glorious moment with cruise friends, fond and fresh alike. 

The one absolutely necessary “to-do” checkbox on the last day is to PACK UP YOUR THINGS! That way, when they somewhat aggressively but still politely urge you off the ship bright and early around 8AM…sharp, you are ready to go! I knew I wanted to avoid packing in a rush on a head full of Jam at 5AM, so I made sure all my items were properly accounted for and zipped back into my handy air compression packing bags, with all other small items and mementos from the best week ever safely tucked in pockets and bags for later moments of surprise flashback bliss upon the arrival home. After I very proudly had all my belongings 90% ready for disembarkation, I threw on my favorite string bikini and headed to the pool deck for a long-anticipated FULL day of fun in the sun. 

This was the schedule that Saturday afternoons are made for – Karina Rykman rockin’ out pool deck blazing while just a hundred yards or so away Mihali was gracing us with a swoon-worthy solo set on the quaint garden pool stage on the Divina’s bootiful tail end. The cherry on top of parading back and forth throughout the allotted 75 minutes of each artist’s time, was having the absolute ride of my life on the swirling water slide that I, unfortunately, had not yet ridden. Making up for lost slide time was crucial and I’m happy to report I got seven solid slides in, recruiting three newbie sliders including new homie and Karl Denson guitar player Ricky Giordano for one of the LAST slides of the entire festival. But wait, back to the blissfully immaculate sun-drenched afternoon – composed of a solo phoffman set before the undeniably loveable Yacht Rock sunset escarpment. 

The acoustic phoffman set saw Greensky frontman on guitar, playing sweet sentimental nothings that officially burst my overflowing soul into a million pieces into the salty ethers of the sea. No for real though, his set was highlighted with a personal top-ranking song in the love category “In the Morning Light” (co-written with Mr. Billy Strings), my top-ranking Greensky Bluegrass song “The Four,” “Courage for the Road,” and heartbreaker “The Reverend.” A loveable dose of lighthearted Yacht Rock , which beamed tunes synonymous with the name, was led by Lebo and composed of insane talent like The Horn Section, Ivan Neville, Nigel Hall, Shira Elias, Sammi Garrett, Karl Denson, Kellen Asebroek, Jay Cobb Anderson, Robert Mercurio, Mimi Naja, Jan Hartswick, and more I am rudely not able to recall. Bubbles caressed the air as sweaty and smile-decked Jam Cruisers grooved and bobbed their way through such a FUN Yacht Rock setlist, which included Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgetting,” Jackson Browne’s “Somenody’s Baby,” Olivia Newton John’s “Magic” sung by the insatiable Sammi Garrett, and Toto’s “Rosanna” to name a few. 

It was a culminating moment as the sun set gracefully on the western front of the shoreline, bringing that inevitable feeling that the final hoedown was in hot pursuit. I didn’t mention it before, but bands like Fruition, Andy Frasco & the U.N., The Motet, SunSquabi, and Lettuce, were some of the first bands I ever interviewed as a doe-eyed, completely naive music journalist. So being able to attend Jam Cruise, seven plus sun cycles later, after years of observing, appreciating, and supporting the evolution of these bands and individuals who supported my always-itching side passion, was a literal waking dream come true. 

While I went back to my cabin to change out of the slide suit and into the cosmic cow-lady bodysuit, seal the deal on my packing mission, and link with the inner crew to rally for the last hoorah, that sadly meant missing Neal Francis’ atrium set (boo), the Dave Watts Super Jam (double boo), and the final silent auction happenings for Positive Legacy (triple boo). It’s okay though because my three new best friends and I toasted our bottle of champagne that we had delivered to our room and took some important moments to hug, thank, and enjoy each other’s company without thousands of people around. Once we were saddled up and ready to ride, we opted for some Butcher Brown in the lounge before catching the not to be missed second Oteil & Friends set in the theater. 

In what I was finding was fitting Jam Cruise fashion, next up were FOUR sets we had to begrudgingly either choose from or choose to full send for (which the second is of course what I opted for). OH, a heaping dose of O.G. electro jam outfit Sunsquabi, a generous spoonful of progressive Afro-Funk Polyrhythmics, a gulp of funky goodness Galactic, and topped off with a band I had been waiting what felt like too long to finally see – lespecial. If you had to classify it, which you really can’t, this “heavy future groove” trio is bringing something entirely their own to the scene and catching quite the fan base with each live show. Made up of Luke Bemand (bass, synth), Rory Dolan (drums, samples, vocals), and Jonny G (guitar, keyboards, samples, vocals), this band brings you to the terrifying edge where fans of Tool, Primus, 00’s classics, and psychedelic jam improv can relish in uncharted sonic territories that bring out a brute of buried primal energy that had been asleep a little too long ( read this in-depth review of a recent lespecial show for a more sensory dive). 

JC19 would not be fully circled without staying up all night and getting way downer than down at the Roosevelt Collier-led jams. An unbeatable way to seal the jam jar, these late-night sonic collabs featured the supergroup lineup of my personal dreams I didn’t know I had, with both Shawn Eckels and Taz on guitar at certain points, Adam Deitch on drums, Brad Miller on bass, Greg Sanderson on sax, and more, exploring unknown realms beyond the physicalities of the earthly world. I’d find myself glistening in sweat, dancing my booty off with dope ass friends, and then I’d snake through the sardined crowd and pop out for some fresh air and more familiar faces at pickin’ The Spot. 

We were able to rally a crew of about 10 up to the Galaxy Disco for one last hour of fist pumps, humorous antics, and appropriate shenanigans that would be tipped off with some final slices of pepperoni pie and fresh-cut fruit in the cafeteria. The last few hours on the boat are a certified, sorta confusing, cluster pluck situation of half the people trying to get TF off the boat as soon as possible and half the people taking their sweet leisurely time, cause “what’s the damn rush?” Anyhoo, I got lucky as hell and found my disembarkation buddy near the front of the line. I somehow hauled all my luggage to meet them and by a twist of glorious fate you may say, we somehow ended up in an Uber, across the city, and checked in to our beachfront hotel and in full lounge mode by 10AM…?! Uh okay, universe, I see you, and I thank you.

Join in on the Best Week Ever & Pre-Book Jam Cruise 20 TODAY

It honestly has created overwhelmingly welcome surges of dream-induced feelings aimed to stick a finger in my cloudy memory recall from the trip, as well as a fond longing for a stretch of time that will never be comparable to any other trip I have or will ever take again. There is positively no way to recap or even put into words the inexplicable cosmic alchemy that occurs on this boat, yet here is my mediocre and way too long attempt to recount it in a digitally digestible format.

The environment and space that Cloud 9 (s/o to the queen of queens, Annabel Lukins Stelling), the MSC staff, and every member involved in curating Jam Cruise has cultivated for the attendees, allows people to fully, safely, and abundantly BE themselves…to relish in joy, fun, and all the things that set our souls on fire. It is truly incomparable, especially when you then add in the luxurious and obnoxiously awesome features that come with the cruise aspect of the passage. Access to the spa, 24-7 buffet, a cozy room and bathroom, amazing staff and wait service, the choice of balconies, Yacht Club, etc. – these amenities create the level of comfort that we as “professionals” deserve to enjoy during this marathon week of the best in high-caliber stimulation of all things live music, connection, and…the love of the JAM. 

One of the best musical adventures of my life…until Jam Cruise 20 that is. 

I mean, I always thought Jam Cruisers were a little pushy when insisting their music cruise was “the best,” and “you have to go, there’s nothing like it”. And within the first day of the festival, I already knew I was locked in for life (which may have been a subtle underlying reason I waited so long to showcase my sea legs). Now, with around 10 months until the famed 20th anniversary of this absolutely unique floating festival, we’ve already recruited handfuls of eager Jam Cruise virgins to join in on this truly one-of-a-kind Cloud 9 throwdown. There’s no such thing as too much time to plan, so pre-book your cabin today and get to dreamin’.  And if you luckily find yourself in New Orleans during Jazz Fest, head to the Toulouse Theatre for the Jam Cruise 20 kick-off party and lineup announcement show with Stanton Moore, Ivan Neville, and friends.

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• MSC Cruises

How was the "Jam" cruise??

By Doug&Patti , January 11, 2009 in MSC Cruises

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Doug&Patti

WE would like to know the reviews on this one to see if things fared better than our experience on the " Inaugural" mini cruise. That one was a disaster!

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from a quick browse it seems that the promoter of the 'jam cruise' may have screwed that deal up. people were complaining that they didn't get docs and their room assignments were messed up. also the promoter didn't have the gifts that people were expecting and gave them the big F.U. when they complained.

although others complained about the food, pizza, etc. one girl wrote that she only ate 4 meals the hwole week due to the food choices being poor.

CherylsCaribbeanTravel

from a quick browse it seems that the promoter of the 'jam cruise' may have screwed that deal up. people were complaining that they didn't get docs and their room assignments were messed up. also the promoter didn't have the gifts that people were expecting and gave them the big F.U. when they complained.   although others complained about the food, pizza, etc. one girl wrote that she only ate 4 meals the hwole week due to the food choices being poor.

Yea, Jam Cruise organizer is getting hammered for some screw ups also, but they are saying it was MSC's fault (so who knows). What is consistent with other MSC cruises is the story of last minute changing room assignments leading to delayed embarkation. I've read about this more than once (even back in Europe).

The food sounded BAD. Here's a link. Some of it is kinda funny. I like the girl who offered to bring a travel stove and sell grilled cheese next time (1 for $3.00 or 2 for $5.00). She had a good sense of humor and did compliment MSC on some of their dishes :).

Remember, link has profanity language which some may find offensive. Read at own risk.

http://www.jamcruise.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8859

OOKKKAAAYY!! I think we get their point! Don't eat food at 2:30 AM?

Only kidding-- I wonder how the real food at dinner was?

They sound like a really hyped up happy bunch of partiers.... people I would have liked in my 20's.

If the food is really bad, I plan to just stack up food at the ports... maybe hide in my back pack?

Chesneygirl

From what I read this was an extremely wild bunch of people.

One guy wrote of people using the hot tubs to wash their "stanky-boozed soaked dirty dancing feet". Then someone else complained that the water in the hot tubs was gray and dirty looking and they refused to go in them???!! Gee I wonder why. :rolleyes:

They used sharpies to write on the floors and walls, vomited in public areas, danced on the sofas and chairs in the public areas.

Sounds like a classy bunch of people to me!! :eek:

I warned everyone that this was a 'skewed' population the first time I linked you to this site last week LOL. :D .

I think it would be beneficial to take the reports for what they are and try to concentrate on the objective vs subjective nature of the accounts. Whether you agree with the type of behavior exhibited or not, Chicken jello was served as a course in the main dinning room, people reported getting physically sick from the food, and the only two toppings on the pizza were corn and peas. That's not subjective to 'who' is doing the reporting.

This is why I'm personally concerned at their accounts of the poor food and service. I am confident that this 'skewed population' would be less likely to complain than the mainstream folks who have booked non-chartered sailings.

In other words (and at the risk of stereotyping)...........if the jam cruise people thought it was bad :eek::eek::eek:

I warned everyone that this was a 'skewed' population the first time I linked you to this site last week LOL. :D .   I think it would be beneficial to take the reports for what they are and try to concentrate on the objective vs subjective nature of the accounts. Whether you agree with the type of behavior exhibited or not, Chicken jello was served as a course in the main dinning room, people reported getting physically sick from the food, and the only two toppings on the pizza were corn and peas. That's not subjective to 'who' is doing the reporting.     This is why I'm personally concerned at their accounts of the poor food and service. I am confident that this 'skewed population' would be less likely to complain than the mainstream folks who have booked non-chartered sailings.   In other words (and at the risk of stereotyping)...........if the jam cruise people thought it was bad :eek::eek::eek:   Cheryl

Chicken Jello? I can't imagine! From googling it:

chicken jello : what happens when you just throw the chicken in the fridge instead of draining it after cooking.

sea-explorer

I have always tried to keep my responses factual and helpful as far as possible, and have been biting my tongue the last few days as I have no experience of Caribbean sailings. However, the devil must be in me tonight as I really to feel the urge to try and respond a little.:cool:

Cheryl, I really do not think you are going to enjoy an MSC Cruise. It is obviously not what you are used to. What are MSC to do? They are marketing themselves as an Italian cruise line, but it seems the concensus is, they are wrong if they are not offering exactly the same product as other cruise lines. Then they will become just the same as the other lines, where is the choice and difference in product then?

The link you gave seems to show it was the organizers of the Jam cruise that 'screwed up'. Maybe MSC did play a part in this, but it certainly isn't clear exactly what part they did play. As for cleanliness, MSC have a very high reputation in this. There has never been an outbreak of Norovirus on any of their ships. Yes, I know about the Sinfonia, but the reprt as to what happened isn't out yet so I will reserve judgement on that until the facts are clear. If it is the case, it will be a first. I believe the part of the world it is in is questionable. All ships seem to suffer from an outbreak of illness to one degree or another when in Egypt and the ship's take extra precautions here to stop any outbreaks spreading further. (It is the passengers who eat/drink questionable foods when ashore who are affected.)

The food! Well. I don't like all the food on the ship either, but I do like most of it. There really is no food like you are used to though is there? You know if I buy something as simple as cornflakes from somewhere other than my local supermarket, they taste different and I don't like them. My children were used to the local supermarkets cheapest brand of value baked beans but when they visited my parents they were treated to the very best. Yuck said my children..those beans were horrible. :D

Living in the South East of England and only a 35 minute train ride from mainland Europe, I am fortunate to have visited on many occassions over the years. France in particular rather than Italy. Day to day French food? The cuisine capital of the world. I must admit I'm not overly keen. Snails, frogs legs, lamb stew which consists almost entirely of knuckles...not for me.

Europeans don't 'do' Bacon. It's not a food they eat separately. You cannot buy the bacon we have here in Europe..(we take our own. :)) The supermarkets and butchers just do not have the same cuts. Europeans don't usually have 'hot' breakfasts, so the bacon, sausages, eggs etc are their attempt to please all. I'll agree they do not taste the same. Sausages are different in every country you come across. They do not have omelette stations as a filled omlette would be a lunch or supper dish, and even then made to order rather than be presented with a choice of fillings.

I strongly suspect the chicken jello you are referring to is chicken in aspic, a savoury dish, perhaps akin to pate. Try it on toast. ;) The steaks will be thinner than you are used to. As I said, we do not have the same cuts, (I only wish we did) but meat is at a premium in Europe.

I too wish they would extend the buffet hours, mainly in the afternoon. Arriving back from port & no food available isn't the best scenario. However, their product, rightly or wrongly, is emphasis on family dining rather than 24 hour eat what you want when you want. Awareness of this is a help.

I've mentionned this before too, but service here is different. It is considered rude & pushy for a wine steward etc to be asking you what you want as soon as you sit down...you may not want anything, apart from to sit & relax. They will be waiting in the background for a signal, a glance, a nod, slight raising of the hand etc. I've always found them very prompt.

I too have one or two smaller 'issues' with MSC but on the whole I find them extremely good value for money. Certainly the differences I would find on other lines are not worth double, or in many cases even more, the prices charged on MSC.

Thank you very much for the explanations. It really is helpful in understanding the differences between the American habits and preferences and those of the Europeans. This will help me be more open minded when I am on the Orchestra in a few weeks. It's good to know that some of the situations that we might consider "issues" have a reason behind them, and are not just simply a lack of care.

I'm going on MSC with an open mind and plan to do my very best to have a fun cruise. I know that not everything will be perfect (haven't found a cruiseline yet that was), so I hope that I will make the most out of the good things, and take the less than good with a grain of salt. That's my intent anyway.

Sparky: Thank you for the explanation. You are absolutely correct. I don't think I would like MSC as much as I have enjoyed other lines. Negating the things which are highly subjective (service levels and food quality), objective things like a comprehensive room service menu, casual dinner dining options, food available when I return from a tour, organized embarkation, safe debarkation, etc... all play a role in how much I enjoy a cruise. I like quick embarkation and I really really like the convienence of being able to grab lunch when I return from a tour! These things have value to me.

LIke you, I am also looking for the best value for my dollar and am willing to forego some of the convienences I have come to appreciate by mainstream lines in exchange for obtaining the absolute best value for my travel dollar.

You said it much better than I could......... you choose MSC, accepting it's issues, because the "the differences I would find on other lines are not worth double, or in many cases even more, the prices charged on MSC"

Today I found several other lines with pricing directly in line with what MSC is charging. Celebrity, Princess, and NCL all have cruises departing on the same weekend as my travel for between $50.00 and $70.00 pp. more. RCL is still much more expensive (double). There were a few Carnival sailings that were actually CHEAPER (but I'm not interested in sailing with carnival). Needless to say, for the price difference of $10.00 per day, I will be sailing with Celebrity or Princess.

I agree, MSC is something to consider when the other lines are pricing double. And while MSC may have had great pricing compared to other lines a month ago, the mainstream lines have drastically reduced prices (at least on my sailing date), making the decision to abandon the MSC Orchestra a no-brainer for me personally.

For those of you still on the fense, I encourage you to look at current pricing for your departure dates.The mainstream lines are offering MASSIVE discounts for the remainder of this season. You might be surprised how little price difference actually exists (unless you're taking advantage of the kids sail free option, and then I have no clue).

For those of you sailing with MSC because it offers the product you truly desire, regardless of price..... I wish you fabulous vacations.

Bottom line, for me personally, I can’t possibly justify paying slightly less for a product that, according to the vast majority of reports, appears greatly inferior. Again, this is just my personal opinion and what course of action I've chosen to take.

I pass no judgment on those of you sticking with MSC. Everyone looks for something different in a vacation and rarely are two situations identical. Ultimately, I consider myself blessed to be in the situation to be able to make the choice of which cruise to take this year. Many are far less fortunate.

Peace, love, and happy travels to all,

I would say that the blame rests with the charter company and not MSC. From a very reliable source, I heard that they were a rowdy bunch, it smelled like the 60's in several places (I'll leave you all to figure that one out), and the ship was chartered, not a booking through MSC. In other words, if there were document issues, that would have been the fault of the charter company. Then there were the 9 people who decided that they wanted to hide instead of get off on Friday morning. The ship had to be searched from stem to stern to find them and get them off. Since the Friday cruise was not a cruise but rather a night in port for TA's, media and VIP's, a few decided to try and stay another night.

Maybe if some unhappy people had hung around the "60's smell" they would have had a better cruise!

Only joking............

Didn't MSC still have to do the processing at embarktation? We were with a chartered group once and we still had to process like everyone else.

babygirl722

Oh heck!   I have always tried to keep my responses factual and helpful as far as possible, and have been biting my tongue the last few days as I have no experience of Caribbean sailings. However, the devil must be in me tonight as I really to feel the urge to try and respond a little.:cool:   Cheryl, I really do not think you are going to enjoy an MSC Cruise. It is obviously not what you are used to. What are MSC to do? They are marketing themselves as an Italian cruise line, but it seems the concensus is, they are wrong if they are not offering exactly the same product as other cruise lines. Then they will become just the same as the other lines, where is the choice and difference in product then?   The link you gave seems to show it was the organizers of the Jam cruise that 'screwed up'. Maybe MSC did play a part in this, but it certainly isn't clear exactly what part they did play. As for cleanliness, MSC have a very high reputation in this. There has never been an outbreak of Norovirus on any of their ships. Yes, I know about the Sinfonia, but the reprt as to what happened isn't out yet so I will reserve judgement on that until the facts are clear. If it is the case, it will be a first. I believe the part of the world it is in is questionable. All ships seem to suffer from an outbreak of illness to one degree or another when in Egypt and the ship's take extra precautions here to stop any outbreaks spreading further. (It is the passengers who eat/drink questionable foods when ashore who are affected.)   The food! Well. I don't like all the food on the ship either, but I do like most of it. There really is no food like you are used to though is there? You know if I buy something as simple as cornflakes from somewhere other than my local supermarket, they taste different and I don't like them. My children were used to the local supermarkets cheapest brand of value baked beans but when they visited my parents they were treated to the very best. Yuck said my children..those beans were horrible. :D   Living in the South East of England and only a 35 minute train ride from mainland Europe, I am fortunate to have visited on many occassions over the years. France in particular rather than Italy. Day to day French food? The cuisine capital of the world. I must admit I'm not overly keen. Snails, frogs legs, lamb stew which consists almost entirely of knuckles...not for me.   Europeans don't 'do' Bacon. It's not a food they eat separately. You cannot buy the bacon we have here in Europe..(we take our own. :)) The supermarkets and butchers just do not have the same cuts. Europeans don't usually have 'hot' breakfasts, so the bacon, sausages, eggs etc are their attempt to please all. I'll agree they do not taste the same. Sausages are different in every country you come across. They do not have omelette stations as a filled omlette would be a lunch or supper dish, and even then made to order rather than be presented with a choice of fillings.   I strongly suspect the chicken jello you are referring to is chicken in aspic, a savoury dish, perhaps akin to pate. Try it on toast. ;) The steaks will be thinner than you are used to. As I said, we do not have the same cuts, (I only wish we did) but meat is at a premium in Europe.   I too wish they would extend the buffet hours, mainly in the afternoon. Arriving back from port & no food available isn't the best scenario. However, their product, rightly or wrongly, is emphasis on family dining rather than 24 hour eat what you want when you want. Awareness of this is a help.   I've mentionned this before too, but service here is different. It is considered rude & pushy for a wine steward etc to be asking you what you want as soon as you sit down...you may not want anything, apart from to sit & relax. They will be waiting in the background for a signal, a glance, a nod, slight raising of the hand etc. I've always found them very prompt.   I too have one or two smaller 'issues' with MSC but on the whole I find them extremely good value for money. Certainly the differences I would find on other lines are not worth double, or in many cases even more, the prices charged on MSC.

Sparky - I find your comments around the food puzzling. MSC is now sailing out of Ft Lauderdale and I'm quite certain isn't getting it's cuts of beef and bacon from Europe. I'd like to think that most of us understand that there are, in fact, differences between cultures as it relates to food and service, but that the issues passengers experienced were not cultural ones.

Peas and corn on pizza is not cultural, it's just bad cuisine IMHO! Chicken jello, or as you say, chicken with aspic is not something that most americans eat. Poor service is poor service and while I don't want anyone to hover, I do want to be served when I enter an establishment. That includes being greeted, seated and asked what I would like to eat or drink. If you're smart and want to be successful, then you know your crowd and you try and do what you can to please them so that they return. To me, that's a basic business principal and one that you think MSC would be smart enough to follow. It's just logical.

Sparky - I find your comments around the food puzzling. MSC is now sailing out of Ft Lauderdale and I'm quite certain isn't getting it's cuts of beef and bacon from Europe. I'd like to think that most of us understand that there are, in fact, differences between cultures as it relates to food and service, but that the issues passengers experienced were not cultural ones.   Peas and corn on pizza is not cultural, it's just bad cuisine IMHO! Chicken jello, or as you say, chicken with aspic is not something that most americans eat. Poor service is poor service and while I don't want anyone to hover, I do want to be served when I enter an establishment. That includes being greeted, seated and asked what I would like to eat or drink. If you're smart and want to be successful, then you know your crowd and you try and do what you can to please them so that they return. To me, that's a basic business principal and one that you think MSC would be smart enough to follow. It's just logical.

Ah babygirl, you are so right..just put it down to old age & stupidity & that I should stick to biting my tongue when it comes down to Caribbean sailings. Of course the food will be loaded at Fort Lauderdale. I think what I was trying to get across was that different Nationalities will treat the same food differently. I can't speak about the steaks you will receive, but I do know that contintental Europeans do not really know how to cook bacon..perhaps whatever cut they are given. Each country treats it's food differently. I'm sure the French are horrified that they will serve their beef with a lovingly prepared sauce and we will just cover it with gravy & serve it up with fried batter!! ;)

I have never had..neither would I wish to have peas on pizza..but corn is quite common..with tuna...with ham and with chicken..well it is here anyway. :)

Also, of course if you take a seat in the dining room for example, you will be greeted, seated etc. I was really referring to the lounges and pool areas. You would be surprized at how many people on tables surrounding us in the lounges spent the evening without a drink. [Edited to say by choice of course. :)]

Although MSC is in the Caribbean & wanting to attract US passengers, they still have quite a high percentage of Europeans sailing and I believe are trying to please all.

I think I was just trying to point out some of the differences and to indicate they are not as uncaring as it might appear at first glance. I too hope they learn a little from their US customer base, it would certainly benefit we Brits who 'whine about the lack of iced water' etc. ;)

Cheryl..as for embarkation...I have sailed MSC twice..in Europe admittedly, but on both occassions, embarkation was in minutes, about 10 on the first occassion and about 2 on the second. :D

• 1 month later...

Hi there ....

3 time Jam Cruiser here .... And I just thought I would toss in my 2 cents ....

Yes, we are a rowdy bunch. We live hard. We party hard. We go on Jam Cruise for the music and the friendship. Where else can you find yourself laying in a hot tub with one of the Neville Brothers, 2 co-eds from the University of Miami, all the while being brought frosty cocktails with little umbrellas?

We have not yet been told what caused the little screw up with departure. Yes, a great number of people had problems getting on the boat. But the important thing is everyone DID make it on the boat. And that is all that matters.

As for the food? Well .... We go on Jam Cruise for the music and to see our friends. Is the food a running joke on Jam Cruise?

The infamous Hot Dog Pizza. Playing Sausage Jenga at 3am. Eating bowls of semi-flaccid bacon. Lobster Night with lobsters the size of crayfish.

And, yes ... This year ..... Chicken Jell-O

Even scarier than you can imagine.

It smelled ALOT like the 60's.

AZisJamality

From what I read this was an extremely wild bunch of people.   One guy wrote of people using the hot tubs to wash their "stanky-boozed soaked dirty dancing feet". Then someone else complained that the water in the hot tubs was gray and dirty looking and they refused to go in them???!! Gee I wonder why. :rolleyes: They used sharpies to write on the floors and walls, vomited in public areas, danced on the sofas and chairs in the public areas. Sounds like a classy bunch of people to me!! :eek:

What's Up Cruise Critic Message Board!! popping in to say hi and hopefully clean a few misconceptions up :)

For the record.. no one wrote on the floors or walls with sharpies!!! It was a misunderstanding by the girl who wrote that.. we decorated with easy peel no-stick stickers for Hollywood Night (as in the Hollywood Walk of Fame) and the real marble looked so close people thought is was real flooring... it was just decoration! Here is what we used and you can buy these at any Party Store.. We wrote the names of the performing artists and created a Jam Cruise Walk of Fame by the elevator doors..it was 100% safe and we even cleaned them up before we left the ship.

No one vomits in public places..we are having a good time.. but also remember we pay like 3 or 4 times what typical cruisers pay to be on the ship..so this is not a group of riff-raf.. heck I don't even really know what a regular MSC Orchestra cruise would cost.. so here are the prices for our cruise..some people work lower paying jobs and SAVE ALL YEAR to get on this cruise..some have high end careers & make more than others..we are a family and we do not disrespect others or our vacation that means so much to us!!

People do not dance on sofas and chairs..we dance on the dance floor..they cover one of the pools and create a lighted dance floor and we also used the theater and the Savannah bar as other venues.

If you are going to read our forum..take it with a grain of salt..we are a family there and we all know each other (face to face even!) so we can tell when our friends are exaggerating..even if strangers can't but if you stick around..you will learn!

If you have any questions..we would be happy to answer.. many many many of us lurk on this forum..but since we have our own..we mostly don't post..but I know a few of my Jam Cruise friends that do chat here about the normal cruises they go on.

I'm sorry but I am not seeing any "stanky-boozed soaked dirty dancing feet" (and just where do you suppose they keep the dirt on a cruise ship?)

as a 5 time "repeat offender" I have to take exception with every one of those characterizations. I neither saw nor heard of any of those things. The jamcruise forum is an open forum and there are people who don't even go on jamcruise that write things like that so please take comments like those with a grain of salt. These things just did not happen on jamcruise and I have never seen anything close to this on any jamcruise.

Our community is composed of music lovers who have become friends and we stay in touch with each other throughout the year. I know that at every show I go to in any city in the country I will find other jamcruisers in the crowd (because those are the kind of people that go to shows!) and will be welcome. We are a family

and yes, we are a very classy bunch of people!!

On jamcruise we place recycling containers around the ship and we volunteer to man the stations to promote recycling of glass and plastic products as well as working with the staff to separate recyclables in the ship's trash room. A video of the green team efforts on jamcruise 6 is here

This year our community donated around 12 laptop computers, school supplies and clothing to schools in Belize and Costa Maya. The computers were reformatted, loaded with new windows OS and equipped with wireless card by our community. Local wireless internet providers agreed to donate the internet access to the schools through the efforts of several jamcruisers.

http://www.jamcruise.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8605

Finally, we are able to announce that based on the success of last year, we are once again working with charities in both Belize and Costa Maya to provide much needed assistance to children in both ports.   This represents a unique opportunity for Jam Cruise passengers to demonstrate the spirit and generosity of our community by helping others far less fortunate than ourselves who continue to struggle to meet basic needs.   Belize and Costa Maya are places of abundant natural beauty as well as persistent poverty for many of its residents. The Jam Cruise 7 passenger donation drive is centered around our desire to connect with the local people in the communities we visit, to gain a deeper understanding of their way of life, and to do something positive for them.   The local schools struggle to provide basic supplies for the children to receive an education. Many families struggle to provide even clothes for their children so they can attend school. Electricity, hot water, and hot meals are sporadic for many. Teachers and parents dream to be able to provide a basic music program for the children, but they can’t afford the instruments. Computers and the internet are a luxury afforded by very few. Please see below for information about our beneficiaries in Belize and Costa Maya.   The Green Team invites all JC7 passengers to consider the needs of our beneficiaries in Belize and Costa Maya, and to donate something from the following wish list. Deposit your donations in Greening Headquarters on Deck 6 during Days 1 & 2, and receive a raffle ticket for a special edition Greening Jam Cruise poster (artist proof) signed by Michael Everett and 85 Jam Cruise 6 artists!   Combined Wish Lists (931 children ages 4 to 18 years) Children's clothing of all sizes - shoes and sneakers for boys and girls underwear for boys and girls white socks for boys and girls twin size sheets and pillow cases tooth brushes sports balls including soccer balls back packs notebooks - composition style pens & pencils geometry sets puzzles world maps biodiversity and cultural diversity posters play dough construction paper colored pencils crayons Scientific calculators Spanish-English dictionaries Congas Various African Instruments: shakers, shekere, kora, krin (log drum), etc. Basic musical instruments – recorders, cymbals, hand drums, shakers, castanets, etc. – 2 cases

and this http://www.jamcruise.com/jc7/greening.php

Greening Jam Cruise Program Components Recycling Waste Reduction Sustainable Product Sourcing Carbon Offsetting Environmental Education Passenger Participation Greening Auction Collaborative Relationships Leaving a Positive Legacy

so Ms Chesneygirl - is that classy enough? :)

The real JustBob

Hey, 5 time cruiser here. Just to keep it on the real...

People did puke in public places, as in the pool deck. I had a girl puke right next to me and then her friends led her away. She never did put that beer down, so I guess she was ok:)

The food sucks and thats all on MSC. They were not trying to be different from other cruise lines, they just suck at food all around. The first night in the dinning room all of my food sucked. Then I hit the Chinese place one night and was blown away. It cost you extra to eat there, but is worth every bite.

The first year I went on Jam Cruise is was on Carnival. What can you say about Carnival? It's like the walmart of cruises. Old boat, not very clean or up to date, whatever. The food was great. I didn't have anything bad to eat that year. Just sayin'

Also, as much as you read about this was bad and that was bad, in the end it's all good. Most of the people that posted that stuff are prebooked for next years cruise. 500+ cabins prebooked already and we don't know when, what boat, or what bands. That is the kind of faith we put in Could 9 (the promoters who charter the boat).

We are in it for the music 100% and just wish the cruise line would improve some thing for us. We blow away every bar record they have ever had and ever will have.

Please take some time to check out our picture threads and see how many people have smiles on their faces so big it looks like they just won the lottery.

jamcruise savage

I warned everyone that this was a 'skewed' population the first time I linked you to this site last week LOL. .     In other words (and at the risk of stereotyping)...........if the jam cruise people thought it was bad :eek::eek::eek:   Cheryl

Oh God, oh God, one of those "skewed" savages is out on the loose on this board, whatever shall we do??? Run for the hills everybody!! One them "jamcruisers" has done found our safe haven... quick, read the Patriot Act to 'em... that'll scare 'em away!!

Some of you people are ridiculous with your maniacal, childish labels you place on individuals. You know who goes on Jam Cruise? -- your parents, your wife, your children, your friends and your co-workers. We are you, and you are us. We aren't living in uninformed times these days. Maybe some of you should put down your latte and turn up your stereo. Maybe you should stop checking your portfolio for a second to smell the cleanlines of the winter breeze blowing through the air. Or maybe, just maybe, you could step down of your golden high horse long enough to dance. What a novel idea ay?

But Lord Jesus what have I said?! I'm sorry for the blasphemous nature of my words. God forbid anyone in this day and age have fun!!! ":eek::eek::eek:" (quoting the emoticons of ChesneyGirl)

PS. I've cruised on each cruise ship in the RCL Voyager class; I've cruised on both the Freedom of the Seas and the Liberty of the Seas. I've cruised on Celebrity Cruise lines and Princess Cruise Lines. I've also attended two Jam Cruise vacations, and of all of the cruises that I have personally sailed (greater than 10), MSC is by far and away the absolute WORST when it comes to food service. It is terrible, almost to the point of uneatable. Take my advice with a grain of salt though, because as you all know, we "jamcruisers" live in a cave and are sustained only by drops of dew and psychedelic manna. :insert a million eye rolling smileys:

Whoa.......... why the anger? Being labeled a 'skewed' population is a compliment in my world! I'm a skewed population because of my gender and career and I love it :). I'd think that the Jam cruisers would totally get the reference, but since you're obviously offended let me explain.

The term 'skewed' population is often used for statistical purposes. Example, if you surveyed only Democrats on the new stimulus program, you would be surveying a 'skewed' population and the survey results would very well yield a low reliability when generalized to a larger population.

The jam cruise folks chartered an entire cruise ship, paid huge money to do so, and have made this an annual event that keeps growing in numbers. If that's not a 'skewed' population of cruisers, I don't know what is! The superbowl cruisers don't even 'skew' as much because they don't have the entire ship chartered and aren't as large of a population in terms of numbers.

In fact, this is what I had to say about your 'skewed' population way back on January 5th while you were sailing and cruise critic was trying to ‘figure’ out who the charter group was and whether or not you were going to be the typical complainers (as had been labeled of the 2 day and 17 day cruise which preceded you.)………

The folks that attend the Jam Cruises are a skewed population. SOmething tells me they are having a fantastic time.

And then when asked to define a ‘skewed’ population, this was my response:

Jam cruises are all about the music. Food, service, etc... all take second seat. Think woodstock, but much more laid back . I"d personally love to be on one, but they never sail when I have time off. Cheryl

Now, mind you, I had the initial venue wrong……. My stupid friend who was on Jam Cruise 2 said that BS&T were playing (my bad)….. but I’m not sure I have missed the concept of Jam cruise. Jam cruise is all about the music, friendship, and fun. Food and service comes lower in the priorities. If I’m wrong, please advice.

Because the music is more important, When Jam Cruisers openly complained about the food it was a huge red flag for me. In fact, the food photos posted on the jam cruise site (salad served with cold French fries and a cold onion ring.. uggh…….. and how about them baloney sandwiches?...... Pea Pizza? pictures don’t lie L )…. Anyway, not food that looked even remotely appealing to me. So, I was VERY alarmed at Jam Cruise description of the food. Not because the group doesn’t have taste buds, but because given your venue, negativity and complaining appears rare.

Your group is not alone in taking the ‘blame’ for bad food and service. When the superbowl cruisers came off and complained about the food many jumped to blame them (the group) and said that the negativity begot negativity. That the food can’t be that bad, and that the superbowl cruisers just kept breeding negativity and liked to complain. Same with the concert at sea group. That’s how some folks who have booked MSC deal with negative reports, they blame the ‘group’.

My intention was never to blame Jam Cruise (or the Superbowl cruisers, or the Concert at Sea cruisers)…… In fact, I’ve tried to represent just the opposite. I believe we should value all opinions, good and bad. If you read my postings, I’m confident you will see this theme repeated. That’s why I’m shocked that you are offended by the ‘skewed’ population comment. Face it dude, you’re skewed J .

Thank you for sharing your opinion on the food and service on the MSC site. I have canceled my MSC cruise based largely on the opinions of Jam Cruisers, Superbowl cruisers, Concerts at Sea, etc…. While all of these groups may very well be ‘skewed’ populations, they each came back with a similar message regarding food and service. Too much of a coincidence for me to ignore!!

For the rest of the jam cruisers who have posted in this thread, know that there are many of us on Cruise Critic who value (and welcome) your opinion . The ‘general’ population can certainly learn a few lessons from your group (especially your volunteer efforts towards going green)!

Anyway, hope this helps to clarify my position.

Peace and happy travels,

Cheryl - thanks for your input, I didn't read your previous posts as a put down of the community but rather a recognition that the jamcruise crowd is not comprised of the traditional cruising population. And I would agree 100% with that and that we are a "skewed" population (in both a statistical sense and a cultural sense :D).

Chicken jello was served as a course in the main dinning room, ...,the only two toppings on the pizza were corn and peas.

I missed out on the "chicken jello" as I didn't eat in the dining room that evening but I did get the lettuce salad with french fries and onion ring the first night. And those weer not the only toppings offered - there were lots of traditional toppings as well as some pretty off-beat combinations

here we find french fries and onion rings on a salad

how about peas and carrots pizza ...........

a photo of the infamous chicken jello

but note that I had several very good to great meals on the cruise and never felt hungry with the MSC food (I just do wish it was better).

But also realize that the food is about the only thing we have to complain about and so it seems that everyone is complaining about the food.

I am confident that this 'skewed population' would be less likely to complain than the mainstream folks who have booked non-chartered sailings.   Jam cruises are all about the music. Food, service, etc... all take second seat.

and you could not be more accurate in this impression. The management staff, security staff and even the chaplain commented on how few problems arise on jamcruise and just how happy everyone is. Jamcruise is like a family gathering for probably 1/2 to 2/3 of the crowd.

Please continue to check out our community as you will not find a friendlier more accepting group of people (but we sometimes do get a little defensive when faced with unfair or distorted perception - sorry about that but it is our human nature) and thank you for all the kind words.

We would love to see the types of programs we have put together for jamcruise be extended throughout the cruise industry - particularly the greening/recycling programs and the "Leaving a Legacy" excursions programs.

just a quick update here from the JamCruise recycling coordinator about the volumes that result from our cruise

Too bad not all cruises have aggressive recycling programs

John from the Green Team here. It's good to hear that people are open to can beer. It would really help our efforts to eliminate glass and use both PLA cups for the kegs and aluminum cans at the bars. I'm also a big fan of BIG beers, like the IPA and Stouts, but more and more are becoming available in a can, so we will do our best to get them on JC8.   And to answer the previous question - What is the volume of waste per passenger? The answer is staggering. On JC6 with 1,750 passengers, we collected 32,000 pounds of glass and 15,000 pounds of plastic and aluminum. That's almost 24 tons of recycled material total, so that turns out to be almost 27 pounds of recycled material per passenger. On JC7, we had 2,750 passengers and the waste per passenger came down a little due to more kegs on the pool deck with our Brews at Seas program.   About 5 pounds per person per day, which is more than double that we normally expect at a land-based music festival where ONLY kegs are used. Thanks for your help in improving our Greening efforts every year.

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