The Greatest Party at Sea!
Since 2004, The Smooth Jazz Cruise has been the gold standard, not only for jazz cruises, but for all theme and music charter cruises. During its 30+ sailings, more than 60,000 guests have experienced this amazing music cruise vacation and more than 17,500 of them have sailed four or more times.
The cruise, which has earned the title of “The Greatest Party at Sea,” transports everyone to a place of true camaraderie, inclusion and respect. The guests motivate the musicians, who, in turn, up their game to further excite the guests. This upward spiral continues for 7 days and 7 nights, resulting in an immersive music and cultural experience that has created life-changing relationships among guests, musicians and staff. For musicians and guests alike, sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise is the highlight of their year in music. Every year!
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 takes the luxury experience to the next level, offering not only our signature rich musical experiences onboard , but also an array of glamorous and exciting “in port” excursions and events.
UNRIVALED MUSIC EXPERIENCE
Unparalleled presentation and production of the music is our hallmark and there are more top stars in this genre on the ship than on any cruise or at any festival in the world.
Our two music hosts, Marcus Miller and Boney James, command the respect of all guests, along with our ‘26 headliners, Brian Culbertson, Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Bernie Williams, Tower of Power and WAR. The hosts and headliners are joined by very talented featured performers, three incredible bands and the amazing talents of DW3. Music Director Eric Marienthal serves as the creator and coordinator of the music events and we top it off with Alonzo Bodden, the funniest man on the planet, serving as our comic/host.
EXCITING DESTINATIONS & EXCURSIONS
The itinerary for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, with its extended stays in exciting ports-of-call, offers Jazz Cruises the opportunity to provide land-based excursions with the same degree of excellence that we present with our onboard events. We have curated various excursion options for you to enjoy that both enhance and embrace your love of jazz and the jazz experience and lifestyle while we’re in port.
DAYTIME ENTERTAINMENT
On most cruises, a Day at Sea is a time for a good book and a nap. You may do that on The Smooth Jazz Cruise, but you would be missing special interviews, Artist-Hosted Events, pool parties, lunch events and, of course, great music. Daytime music shows may be presented in any of the music venues (The Theatre, Rendezvous Lounge or Sky Lounge). Special shows may also be seen and heard on the pool deck or in The Cosmopolitan Restaurant, the main dining room of the ship. Daytime music shows are presented on a first-come, first-served basis.
NIGHTLY MAIN SHOWS
Each night we present Main Shows in The Theatre. Each show is performed twice, sometimes on the same night, sometimes on alternate days. Doing so ensures that every guest may attend each Main Show. At the time of their reservation, each Guest chose to attend either the 1st or 2nd Main Show each evening. Guests attending the 1st Show (starting around 5:30 PM), enjoy dinner after the show. The other half of the guests dine first and then attend the 2nd Show (starting around 8:45 PM). Guest’s show selection is confirmed by the color of their Cruise Identification Card (BLUE – 1st Show / RED – 2nd Show).
CRUISING AFTER DARK
Jazz Cruises’ programs are renowned for special late-night entertainment called “Cruising After Dark.” Starting around 10:30 PM, the entire ship will be alive with music, parties, comedy, dancing and much more. Besides concerts in The Theatre and Sky Lounge, The Cosmopolitan Restaurant is seamlessly converted to a lovely late-night, cabaret-style venue. The Rendezvous Lounge becomes a “party” spot that features dancing, karaoke, silent disco, special drinking games, cool food selections and revelry until the wee hours of the morning. Cruise Director Mario Vines and our favorite DJ patrol the Rendezvous Lounge making it fun for all.
Ports of call
On most cruises, once the ship docks in port, guests are either free to make their own way for the hours docked or can elect to purchase various excursion options offered by the cruise line. In the case of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, Jazz Cruises, A Signature Cruise Experience Company, has undertaken to develop and curate various excursion options that you can enjoy that both enhance and embrace your love of jazz and the jazz experience and lifestyle.
In creating these excursions and events, Jazz Cruises has retained the services of several experts in the field. Please know that to ensure that the prices for these excursions are as low as possible, Jazz Cruises will not receive any compensation or reimbursement for any of its costs for designing and executing the events. Further, to the extent possible, representatives of Jazz Cruises will be present at the events, again without compensation from the sale of tickets or fees.
victoria, bc
The city of Victoria is a delightful historical destination with a long maritime heritage. The capital of British Columbia, it’s known as “the Garden City” for its many well-manicured green spaces, like the massive Beacon Hill Park. The history on display is a respectful mix of First Nations and European settlers, with iconic landmarks like Craigdarroch Castle and the British Columbia Parliament Buildings from one and the world’s tallest free-standing totem pole from the other.
Victoria has a rugged seafront, one of North America’s oldest Chinatown districts and a snow-free climate, giving the city a broad appeal. Downtown, you’ll find great nightlife, regular festivals and events and a wide choice of restaurants, with a special focus on farm-to-table freshness. It’s also right by the docks, where you can enjoy the very popular whale watching tours. While in Victoria, Jazz Cruises will provide a range of culinary tours, sightseeing excursions, and, of course, a special concert while in port.
san francisco, ca
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 arrives in San Francisco on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 7 AM (local) and departs on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 6 PM (local). While in San Francisco, The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 will present the customary amazing concerts and shows onboard that Jazz Cruises has produced for 25 years. However, each day, guests will have several excursion or event options which they can reserve. Guests can choose from a variety of experiences, including luxurious wine tours to Napa and Sonoma vineyards, culinary adventures in San Francisco’s renowned dining areas, concerts at the iconic SF JAZZ, sightseeing excursions, and a chartered ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train.
Of course, guests are welcome to set their own pace and spend the time as they wish. Further, there are several established tours and events that our guests may select. What is different about our visit as compared to a typical stop in San Francisco are the Special Events/Excursions that Jazz Cruises has created and will produce.