Welcome to the web site of The Jazz Cruise, the first and only full-ship charter in the world dedicated solely to straight ahead jazz. I am Anita E. Berry and I have dedicated more than 20 years to bringing jazz music to the high seas.

The passion began more than two decades ago when, as a travel agent, I assembled groups to sail on Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Jazz Cruises. Back then, our growing “group” shared the ship with other passengers and never made up more than half of the ship’s roster. I worked hard promoting my wildly successful program and learned all aspects of cruise administration including selection of musicians, ports of call and other vital aspects.

In 1999, when NCL announced they were dropping their theme cruises, I took the guest list I’d been developing for ten years and set out to realize my dream of a full-ship charter dedicated solely to jazz. Our first sailing in October 2001 was a sellout charter cruise with 1254 passengers on Holland America’s m/s Maasdam. Our recent fall cruise on a with 1842 guests.

Given the popularity and exciting energy of The Jazz Cruise, my sons Michael, Bob and Dick have joined me, adding their thoughts, ideas and onboard energies to The Jazz Cruise. Michael works as Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, Dave Koz and Friends at Sea, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, and our newest edition to the family - The Playboy Jazz Cruise.

The Jazz Cruise is defined, first and foremost, by its music. Every year we have brought our guests the finest musicians, vocalists and performers in the world of straight ahead jazz. This has inspired The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame, a living tribute to those who have made The Jazz Cruise what it is today.

Explore and enjoy this web site. Get all the details on our November 9 – November 16, 2008 cruise aboard the V-class m/s Westerdam which will sail from Fort Lauderdale, to the ever-popular and exotic ports of Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Belize. We invite guests old and new to join us and urge you to sign up before this wonderful week of fun and music is sold out. The world of The Jazz  awaits you.

The Jazz Cruise is dedicated to providing guests with morning-to-night, straight ahead jazz music in exceptional venues as they indulge in all the other attributes of cruising including fine dining, recreational activities and exciting ports of call.

Other than the time we are in port, every hour is filled with music or related activities. Like jazz, the mood is laid back, with no tickets, no lining up for seats and no identification cards. Musical “grazing” is encouraged as some evenings there is music in four or five venues at a time. Immerse yourself in jazz and appreciate our “listening room” concept where music is the star and conversations and distractions are strongly discouraged.

Meet the musicians behind the instruments during our popular “Conversation with the Stars.” These onboard panel discussions in intimate groups of ten offer everyone special insights into the jazz world. The Jazz Cruise also sponsors CD sales and signing sessions with individual musicians. Guests can purchase a musician’s latest music, share a word and collect an autograph knowing that 100% of sales go directly to the artist.

Although music is the main event on The Jazz Cruise, guests also delight in luxurious accommodations, exotic ports-of-call, exciting parties, fine food and outstanding service. Every sailing features a comedian, special parties and at least one costume or themed late night blow-out. So come aboard The Jazz Cruise and be our guest for a week of fun, festivity, fine dining and fabulous straight ahead jazz.