Lorraine Jordan and Julie King have agreed to send along a bluegrass travelogue this week from the First Quality Bluegrass Cruise, underway now in the Caribbean. To read all of their reports, just follow this link.
The First Quality Bluegrass Cruise is almost over. As I type, we are rounding the corner of Cuba, heading for Cape Canaveral, set to disembark at 8:00 a.m. Saturday. For some, its back to the norm, for others, they wonder if they’ll have a home when we reach America. For others, like the James King Band, its another day at work.
Last night’s entertainment was brought to you by our host band, The Bluegrass Mountaineers, along with Karl Shifflett & Big Country Bluegrass, Tim Graves, Wayne Henderson, and Goldwing Express. Today, Lorraine Jordan kicks off the show at 1:00 p.m. Tonight will be a ‘band scramble,’ which is always entertaining.
And like the first day at sea, there is so much to do on board. This ship has eight outdoor jacuzzis surrounding the exterior of the ship, so it’s oceanside, no matter which side of the ship you’re on. Every service and shop is having a sale today.
Then there is the monster slide on the top of the ship, that James and I will conquer today. The latest Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, Chipwrecked, shows the slide in detail, and if Alvin can do it, so can we. If water sports isn’t your game, there is a basketball court, tennis court, and bingo everyday. There is a 30 foot outdoor movie screen on the Lido deck, playing a different movie everyday/night. And who would pass on 24-hour free room service? All this, and bluegrass music too!
Again, special thanks to Larry and Lisa Efaw for allowing all of us to take bluegrass to another level. We’ve entertained many that has never heard the genre, but had to stop by after passing the concert room. We’ve had the opportunity to meet new people, make new fans, spend quality time with those we see on a weekly basis, and spread bluegrass music to foreign lands.
We also consider this year’s bluegrass cruise a huge success, and look forward to many more to come.
I’ve included a couple pictures from yesterday in Costa Maya. The port was brief, but still had time for a few pictures and some shopping.
One final blog when we reach land will wrap up our journey. Thank you John Lawless, and Bluegrasstoday.com for allowing us to share this rare opportunity with other bluegrassers around the world.
Ahoy Mates,
Julie King
