Who would think you could hear country music on the high seas? The folks behind Country Music Cruise, sailing this week throughout the Caribbean, thought it just might work. Indeed it does, as StarVista LIVE, a trademark company that operates as part of Time Life, has sold out Holland America’s Eurodam for seven days of country music, autograph sessions and photo opportunities.
Duane Allen and Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys perform on The Country Music Cruise aboard the MS Eurodam.
The cruise, one of a number of popular music cruises these days, takes country fans from Miami to points in the Caribbean, including Nassau and St. Martin. About 2,000 people are on the cruise to listen to the Oak Ridge Boys, Charley Pride, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Lorrie Morgan, John Alexander, Martina McBride and Wade Hayes perform for just for them. As Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys told the audience, “This is all for you and we’re so happy you decided to join us today.”
Others on the cruise include Aaron Tippin, Daryl Worley, Johnny Lee, Bryan White, Brett Kissel, The Roys and Chuck Meade and His Grassy Knoll Boys. There are activities from morning to night, including Celebrity Bingo, dance parties, Cornhole Competition, Celebrity Mixology, cooking demonstrations, celebrity poker tournaments, and interviews with many of the celebrities on board. There is even an Elvis Tribute Night with Elvis with performers Mark Anthony, Stephen Freeman, Anthony Shore and Cliff Wright.
Willilam Lee Golden and Richard Sterban perform on the MS Eurodam during the Country Music Cruise
The shows include everything from main room performances to Songwriters-in-the-Round, acoustic sets and late night shows for those who haven’t had enough of the music before they go to bed. Comedian Jon Reep and DJ Reeder round out the entertainment, while Lorianne Crook of “Crook & Chase” acts as host. Deborah Evans Price, Dan Rogers and Dane Butcher interview various artists with question-and-answer sessions for fans.
Stops in Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Croix allow fans a break from th
e ship if they wish, with time totour those cities before they head back to the ship for more music and entertainment. Another stop, this one at Half Moon Cay, gives fans a stop at a private beach.
Promoters have already announced performers for the 2016 cruise, which include the Oak Ridge Boys and Randy Owen of Alabama. Many of the tickets for this cruise will sell before the Eurodam docks in Miami at the end of the cruise. To check out this cruise go to www.countrymusiccruise.com
Other ships who promote country music for their line is Carnival, which has its Carnival LIVE! concert series. This experience is mixed genres of music, with rock, R&B and country. Upcoming performers for them include Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, Styx and Smokey Robinson. Each performer comes onto the ship in certain ports and entertains the cruisers fortunate enough to buy tickets, then steps off the ship 
before it sails. Entertainers might do two or three shows in a row in this manner until the Carnival Ships who offer this series have passed through the port. For more information on this year’s concerts, go to www.carnival.com
For those who prefer hard-hitting rock’n roll, check out the Rock Legends Cruise, which runs from February 19-23. Among the performers on this cruise are The Doobie Brothers, Alice Cooper, The Marshall Tucker Band, Blue Oyster Cult, Uriah Heep and The Edgar Winter Band. Fans interested in this cruise, which is sold out for this year, can check out next year’s information at www.rocklegendscruise.com.