MIAMI – The first annual Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise broke new ground by captivating nearly 2400 passengers with an entire week of authentic reggae experiences aboard the Norwegian Pearl ship.
The cruise, which set sail from Miami on October 20 with stops in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Jamaica before its October 25 return, sold out within one month after it was announced. People came from all over the world. Even though the ship embarked from the United States, 44% of the passengers were international representing almost 50 different countries.
“There was such a unique blend of people. It meant a lot to see the music bring unity between such a diverse group of people,” observed Damian Marley.
Filled with jaw-dropping performances from reggae’s top artists to legendary jam sessions from world-renowned DJs and sound systems, Jamaican music was celebrated on every spectrum. From themed movie theater selections (Dancehall Queen, The Harder They Come and Third World Cop), to pick-up soccer (football) games, to poolside jerk chicken, the Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise also made sure to give passengers a slice of the island’s culture every day.
Watch video recap of what transpired on the 5-day voyage: https://sflcn.com/2014-welcome-to-jamrock-reggae-cruise/
“Nothing like this has ever been done on this scale in the reggae genre. Never before, have you been able to see legends of this level touch the stage for five straight days in such a contained intimate setting. One minute you are eating breakfast next to Sean Paul, then watching a soccer game with Christopher Ellis and Wayne Marshall. Later in the night, you are witnessing a 2-hour set from Bounty Killer, then an historical session with King Jammy’s, Shinehead and Damian Marley at 4 am. This is the only place to create these type of vibes, period,” states cruiser Maya Mitte.
On the main stage, Damian, Julian and Stephen represented the Marley family, as well as their label Ghetto Youths International, with solo performances from the entire crew including Jo Mersa, Wayne Marshall, Christopher Ellis and Black-Am-I. There were more live sets from legendary bands like the Wailing Souls and Morgan Heritage, multi-platinum pop stars like Shaggy and Sean Paul, roots reggae singers like Etana, Jah Cure and Tarrus Riley and dancehall’s biggest names like Busy Signal, Bounty Killer and Cham. On the last night, not even the rain could stop the vibes. Stephen “Ragga” Marley continued his set inside the Atrium and brought out all the artists still on the ship for a 3-hour freestyle session, arguably one of the most epic performances in the history of reggae.
Whether patrons wanted to hear dub, ’90s dancehall, roots or today’s hits, there was something for everyone from sunrise to sunset at the various clubs and stages on board and even on-land in Jamaica. Hailing from across the globe: London’s David Rodigan, Japan’s Mighty Crown, Los Angeles’ Dub Club, and Jamaica’s own Stone Love, Renaissance and King Jammy’s were some of the renowned sound systems and DJs that took over the decks throughout the night. Those who stayed up after midnight witnessed rare jam sessions with surprise performances from some of the artists on deck.
