Welcome to Jamrock cruise sails with party

Under ordinary circumstances, a cruise ship pulls away from the pier with a throb of engines and the blast of its horn. However, for the Norwegian Pearl's departure from Miami, USA, on Monday, there were additional sounds - the rumble of rockers from the Tahitian Pool Deck on the ship's level 12 as Razarella delivered the tunes and the squeals of delight from the crowd which received them rapturously.

The second Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise (WTJRC) got going Monday afternoon and, after five consecutive nights of live performances, as well as a sound clash, parties and Jamaican films, will again dock in Miami on Saturday, December 5. There, a second group of reggae cruisers will come on board for another WTJRC run for 2015.

The current cruise docks in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios before returning to Miami.

Razarella moved easily between the spiritual and matters of the heart as he engaged a willing audience in the sail- away party, asking for the hands of support for Luciano's Lord Give Me Strength, as well as Love and Affection, My Princess Gone and a Richie Spice double; the first proclaiming the presence of "a whole barrage of righteous youth man" and the other declaring "earth a run red".

Using effective speech to precede his selections, Razarella had the lovelorn women singing to Tanya Stephens' It's a Pity. The floating hotel moved down the waterway along a line of skyscrapers on land and out to open sea to Dennis Brown's Here I Come and Garnet Silk's Complaint. By the time the Norwegian Pearl was well into open waters, Jah Bouks was singing to Angola.

big screen

Still, the reggae experience had started long before the official sail-away party. When guests were coming on board shortly after 1 p.m., the sounds and sights of Buju Banton and Sizzla were on big screen in the reception area on level seven where the reggae cruisers boarded. While the sail-away party was on, the ship's PA system was in reggae mode with Sizzla's Black Woman and Child.

There were many Marley and 'Welcome to Jamrock', T-shirts; as well as red, gold and green attire to support an enhanced Jamaican music and culture experience.

Monday night's live performances in the main area were slated to feature Protoje, Morgan Heritage, Maxi Priest and Stephen Marley, followed by Stone Love Movements, with Kingston 12 in The Atrium. On Tuesday night, Christopher Ellis, Tanya Stephens, Ky-mani Marley and Tarrus Riley were set to perform, followed by Saxon sound system, with Stone Love in The Atrium.

During the day, the movies Sun Dog, Countryman and Third World Cop were scheduled to be shown, this after a Walkerswood Jerk BBQ starting at noon.