by Sandy Daley:

Mikey Spice, host Sandy Daley and Freddy McGregor enjoy the festivities!

All aboard! The 13th annual Four Season’s Party Cruise sailed from the shores of Miami on thanksgiving week with Freddie McGregor, Marcia Griffiths, Mikey Spice, Dwight Pickney , Dj Carlton and tons of music lovers on board who were ready to have fun and frolic on the high seas. With day stops in Grand Cayman, Isla Roatan, Belize and Cozumel, the Carnival Valor – which holds over three thousand people on board, with casinos, bars and clubs to delight each guest – lived up to all its promises and then some.

Bare Esssential Band show why they were so essential

After each day trip to a different island/country, the party was then back on the ship with the Four Seasons group hosting a party each night to surprise and delight each guest that had booked specifically with them. Even other guests who had not booked through the group was begging to party with us.

Dwight Pickney, with his smooth grooves and melodic sounds, opened up the festivities on Sunday night to welcome everyone on board. DJ Carlton , with his energetic demeanor and magical fingers on the one’ and two’s, then took over during the day as everyone, including myself, moved to the Electric Slide as the ship rocked from side to side.

Reggae Queen, Marcia Griffiths, a surprise addition to the festivities, wooed the crowd with her old and new tunes on Tuesday night. Mickey Spice also took to the stage that night and could not help but jam on her set as well.

Then came the night of all nights with “Mr. Big Ship” Freddie McGregor, who took to the mike on the Friday night and who vowed not to leave until his shirt tail got wet. From “Big Ship Sailing on the Ocean,” “To Be poor Is A Crime,” to all his lovers rocked tunes and special requested songs from the crowd, Freddy was in charge and tore the place down. Backed by the energetic and dynamic Bare Essentials Band from Jamaica, the party went on and on and did not stop.

Party Goers Look band form group, even though dem just meet one another!

When the ship docked in Miami on its final day, needless to say, we are all teary eyed as we realized that we would be leaving each other to go back to our regular everyday lives. As the buses rolled back to Atlanta, the planes headed back to Toronto, Jamaica, Yellowknife and other parts of the world, we all wondered if we had actually all dreamed this vacation of a Lifetime. Guess there will be next year!