Everything is bigger in Texas, including the country music scene. And starting in February, one vessel sailing from Galveston, Texas, will feature a host of musical performances to bring a splash of country tunes to the Caribbean.
Taking place on Princess Cruisesโ 3,560-passenger Regal Princess, which recently completed emergency repairs that forced several cancellations at the end of 2024, the special series is offered in collaboration with the Academy of Country Music (ACM).
โACM Live from the Red Barrel Loungeโ will be featured on six Caribbean voyages departing from the Gulf of Mexico port between February 9 and March 17, 2025, and will bring some of countryโs music brightest emerging stars to the high seas.
The artists will offer two 45-minute shows in the intimate setting of the state-of-the-art Princess Theater, located on the vesselโs Fiesta Deck and accommodating just under 1,000 guests.
Each artist will also participate in Meet & Greet sessions, offering passengers closer connection to the music they love.
โWeโre thrilled to partner with the Academy of Country Music to showcase the incredible talent of these rising stars,โ said Princess Cruisesโ Head of Global Entertainment Becky Thomson Foley.
โMany of our guests are passionate about country music, and this unique experience featuring intimate performances and meet-and-greet opportunities, promises to make their cruise vacation unforgettable,โ she said.
Country Roots at Sea
The Red Barrel Lounge is a nod to the historic Red Barrel Niteclub, where the first So-Cal Country Music Awards Banquet, the precursor to the Academy of Country Musicโs Awards, was hosted in 1963.
Today, the ACM is headquartered in Nashville and still features the Red Barrel Lounge as a platform for established and emerging artists.
The concert series aboard the 142,229-gross-ton Regal Princess โ the largest Princess Cruisesโ vessel to sail from Galveston โ will honor the legacy of ACM by providing passengers with unique personal interactions and live entertainment.
Performances will take place on two roundtrip itinerary options.
The longest, an 8-night Western Caribbean sailing, stops in Belize City, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Mexicoโs Costa Maya and Cozumel, interspersed with three days at sea. The shorter voyage, at 6 nights in length, calls in Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Roatan.
Kicking off the series, Drew Baldridge, known for his viral hit โSheโs Somebodyโs Daughter,โ will take the stage from February 9 to 17, 2025.
Following Baldridge, the trio Chapel Hart, who made their mark on Americaโs Got Talent, will bring their blend of Mississippi roots and Louisiana spunk to Regal Princess.
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Performances by the group consisting of Danica and Devynn Hart alongside Trea Swindle will include the bandโs hit โYou Can Have Him Jolene,โ and will be the feature of the vesselโs February 17 through 23 voyage.
Kentucky-native, Hannah Ellis, recognized by Rolling Stone Country as an โArtist to Watch,โ will join the shipโs February 23 to March 3 journey, where passengers will get to hear hits from her acclaimed debut album, โThat Girl.โ
The ACM New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year sister duo, Tigirlily Gold, hailing from North Dakota and known for โI Tried a Ring On,โ will perform during the subsequent March 3 to 9 cruise.
They will be followed by Kentuckyโs own Kelsey Hart, who will bring gospel-inspired tunes to the March 9 to 17 sailing.
The concert series will close on the March 9 to 17 adventure, with Kameron Marlowe performing his soulful tunes, including the gold certified โGiving You Up.โ