Want to holiday with Jools Holland & Jamie Cullum? There’s a cruise for that

Get ready for an incredible musical lineup on Cunard ship Queen Victoria in 2025! Two of Britain’s jazz stalwarts, Jools Holland OBE and Jamie Cullum, are set to bring their extraordinary talents to the high seas.

This announcement follows Cunard’s tradition of partnering with music legends – you might remember Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s spectacular performance at Queen Anne’s naming ceremony in Liverpool this June.

Katie McAlister, Cunard’s President, shared her excitement: “At Cunard, we take pride in curating unique and unforgettable experiences for our guests, and we can’t wait to welcome the extraordinary Jools Holland OBE and Jamie Cullum aboard Queen Victoria in 2025. Their incredible talent, showcased in the elegant surroundings of the Royal Court Theatre, will make these sailings truly unforgettable.”

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How to cruise with Jools Holland

As we head into the New Year, here’s something special to look forward to: a Jools Holland cruise! The musician [above, right] will be joining an eight-night Mediterranean adventure from Southampton to Civitavecchia, Rome. Setting sail on May 4 and returning on May 12, 2025, this voyage promises to be something truly special.

If you’ve ever watched Later with Jools Holland or remember his Squeeze days, you’ll know what a treat you’re in for – he’ll be performing two shows in the ship’s Royal Court Theatre [above, left], bringing his extensive repertoire of hits to life at sea.

Where does the Jools Holland Cunard cruise go?

Food lovers will relish the journey’s stops in some of Spain and Italy’s most delicious destinations. You can explore Seville from Cadiz, venture to Granada from Malaga, and sample some excellent Rioja and tapas in beautiful Majorca.

Jools himself is thrilled about the upcoming performances: “I am incredibly excited about performing on Queen Victoria next year, especially as we’ll be sailing around such a beautiful part of the world,” he shared. “Playing on a luxury cruise ship is a new experience for me and one that I’m sure will be a lot of fun. I want my shows to be uplifting events and I hope guests on board leave the theatre with a renewed love of jazz music.”

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Who is Jools Holland?

Meet Jools Holland OBE DL – born Julian Miles Holland on January 24, 1958, in Blackheath, South East London. By age eight, he was already playing piano by ear, and as a teenager, he was lighting up pubs across South East London and the East End Docks with his performances.

His big break came at just 15 when he joined Squeeze, connecting with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Soon after, drummer Gilson Lavis, who’d played with the likes of B.B. King, Chuck Berry and Max Wall, joined the band. Fun fact: Jools and Gilson are still making music together today!

Squeeze quickly shot to fame with hits like Up The Junction and Cool For Cats, winning fans on both sides of the Atlantic. They even played the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York – not bad for a bunch of lads from London!

In 1987, Jools decided to start something new: The Jools Holland Big Band, initially just himself and Gilson Lavis. Fast forward to today, and it’s evolved into the impressive 19-piece Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra: Jools on piano and organ, Gilson on drums, three female vocalists, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, a baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and three trombones. Now that’s what you call a proper orchestra!

How to cruise with Jamie Cullum

Not content with one hugely famous musical wonder in its roster, Cunard is also giving guests the chance to sail with Britain’s best-selling jazz artist! Jamie Cullum [above, left], who you might know from BBC Radio 2, will be joining Queen Victoria for a spectacular 13-night Atlantic Islands voyage. Departing from Southampton on April 21, 2025, this MOBO Award-winner will be performing his biggest hits, including favourites from his breakthrough album Twentysomething.

Where does the Jamie Callum Cunard cruise go?

Cunard’s springtime adventure will take you to some fab destinations, too: Madeira, Tenerife, La Palma, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and the beautiful city of Cadiz (with optional tours to Seville).

Jamie’s clearly excited about the upcoming voyage, commenting: “I’m very much looking forward to performing for guests on board Queen Victoria in the spring. It’s been many years since I performed on a cruise ship – it’s a time that holds many great memories. There’s something unique about the whole experience, playing music whilst at sea. My band and I promise everyone a fantastic night.”

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Who is Jamie Cullum?

Jamie Cullum is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who’s famous for blending jazz, pop and rock into something entirely his own. His major label debut Twentysomething wasn’t just successful – it became one of the UK’s all-time best-selling albums, selling millions of copies.

Jamie’s the kind of artist who’s done it all: he’s performed in over forty countries, rocked major festivals like Glastonbury, Coachella and Fuji Rock in Japan, and even played for President Barack Obama at The White House and Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Not too shabby!

What’s remarkable about Jamie is how he’s kept his enthusiasm fresh after all these years. Besides releasing nine studio albums, he’s become a beloved radio presenter, hosting his BBC Radio 2 show for over fourteen years. In more than 750 episodes, he’s chatted with such music royalty as Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Paul Simon and Norah Jones, while also championing rising stars like Laura Mvula, Gregory Porter, Ezra Collective and Laufey.

Jamie’s all about collaboration – whether he’s performing live, working in the studio, or supporting charitable causes. His fellow musicians hold him in high regard, and he’s particularly proud of winning the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song – one of the highest honours a songwriter can receive.

Looking ahead, Jamie’s got big plans for 2025. He’ll be touring Europe and dropping a new studio album – perfect timing to catch him on Queen Victoria!