With so much happening, the week flew by as it always does, and in a blink, we were starting the final day of our cruise with Aldo Nova in the theater before heading out to catch another Wig Wam show on the pool stage (this time in the sunshine).
And for the first time on the entire cruise, I took a walk across the top deck and enjoyed the views of the Nassau while heading to the Manhattan room for a killer show from Cold Sweat. The band featured the original line-up with only one substitution, Roy Cathy on lead vocals, Marc Ferari and Erik Gamans on guitars, and Anthony White on drums with bassist Jake Tripp filling in for Chris McLernon.
Next, I headed to the Observation Lounge next as a back-up photographer for a surprise engagement party. I wasn’t needed after all but was honored that Tony Higbee trusted me with his secret. I wish him and Tiffanie the best. And, as it turned out, I ended up hanging with some pretty cool people before rushing off to catch some shots of Winger on the pool deck. It’s hard to accept that they will be saying farewell to touring. I certainly have taken in more than my fair share of Winger shows over the years, and look forward to seeing them again at the M3 Rock Festival next month!
I’ve gotta say that one of the best parts of the show was when I ventured back for a side view of the stage to capture Rod Morgenstein in action and stumbled into a selfie moment with Howie Simon (who was filling in for John Roth) posing with my friends from Aldo Nova’s band. But there was quite the a-list hanging out for that show and I was sure to snag as many photos as I could.
Next up was the final Eclipse show of the cruise, which was moved from the theater to the Atrium to offer more of an island vibe as it was an acoustic show. While the move made for a hectic evening, I was able to stick around to hear Jeff Scott Soto join the band for some W.E.T. as he seemed to be jumping around just as much as I was that night having just joined Winger for “Miles Away” and later hopping up on stage with Nerd Halen and Michael Schenker! And it was a very cool vibe, making each of the three shows unique. In fact, bassist Victor Crusner even sang that night.
Made it to the pools stage just in time for Extreme but was quite disappointed with the lighting (and in some cases sound hiccups early on). It was quite fun watching Gary Cherone scale the tower of speakers that night, and taking in the view from behind the kit with Kevin as always. And, as hard as it was to tear myself away from an Extreme show, nothing was going to keep me from seeing the entire Vandenberg set this time. So, I was soon off to the theater for round two!
Vandenberg’s band certainly had their challenges coming into the cruise, and while they missed the photo experience this year, both shows were amazing as ever. Being a fan of his solo work, I did miss hearing some of those deeper cuts, but no complaints about a heavy focus on the Whitesnake years because that’s what made me a fan to begin with.
And, as a proud owner of a vintage Peavey Vandenberg custom guitar, I was over the moon at the chance to check out his new model and to catch up with the band to snap such a great photo after the show. The guys were especially sweet to send me off with an autographed drumstick for my daughter who met them last year but couldn’t make the cruise (and yes, mom is a little jealous of that special souvenir).
Heading back to my cabin to refresh and ditch most of my equipment before venturing out for more fun, I ran into our security crew who were looking to take a group photo, and was happy to assist. These guys work so very hard every year to keep us all safe and to keep things running smoothly. Much love and respect to them all!
While I had fully intended to get to Nerd Halen in time for anyone who may show up, I did sadly miss Nuno’s performance with the band, but I was in time to catch honorary nerd Jeff Scott Soto on stage. These guys really made the evening fun, and kept us laughing and got our adrenaline pumping before heading off to Michael Schenker in the theater, and the customary farewell karaoke party with the show-stopping “We Are the World” performance.
Check out our coverage from the pre-party, sail away, first day at sea, and day anchored at Great Stirrup Cay, as well as our initial docking at Nassau. And, be sure to follow us on social for more photos from the boat. The next sailing is scheduled for April 12-17, 2026 our of Miami with stops at Puerto Plata and Great Stirrup Cay and we are already counting the days!
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Live Photos by Editor and founder Kara Marie Uhrlen for The Pure Rock Shop. Posted on 4/9/2025.