Katrina, Rita Changing Plans For Rick Braun's Cruise

With the looks of Hurricane Rita, it looks like there might be big changes for Rick Braun's upcoming cruise.

For now, we know that Hurricane Katrina has caused a few changes for the first-ever All Star Smooth Jazz Cruise, departing in November from Galveston, Texas. First, because the Carnival Elation ship scheduled to take passengers on the cruise was called into commission to help with relief efforts on the Gulf Coast, the Smooth Jazz Cruise will now use the Carnival Conquest. ship. The Elation, which normally operates out of Galveston, is taking over the cruise schedule of the Carnival Ecstasy, which is being used to house Katrina refugees and relief workers.

The Conquest, which is one of Carnival’s newest ships in its fleet, normally sails from New Orleans but will now temporarily sail from Galveston. Passengers booked on the cruise – which had scheduled to make ports of call in Cozumel, Belize Playa Del Carmen in Mexico, will now visit Cozumel, the Cayman Islands and Montego Bay in Jamaica.

The musical guest list remains unchanged – among the many artists performing on board the weeklong cruise beginning Nov. 12 will be Peter White, Mindi Abair, Brian Culbertson, Euge Groove, Joyce Cooling, Marion Meadows and Michael Lington.

If Galveston is spared the wrath of Rita, a pre-cruise concert on Nov. 11 will star Al Jarreau and Boney James.

For more information, you can go to www.allstarcruise.com.