Not to back track, but my “moment” on Best Cruise Ever came last night. There have been countless times on this sailing where I’ve just been amazed at what’s happening around me. Whether it’s a fan/artist interaction, a kick ass show or a new seating plan coming together flawlessly, they’re all awesome. But my favorite has to be in the Paris Lounge last night during Shinedown’s show. In that venue, we have a section reserved for friends and family of the band to enjoy the show, giving them a comfortable place to sit, while doing our best to keep the “VIP”ness limited and under the radar. Similar to our guests are coming aboard for a vacation, we love to invite our artists to have their families and friends join them to get a little mini vacay out of it themselves. During this particular show we had a booth reserved for Lifehouse and a few other bands. The show got started and the section began to fill up. Shinedown was bringing the roof down, almost literally. Out of all of the past Sixthman events I have been a part of, it may have been the most insane show I’ve seen in that room. They made a room of 1000 people seem like they were playing to a crowd of 50,000. The energy was there, the crowd was into it and the band was playing their heart out.

So you might think that was my “moment”, and it is probably a close 2nd, but a brief conversation with a member of Lifehouse, just put the icing on my Best Cruise Ever cake. Lifehouse showed up during the 3rd or 4th song and took a seat in the booth we had reserved for them. By the end of the 4th song I felt a little tap on my shoulder and it was one of the guys asking if they could go downstairs into the huge crowd of guests. I was a little stunned but “yes! Of course you can go down there!” The whole band piled out and ran down the steps into a massive crowd. They didn’t look for a VIP section, or the front row, they just climbed into the group and found a place alongside their new friends, and enjoyed being a fan for once. I know this might seem like a tiny moment, and one not felt by many. But I can tell you that the look on those guests faces when they looked over to see Lifehouse rocking out with them to one of their favorite bands was priceless and unforgettable. We talk a lot about Sixthman tearing down the walls between artists and their fans but seeing an artist do it themselves was as refreshing and inspiring. And my Best Moment Ever on the Best Cruise Ever.

See you on land tomorrow. Can’t wait to share the rest of these stories we’ve made!

Melissa