THE ELVIS CRUISE Aug. 28-Sept. 1 from New Orleans; theelviscruise.com, (800) 704-3034. Ship: Carnival Fantasy Artists: Elvis impersonators and the TCB Band, the Imperials, the Dempseys, Ronnie McDowell, Terry Mike Jeffrey & Band, Andy Childs, Ruby Wilson Prices: Start at $799 per person, double occupancy, plus fees, taxes, port charges

LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE Oct. 5-12 from San Diego; bluescruise.com; (888) 258-3746. Ship: Holland America Ryndam Artists: Etta James, Dr. John, Los Lobos, Koko Taylor, Elvin Bishop, Tommy Castro, Marcia Ball, Kenny Neal, Leon Blue Prices: Start at $1,800 for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

THE DAVE KOZ CRUISE Nov. 2-9 from Fort Lauderdale; davekozcruise.com; (877) 328-3569. Ship: Holland America Westerdam Artists: Dave Koz, Eric Benet, Alonzo Bodden, Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler, George Duke, Deniece Williams, Eugee Groove, Arlington Jones, more Prices: Start at $1,700 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

THE JAZZ CRUISE Nov. 9-16 from Fort Lauderdale; thejazzcruise.com; (800) 762-6737. Ship: Holland America Westerdam Artists: Ernie Adams, Pete Barbutti, Greg Fishman, Wycliffe Gordon, Eddie Higgins, Tom Kennedy, Jay Lionhart, Laura McDonald, Ken Peplowski, Claudio Roditi, Dena DeRose, Judy Roberts, Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, Ricky Woodard and more. Prices: Start at $1,600 for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

BIG BAND WESTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE Dec. 3-12 from San Juan; (800) 666-9333; msccruisesusa.com Ship: MSC Lirica Artists: Les DeMerle Big Band with vocalist Bonnie Eisele Prices: Start at $599 per person for a double, plus taxes, fees, port charges

ULTIMATE TRIBUTE CRUISE Jan. 4-11, 2009, from Fort Lauderdale; cruisingtomusic.com; (800) 760-5407 Ship: Costa Fortuna Artists: Tribute acts covering the music of Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears Prices: Start at $799 per person, double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

SIMPLE MAN CRUISE Jan. 8-12, 2009, from Miami; simplemancruise.com; (877) 749-8462 Ship: Carnival Destiny Artists: Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Marshall Tucker Band, Pat McGee Band Prices: Start at $549 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

THE ROCK BOAT IX Jan. 17-22, 2009, from Miami, therockboat.com; (877) 749-8462 Ship: Carnival Destiny Artists: Sister Hazel, David Ryan Harris, Gaelic Storm, Hanson, Michael Tolcher, Zac Brown Band, Alternate Routes Prices: Start at $699 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE Jan. 18-25, 2009, from Fort Lauderdale; thesmoothjazzcruise.com; (877) 330-5299 Ship: Holland America Westerdam Artists: Wayman Tisdale, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Gerald Albright, Jonathan Butler, Tom Braxton, Peabo Bryson, Jeff Golub, Euge Groove, Everette Harp, Jeff Lorber, Brian Simpson, John Stoddart Prices: Start at $1,700 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

LET'S GO BLUESIN' Jan. 24-31, 2009, from Fort Lauderdale; bluescruise.com; (888) BLUES-IN. Ship: Holland America Eurodam Artists: Taj Mahal, Etta James, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers, John Hammond Prices: Starts at $1,300 for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

SMOOTH MUSIC CRUISE Jan. 31-Feb. 5, 2009, from Miami; smoothmusiccruise.com; (877) 529-9729 Ship: Celebrity Century Artists: Norman Brown, Nick Colionne, Boney James, more Prices: Start at $999 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

SHIPS AND DIP V Feb. 1-6, 2009, from Miami; shipsanddip.com; (877) 749- 8462 Ship: Norwegian Jewel Artists: Barenaked Ladies, Great Big Sea, Boothby Graffoe, Butterfly Boucher and more Prices: Start at $849 for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

BIG BAND WESTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE Feb. 22-March 3, 2009, from Fort Lauderdale; (800) 666-9333; msccruises.com. Ship: MSC Lirica Artists: Les DeMerle Big Band with vocalist Bonnie Eisele Prices: Start at $899 per person for a double, plus taxes, fees, port charges

CAYAMO, A JOURNEY THROUGH SONG Feb. 28-March 7, 2009, from Miami; cayamo.com; (877) 749-8462. Ship: Norwegian Dawn Artists: Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Joe Ely and more Prices: Start at $1,109 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

PLAYBOY JAZZ CRUISE Jan. 25-Feb. 1, 2009, from Fort Lauderdale; playboyjazzcruise.com; (888) 852-9987. Ship: Holland America Westerdam Artists: Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Keb' Mo', Poncho Sanchez, James Moody and more Prices: Start at $1,700 per person for a double, plus fees, taxes, port charges

MAYERCRAFT CARRIER March 27-31, 2009, from Long Beach, Ca.; mayercraftcarrier.com; (877) SIXTH-MAN Ship: Carnival Splendor Artists: John Mayer, David Ryan Harris, Brian Reynolds Prices: Start at $849 per person for a double, plus taxes, fees and port charges

Somewhere in the Caribbean between Mexico and Grand Cayman, folk and country stars Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin sing backup vocals for singer and guitarist Buddy Miller.

I'm 25 feet away, curled up on a sun-kissed lounge chair on the rum-punched pool deck of a huge cruise ship. I can't believe my eyes -- or my ears. But there they are, singing and swaying with the rolling ship. Me? I'm living a music lover's fantasy.

This cruise -- dubbed "Cayamo: A Journey Through Song" by its promoters -- lured nearly 2,000 passengers to drop at least $849 a piece, double occupancy, to spend seven days on board the Carnival Victory to hear nearly nonstop performances from a eclectic mix of musicians. This February cruise featured Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Edwin McCain, Brandi Carlile, Shawn Mullins, Earl Klugh and a half-dozen other bands in addition to Harris, Griffin, Colvin and Miller.

We signed on for the music, not the cruise line or the ship or the stops or the excursions. For us, the meals and stopovers in Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios were mere intermissions in a spectacular music fest.

It made for a remarkably intimate experience. We saw Lyle Lovett in a lounge that held about 300 people. We chatted in the cafeteria lunch line with singer-songwriter John Hiatt and his wife, watched Shawn Colvin do battle (and not too successfully) at the blackjack tables and critiqued the quality of the soft-serve ice cream with singer Brandi Carlile.

Missed the boat? Not to worry; there are plenty of other tune cruises on the horizon -- part of the ever-growing trend of theme cruises aimed a luring an audience with a particular passion.

And if you love music, you can choose from symphony to opera to blues, jazz, rock, country and pop. There's even the Elvis Cruise, aptly held on a Carnival ship called the Fantasy.