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There are few times when I feel like I've died and gone to fete heaven, and this one takes the cake!! It's BOOZE CRUISE people! The one fete where if you don't have a ticket, you find yourself willing to give up your first born child for (it true!). Carnival babies take note, if you plan on going to this fete you must, and we repeat, must find yourself a ticket EARLY!! We're talkin' early January because of the high demand. Now if you've never been, or cannot secure a ticket, don't feel no way. As Alex Jordan (BBC 1Xtra) said to this year's cruisers at the end of the ride, "Please don't tell anyone else about the cruise, because there's NO MORE ROOM!!" And as we always say, if you never experienced flying 1st class, then you really have no clue what you missing! So on this extremely hot and sunny day in BIM, the TJJ fam was all together and jammin' as one ... we work hard you know!!

From the moment you step inside The Boatyard you are greeted by warm pan music, snow cones, corn soup and the ever important coconut man waiting to wet your appetite for what lies ahead. Surrounded by beautiful people, with ladies dressed in their bikini best, we boarded the MV Harbour Master happily, drinks in hand! But wait, what is this, Rum Punch on tap on the boat?! Clearly whoever throws this fete knew who I was, and what I liked! You know it's a good Rum Punch when it's so strong it makes you cough slightly. Minutes after 10AM, the boat left the dock and we were surrounded by beautiful, clear blue waters and talk about chunes! I don't think I sat down once. I was wining so much that I forgot to eat and my sis Marie had to come up to the top of the boat and shove a piece of chicken in my face. Thank you by the way, that chicken was boss! Of course, reports were all positive for the steak and fish lunches as well.

We docked after lunch and I was the first one in the water! Barbados, you now have my heart in terms of best beaches ever!!! I could have bathed all day had I not had another hankering for some Rum Punch, so I chipped back on the boat and found my Grenada massive with flags, big and small, in hand. Now you know it's not Booze Cruise without a show, and they most certainly provided! First up was Stabby De Guard (Spin Pooch Ink) with perhaps one of the most popular tunes for this year's Crop Over season, "Go Stabby". With Team TJJ all ready to handle our wukup mission, it was pure wuk!! Yes, Yes, Yes .... Yes Boss!! Next up was soca veteran Edwin Yearwood of the big band Krosfyah. To put it short and sweet, all Edwin was bawling was, "Too much chune, too much chune!!" And the man was not joking, it was big tune after big tune. And you know once you hear "Oh gosh ... meh say Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa", party gone clear with "Pump Me Up"!! And then it was just pure bad mind when Edwin sang "Insane (Wet Me)". Pores still raising!! And when you thought it was a rap for the live entertainment, RUPEE APPEARS OUTTA DE BLUE!! Either Rupee real good at 'hide and seek' or was shuttled onto the boat after we left the dock, because we ent see him until it was time to perform. I don't have to even tell you the damage Rupee did to the cruise. He sang all his classics before making his way to his recent hits like "Frenzy" and "Mas Hysteria". But it didn't take too long before the crowd started chanting aloud, "Feet don't fail me now ... Feet don't fail me now", putting a smile on Rupee's face. And if you ask, you shall receive ... "Feet Don't Fail Me". After doing this boatride for years, we can safely say that Booze Cruise without Rupee is like the cruise without Booze!! Large up Rupee everytime!

Minutes to 4:30PM and we've already started our way back and I find myself with a slight tear in my eye. After hearing about this Booze Cruise for several years, I now know what all the hype is about and it's all that and a bag of Holiday chips and a sweet drink (soda)! What an amazing couple of hours, I truly couldn't wipe the smile off my face. This definitely goes down in my book as one of the best fetes of all Carnival time. I now see why Booze Cruise is ranked in TJJ's Top 3 Events to Attend!! And on that note, ammmmm I would like to book my ticket for Booze Cruise next year now please. The after party continues in The Boatyard ... ah hear TJJ TV on de scene already!

Mix Juice
(Chooks aka Daddy Juice contributed to this review)

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