Love & Harmony Cruise Blends Reggae, Fellowship and Faith at Sea

The recently concluded 2026 Love & Harmony Cruise — which made port calls in Nassau, Bahamas, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica — was a celebration of reggae, dancehall, spirituality, and, most importantly, connection among family and friends.

For singer Romain Virgo, the Love & Harmony experience was all of the above — but also deeply personal.

“It is my second time,” he told Caribbean National Weekly with a smile. “The first time Beres Hammond joined me on stage,” he shared.

That moment, performing alongside Hammond, remains one of the defining highlights of Virgo’s musical journey.

“He’s somebody that… you can sit down with and talk the entire night until daylight,” Virgo shared. “He doesn’t have to do what he’s doing for us, but it shows there’s a deeper kind of love within him.”

That sense of love and legacy carried into Virgo’s Night 2 performance on the 12th-floor deck, as he effortlessly moved through songs like ‘Serious Time,’ ‘Stay with Me,’ and ‘He Who Feels It,’ reminding fans why he remains one of reggae’s leading voices of his generation.

“This feels like a family gathering,” he explained. “If we’re all here on this beautiful ship and we don’t connect, take pictures, hug, and dance, then it wouldn’t make sense. It’s about love and harmony.”

Unlike many artists who simply perform and then disappear, Virgo fully immersed himself in the cruise experience.

“I’m not just here to be Romain the artist, but also a fan,” he said. “I want to learn… I want to enjoy every single moment of it.”

That humility resonated with fans throughout the ship.

“He’s so humble,” said cruise guest Alicia Grant. “I saw him just walking around at the parties, taking pictures, talking to people like we’re all family.”

Another fan, Colin Beckford from Orlando, added, “When Romain performs, you feel it. But when you meet him, you respect him even more.”

Virgo’s philosophy remains rooted in respect for those who paved the way.

“My goal from day one is to make the people who inspire me feel proud,” he confessed. “People like Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs… if we can carry it forward the right way, then our work is meaningful.”

That respect was evident across the cruise, particularly during the “All White Concert,” where Beres Hammond once again proved why he remains relevant after more than four decades in the industry. The “Boss” glided through timeless hits including ‘Rockaway,’ ‘In Love with You,’ ‘What One Dance Can Do,’ ‘She Loves Me Now,’ and ‘Step Aside.’ He also thrilled fans with ‘Tempted to Touch,’ ‘Golden Touch,’ ‘Double Trouble,’ and ‘Putting Up Resistance.’ His teenage grandson, Kingston Pauyo, also impressed with ‘As Long as the Sun Shines.’

Maxi Priest proved that, like fine wine, he continues to get better with age. The UK-born singer delivered several hits, earning rapturous applause with ‘Groovin in the Midnight,’ ‘Should I,’ ‘Wild World,’ and ‘House Call,’ performed alongside DJ New Kidz. Busy Signal energized fans with ‘Step Out,’ ‘Stay So,’ and ‘Jamaica Love.’

Agent Sasco, celebrating 25 years in music, delivered a powerful set and briefly shared the stage with Virgo. Other standout performances came from Tanya Stephens, who turned up the dancehall heat with ‘It’s a Pity,’ ‘These Streets,’ ‘Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet,’ ‘Goggle,’ and ‘Handle the Ride.’ Pinchers took patrons back to the 1980s with classics including ‘I’m A Don,’ ‘Sit Down Pon It,’ ‘Bandelero,’ ‘Request to Denise,’ and ‘Champion Bubbler.’