Kody Norris Show on the 2025 Danny Stewart Bluegrass Cruise – photo © Sandy Hatley
It only happens once every five years, but this was the year for Danny Stewart’s 7-day Alaskan Bluegrass Cruise. Over 350 fans and musicians traveled to Seattle to board Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of Seas for a week of live entertainment, workshops, jamming, and all the amenities that a cruise line has to offer.
In the music department, daily shows were presented by different combinations of the following artists: The Kody Norris Show, Little Roy & Lizzy, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Valerie Smith, Frank Ray & Cedar Hill, the Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, and Mark Miklos.
There were also four days of early morning workshops. The first was a banjo workshop presented by Kody Norris featuring his fill-in banjoist, 13-year-old Hayden “Jim” Hensley, from Ashland, KY.
Hensley shared his three most important things about picking the banjo: “Dynamics, timing, and knowing when to play and when not to play.”
The young picker was also quite the stage man, exchanging light banter with Norris. Kody informed the crowd that Hensley’s girlfriend had issued him an ultimatum before the cruise to choose her or bluegrass, and he had selected the latter.
Hensley retorted, “The banjo makes me money. She costs me money!”
This was the rising star’s first cruise. He reflected…
“Well, it was good until I got a little seasick, but I got some medicine and a four-hour nap, and I was back to playing. This has been a dream come true for me. It came naturally to me about four years ago that I wanted to play the banjo. So I started and hard work got me to where I am today.
I met Kody at Dr. Ralph Stanley’s festival about three years ago. I kept in touch, and he needed somebody to go on the cruise, and he asked me if I’d like to do it. You can’t say no when someone asks you a question like that.
This is my first set playing banjo professionally.”
Under Kody’s care, Hensley’s parents allowed him to go. He was grateful.
“They let me spread my wings and fly with what I want to do.”
There were also other instrument workshops. Seth Mulder led a mandolin workshop, Charlie Lowman did a bass one, and the Norrises held sessions with Mary Rachel on fiddle and Kody with the guitar.
Seth Mulder praised the special event.
“Danny Stewart always puts on an amazing cruise, and we were thrilled to be part of it this year. One of the best parts is getting to spend a whole week at sea hanging out with other bands – not just a day or two like most festivals. It’s a full week of bluegrass on the ocean, and if you haven’t tried it yet…you really should.”
Kody Norris agreed.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed myself as much as I did on the Alaskan Cruise. It was the best of both worlds…bluegrass music and a vacation!”
In addition to music and multiple cruise line activities, the trip featured stops in Sitka, Skagway, and Juneau, Alaska, as well as Victoria in British Columbia.
Stewart stated at the close of the last show.
“I think the cruise went over exactly how I was hoping for it to be. Everything worked out really well. Royal Caribbean treated all our guests pretty good. This has been a really good experience. The sad part is to go home.
All the bands did great. Little Roy and Kody Norris were up on the top deck every night. We got all kinds of good jamming in. I got to watch whales off my balcony. God is good.”
Danny Stewart’s next bluegrass cruise is slated for January 15-19, 2026, sailing out of Port Canaveral, FL to the Bahamas. Bands performing include the Kody Norris Show, Little Roy & Lizzy, Monroe Crossing, Danny Paisley, Monroe Crossing, Crying Uncle, and others.
You can get more information and book online.
