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Saturday, February 24, 2024

Singing At Sea 2024 Recap Roundup

Hey Friends,

This is Odie checking in for this Saturday. I hope you are doing good.

I appreciate all of you who have let me know you are enjoying my vacation recaps from the last two weeks on Saturdays. Click here and here to see the previous posts. Today is the final recap for this year. 

Singing At Sea PSA. 

Several people have contacted me in the past, interested in the Singing at Sea cruise. I highly recommend this cruise chartered by Templeton Tours! We are planning to go next year! 

2025 is already booking up fast for the 49th annual Singing At Sea. Several categories are already sold out. Next year, it will all take place on the Carnival Freedom again. The dates are January 27-February 1st 2025. 

The ship sails from Port Canaveral, Florida, on Monday. Tuesday is spent at sea. Wednesday is a port day at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic. Thursday is also a port day at Grand Turks. Friday is another sea day sailing back toward Florida. Saturday morning, the ship arrives back at Port Canaveral. The bars and casinos are shut down on the ship for the week. You are surrounded by fantastic food, fellowship and great Southern gospel music for your time on the ship.

Contact Templeton Tours here for more information. You can put down a deposit to reserve your spot today. The remaining balance is due in November 2024. The Southern gospel groups on board get credit for every passenger who signs up with their group as your tour host. You can choose any group from the list of entertainers for the week. 

11th Hour was our host this year. They were great to sail with, and we highly recommend them as a host group. It will not give you any special perks, but if you sign up for the 2025 cruise, tell Templeton Tours that  Andrea Boggs recommended it! 😆

Thanks to Jeff Templeton and Templeton Tours for making an excellent cruise available for the Southern gospel enthusiast and cruise fan! All the groups work hard to give us the music we love! The Singing at Sea is my favorite vacation.

Singing At Sea 2024  Final Recap 

I hope you are ready for an extended photo trip on the Singing at Sea 2024. Warning: this is a picture overload! This was  5 nights and 4 days packed with fun, food, beautiful scenery, music and fellowship.

Monday Afternoon

Anthem Edition singing the sail away concert.


Lunch with a view.


First of several Guys Burgers that I  enjoyed.


Some of my cousins from the Boggs side were also on the ship. It was excellent to see Edith, Rhonda and their spouses!


Welcome Aboard with Karen Peck Gooch and Mark Bishop



Gold City




Dinner




Nicole found some friends from Mississippi that she knew.


Karen Peck and New River



This large theater spans decks 3,4 and 5. The stage is on deck 3, and we were sitting on deck 5. My iPhone zoom capabilities worked well!


Odie and Nicole enjoying night one of the cruise. This is when we started planning for next year.


The Whisnants


Our host group 11th Hour.




Carolina Band




Pizza for a late night snack.
 

Tuesday Sea Day

Breakfast


Coffee


Soul'd Out




Doug and Kyra McKinney with Odie.


Odie and Trynda


Nicole and Odie in cruise mode.



My favorite view.


The Whale Tail of the Carnival Freedom. Last year, this ship went several months without a tail. Due to a fire in the ship's funnel, it took a while to replace it.


Sterling C. Sample



Parade of Pianos





How many piano players can play one piano?



Elaine Wilburn introduced special guest Eddie Crook.


Lunch



The Sound






Voices of Lee



11th Hour






Levi Mills of The Sound and Odie.


Tuesday evening was Captain's night. Here are a few pictures we took before dinner.







We got to meet the Captain.


Captain's Reception






Todd, the Cruise Director


Captain and Officers


Dinner








Pictures with Hope and Gracie Bowling.


Bill Shivers and Odie.


Brian  Free and Assurance



The only seat available for Nicole for this set was the drum stool.


This is me with long time friends Tamara and Lesley.



Troy Peach Hoast of Southern Gospel Mid-days on Singing News Radio was this venue's MC for the weak.


The Kingdom Heirs closed out Tuesday night.




One of the daily ice creams we enjoyed from the trip. This is usually how we would end the night.


Wednesday


The Taylors



Breakfast



Bro. Steven,  Abby and Sis. Trynda



Amber Cove, Dominican Republic



We met the Parsons Family from Goshen, Indiana, on the cruise. This is Bro. Parsons and one of his daughters. It was neat to find that we know many of the same people.















 



Time for coffee


I found friends from Georgia even while shopping in Amber Cove.






Nicole said this cup was made for me since I love ice cream.





Wednesday Night


Kelly Crabb and the Bowling Sisters




Carolina Band



Dinner


Kenneth was one of our waiters at dinner.




Tanner Duckworth


11th Hour meet and great.

Garrett and Amber's son, Vinny Saunders, 17 months old, was the star of the show.


We got to hear some of their new music coming out soon.


Amber's Dad joined her and Victoria for part of a song.


It was great to get to chat with Amber Saunders for a little bit!


Nicole and I loved sailing with 11th Hour! Garrett, Amber Saunder, and Victoria Bowlin were so nice to us all week!


The legendary tenor Danny Funerburk.


Karen Peck and New River




Lowie was one of our sweet tablemates at dinner. Karen Peck and New River is her favorite group. I captured this moment of Lowie enjoying Karen's singing.


Tribute Quartet joined Karen Peck and New River on stage for their final song.


Tribute Quartet closed out Wednesday night.






Bro. Darren and Sis. Tammy Mize


Thursday 

Bro. and Sis. Long



Grand Turks












Lunch





Thursday Night

Mark Bishop singing with 11th Hour


11th Hour




Troy Peach


The Erwins




The Matthews Family




Brian Free and Assurance


Sis. Carol from Georgia and Nicole


Dinner





We had wonderful tablemates for dinner. It was great to visit with Lowie, Sue and Don from Pennsylvania.


Karen Peck and New River



This little boy in the picture had to come to see Karen Peck after he was in his PJs.






Tribute Quartet







Jeff Tolbert and Primitive Road



Special Guest Larry Riddle


I met Joseph Reed. He is the Morning Show host for Singing News Radio. I am listening to his show as I type.


Night Owls Diaries Live with Grant Gibson and Matthew Gooch closed out Thursday night. I was glad to be there for their first live show in front of an audience. 


Night Owls Diaries is a weekly show online. It comes from the bus late at night while Matt and Grant drive the Karen Peck and New River bus.


Grant Gibson and Odie


Odie and Matt Gooch


Nicole Odie and Tamara 



Friday Sea Day


Breakfast with my favorite view.


Hymn singalong with Wesley Pritchard.



Amy Lambert Templeton



Wesley Pritchard and Odie


Jonathan Wilburn and Odie


Jeff Easter and Odie


The Whisnants




2 Whisnant brothers and 2 Erwin brothers sang together.




Katie Erwin and Carter Whisnant


11th Hour







Amber's sister and Dad joined her for a song.


Becky Mathews and Odie


Mark Bishop was the MC in this theatre all week.


The Browders





Sis. Carol and Odie




We met the Cruise Director and the Assistant Cruise Director.


2 of our 3 fantastic waiters for the week.





The dining room staff sang for us.


Dinner




Troy Peach and Jeff and Sheri Easter



Levi Mills jumped on the drums for Jeff and Sheri's set.


C.T. Townsend joined them for Party Time.


One more picture with our dinner tablemates.


Odie and C.T. Townsend


It was great to see these ladies and their families on the cruise. Stephanie, Lesley, Tamara and Odie.


My final ice cream of the cruise.


Saturday Go Home Day

Andrea was our room steward for the week. She took great care of us!


Final cruise breakfast for the year.


Off the ship, waiting for the shuttle to the airport.


Time for one last vacation selfie at the airport with Nicole before we went to our separate flights.




See you later, Florida... 


 and hello, Ohio.


I came home Saturday night to this warm welcome.


Singing at Sea 2024 was a success! We had so much fun! We got to see most of the groups that sang during the week. We heard many of our favorites sing multiple times. Nicole and I are looking forward to next year. Until then, we have countless happy memories to relive.

Thanks for joining for this week's recap. See you next time!
Odie

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