What to Listen to on a Caribbean Cruise: A Classical Playlist

Sometimes it is difficult to know what to listen to on a Caribbean cruise. For this reason, we created a classical piano playlist that brings together the elegance of the European piano tradition with the warmth, rhythm, and cultural richness of the Caribbean.

At first glance, classical music and the Caribbean may not seem like an obvious pairing. Yet history tells a different story. While researching the travels of composers and musicians between the 18th and 20th centuries, it became clear how frequently artists journeyed between the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean for performances. These exchanges shaped a distinctive musical culture, refined, vibrant, and deeply connected to place.

One remarkable example is the Havana Opera Company, which regularly traveled to New York during the summer months to perform Italian opera. Its reputation was so strong that competing companies feared its artistic level. After the concert season ended, around February, officials sent the company north to avoid the yellow fever season, an early reminder of how travel, music, and history were intertwined.

Classical Music and the Caribbean

Caribbean classical music was profoundly shaped by regional rhythms and dances. Composers such as Ignacio Cervantes first studied in Cuba under Louis Moreau Gottschalk, one of the most important American pianist-composers of the 19th century, and later in Paris with Charles-Valentin Alkan. Through this journey, Cervantes absorbed both local color and European refinement.

Music was immensely appreciated throughout the Caribbean during the 19th century. Recordings did not yet exist, and visits from virtuosos such as Gottschalk and Sarasate created extraordinary excitement. On several occasions, Gottschalk was welcomed with torch-lit processions, while crowds sang “Glory to Moreau,” celebrating him by his first name.

The Caribbean Playlist

For this Caribbean Cruise Playlist, concert pianist Robert Poortinga recorded and curated works that honor this rich musical heritage. The selection focuses especially on Cuban composers Ignacio Cervantes and Ernesto Lecuona. In future updates, works by Gottschalk, who himself wrote Cuban-inspired compositions celebrating the region’s traditions, will be added.

The Antillean Dances — Wim Statius Muller

A central figure in this playlist is Wim Statius Muller, whose compositions are true gems of Antillean and Caribbean musical heritage. With nearly two hundred works, he created a legacy unlike that of any other Antillean composer before him.

Robert will continue expanding this Caribbean Playlist with Muller’s music, believing it is important not only to perform these works but also to preserve and share them. As Muller explains in his own scores, the waltzes that arrived in the Caribbean at the end of the 18th century were soon transformed by local rhythms and expressions rooted in daily life.

His compositions draw inspiration not only from Vienna but also from the Iberian mainland and neighboring Caribbean regions before finding their unique voice in the Dutch Antilles. In the 19th century, Antillean gatherings often began with waltzes, reached their height with mazurkas, and concluded with the tumba, a dance once banned by authorities for being too sensual.

Ernesto Lecuona — Virtuosity and Fire

Another highlight of the playlist is the music of Ernesto Lecuona. His virtuosity and musical depth are remarkable. While best known for his Cuban-inspired works, Lecuona also composed many pieces influenced by Iberian traditions. To create balance within the playlist, several of these works are included.

Written in a European idiom, these compositions display technical brilliance reminiscent of Rachmaninov and Liszt. Lecuona was not only a gifted composer but also a celebrated performer who proudly carried his Cuban heritage onto international stages. Today, pianists such as Jorge Luis Prats continue to bring his music to life.

The Spirit of Caribbean Classicism

Classical music from the Caribbean is astonishingly diverse. It is shaped by South American influences (including the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico), North American Creole traditions, and European, particularly Iberian, musical heritage. Yet it always retains a voice entirely its own, unmistakable in both sound and soul.

This Caribbean Cruise Playlist is part of Concert & Cruises, a collaboration between DeSalvio Travel, a Virtuoso-affiliated luxury travel agency, and concert pianist Robert Poortinga. Together, we curate concerts and musical experiences in the United States in partnership with leading cruise lines such as Viking Cruises.

Concert & Cruises adds an additional layer of depth and enjoyment to your journey. These playlists are designed to be enjoyed before departure, during your voyage, or afterwards, allowing music to reconnect you with places, memories, and emotions.

Additional free playlists are inspired by European river cruises along the Rhine, Danube, and Seine, with the latter two already available for listening.

We invite you to listen, travel, and experience the Caribbean through sound.

Happy listening and happy cruising,
Marisa