"Shakedown Cruise" is a song written and recorded by Jay Ferguson, from his album Real Life Ain't This Way. Released as a single in 1979, the song reached #31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was his second and final song to hit the Billboard charts after "Thunder Island" peaked at #9.

Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Generally, shakedown cruises are performed before a ship enters service or after major changes such as a crew change, repair or . The shakedown cruise simulates working conditions for the vessel, for various reasons. For most new ships, the major reasons are to familiarize a crew with a new vessel and to ensure all of the ship's systems are functional. A vessel is typically not committed to any timetables or tasks until it completes its shakedown cruise. As such, problems detected during the shakedown cruise can be fixed at minimal cost.