Charter Music Cruises selling out

[hattack]

the really great news is that you have such a long lead time that aspects like dining/show times become very flexible and you can adjust once you get onboard...you will make so many new friends onboard the first day or two, you may find yourself alternating dining/show times to be with them and the Celebrity onboard staff knows that ..after all you are on your vacation of a lifetime

 

be aware the artists and musicians are on a different dining schedule (due to practice time) but you will have ample opportunities for interactions with them..there is a great amount of love and mutual respect between guests and their favorite artists and everyone understands that you are sharing them with 2000 other fans so you will quickly pick up on the protocol ...make sure both you & your DH practice taking selfies prior to leaving for your cruise

[hattack]

on another thread concerning the 2017 SJC, it indicated guests received notification that it would no longer be the traditional early diner/late show format (or reverse)..the last poster on the thread indicated they would ctc the SJC on Monday for clarification, you may want to follow that posting and if so, you may want to monitor the 2017 post cruise feedback to see how it worked out

[hattack]

Oshunj...just curious, now that there has been a 2 week, post cruise cooling off period for everyone, has your perspective of the events onboard that week changed or stay the same and as a result, what (if any) actions have you taken (i.e. if you were booked for 2017 on the Breakaway did you cancel, are you looking at another competitor's offering,are you considering taking advantage of the $300 credit etc)

 

I have been following the CJSC Facebook page on their website and it appears the number of new postings per day have slowed down significantly...the page that shows the availability of 2017 cabins has not been updated so we do not know as of yet, if the negative experience has caused mass exodus from folks who were booked (or is it an indication whether they did or did not purchase travel (trip) insurance with the "cancel for any reason" rider

 

this was our 7th straight CJSC and usually by this time the website would post photos of all the performances and positive guests testimonials and videos of the artists Q&A's and most of us would be looking forward to early December when the first wave of performing artists would be announced

 

I'm not sure then even Oliva Pope (Scandal) "spin" could repair the PR damage...however after 6 straight years of incredible experiences, I would be inclined to give CJSC another chance (after taking 1-2 year break)

 

would love to know your take on it

[wwcruisers]

on another thread concerning the 2017 SJC, it indicated guests received notification that it would no longer be the traditional early diner/late show format (or reverse)..the last poster on the thread indicated they would ctc the SJC on Monday for clarification, you may want to follow that posting and if so, you may want to monitor the 2017 post cruise feedback to see how it worked out

 

 

Thanks, Hattack -- :o I have to confess that I've been "lurking" on their (2017 SJC) r/c thread, trying to pick up pointers as their cruise date approaches. Since theirs will be the very first SCJ charter of Summit, there should be a lot to learn. I'm hoping that someone from their r/c will come back and post a quick review -- and maybe even answer a question or two -- when they return. :cool:

[hattack]

just as a backup I have 4 friends that are on the 2017 SJC and they will share with me and I to you

[wwcruisers]

Fabulous, Hattack! And, if they have any particular questions about Summit, I might be able to come up with some answers, as we've sailed on her twice. :)

[hattack]

Chyna3032...are you aware when you return to New Orleans on Sunday April 9th, it's also the final day of the French Quarter Festival which is the largest free Music Festival in the City (the locals consider it "our" Jazz Fest" without the Jazz Fest high admission..it features the best of local New Orleans Musicians and great food

 

If you have not made your air reservations yet, you might consider staying over Sunday night (air fares are cheaper on Monday) and enjoy the FFQ...I'm sure the Hubbard Mansion would be glad for the Sunday night booking

 

google 2017 French Quarter Festival to find out the details

[Chyna3032]

Chyna3032...are you aware when you return to New Orleans on Sunday April 9th, it's also the final day of the French Quarter Festival which is the largest free Music Festival in the City (the locals consider it "our" Jazz Fest" without the Jazz Fest high admission..it features the best of local New Orleans Musicians and great food

 

If you have not made your air reservations yet, you might consider staying over Sunday night (air fares are cheaper on Monday) and enjoy the FFQ...I'm sure the Hubbard Mansion would be glad for the Sunday night booking

 

google 2017 French Quarter Festival to find out the details

 

Thanks for the information? I will definitely consider this since I haven't made my return flight arrangements.

[wwcruisers]

Thanks for the information? I will definitely consider this since I haven't made my return flight arrangements.

 

BTW Chyna3032 -- Thank you so much for starting this thread! There is not much info out there on this forum, re: music charter cruises. I'm so glad that I stumbled onto this thread, when we decided to book our Smooth Jazz Cruise (March 2018). :cool:

[wwcruisers]

Hey Hattack -- watched your Raiders beat the Texans last night. Mr. Carr is turning out to be an impressive quarterback. Of course, it's painfully obvious how much the Texans are missing JJ Watt, this season!

 

Are you counting down the minutes 'till your Dave Koz in Venice Cruise?:D

I can't believe that we still have cabins left on our March, 2018 SJC -- especially, since the February cruise sold out so quickly!

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, down in New Orleans! :)

[hattack]

I am digging out my old school Raider gear as we speak (Jack Tatum) and as soon as the Saints are eliminated from playoff contention will flaunt in front of my neighbors on Sunday afternoon

 

Just completed my Koz excel planning spreadsheet on Sunday (since Saints played on Thursday night) and discovered I don't have nearly enough $$$ (big difference between departing out of Miami and Venice) so I will be eating PN&J sandwiches for 6 months and only giving Christmas presents to my Grandson & my favorite 14 year old "wing person" neighbor's daughter Miss T...my research did produce a "Learn How to be a Gondolier" workshop in Murano which sounds exciting

 

Would not be overly concerned about the 2nd week selling out for 2018 at this point...folks are holding on to their limited vacation funds until next summer and the political situation dies down

 

Thanksgiving in New Orleans is actually built around the Bayou Classic between HBCU's Grambling & Southern..going to the famous Battle of the Bands & Step Show on Friday Night...the actual game on Saturday is noted for after the halftime televised Battle of the Bands, everyone leaves the Dome except for the die hard alumni

 

have a great Thanksgiving , we are all so Blessed

[Chyna3032]

BTW Chyna3032 -- Thank you so much for starting this thread! There is not much info out there on this forum, re: music charter cruises. I'm so glad that I stumbled onto this thread, when we decided to book our Smooth Jazz Cruise (March 2018). :cool:

 

You're welcome! I'm glad to have opened up the dialogue. It's really hard to get information on these types of cruises that are honest. Being that so many people have actually experienced various music cruises it helps to make decisions on which ones you want to try and what the experience will be like.

[wwcruisers]

You're welcome! I'm glad to have opened up the dialogue. It's really hard to get information on these types of cruises that are honest. Being that so many people have actually experienced various music cruises it helps to make decisions on which ones you want to try and what the experience will be like.

 

 

Yes, it's a scenario complicated by the fact that I don't do FB (or other social media). I'm so grateful to folks like you and Hattack, who post music cruise info, here on CC! :cool:

 

Thanks again --

Suzanne

[wwcruisers]

Hattack -- if you're still around:

 

-- SO sorry to hear about Carr's injury (that was a particularly bad day for NFL players, but a good day for orthopedic surgeons :(!)

-- Thank you so much for all of your support and advice, re: our 2018 Smooth Jazz Cruise (I'll probably have LOTS of more questions, before we get there :o.)

-- Wishing you a VERY Happy New Year, and a FABULOUS cruise to Venice, with Dave Koz :cool:!)

 

-- Suzanne

[hattack]

right back at you...my beloved Raiders will be just fine...thanks to several Cruise Critics friends who live in England, we have incorporate a 23 hour layover on British Airways each way in London on our way to/from Venice for Koz's Cruise..we are planning to attend a performance of "Motown, the Musical" in London's West End Theatre District (ironic in the fact that my travel companion is from Detroit) going and coming back being able to attend a set at the world famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club

 

my friends who will be on the Blue Note at Sea Jazz Cruise & 2017 SJC on the Celebrity Summit in the next few months, have been requested to do a full report (including photos) that they will post on this thread so it will help you and others on the 2018 SJC understand the onboard logistics to help your planning process, so let me know if you have specific questions so I can relay to them

 

still smarting from the fiasco of the Capital Jazz Super Cruise on the NCL Getaway last October..will be curious as to how Capital Jazz will make corrections/adjustment for it's charter in September on NCL Breakaway to Bermuda and how it will communicate the changes to it's guests who are holding off booking (cabins still available which is not normally the case, usually sells out in less than 60 days)...have not checked, but if your SJC is not sold out it should be by the end of this month

 

2017 Jazz Cruise wise should be a great one which means your 2018 SJC is that much closer

[hattack]

my Son gave me a Barnes & Noble Book Store Gift Card (following Katrina I have made a commitment to buy local as much as possible to keep young folks employed so I avoid Amazon( which is now made much easier since effective today Amazon will collect LA State Tax for anything Amazon mails into Louisiana). I am old school and like hard bound books, but since going to Europe weight in my baggage becomes an issue I will actually have to bring my Kindle that I have never used..I find that the combination of reading a great book, while listening thru headphones of the most recent releases of the artists performing on a Jazz Cruise on my MP3 player, while flying to/from the Port, the long wait in the gate area for my return flight, and finding down time on the cruise becomes critical to my ability to pace myself...so far I have selected the following books to load on my kindle

The Warmth of Other Suns (Isabel Wilkerson) about the great migration 1920-1963 of African Americans from the Jim Crow deep South..The Story of My Life (Giacomo Casanova) of course, I'm going to Venice:cool:...Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship & Sacrifice (Adam Marks), based upon a true story based on 2 Fighter Pilots (1 White, 1 African American) during the Korean War...

does anyone have suggestions of other books to download

[wwcruisers]

Hattack -- here's another good book set in Venice, that you might want to add to your collection:

The City of Falling Angels, by John Berendt; For me, it wasn't as much of a 'page turner' as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (my favorite Berendt work). But, there's a lot of history of that lovely old city, to be found in its pages.

 

And, oh -- you are SO preaching to the choir! Even having to struggle with smaller print, as the years pass -- give me a real book, over an electronic device, ANY day! :cool:

[hattack]

funny how generations value possessions differently...in my den I have shelves of hard bound books (about 1000) and about the same amount of Smooth Jazz CD's & old school vinyl albums (with covers) & 45's from the 50's & 60's (I would feel right at home on the Malt Shop Memories, Flower Power , British Invasion type Cruises), many of them autographed by the artists that I have met on my 17 full charter Jazz & 60's Theme Cruises along with my old school Wurlitzer Jukebox (think Happy Days) and framed autographed Jazz Cruise Posters & selfies with them ..my Son indicated when he puts me in a :eek:nursing home :eek: he will have their generations version of a garage sale by liquidating everything on Ebay or donating to the local Veterans Home...he will keep my 2016 SE Turbo Bug for my Grandson...I made the mistake of trying to go to Walmart the day after Christmas (big mistake) but the silver lining is I past a 60's Junk Store that had a 61 Black VW Bug (my 1st car in 1967) parked in front to advertise that I left a note on the wind shield asking if they are interested in selling (brought back memories of my Radio Shack $39.95 am radio with an 8 track tape player on a Saturday night date with my high school cheerleader GF on a date at the DQ)...when I told my Son he smiled and suggested I get tested for "old timers":)..I reminded him that nursing homes have music therapist that use music to stimulate the brain waves so suggest to your Children that they hold on to your Boney James signed CD & selfie from your 2018 SJC so when they come to visit you and their Dad in your advance years your brain will be stimulated

 

as 2016 has sadly taught us, many of our favorite music artists have left this earth far too early..on your 2018 SJC take advantage of meeting & interacting & taking selfies with as many of your favorite artists as possible

[wwcruisers]

Hattack -- SO sorry about your beloved Raiders, yesterday. :( Under the circumstances, your rookie QB managed to keep his wits about him, pretty well. Hopefully, Carr's injury will heal completely, and the black-n-silver can look forward to next year! My 'Hawks did well yesterday, and I'm up to watch my Steelers (my all-time old-school favorite team) play Miami today. :)

 

I can't believe, given how fast the Feb 2018 SJC sold out, that there are STILL cabins available for our March 2018 sailing! I think that you are correct in your assessment that most of those will sell out, during this month's 2017 SJC. I can hardly wait to hear the reports from those folks, to see how well Celebrity Summit works, as a jazz charter venue. She's one of my favorite X ships (sailed to Bermuda on her, twice). :cool:

 

And, you are SO right about how many music greats we lost, this year -- over ALL the music genres. I was particularly sad to see Leon Russell go -- although he had been in declining health for a while. :(

[hattack]

it was a nice run for my beloved Raiders...I will have my Oakland friends send me a current era Jersey (my Jack Tatum jersey is a "tad" "old school") that I can wear while we are in Europe along with a 2016 Louis "Satchmo' Armstrong Festival t-shirt...I find that "Satchmo" is a great ice breaker in spite of the language barrier (New Orleans is truly an international city)

good news, several friends of mine are on the Blue Note at Sea Jazz Cruise on the Celebrity Summit Feb 4-11th, so I will be able to give you some additional feedback..this is the first year for that cruise which has an eclectic line up which includes Gregory Porter, Robert Gasper Trio so I am envious because I would love to be there with him

Leon Russell..boy you really are "old school" saw him perform with Joe Cocker at NO Jazz Fest

to honor you (plus I love your Coach), I will now root for the Steelers..one of my Parish's local high school football stars, later played for the Steelers so there is a strong local following

I was chatting with a Smooth Jazz Cruising buddy of mine who has a Blog and suggested to her that more than ever (due to the recent political climate) we need our Smooth Jazz Cruises and artists to get us thru the tough times that are coming...we draw the parallel to the turmoil of the political situation in the 70's which produced Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On, Mercy, Mercy, Me", Curtis Mayfield's "Keep on Pushing" and the Temptation's "Ball of Confusion"..perfect storm for Richard Elliot to do a cover album of those songs...of course Candy Dulfer could do a cover of the best of James Brown during that 70's time...but probably a great Boney James concert onboard the Summit would reassure us that everything will be alright

[zzyx]

Hey Hattack, I am booked on the Koz 2017 second week cruise and Koz first week cruise for 2018. Are you on the 2017 second week cruise? I would love to get to together for a drink. We are wrapping up our plans. We are staying at the Hotel Olimpia near piazza roma. I stayed in this area the last time I was in Venice and it worked well for us. I've booked a six hour tour in Kotor, http://toursbymilo.com/en/ and a tour in Santorini, http://santorini-private-guide.com/ and trying to decide what I want to do in Dubrovonik and Ravenna. I've been to Dubrovnik before, so I will probably walk around the old time and walk the wall. I am getting really excited about my first jazz cruise!!! I went to Peter White Christmas show featuring Rick Braun and Euge Groove It was sooooo much fun, Rick Braun has a really nice sing voice and he was loads of fun. I also went to Brian Culbertson funk show.:D BC knows how to party, I was ready to booked the smooth jazz cruise just so I could have the opportunity to see Brian again. lol I might consider going to his Napa Getaway but I need to save money for 2018.... I am hoping to go to Rick Braun's New Year Eves party in Tucson this year...Dave Koz is his special guest. I have friends in Tucson, so definitely looking forward to this event. Too many events and not enough money......:eek:

 

Wendy, I know you are going to have a great time on your cruise. The line up is amazing....So many awesome musicians.

Edited January 9, 2017 by zzyx

[hattack]

2nd week for both 2017/2018.. but hoping to clear an interior or ocean view for the 1st week in 2017.....staying with some New Orleans friends who actually own a summer home in Venice...will finalize the rest of the trip before the end of the month since we now have new non stop service out of New Orleans on both British Airways and Condor Air with connections to Venice/Milan..once that is finalized we can connect for excursions..my regular Jazz Cruise travelling buddy can't go in 2017 (too much time away from work) so I may wind up taking my big brother (a Jazz drummer) or my neighbor (who looked out for me when I had my bypass operation) who has never been on a Cruise (less alone a Jazz Cruise) never been outside the Country and the only performing artist that she knows is Al Jarreau (so we have agreed our first "real date" is to go to the Sea Breeze Smooth Jazz Festival in Panama City FL in April)...plus she has never heard of Santorini :eek:

 

who are you flying to Venice...I have been researching Jazz

Clubs in each Port of Call with the goal of taking a photo in front of each venue for my collection

 

you could not do any better than Dave Koz for your first full charter Jazz Cruise experience..with any luck Brian Culbertson will be in the 2018 line up

[wwcruisers]

ZZYX -- Your are in for a treat in Tucson, next NYE! I saw Rick Braun and Kenny Latimore perform with Dave Koz, last year (Concert for Cancer in Woodinville, WA) -- what a GREAT show!

 

Hattack -- you are so right.Every time I turn on the news, I just hear Marvin Gaye singing: "...believe half of what you see... and none of what you hear."

 

And, thank you so much for your support of my Steelers. If they can keep playing like they did today, I think they could bring home the Lombardi!

[hattack]

:D OMG:D...Woodinville WA...you are bringing back great memories...when I lived in Seattle during the late 70's, my favorite place to take a first ;)date;) was to Snoqualmie Falls Lodge (about 35 miles from Woodinville ) for their incredible Sunday Brunch

 

Dave Koz did his Christmas Tour several years ago in New Orleans with Will Downing and Gerald Albright at the HOB ..it was incredible but sadly Smooth Jazz artists are not as popular in the Big Easy as I would like, so I have to get my "fix" by going on the full charter cruises or going to Sea Breeze in FL...the Sea Breeze line up this year includes 4 artists that are on Koz's cruise (Candy Dulfer, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot & Sheila E ) with lagniappe of Brian Culbertson & Boney James so my neighbor will receive a :cool:baptism:cool: prior to Venice...for Valentine Day I plan on giving her a complete collection of the most current CD of each artist on the cruise so she can listen on her 45 minute commute each way to her job...several of her friends and family have been on regular cruises sailing out of New Orleans (but never a full charter Smooth jazz Cruise) so I suggested to her that she google YouTube for highlight videos of past Capital Jazz Super Cruise, Festival at Sea & Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Cruises to gain a glimpse of what she is in for...what appeals to her is Venice (and we are planning to hear a set at the Venice Jazz Club)

 

A Steeler/Cowboy Super Bowl would be awesome but don't count our the Seahawks and Packers..I attend 2 Super Bowls at the Super Dome and the pre game "hype" is often much better than seeing the actual game live

[wwcruisers]

Hattack -- Woodinville still retains its rural charm, but the local vineyards and wineries have learned that maintaining great performance spaces is good for business. Last year's concert was at the Red Hook Brewery. It was just a big field, with a portable stage, and folding chairs -- but, it turned out to be a great venue. We were so lucky that it did not rain, that evening!:cool: