Calling all jazz cruisers

[JazzCruiser1]

Hi Everybody! I'm going on the Jazz Cruise for the first time in 2024. I absolutely love the lineup, and I can't wait for January! I even started a "Roll Call" thread on the Celebrity Summit Roll Calls board. Since it's my first time on the Jazz Cruise, I'd love to hear any tips or tricks y'all have for taking it all in! I'm also cruising by myself, so ideally I'd like to find some friendly folks online I might be able to hang out with on the ship. After seeing the pictures of last year's sailing, I'm starting to think I might be one of the youngest passengers on the cruise (I'll be 30 when we set sail), but I can't wait to spend a week with people who love this music like me! Anyway, if you have any advice or just want to share some stories about your experience on previous Jazz Cruises, don't be shy! Thanks!

[Honolulu Blue]

I received Mr. Lazaroff's midweek newsletter and saw a couple of items of interest to you guys.  First, there are some approximate dates that the lineups for the 2025 dates will be released.  And second, there are some more details about the 2025 Smooth Jazz Cruise.  Rather than burn up another 2000 words, let's do a couple of screen captures instead:

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Honolulu Blue

[Globaliser]

Thanks for that - I will have to make a note in my diary about those announcement dates.

 

Coincidentally, a Chris Botti CD turned up in the post today, which reminded me of last week's email that said that there were fewer remaining cabins for Botti at Sea 2024 than for TJC 2024. If Botti turns out to be a winning formula that eliminates the perennial struggle about what began as the CJC, so much the better.

[wwcruisers]

I'm still going to miss Blue Note at Sea!

[wwcruisers]

Am I the only one on pins-n-needles, waiting for them to announce the '25 Jazz/Smooth Jazz/Botti Cruise line-ups?😎

[SpicyP]

The BottiAtSea cruise will be a 1st for us but have been on Celebrity many times. On these types of cruises, do they still have 'Formal or Evening Chic' nights? Just trying to make sure we bring the right duds!!

[wwcruisers]

14 hours ago, SpicyP said:

The BottiAtSea cruise will be a 1st for us but have been on Celebrity many times. On these types of cruises, do they still have 'Formal or Evening Chic' nights? Just trying to make sure we bring the right duds!!

Good question! Although X (and other major lines) have discontinued 'formal' nights, the various Jazz Cruises (I'm assuming Botti will too) have a 'dress-up' night -- as well as other themed evenings. You should get details on what night it will be, with your cruise info. In my experience (Smooth Jazz & Blue Note at Sea), some folks don't bother much with it -- while others go all-out. So -- like much of the jazz cruise vibe -- it's what you feel like doing! 😎

[SpicyP]

22 minutes ago, wwcruisers said:

Good question! Although X (and other major lines) have discontinued 'formal' nights, the various Jazz Cruises (I'm assuming Botti will too) have a 'dress-up' night -- as well as other themed evenings. You should get details on what night it will be, with your cruise info. In my experience (Smooth Jazz & Blue Note at Sea), some folks don't bother much with it -- while others go all-out. So -- like much of the jazz cruise vibe -- it's what you feel like doing! 😎

My 'ship has sailed' on the dressing up thing, honestly but I don't want to feel out of place or under dressed. Thanks for sharing your experience. I will look for more info in the coming weeks and months. 

[wwcruisers]

Was hoping for some word today, re: the '25 sailings line-up. Anybody hear anything yet?🤔

Edited September 15, 2023 by wwcruisers

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

Was hoping for some word today, re: the '25 sailings line-up. Anybody hear anything yet?🤔

 

Not here. Maybe in tomorrow's email?

[wwcruisers]

12 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

 

Not here. Maybe in tomorrow's email?

Hope so -- will check the Weekender, when it comes out! 🤞

[wwcruisers]

Nothing in the Weekender. I would guess that Michael Lazaroff is still  working hard to line-up some great talent for the '25 sailings!

[wwcruisers]

My DH got a rather cryptic email from The Jazz Cruises yesterday, reminding us that, 'in a few days' we would have a limited time opportunity to secure our current cabin, for the 2025 Smooth Jazz Cruise. Reading between the lines, I think that we have artist line-up information coming SOON!🤞

[Globaliser]

26 September, according to today's email.

[Honolulu Blue]

In Mr. Lazaroff's latest bi-weekly newsletter that landed in my e-mail box an hour ago, he had some news about the 2025 Smooth Jazz cruises that some of you have been waiting for.  Quoting (emphasis mine):

 

We are trying to put the final touches on the lineup for and the launch of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. We had hoped to do the roll out by the end of the week. With more musicians scheduled to perform than on any other edition of The Smooth Jazz Cruise, gathering all the confirmations is taking longer than usual. And, the final touches on our itineraries have not been set. For those reasons, it looks like September 26 will be the magic date for the unveiling.

[wwcruisers]

1 hour ago, Honolulu Blue said:

In Mr. Lazaroff's latest bi-weekly newsletter that landed in my e-mail box an hour ago, he had some news about the 2025 Smooth Jazz cruises that some of you have been waiting for.  Quoting (emphasis mine):

 

We are trying to put the final touches on the lineup for and the launch of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. We had hoped to do the roll out by the end of the week. With more musicians scheduled to perform than on any other edition of The Smooth Jazz Cruise, gathering all the confirmations is taking longer than usual. And, the final touches on our itineraries have not been set. For those reasons, it looks like September 26 will be the magic date for the unveiling.

Thanks for the update, HB!🙂

[Globaliser]

And 26 September seems to be confirmed: "The announcement will be processed in waves and should have your information by day’s end. Since our guests are spread throughout the entire country and many international locations, the time you receive your announcement may vary, but you should have your information by day's end." Booking / pre-booking instructions will be sent the next day.

[wwcruisers]

Fingers crossed for news sometime tomorrow!🤞🎵

[Globaliser]

On 7/6/2023 at 5:17 PM, Globaliser said:

This is actually all pretty common for prospective charters. My guess is that cruise lines don't take their own announced sailings off sale until the contract with the charterer has become firm/unconditional/similar, or reaches some particular commercial milestone. At that point, those who have booked an affected sailing as a normal cruise get their bookings cancelled by the cruise line with some sort of compensation.

 

The same thing can happen on the charterer's side. If the proposed charter sells really badly but the charterer isn't yet fully locked in to taking the ship, then the charterer might cancel all the bookings it's taken and cancel the charter, paying to the cruise line whatever penalty the contract specifies. ...

 

There was a small insight into this in yesterday's email about the McDonald & LaBelle cruise:

 

"... Jazz Cruises has never produced a 4-day cruise as their programs are customarily 7 days in length. Yet, here we are with a 4-day program that features two of the most important and iconic 'soul' performers in the world. How did this happen?

In this case, the availability of a ship led the way. Norwegian Cruise Line was seeking to fill a void in its itinerary for the Norwegian Pearl. This ship has been retrofitted to provide maximum venues for music charters. From January to May each year, the ship is entirely booked with such charters. One of the charters, whose program was in the middle of this run, was unable to complete its program and defaulted. NCL reached out to Jazz Cruises to see if we could fill the gap with a program. Normally, it takes 14–16 months to create a new cruise program, however launching a first-class program in less time than that is one of our strengths."

 

ISTR that Jazz Cruises has taken NCL ships in the past, so I'm not minded to read anything into the "retrofit" sentence - but I expect that maintaining a relationship with NCL won't do either company any harm.

[Honolulu Blue]

9 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

Fingers crossed for news sometime tomorrow!🤞🎵

I'm hoping you and your friends here get the news you want TODAY!  Please share details!!  I'm only on some of the Jazz Cruises email lists and not a past or future guest on the Smooth Jazz cruises, so I probably won't hear any news until later.

 

Anyway, this is a big day for me, as I go for super ultra premium seats on a different music charter cruise.  🙏

 

P.S. Have I mentioned that I'm on the McDonald LaBelle cruise?  I got the newsletter @Globaliser mentioned above.

[Honolulu Blue]

I guess I'm first with the news - The Smooth Jazz Cruise has replaced their main Web site with the 2025 information.  Mr. Alonzo Bodden has an intro video there.

 

Let's see... details.  Both sailings will be out of Fort Lauderdale and heading to Labadee, Grand Turk, and Nassau.  OK, not the best itinerary in the world, but who cares on cruises like this? 😆

 

The initial lineup looks like it's the same for both cruises.  Let me put of a screenshot of what I saw:

 

 

On pricing, I saw good news and bad news.  The good news is that I saw a solo balcony class available.  At $6200, it looks like the single tax is only about 50%, which isn't terrible.  The bad news is the solo inside cabin price is $4225.  Ouch!  😧  I wish I had 2024 prices to compare, but that seems like a pretty hefty increase from last year.  Maybe I'm wrong though.  Full pricing and booking information is at https://thesmoothjazzcruise.com/pricing/ .

[wwcruisers]

Thank YOU, HB!!! that's GREAT NEWS!!🎵😎

[wwcruisers]

I know that I've said this before, but BEST Smooth Jazz Cruise line-up EVER!😄

[Honolulu Blue]

This is a short note saying that I got an e-mail from Jazz Cruises announcing the Smooth Jazz cruises.  I didn't see anything important covered in it that's not covered by the Web site, so I'll just say check your box.

[NinS]

Nice to see this thread going and also nice to see HB's wonderful reports are still happening. I'll definitely be following their 2024 cruise report thread.

 

Yesterday everyone on the Jazz Cruises list got the McDonald/LaBelle cruise update. One interesting thing about the itinerary is that the tentative schedule makes it look like Patti is going to come on the ship in Nassau, do her two shows, and get off without sailing. Anyone who has been on a StarVista cruise knows that often a headliner does this at the midway point. It does seem like Michael McDonald will be on the ship the entire time.