Rock and Romance, 80s Cruise, and my other 2024 music adventures

[Honolulu Blue]

30 minutes ago, George C said:

Wonder when 2025 artists will be listed. 

Good question. I assume they'll do it when they're ready to book for 2025. But when will that be? The tentative schedule is due for release any time now. Maybe they're waiting for that?

[Honolulu Blue]

On 2/11/2024 at 12:09 PM, George C said:

Wonder when 2025 artists will be listed. 

 

On 2/11/2024 at 12:44 PM, Honolulu Blue said:

Good question. I assume they'll do it when they're ready to book for 2025. But when will that be? The tentative schedule is due for release any time now. Maybe they're waiting for that?

 

The Rock and Romance Cruise site has switched over to 2025.  No tentative schedule for our cruise yet, but they did announce lots of details about the '25 cruise - including the initial lineup.

 

 

I kind of like what they have announced so far.  I saw Dire Straits Legacy (DSL) on The 80s Cruise back in 2022:

 

 

And I saw Al McKay doing the EW&F thing on the Ultimate Disco Cruise last year:

 

 

As for the rest... looky looky @George C, your girl Melissa is back onboard!  Let's hope she stays this time.  And I kind of like Kansas and I kind of like Boston.

 

It's not a bad backup option, but I think TEC can do better than this with their initial lineup.  We'll see in a couple of weeks.

 

I also made note of the itinerary and prices, so let's post screen shots of those:

 

 

 

The price for me for this cruise coming up next month is $3524.  Next year will be $3864, which is an increase of just under 10%.  Not great, but it could have been worse.

 

Now it's time to wait for those schedules...

 

 

[George C]

28 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

 

 

The Rock and Romance Cruise site has switched over to 2025.  No tentative schedule for our cruise yet, but they did announce lots of details about the '25 cruise - including the initial lineup.

 

 

I kind of like what they have announced so far.  I saw Dire Straits Legacy (DSL) on The 80s Cruise back in 2022:

 

 

And I saw Al McKay doing the EW&F thing on the Ultimate Disco Cruise last year:

 

 

As for the rest... looky looky @George C, your girl Melissa is back onboard!  Let's hope she stays this time.  And I kind of like Kansas and I kind of like Boston.

 

It's not a bad backup option, but I think TEC can do better than this with their initial lineup.  We'll see in a couple of weeks.

 

I also made note of the itinerary and prices, so let's post screen shots of those:

 

 

 

The price for me for this cruise coming up next month is $3524.  Next year will be $3864, which is an increase of just under 10%.  Not great, but it could have been worse.

 

Now it's time to wait for those schedules...

 

 

Great info , I am surprised my royal suite didn’t go up that much . Looking forward to hearing Kansas, the Orchestra was on before and was excellent, Guess who was a fun show also. We get repeat discount and a veteran discount. 

[Honolulu Blue]

While I continue to wait for the tentative schedule for both R&R and TEC, a scan of the R&R FAQs mentioned the theme nights that I don't think had been discussed yet for this cruise.  At least I ASSUME they're the theme nights for our cruise and not the one in '23 or '25.

 

 

The plan is to bring most of my best themed wardrobe to The 80s Cruise, but maybe I can find enough stuff to give a halfhearted nod to most of these themes.  We'll see.

Edited February 13 by Honolulu Blue

[NinS]

As expected today the Soul Train Cruise pre-sale had only Oceanview and veranda cabins, which are out of my budget. It looks like the 30 or so cabins that were available sold out in 30 minutes. The good news is that Jeffrey Osborne is part of this land-based event I'll probably go to (as are multiple UDC 2025 artists) and I can just catch up with the other artists I wanted to see on land at some point. I am waiting on the Outlaw Country lineup before I pull the trigger for UDC.

 

https://classicrandbevents.com

 

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, NinS said:

As expected today the Soul Train Cruise pre-sale had only Oceanview and veranda cabins, which are out of my budget. It looks like the 30 or so cabins that were available sold out in 30 minutes. The good news is that Jeffrey Osborne is part of this land-based event I'll probably go to (as are multiple UDC 2025 artists) and I can just catch up with the other artists I wanted to see on land at some point. I am waiting on the Outlaw Country lineup before I pull the trigger for UDC.

 

https://classicrandbevents.com

Thanks for the link. Interesting event,  but I think I'll stick with the UDC and other music themed cruises.

 

I'm sorry you couldn't find a suitable cabin on the Soul Train Cruise. I'm both surprised and not surprised by the news that it's sold out already. 

 

Keep us posted on the OCC, as I don't follow the cruise that closely. Maybe we can get together on the UDC or something.  🤑😎👍

[Honolulu Blue]

I received a couple of e-mails from The 80s Cruise and the Rock and Romance Cruise.  Unfortunately, they didn't have the tentative schedules I have been looking for for the past several days.

 

The e-mail from TEC did mention that schedules would be released next week.  That's good in that I can stop worrying about it until then.  But it's bad that I only have a minimum of time to plan, dream, and scheme around them.  Also in this e-mail were some trivial details about this upcoming cruise, including what the ECP staff are looking forward to on this cruise.

 

The e-mail from Rock & Romance was all about the 2025 cruise.  It turns out that I can book RIGHT NOW, if I'm willing to settle for the same cabin.  I'm sure the cabin will be fine, but there are lots of things I want to check out before I rebook.  It's unlikely I will do so before I get onboard.  BTW, the token I received expires March 11 (3 days before we sail), but I can book onboard at the same rate, although I may or may not have to choose a different cabin.  They also listed and described the initial acts that were announced for this cruise.

[George C]

22 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

I received a couple of e-mails from The 80s Cruise and the Rock and Romance Cruise.  Unfortunately, they didn't have the tentative schedules I have been looking for for the past several days.

 

The e-mail from TEC did mention that schedules would be released next week.  That's good in that I can stop worrying about it until then.  But it's bad that I only have a minimum of time to plan, dream, and scheme around them.  Also in this e-mail were some trivial details about this upcoming cruise, including what the ECP staff are looking forward to on this cruise.

 

The e-mail from Rock & Romance was all about the 2025 cruise.  It turns out that I can book RIGHT NOW, if I'm willing to settle for the same cabin.  I'm sure the cabin will be fine, but there are lots of things I want to check out before I rebook.  It's unlikely I will do so before I get onboard.  BTW, the token I received expires March 11 (3 days before we sail), but I can book onboard at the same rate, although I may or may not have to choose a different cabin.  They also listed and described the initial acts that were announced for this cruise.

We will definitely rebook and get same Royal suite but I see no reason to book until we get on board . Once we get performances schedule we pick a time for you to see our suite if still interested. 

[Honolulu Blue]

7 minutes ago, George C said:

We will definitely rebook and get same Royal suite but I see no reason to book until we get on board . Once we get performances schedule we pick a time for you to see our suite if still interested. 

 

Yes indeed, I'm still interested. I think it will be one of the cruise highlights. 😁

[George C]

On 2/13/2024 at 8:52 AM, Honolulu Blue said:

 

 

The Rock and Romance Cruise site has switched over to 2025.  No tentative schedule for our cruise yet, but they did announce lots of details about the '25 cruise - including the initial lineup.

 

 

I kind of like what they have announced so far.  I saw Dire Straits Legacy (DSL) on The 80s Cruise back in 2022:

 

 

And I saw Al McKay doing the EW&F thing on the Ultimate Disco Cruise last year:

 

 

As for the rest... looky looky @George C, your girl Melissa is back onboard!  Let's hope she stays this time.  And I kind of like Kansas and I kind of like Boston.

 

It's not a bad backup option, but I think TEC can do better than this with their initial lineup.  We'll see in a couple of weeks.

 

I also made note of the itinerary and prices, so let's post screen shots of those:

 

 

 

The price for me for this cruise coming up next month is $3524.  Next year will be $3864, which is an increase of just under 10%.  Not great, but it could have been worse.

 

Now it's time to wait for those schedules...

 

 

Just looked at prices for our royal suite for Chris Botti jazz cruise for 2025 and it’s more than 3k per person than next years rock and romance.

[Honolulu Blue]

I found a post on R&R's FB page from a StarVista rep dated Friday that said they were going to release the tentative schedule "next week".

 

It is now next week. The R&R and TEC schedules should be out any time. Not yet, though. 😠

Edited February 19 by Honolulu Blue

[Honolulu Blue]

Rock and Romance wins the race!  Their schedule is out first, beating TEC (though both are late - naughty naughty 🤬).  Some very early notes as I scan through it quickly:

 

• Day 1 main shows - Gino Vannelli (early) and Don McLean (late)
• Queen Nation on embarkation day by the pool starting at 3:45. I should make it there.  Will they play Bohemian??
• Cara Lee at 9:45 on day 1 in Rendezvous.  I'll try to stay up for this.
• WAR by the pool at 11.  If I'm up for Cara, it should be easy enough to make this one.
• Pablo Cruise does a matinee at 1 on day 2 in the main theater for us holding gold cards
• Ambrosia is doing an acoustic show at 2 in the Sky Lounge.  If I were a certain Heisman-trophy-winning rental-car-pitchman (I'm not allowed to say his name anymore in public), I might have a shot at making it from the theater to the Sky Lounge in 5 minutes.  For me, and most normal people, it's going to be more like 10.  Which means I'll probably have to pass on this and wait for another concert from these guys.  Sigh. ☹️
• Day 2 has Foreigner in the main theater early and Gino Vannelli late
• Lez Zeppelin at 7:45 by the pool.  Sorry girls.
• Queen Nation will be by the pool on day 2 at 11 PM.  I doubt I'll make this one.

More about this schedule later.  I'm still studying it.

[Honolulu Blue]

OK, after running through the schedule once, here's what I found that's of most interest to me.  Keep in mind that I can't be in two places at once, and I might not watch the same performer twice.  I note that I didn't see a Q&A for Foreigner.

 

WHEN	WHO & WHAT	WHERE
Thursday	Embark
330-500p	Sailaway - Queen Nation	Pool
945-1045p	Cara Lee (Cher)	Rendezvous
1100p-mid	WAR	Pool
Friday	at sea
100-200p	Pablo Cruise	Theater
200-300p	Ambrosia acoustic	Sky Lounge
500-530p	Interview w/Lonnie from WAR	Sky Lounge
630-800p	Foreigner	Theater
745-845p	Lez Zeppelin	Rendezvous
1100p-mid	Queen Nation	Pool
Saturday	at sea
200-300p	Lez Zeppelin	Pool
400-500p	WAR	Pool
745-845p	Troubadours (Carole King & James Taylor)	Sky Lounge
1100p-mid	Bee Gees Gold	Pool
Sunday	Aruba
630-800p	Ambrosia & Yacht Rock	Theater
715p-815p	Cara Lee (Cher)	Rendezvous
1015-1115p	Bella Donna (Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac)	Sky Lounge
1100p-mid	Orleans	Pool
1215-115a	Creedence Revived	Sky Lounge
Monday	Curacao
200-300p	Cara Lee	Pool
630-800p	Dave Mason	Theater
745-845p	Rockin' the Yacht	Pool
1100p-mid	Doobie Others	Pool
Tuesday	at sea
1200-100p	Hotel California	Pool
400-500p	Orleans	Pool
630-800p	Generation Radio	Theater
745-845p	Bella Donna (Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac)	Pool
1215-115a	Bee Gees Gold	Sky Lounge
Wed.	at sea
1000-1100a	Creedence Revived	Pool
1000-1100a	Bowie's Late Years	Theater
1200-100p	Rockin' the Yacht	Pool
200-300p	Hotel California (The Eagles)	Pool
400-500p	Doobie Others	Pool
630-800p	Randy Bachman	Theater
1215-115a	Farewell- Lee, Trullinger & Stamper	Sky Lounge

Edited February 20 by Honolulu Blue

[NinS]

Looks like you've got a great and very full week of music, HB. When Peter Asher did his late night acoustic show on Flower Power he brought out some special guests (including the Cowsills) and I loved it, but different strokes for different cruisers!

[George C]

You left out badfinger which is normally just Joey Molland who spent lots of time in suite lounge on a previous cruise, we also saw him in Dallas with Todd Rundgren, Christofer Cross and others . I think it’s a decent lineup but not as good as previous years.

Neledi is a very fun performer who has been on last several r &r .

LSB are fantastic and I believe they were on last 5 r&r.

[Honolulu Blue]

4 hours ago, NinS said:

Looks like you've got a great and very full week of music, HB. When Peter Asher did his late night acoustic show on Flower Power he brought out some special guests (including the Cowsills) and I loved it, but different strokes for different cruisers!

 

Peter Asher looks like he's doing the same (or similar) acoustic show for us on Monday night/Tuesday morning.  He also has a matinee, solo, on Tuesday afternoon.  I'll take your recommendation in mind, but it's going to be tough to squeeze him in when there's so much going on.

 

Thank you for your kind words.  This does look like a very full and interesting schedule.  It looks like I'll be hanging around by the pool a lot.  I'd better prepare for that.

 

52 minutes ago, George C said:

You left out badfinger which is normally just Joey Molland who spent lots of time in suite lounge on a previous cruise, we also saw him in Dallas with Todd Rundgren, Christofer Cross and others . I think it’s a decent lineup but not as good as previous years.

Neledi is a very fun performer who has been on last several r &r .

LSB are fantastic and I believe they were on last 5 r&r.

 

Badfinger didn't quite meet my standards, arbitrary as they are.  Too many better choices, IMHO, not enough time.  I'm happy you hung around with him and saw him perform.

 

Curious - what kind of music does Naledi perform?  I might check him out if he's doing something appealing.

 

You've mentioned LSB before.  I want to go see them... but their themes are meh (again, IMHO) and they're mostly up against stiff competition.  I'll take another look.

[NinS]

I might be misreading things but I actually think the performance will be the Hall of Fame Band (Peter Asher's backing group) doing a tribute to Badfinger, rather than a Joey Molland set.

 

When Peter Asher does StarVista cruises he does a matinee show with a full band (including Cara Lee singing "You're No Good" which Asher produced) and then the late night acoustic shows which have lots of special guests. I wonder if he's the only artist who has been on Malt Shop, Flower Power and Rock and Romance. 

[Honolulu Blue]

16 minutes ago, NinS said:

I might be misreading things but I actually think the performance will be the Hall of Fame Band (Peter Asher's backing group) doing a tribute to Badfinger, rather than a Joey Molland set.

 

When Peter Asher does StarVista cruises he does a matinee show with a full band (including Cara Lee singing "You're No Good" which Asher produced) and then the late night acoustic shows which have lots of special guests. I wonder if he's the only artist who has been on Malt Shop, Flower Power and Rock and Romance. 

Correct - the HOF Band will be doing a tribute to Badfinger.

 

And it sounds like what you've described with Peter Asher is what we're going to get on this cruise.

[George C]

16 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

 

Peter Asher looks like he's doing the same (or similar) acoustic show for us on Monday night/Tuesday morning.  He also has a matinee, solo, on Tuesday afternoon.  I'll take your recommendation in mind, but it's going to be tough to squeeze him in when there's so much going on.

 

Thank you for your kind words.  This does look like a very full and interesting schedule.  It looks like I'll be hanging around by the pool a lot.  I'd better prepare for that.

 

 

Badfinger didn't quite meet my standards, arbitrary as they are.  Too many better choices, IMHO, not enough time.  I'm happy you hung around with him and saw him perform.

 

Curious - what kind of music does Naledi perform?  I might check him out if he's doing something appealing.

 

You've mentioned LSB before.  I want to go see them... but their themes are meh (again, IMHO) and they're mostly up against stiff competition.  I'll take another look.

Naledi about 30 year old black woman, great voice and normally plays close to martini bar , just a very bubbly person doing lots of difference music , funny thing was she changed names a couple of years ago . She has been on R&R about 4 times.

 

Gino Vaneelli and Ambrosia have been on before but never for a main show .

 
 

 

[Honolulu Blue]

19 minutes ago, George C said:

Naledi about 30 year old black woman, great voice and normally plays close to martini bar , just a very bubbly person doing lots of difference music , funny thing was she changed names a couple of years ago . She has been on R&R about 4 times.

 

Gino Vaneelli and Ambrosia have been on before but never for a main show .

Thanks for the details and heads up.

[NinS]

Today the 2025 Flower Power Cruise was announced. It's a very good lineup that includes Mark Lindsay's first live appearance anywhere in a number of years -- he had retired due an injury and had cancelled on a prior FPC. Rare Earth (with no originals), The Guess Who and ex-Hollies member Terry Sylvester are also doing Rock and Romance in 2025. Alas the dates probably won't work for me (and I won't know for sure until after the April pre-sale) so it's not likely that I'll be booking a cabin. 

[George C]

2 hours ago, NinS said:

Today the 2025 Flower Power Cruise was announced. It's a very good lineup that includes Mark Lindsay's first live appearance anywhere in a number of years -- he had retired due an injury and had cancelled on a prior FPC. Rare Earth (with no originals), The Guess Who and ex-Hollies member Terry Sylvester are also doing Rock and Romance in 2025. Alas the dates probably won't work for me (and I won't know for sure until after the April pre-sale) so it's not likely that I'll be booking a cabin. 

We saw the Guess who several years ago on R&R and they were ok, then saw them last year and they were fantastic, only original member was the drummer who was in a electric scooter, had a great conversation with him a lot Guess Who playing the White House while Nixon was president. This year is the weakest lineup but I am sure we will enjoy it , got a little spoiled with artists on our previous 5 R&R.

[Honolulu Blue]

A little bit of news from Foreigner:  Mick Jones confessed on the group's social media pages that he has been battling Parkinson's for the last several years and that's why he rarely performs onstage anymore.  I'll link a site with an article that quotes him:  Foreigner's Mick Jones Reveals Parkinson's Disease Battle (consequence.net) .

 

Sad news.  I really feel for Mr. Jones.  I was hoping against hope that perhaps a cruise would help soften what ailed him and he'd show up for a cameo our little Rock & Romance Cruise.  I've officially given up hope for that now. ☹️  

[Honolulu Blue]

Finally, the tentative 80s Cruise is out and ready for review.  I'll do a first scan review of the performers and other items that are of interest to me.  But here and now, I'll review the main theater performers each day:

 

THURSDAY - Soft Cell early and late

FRIDAY - Stephen Pearcy (early) and Debbie Gibson (late)

SATURDAY - Debbie Gibson (early) and Stephen Pearcy (late)

SUNDAY - Sebastian Bach (early) and The English Beat (late)

MONDAY - The English Beat (early) and Sebastian Bach (late)

TUESDAY - Air Supply (early) and 38 Special (late)

WEDNESDAY - 38 Special (early) and Air Supply (late)

[Honolulu Blue]

It looks like another busy week of running around to concerts and interviews on TEC.  It could be challenging fitting meals in some day, but be assured that I won't starve.  😛  It's sad that I won't get to do the Sheena double, as she's up against Stephen on Friday and there ain't no way I'm missing him live.

 

Also, keep in mind that this is a tentative list.  I can't be in two places at once, and I'm unlikely to see the same performer twice (with some possible exceptions).

 

WHEN	WHO & WHAT	WHERE
Thursday	Embark (Back to the 80s)
400-515p	Trial By Fire	Pool
715-830p	Animotion	Studio B
930-1045p	Sheena Easton	Studio B
1100p-1245a	TEC 25 lineup / Jessie's Girl	Studio B
Friday	at sea (Salute to Sci-Fi)
900-1015a	Breakfast w/Stephen Pearcy	Jamie's (11)
1100a-1200p	BTM-38 Special	Studio B
100-215p	Wang Chung	Pool
630-800p	Stephen Pearcy	Theater
715-830p	Sheena Easton	Studio B
930-1045p	Animotion	Studio B
Saturday	at sea (Camp 80s/Punks and Preps)
1000-1100a	BTM-Sheena Easton	Studio B
1230-130p	BTM-Stephen Pearcy	Star Lounge
200-300p	BTM-Wang Chung	Studio B
300-400p	Wine tasting w/Sheena Easton	MDR (3)
630-800p	Debbie Gibson	Theater
Sunday	Aruba (Kick Back and Glow)
1000-1100a	BTM-Debbie Gibson	Studio B
715-830p	Ray Parker Jr.	Studio B
930-1045p	Midnight Star	Studio B
Monday	Curacao (John Hughes Prom)
330-430p	BTM-Air Supply	Theater
715-830p	Midnight Star	Studio B
930-1045p	Ray Parker Jr.	Studio B
1130p-1245a	Wang Chung	Studio B
Tuesday	at sea (Pop Icon)
315-400p	Auction	Studio B
400-500p	BTM-Ray Parker Jr.	Studio B
500-600p	BTM-Animotion	Star Lounge
630-800p	Air Supply	Theater
1200-130a	Piano Bar Jam w/Tommy Tutone & All-Stars	Star Lounge
Wed.	at sea
1000-1100a	Dance class w/Debbie Gibson	Studio B
1115-1145a	Ask ECP	Ellington's (14)
330-430p	BTM-Midnight Star	Star Lounge
630-800p	38 Special	Theater
1100p-mid	Heavy Metal Show w/Trial By Fire	Studio B