A Journey to the 90s, 80s, 70s, and beyond? My 2025 Music Adventures

[Honolulu Blue]

The 80s Cruise announced their last theme for 2025 - Video Killed the Radio Star, covering all those cute videos from the decade.  ECP also announced that Adam Ant will be performing at least one of the main theater shows on that day.  Hmmm... I can start to piece out a calendar now:

 

• Day 1, embarkation in Miami - Back to the 80s Night
• Day 2, Nassau - theme TBD
• Day 3, at sea - Fat Tuesday Prom
• Day 4, San Juan - Video Killed the Radio Star, Main theater - Adam Ant for both shows?
• Day 5, at sea - theme TBD
• Day 6, Puerto Plata - Pop Icon Night
• Day 7, at sea - no theme

 

Christopher Cross seems to be a natural for one of the slots on Yacht Rock night, whenever it is.  The other performers aren't obvious matches for any of the themes.

[Honolulu Blue]

The Super Legends Cruise for 2024, which will be sailing in a few days, has opened up 5 cabins for passenger booking.  They say they must be booked TODAY!  

 

This lineup isn't of interest to me other than WAR, whom I saw on this year's Rock & Romance Cruise.

 

 

They'll be on the 2.0 version of the 2025 edition.  I'm on the 1.0 version, which has enough other interesting acts (to me) to make up for their absence.  I hope.  🙏

[Honolulu Blue]

I received an e-mail about the 2025 On the Blue Cruise.  You may recall that it's scheduled to go up to New England and Canada from Boston in August on the NCL Gem.

 

With that established, here's the new stuff:

 

• More details about this cruise will be posted on their website Tuesday afternoon, September 17
• The initial lineup will also be announced at that time
• The itinerary looks very familiar.  The cruise I went on last month went to the same ports in the same order, except we subbed a stop on Prince Edward Island for their stop in New Brunswick
• Booking won't be available on Tuesday; instead, bookings will be available by priority groups.  First priority will be given to those that went on the 2024 OTBC, then to everyone else.

 

These guys have had some interesting lineups through the years.  Will this one be enough to get me on the ship?  Who knows??  All I can promise is that I'll keep you updated.

[Honolulu Blue]

Sad news... 2022 UDC veteran Tito Jackson recently passed away.  He and his brothers have never been shy about embracing disco.  Slowly but surely, the original Jackson 5 are getting back together.

 

[Honolulu Blue]

As I did some random surfing, I found a cruise opportunity of interest to me.  NCL revealed that they will have a Prince tribute show exclusively on this ship.  You guys know I love me some Prince, so this is definitely a draw.  In addition, there will be a Price Is Right LIVE on the ship and a Fleetwood Mac tribute show.  More draws.

 

It will be sailing out of Miami from October 2025 through April 2026.  The prices aren't terrible, but they might zoom up at any time.  The biggest problem is what date to pick.  I already have cruises booked for October and December, and I'd like to make space for TNC (late January or early February), the UDC (mid to late February), and TEC (late February or early March).  That doesn't leave much time available.  But I'd like to work something out.  I'll let you all know if and when I do.

[Honolulu Blue]

Since this is Tuesday, September 17, the On the Blue Cruise released the details for their 2025 cruise.  I'll start with the lineup.  It's not on the page as of this writing; I had to get this image off FB.

 

 

Some personal notes on the lineup; you can go ahead and skip to the last of these bullet points if you're not interested:

 

• I was a big fan of Mr. Parsons and his Project back in the day.  Less so now, but maybe a little ammonia will bring back the fond memories?
• Starship, euw. 🤮
• I'm not familiar with Leonid or his friends, but Chicago is really good no matter who does it.  I saw Generation Radio on Rock & Romance back in March, and the real deal in May.
• Ambrosia was good with his yacht rock friends on R&R
• Honeymoon Suite will be on TEC next March.  They have two good songs, which puts them on the "maybe" pile.  They stand out here more, in both good and not so good ways.
• Top of the World doing The Carpenters thing, eh?  This could be really good.  I've enjoyed all the tribute bands on my various cruises over the past 3 years.
• I have no further comment on any of the other performers, though some of the names are familiar somehow (Dave Mason, Al Stewart, Ricky Nelson Remembered)

 

Sadly, one of the wonky parts of the site is that no prices are available.  But some booking details are:

 

• Booking starts with those who sailed on the cruise in '24 on September 24
• Then those who have booked previous editions of this cruise get their dibs on September 30
• And finally, the rest of us get what's left on October 3
• There are three levels of VIP packages for those who want priority seating, the priority entrance, merch, etc.  Prices of these are baked into the total fares which we aren't allowed to see yet.
• The pricing section is turning wonky, but I saw a $500 initial deposit at the time of booking, another $900 to be paid by December, then payment of what's left in two even halves before the ship sails.  This is for their interior cabins; higher level cabins have different amounts.
• There's a $450 fee that covers port fees and the "mandatory" gratuities that the listed prices won't include when I can finally see them

 

So... am I going to book this?  First of all, I'm going to say that the lineup for the 2025 Rock & Romance Cruise is better than this, IMHO.  And it has the bonus of having the wonderful @George C.  But that cruise has sold out and if I really wanted to get on, I'd have to scramble for a cabin.  I'd rather not do that.  OTBC's advantage is that it's away from my other cruises, except the Super Legends one.

 

I don't know.  If you twisted my arm and made me answer RIGHT NOW, I'd say no.  But maybe they'll take pity on me and give me a huge discount and make me want to come.

[Honolulu Blue]

Hi, I'm back already.  I decided to do a new post rather than edit the post above.  The pricing page is now active.  It's $3600 for a solo guest for their lowest price interior cabins with "obstructed assigned theater seating".  That doesn't sound good.  It's $200 more for the next level of interior cabins.  It's $5600 for a solo interior cabin with the VIP package.  Don't forget the $450 in fees.

 

I'm not persuaded.  This looks like a pass.  Too bad. ☹️

[George C]

3 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Since this is Tuesday, September 17, the On the Blue Cruise released the details for their 2025 cruise.  I'll start with the lineup.  It's not on the page as of this writing; I had to get this image off FB.

 

 

Some personal notes on the lineup; you can go ahead and skip to the last of these bullet points if you're not interested:

 

• I was a big fan of Mr. Parsons and his Project back in the day.  Less so now, but maybe a little ammonia will bring back the fond memories?
• Starship, euw. 🤮
• I'm not familiar with Leonid or his friends, but Chicago is really good no matter who does it.  I saw Generation Radio on Rock & Romance back in March, and the real deal in May.
• Ambrosia was good with his yacht rock friends on R&R
• Honeymoon Suite will be on TEC next March.  They have two good songs, which puts them on the "maybe" pile.  They stand out here more, in both good and not so good ways.
• Top of the World doing The Carpenters thing, eh?  This could be really good.  I've enjoyed all the tribute bands on my various cruises over the past 3 years.
• I have no further comment on any of the other performers, though some of the names are familiar somehow (Dave Mason, Al Stewart, Ricky Nelson Remembered)

 

Sadly, one of the wonky parts of the site is that no prices are available.  But some booking details are:

 

• Booking starts with those who sailed on the cruise in '24 on September 24
• Then those who have booked previous editions of this cruise get their dibs on September 30
• And finally, the rest of us get what's left on October 3
• There are three levels of VIP packages for those who want priority seating, the priority entrance, merch, etc.  Prices of these are baked into the total fares which we aren't allowed to see yet.
• The pricing section is turning wonky, but I saw a $500 initial deposit at the time of booking, another $900 to be paid by December, then payment of what's left in two even halves before the ship sails.  This is for their interior cabins; higher level cabins have different amounts.
• There's a $450 fee that covers port fees and the "mandatory" gratuities that the listed prices won't include when I can finally see them

 

So... am I going to book this?  First of all, I'm going to say that the lineup for the 2025 Rock & Romance Cruise is better than this, IMHO.  And it has the bonus of having the wonderful @George C.  But that cruise has sold out and if I really wanted to get on, I'd have to scramble for a cabin.  I'd rather not do that.  OTBC's advantage is that it's away from my other cruises, except the Super Legends one.

 

I don't know.  If you twisted my arm and made me answer RIGHT NOW, I'd say no.  But maybe they'll take pity on me and give me a huge discount and make me want to come.

Agree rock and romance has a better lineup , although this is good. I was highly annoyed that Dave Mason didn’t do “ All along the watchtower “ at this years rock and romance. I am happy doing my one music cruise a year in my royal suite then doing another cruise around thanksgiving. I would have considered Chris Botti cruise who we have seen a few times but that royal suite was several thousand more per person than our rock and romance. 

[Honolulu Blue]

Some quickie updates, mostly personal:

 

• TEC announced their preseating process for 2025.  I'm in the first group that picks on October 8.  I loved my row 3 seat last year, but my camera wasn't as impressed.  I think it would rather have a seat in row 5 and closer to the center.  I'm not sure I agree with this.  Stay tuned; I'll let you know what I end up with.
• I ordered some T-shirts that will mostly perform double duty - ordinary resort/cruise wear and costumes for my themed cruises.  They're mostly for TNC, but some will also work for my other cruises - themed and not.
• I just got pricked and injected with a couple of vaccines - COVID and the flu.  This is booster #3 for the 2020 Disease of the Year.  A bit of a sore arm is my only symptom.  Let's hope it stays that way.
• "Weird Al" Yankovic is doing a world tour in the summer and fall of 2025.  The most intriguing stop to me is the one in Kalamazoo.  There's a VIP experience available.  I've seen Mr. Yankovic live a couple of times.  I'll probably pull the trigger on this; it's just a matter of when.
• Southwest, my airline of choice (mostly because I've used and still have a pile of miles with them), announced some upcoming changes.  They're going to start preassigned seating in early 2026.  I kind of like the system they have now, so I'm a little nervous about what's going to happen.  The e-mail offered few details.

 

[Honolulu Blue]

The UDC announced its themes for their cruise in 2025.  They are, in order:

 

• Hometown Proud
• Black & White Night
• Mardi Gras
• Saturday Night Fever
• Farewell Night

 

I have some ideas for most of these.  We'll see what I eventually come up with.