mom2specialboyz

The Inaugural On The Blue Cruise was Feburary 10 - 15, 2019. I am starting off a topic about it.

Did you have a suite or is this something that Sixthman does for it's cruises?

 

 

Thanks,

Janice

No, we don’t spend hardly any time in the cabin so after the first cruise we reserve only inside cabins,

Mom,

 

As you can see above, we booked very early, suite and VIP. But we knew many who tried to book later who found that they could get a room, but not a guaranteed seat in the theatre. Now, that's just bad! They didn't go. Clearly, the theatre was too small on the Eclipse to accommodate 1/2 the passengers at 100% occupancy, even given the fact that they split the theatre concerts up half in half. I hope you enjoy your "Cruise to the Blue" and I hope you find that RCCL is a better line than it was 20 years ago when we gave up on it. A year or so ago, there was a music cruise with bands I would like to have seen and heard, but it was on Carnival so we just didn't go. There was no VIP or suite status for anybody on that cruise, and everybody had to stand in line for everything, so that was the end of that. At our age, we don't do that,

 

On the 2018 cruise., we did not try the buffet after 10:00 PM. Before that, like lunch, we thought it was pretty good.

 

Basically, we will no longer cruise on "mass market" lines without suite level accommodations. If we can't afford that, we just stay home in the Rocky Mountains, which we do most of the time. But on the RCCL "Cruise to the Blue" you are in for some good music and (if things haven't changed) a rather poor cruise line. Sorry to be "Debbie Downer" , But Sunshine doesn't like RCCL, and I hate it.

Dear Dolebludger,

I totally get why you feel the way you do! It's really terrible to be selling cabins when there's not even seats in the theater for people at the same prices!!! That's just greed. We go on Sixthman cruises and people are treated very well so its not like we don't know the difference. I am a hard core Moody Blues fan or I wouldn't put up with it and now I've become very attached to seeing friends who go on the cruise or I would have just said screw it by now. I have come close to doing that more than once in the past few days.

I'm hoping that the refurbished RCCL ship Mariner of the Seas is nicer now (hoping and wishing) of course. On the first few cruises the people who spent large sums of money for VIP didn't see many perks for their money, but on the last cruise they most definitely received superior seating and dining to the regular cruisers in addition to the swag (tshirts, bags, etc.) which as well they should. I have tried to keep a lid on my feelings about it because I don't want anyone to feel bad, but at the very least, regular cruisers should have at least had decent pizza at the buffet after the late music performances! That should have been a minimum! I have never seen most of the buffet shut down so early before on any other cruise in my life and I've been on quite a few. The most crushing thing was the cancelled Zombies concert though, even though no one could help that it was rained out, the Eclipse was a terrible ship for a music cruise. The long lines and seemingly lack of music venues made it a very frustrating experience. Interestingly enough I've heard glowing descriptions from people who went VIP Gold on the same cruise though! So apparently its just sour grapes for me. It was really depressing at the end with all the rain, needless to say the passing of Ray Thomas and Jim Rodford. I still hold hope that the Moody Blues have NOT stopped touring forever but that seems very uncertain.

Anyway, I don't blame you one little bit for expecting a higher standard from theme cruises. They are charging alot of money and it wouldn't be the first time the artists and the fans have been exploited by big business!!!

Just got back from my second Sixthman Keeping the Blues Alive IV Cruise. We got a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries delivered to our room plus gifts every night. That in in addition to non-stop incredible music! The food was good, but I always prefer the dining room since it gets hectic in the buffet and I enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and quiet. We went to Montego Bay in Jamaica which was not my favorite destination, but then it was a short cruise. Only one show was rained out which was disappointing but then it can't be helped. All in all, a great time!

If we go again, it will VIP though I see that VIP has been divided into Silver and Gold level VIP. Hmmmm...between that and it being RCCL, we may not be going either. We were concierge class and found that the benefits of concierge were not great on a charter. Spa or suite class would have given us the different dining rooms as well as VIP and its benefits. We are looking at another music cruise that is on Celebrity for Spring of 2019.

 

Sorry I wasn't clear on the pool. I meant people were saving seats early on for concerts; pulling chairs from the sides over, etc., and leaving towels or other items on them. We didn't actually use the pool area other than for concerts either, though we crossed through the area numerous times a day.

 

Are you sure that the ship was sailing at 100% capacity? We wondered because the cafe/grill and dining room were far less crowded than when we were aboard the same ship 5 months earlier for 2 weeks. On the MB cruise, we never had to wait for a table in the dining room and never had trouble finding one, even one for 6 people, in the cafe/grill. That was a different story on our earlier cruise.

 

We are booked on Celebrity out of England this summer for two weeks to Ireland and Iceland. Enjoy Alaska!

Dear Sunshine,

My husband and I went on the last Moody Blues Cruise in January 2018 on the Eclipse. We went regular (not VIP) and experienced the very limited selection in the buffet, and long lines to get into the venues with many being standing room only. It was to be expected considering the Moody Blues were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and everyone knew this might very well be their last cruise together as a band!

I have no regrets about putting up with some inconveniences and annoyances. It was very disappointing that the Zombies last pool deck concert was rained out and I definitely feel glad that On The Blue changed to Royal Caribbean after the way Celebrity cut corners on our charter for the Moody Blues Cruise! I have never seen a buffet closing down about 75% by 10pm before on a music cruise and I've been on quite a few!

I signed up today of the On The Blue Cruise and am really looking forward to it. Many of the bands and friends who are regulars will be on the ship so its well worth it to me. Sadly, John Lodge and Graeme Edge will not be onboard.

If anyone is still looking...there's a cruise with Justin Hayward and many other fantastic artists that started booking today called On The Blue. http://onthebluecruise.com/

Carol Salsbury

https://www.********************/moodybluescruisers/

I recommend checking the price of the spa pass before cruising!!! I found out they charge different prices for in port and at sea!!! I was quoted $99 for the duration of my last cruise and told it would be the same cost after I boarded and when I got on the ship it was $137 not including gratuities. I went to the spa and told them, and they offered to honor the price I was quoted on the phone but by that time it was the second day and I decided to let it go.

We went on the Keeping the Blues Alive II Cruise last year and we’re leaving on Monday, Feb. 26 for IV. Last year was packed with music, and a lot were new bands I’ve never heard of. All the venues were so full it was standing room only and you had to get there 45 min. early to get a seat. It was fun though.

On the Moody Blues Facebook page, there have been posts claiming there will be another cruise in or about Feb. 2019. Are these just "internet misstatements"?

Nothing has been confirmed...as I said. I would know if there was.

I’m one the admins for the Moody Blues Cruisers Facebook. Our group keeps up with the news about cruises planned by On the Blue which is the company that has booked the Moody Blues up until now (cruises I - IV). At this time no other cruises with the Moody Blues or concert dates have been announced. We are all “Watching and Waiting” of course!!!