Pool/Party Band "Onyx" on Celebrity

[lkneller]

Husband is musician and we love listening to a live band, if the band is good. When we last sailed with Celebrity they contracted excellent bands. We sailed Horizon(1), Zenith(2), Century(2), and Galaxy(1) and always had an excellent band. The names I still remember were Opus, Volz, Vibe.

 

We have been away from Celebrity for years and have been very happy with the bands on Disney and Princess lines.

 

Now we finally have another Celebrity cruise booked, and we were looking forward to enjoying a good island band again. It sounds like we will not be very happy with the latest entertainment line up.

 

It is making me nervous. What else has changed since RCCL took the reigns?

[tbelian]

Onyx was our 'first' and favorite. The only band who's cd I bought. It's in the car and takes me away whenver I need a 'virtual cruise'.

 

'xtasy' i think was actually 'xtasea' (get it, sea?).

 

Here is a link for a video I took of a performer on Constellation. Pretty good guitar man:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j-kDvZsiuU

[GeorgeL]

Onyx was our 'first' and favorite. The only band who's cd I bought. It's in the car and takes me away whenver I need a 'virtual cruise'.

 

'xtasy' i think was actually 'xtasea' (get it, sea?).

 

Here is a link for a video I took of a performer on Constellation. Pretty good guitar man:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j-kDvZsiuU

 

Yes, I do believe this is the correct spelling. They were a group of Italian guys and they had a wonderful sound and repertoire of cool Italian songs.

All the good bands are gone....

Celebrity, what happened????

[ISABELLA]

Is there any way to send all our comments, linked together to X?

[GeorgeL]

Is there any way to send all our comments, linked together to X?

 

I don't know if that is possible but that doesn't mean that it's not. I just don't know how to do it. Perhaps we can send the link to this thread to Celebrity? I doubt that it is going to make a difference unless many, many cruisers make their voices heard. Ten passengers are not going to be enough to force the issue, I am sure.

[PatC]

Onyx is a great band but we sailed many years ago when Celebrity was new and their original bands were called Kudos. We still have the cassette that we bought on board Zenith in 1992. Wonder what happened to them?

 

We had a pool band on Galaxy and they were terrible. That was the only one that I can truly say we couldn't listen to.

 

Other than that we've always enjoyed the poolside music. So many of the groups can even play country/western, with a Carribbean dialect of course:p.

 

Pat C

[Cruiser Susie]

I will certainly agree with all the comments that the dance bands and music on Celebrity are not what they used to be. My husband has written Celebrity about the disappointment and lack of good party band music and guitarists we have experienced on multiple cruises and although he did get a reply, it was really a thanks for the message kind of reply. We thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed Jefferson Ang's music on the Equinox in November. I wish Celebrity would hire more like him.

 

I saw on another thread that Gary Walker, the cruise director on our Equinox trip in November, and also our cruise director on several other trips, will be taking over as the Manager of Entertainment for Celebrity. He is a personable, down to earth, easy to talk to man, and I am hoping that he will be able to move things in a more positive direction. He leaves the Equinox this week and starts in Miami immediately. So I am hopeful of things to come... perhaps if we all write him a positive letter encouraging more of the kind of music from the past, he will give that some consideration. I surely hope so!

[Junior W Onyx]

Does anyone have any idea what happened the band ONYX? They were fantastic and considered the best band on Celebrity. My DH and I were on several cruises where they performed and then they seemed to disappear.several years ago.

I'd love to find out where they are playing now.

 

Hi George!

This Junior Williams from the band Onyx on Celebrity.

I was just googling on this fine Good Friday morning and saw this post that some people were looking for the band Onyx. Someone commented that we retired the band in 2006, this is true. Clairemont Charles was the band leader and made this decision.

I also saw that someone posted that some member was playing on Cunard and this was me in 2008 on the QE2 when she was heading to her final resting place in Dubai.

It feels good that people appreciated us and you talent. I truly miss entertaining on ships but I did it when I got home to Barbados on the hotel circuit but not the same.

I wanted to let you know that I remember you and I hope all is well with you and to also let you all know that being noticed and commended for our work on the ships really means a lot.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Junior Williams former lead singer & drummer of Onyx

[h20cruzer]

OMG those were the days, I was on Celebrity several times and ONYX was THE band. I sat and listened to them every night. Was certainly disappointed when they were no longer there. The bands to day stink, I have been on the Infinity, Millie, and Soltice in the last 18 months, and nothing even worth listening too. Also enjoyed the music by the pool. Now you are lucky if they play for 1 hour. What happened to the steele drum. Cant beat steele drum on a cruise. I think the only Line worse is Holland America for pool music.

I would give anything to see Onxy again. I am going the the TA on the Silhouette 04/22/12 and if I could wish the old ONYX there I would.

I do have a cd of them, that I bought in 92 or 93.

Junior and the Onyx team you are certainly not forgotten and have given a lot of people great memories.

Norma.

[richsea]

Hi George!

This Junior Williams from the band Onyx on Celebrity.

I was just googling on this fine Good Friday morning and saw this post that some people were looking for the band Onyx. Someone commented that we retired the band in 2006, this is true. Clairemont Charles was the band leader and made this decision.

I also saw that someone posted that some member was playing on Cunard and this was me in 2008 on the QE2 when she was heading to her final resting place in Dubai.

It feels good that people appreciated us and you talent. I truly miss entertaining on ships but I did it when I got home to Barbados on the hotel circuit but not the same.

I wanted to let you know that I remember you and I hope all is well with you and to also let you all know that being noticed and commended for our work on the ships really means a lot.

Hope to hear from you soon.

 

Junior Williams former lead singer & drummer of Onyx

 

Thanks Junior, for all of the great music that you & Onyx provided throughout the years.

[hcat]

Hi George!

This Junior Williams from the band Onyx on Celebrity.

I was just googling on this fine Good Friday morning and saw this post that some people were looking for the band Onyx. Someone commented that we retired the band in 2006, this is true. Clairemont Charles was the band leader and made this decision.

I also saw that someone posted that some member was playing on Cunard and this was me in 2008 on the QE2 when she was heading to her final resting place in Dubai.

It feels good that people appreciated us and you talent. I truly miss entertaining on ships but I did it when I got home to Barbados on the hotel circuit but not the same.

I wanted to let you know that I remember you and I hope all is well with you and to also let you all know that being noticed and commended for our work on the ships really means a lot.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Junior Williams former lead singer & drummer of Onyx

 

What a great post--so glad you let everyone know you are around. Wish you'd come back to Celebrity & bring some good talent with you....

 

Nothing very good happening musically on the ships lately --except some individual guitarists & steel drum players..

 

Best wishes to you from a fan!

[phyllisrf]

Ditto !

[Cape Codder]

OMG those were the days, I was on Celebrity several times and ONYX was THE band. I sat and listened to them every night. Was certainly disappointed when they were no longer there. The bands to day stink, I have been on the Infinity, Millie, and Soltice in the last 18 months, and nothing even worth listening too. Also enjoyed the music by the pool. Now you are lucky if they play for 1 hour. What happened to the steele drum. Cant beat steele drum on a cruise. I think the only Line worse is Holland America for pool music.

I would give anything to see Onxy again. I am going the the TA on the Silhouette 04/22/12 and if I could wish the old ONYX there I would.

I do have a cd of them, that I bought in 92 or 93.

Junior and the Onyx team you are certainly not forgotten and have given a lot of people great memories.

Norma

 

I agree with everything you said. We were great fans of ONYX and sailed several times with them. I also have their CD and play it all the time.

 

Norma--see you on the Silhouette in two weeks:).

 

Carolyn

[Lois R]

Husband is musician and we love listening to a live band, if the band is good. When we last sailed with Celebrity they contracted excellent bands. We sailed Horizon(1), Zenith(2), Century(2), and Galaxy(1) and always had an excellent band. The names I still remember were Opus, Volz, Vibe.

 

We have been away from Celebrity for years and have been very happy with the bands on Disney and Princess lines.

 

Now we finally have another Celebrity cruise booked, and we were looking forward to enjoying a good island band again. It sounds like we will not be very happy with the latest entertainment line up.

 

It is making me nervous. What else has changed since RCCL took the reigns?

 

This thread is 2 years old....did you go on the cruise? Did you enjoy

it? I was going to say there is no reason to be nervous....but it

doesn't matter since the thread is long past whenever you cruised.

[Dr.Oz]

I also have an ONYX CD, which I downloaded onto my IPod. They were the greatest. My DH asked me not long ago what happened to them. Glad I found this thread. We really miss ONYX!

[olemissreb]

I know this thread is 2 years old, but I'm disappointed that Onyx won't be on our Millie cruise next year! We've only been on one Celebrity cruise and it just so happened that Onyx was the band. OH MY WORD were they good! We had so much fun at the sail away party - cruising past the forts in San Juan and dancing! They really made our anniversary cruise so much fun! Crossing my fingers that Celebrity finds some good bands between now and when we cruise so I can dance the night away again!:)