Freedom of the Seas, May 3, 2015 Not available for booking?

[Chyna3032]

Is the Tom Joyner cruise a full or partial charter? I always heard it was full charter.

 

 

It's a full charter.

[Chyna3032]

Full Charter...this year on the Carnival Dream...Ford Motor Company is the title sponsor...for several years it was held on RCI, including 1 year on the FOS....most of the popular successful music charters sail fully berth (3rd & 4th berths in cabins at capacity) and sell out far in advance

 

Capital Jazz SuperCruise actually started as a way to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Capital Jazz Festival....this October will be the 9th straight sailing....this will be my 6th straight sailing & every year it has been a sell out on Carnival's Conquest fleet type (Liberty, Valor, Freedom) avg 3000+ guests....

 

Cruise lines know that these types of music charters attract 1st time cruisers who would not

consider cruising as a vacation option if it were not for the music, artists and full charter immersion.....it also attracts a younger demographic and yields a higher repeat business (on a yearly basis) and guests satisfaction experience post cruise survey results

 

RCI has extensive experience in these types of music charters (most current Dave Koz & Friends)so IMHO, the recent Maxwell experience should in no way reflect in a negative manner on RCI....hopefully the guests booking for the Maxwell cruise will exercise their options and still have time to experience a full charter :cool:Jazz Cruise with Soul :cool: featuring the types of artists they were hoping to see on the FOS

 

I was looking at the Maxwell at Sea cruise to see how it went...mainly because I liked the line up and was going to possibly book in 2016. However, since I've been cruising with Tom Joyner for the past 3 years (this is my 4th) I know it takes A LOT to pull off a successful Full Charter. On Tom Joyner, I literally have something to do for almost 24 hrs straight! Sometimes the last concert is at 2am! And the during the day there are really informative seminars, art auctions, and poolside activities. I have been sailing with people that have become life long friends. And then to top it all off, I see the fruit of my contribution by the scholarships that the Foundation gives to students that attend HBCU's.

 

I probably will go on a regular cruise at some point, but right now I'm having too much fun on Tom Joyner. :)

[hattack]

Very well expressed and shared by those of us that faithfully cruise every year on our music charter of choice (mine is Capital Jazz SuperCruise, but I do try to win a cabin on the FV thru Tom's various radio contest) ...I suspect that the bond is formed, with the Charter you go on first and because of the friendships made, and renewed every cruise & clearly understanding what you are receiving for $$$ paid, you stick with and are loyal to your first :D

 

Not sure if I were booked on the Maxwell Charter and were offered the Cancun Jazz Festival as a substitute (with many of the same artists in the line up) if I would transfer and just take my refund and book on another Music Cruise that is more established with a better track record....huge difference in seeing Brian Culbertson on stage at a land Festival in Cancun, and seeing him perform on the Lido Deck on the Carnival Liberty with the late Chuck Brown and then having lunch with he and his wife on a full day at sea and dancing with him down the Soul Train Line on the Lido Deck 70's Party at midnight

 

At the airport on Sundays in the boarding area while waiting for your flight home, you can spot the cruisers who have been on a full music charter...we are wearing colorful teeshirts with the list of artists on the back and we are sleeping, exhausted by 7-8 days/nights of having the cruise of a lifetime

[LadyMage]

I was looking at the Maxwell at Sea cruise to see how it went...mainly because I liked the line up and was going to possibly book in 2016. However, since I've been cruising with Tom Joyner for the past 3 years (this is my 4th) I know it takes A LOT to pull off a successful Full Charter. On Tom Joyner, I literally have something to do for almost 24 hrs straight! Sometimes the last concert is at 2am! And the during the day there are really informative seminars, art auctions, and poolside activities. I have been sailing with people that have become life long friends. And then to top it all off, I see the fruit of my contribution by the scholarships that the Foundation gives to students that attend HBCU's.

 

I probably will go on a regular cruise at some point, but right now I'm having too much fun on Tom Joyner. :)

 

I don't think I can do a regular cruise. Capital Jazz spoiled me for life :) But...I think I should like to do a regular voyage one of those days. The Freedom looks like an awesome ship, but I would love to revisit the Celebrity line.

[LadyMage]

At the airport on Sundays in the boarding area while waiting for your flight home, you can spot the cruisers who have been on a full music charter...we are wearing colorful teeshirts with the list of artists on the back and we are sleeping, exhausted by 7-8 days/nights of having the cruise of a lifetime

 

Oh, yes, yes, this! I took one of my friends aboard CapJazz last year, and I warned her: the only sleep you will get is before and after this cruise, not during it. She didn't believe me. She zonked hard on Day 3, and at the airport, she was telling me that there's NO way anyone could go right back to work after such a cruise. She is right!

 

Me, I made friends with the coffee stand girl on the boat...only way to keep going until jam sessions wrap up! :)

[hattack]

2 years ago the Malt Shop Memories Cruise (HAL Eurodam ) & Capital Jazz SuperCruise (Carnival Freedom) charters were at sea on the same week...on Sunday at the FLL airport waiting for our flights home were over 5000 happy but exhausted music cruisers wearing teeshirts from our perspective charters sharing pictures and memories...I made friends with two ladies from Wisconsin who were on their very first cruise ever, which happen to be the MSM charter featuring artists and music from when they were teenagers...we wound up exchanging teeshirts from our respective charters....they were excited because while they were onboard they had deposited and secured their cabin for the MSM charter next year

 

They shared with me that their friends in Wisconsin who had been cruising for years (but never had experienced a full charter music cruise) had prepared them for what to expect on a normal cruise, which of course was 180 degrees from what they experienced

 

It reminded me that music & cruising brings like minded people together regardless of race, politics, income levels, religions and biases...everyone is cruising for the same reason, enjoying the music and making new friends...once you have done a music charter (regardless of style, Kid Rock sells out his charter in a day), you can try doing a regular cruise but you might be very bored

[Chyna3032]

I just looked at the Maxwell at Sea facebook page and one of their cruisers asked when their payment was going to be processed for January and wanted to know if the cruise had been cancelled or wasin trouble.

 

The Company sponsoring the cruise responded today saying that there was a problem with their system and January's payment shad not been taken out yet. This company is horrible!

[LadyMage]

I just looked at the Maxwell at Sea facebook page and one of their cruisers asked when their payment was going to be processed for January and wanted to know if the cruise had been cancelled or wasin trouble.

 

The Company sponsoring the cruise responded today saying that there was a problem with their system and January's payment shad not been taken out yet. This company is horrible!

 

They just deleted ALL the comments from their group where people were pissed off about it possibly not happening, and now I'm officially banned from commenting on their pages.

 

Well, way to go, Maxwell at Sea! You've officially confirmed that I was right, right alongside with everyone from here who has come over there to say it. Nice! Very nice! I hope you enjoy the lawsuit that will be brought against you, because I can't possibly imagine that the people who were pissed about it are going to sit quietly.

[SherriZ366]

They just deleted ALL the comments from their group where people were pissed off about it possibly not happening, and now I'm officially banned from commenting on their pages.

 

Well, way to go, Maxwell at Sea! You've officially confirmed that I was right, right alongside with everyone from here who has come over there to say it. Nice! Very nice! I hope you enjoy the lawsuit that will be brought against you, because I can't possibly imagine that the people who were pissed about it are going to sit quietly.

Especially at the prices they charged!!

[LadyMage]

Especially at the prices they charged!!

 

Indeed!!! I knew it was going to go under the minute I saw the prices. They surely didn't think that they would sell out at this insane rate, did they?

[SherriZ366]

Indeed!!! I knew it was going to go under the minute I saw the prices. They surely didn't think that they would sell out at this insane rate, did they?

Guess they know nothing about how to market a theme cruise or from other poster's posts, a land vacation (like the Cancun substitute).

[LadyMage]

Guess they know nothing about how to market a theme cruise or from other poster's posts, a land vacation (like the Cancun substitute).

 

The concert franchise has actually been around for locally based music festivals, from what I gather. Common complaints? Price. OF COURSE. And it isn't rocket science: if your event isn't priced to sell, it won't.

 

I could go into the whole event-planning breakdown, but it'll take too long. Suffice it to say, I also have doubts the Cancun Jazz Fest will ever take place.

[SherriZ366]

The concert franchise has actually been around for locally based music festivals, from what I gather. Common complaints? Price. OF COURSE. And it isn't rocket science: if your event isn't priced to sell, it won't.

 

I could go into the whole event-planning breakdown, but it'll take too long. Suffice it to say, I also have doubts the Cancun Jazz Fest will ever take place.

Agree.

[TifffanyD]

I'm banned too. I hope they get their butts sued off. folks should contact the artists and let them know what a sham they are involved in

[LadyMage]

Indeed. The artists are no fools, though, I think they've seen enough of those things go down. I checked a couple of the websites, not all of them are advertising this cruise. I think they are already aware of what's going on.

Edited January 27, 2015 by LadyMage

[LadyMage]

I'm banned too. I hope they get their butts sued off. folks should contact the artists and let them know what a sham they are involved in

 

They reaaaallly want to torpedo what's left of their image, don't they?

[TifffanyD]

I think so. And they are taking forever to delete stuff too - idiots

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[CruisinJamma]

I'm so glad I found this thread. I was looking to book this cruise. I ran the numbers to figure out the full-price from RCI because I won't be able to book until next month after my husband's vacation request has been approved. I looked to see the suite prices and all that is available (I believe - because I only wrote down the Jr. Suite balcony guarantee and I've been looking for at least a Grand Suite), well the regular price of the Jr. Suite Balcony Guarantee is showing at 7002.50 (that includes the taxes, port fees, etc.). I just added the discount (because of the BOHO sale) back into the sale price and that is what I came up with. That seems outrageous to me! But anyway, thanks for posting all of this information. I'm really curious to see how this plays out.

[Chyna3032]

I'm banned too. I hope they get their butts sued off. folks should contact the artists and let them know what a sham they are involved in

 

I don't think the artists are aware. Anthony Hamilton tweeted about the cruise yesterday. I tweeted him back and asked if it had been cancelled. He tweeted me back and said not that he knew of.

[looksandletters]

I don't think the artists are aware. Anthony Hamilton tweeted about the cruise yesterday. I tweeted him back and asked if it had been cancelled. He tweeted me back and said not that he knew of.

 

Yikes, somehow even with all of this stupidity I'm still surprised that they're not communicating with their artists. I wonder if they will still be on the hook for paying the talent.

[LadyMage]

I don't think the artists are aware. Anthony Hamilton tweeted about the cruise yesterday. I tweeted him back and asked if it had been cancelled. He tweeted me back and said not that he knew of.

 

...Okay, that's just infuriating. Those artists are losing out a week off their schedules for something that's not even taking place? HELL no. Not cool. I am willing to bet that very few of them even got paid in the first place. In the concert world, the artists need to be paid in full by a certain deadline, and I cannot imagine that ANY of them will come near that boat or that promoter without a check.

[LadyMage]

Yikes, somehow even with all of this stupidity I'm still surprised that they're not communicating with their artists. I wonder if they will still be on the hook for paying the talent.

 

I'd imagine so...

[DreamingBig1]

After reading the lineup, I do have to say that the smooth jazz artists on the ship that week are all very good.

 

Hopefully they make you whole with the price you booked at on another cruise.

[Chyna3032]

I just think it's awful how they're handling matters by not divulging to their patrons that this cruise has been cancelled since November. People are planning, requesting vacation, etc. And to also not be in touch with the artists is awful. By not being honest, they are preventing these artists from booking other engagements.

 

I see that this is going to be a huge disaster!

[LetsGetWet!]

They just deleted ALL the comments from their group where people were pissed off about it possibly not happening, and now I'm officially banned from commenting on their pages.

 

Well, way to go, Maxwell at Sea! You've officially confirmed that I was right, right alongside with everyone from here who has come over there to say it. Nice! Very nice! I hope you enjoy the lawsuit that will be brought against you, because I can't possibly imagine that the people who were pissed about it are going to sit quietly.

Guess they know nothing about how to market a theme cruise or from other poster's posts, a land vacation (like the Cancun substitute).

I'm banned too. I hope they get their butts sued off. folks should contact the artists and let them know what a sham they are involved in

...Okay, that's just infuriating. Those artists are losing out a week off their schedules for something that's not even taking place? HELL no. Not cool. I am willing to bet that very few of them even got paid in the first place. In the concert world, the artists need to be paid in full by a certain deadline, and I cannot imagine that ANY of them will come near that boat or that promoter without a check.

Guess what else they don't know much about? Social media! So they've deleted all posts and banned the posters from their Facebook page. Know where we all need to go to spread the word about the dishonesty AND the Facebook censorship?

 

Twitter! Their twitter handle is @maxwellatsea, and when I looked it up they've been posting using the hashtag #maxwellatsea. Tweet about what's been going on, and ask them why they've deleted all negative posts from their Facebook page and have made no announcement that the charter is not happening? They can't delete twitter messages! I think I'm going to go call them out! :D

 

EDIT: Just sent this tweet: @maxwellatsea why aren't you letting your customers AND artists know RCI cancelled your charter in November? Pretty dishonest! #maxwellatsea

Edited January 27, 2015 by LetsGetWet!