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

[LadyMage]

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

 

LOL. That's pretty much what I'm thinking too. The mistakes they're making on social media are pure amateur hour. Do they not know that if it's on social media, or the Internet, it lives forever?

 

This is precisely why I screencapped the posts....

Edited January 27, 2015 by LadyMage

[Jokare]

I would imagine the money is gone as they had to pay the ship, artists etc up front and now they don't know how to repay those who booked. If they had an insurance clause it probably doesn't kick in till after the cruise.

[SherriZ366]

I would imagine the money is gone as they had to pay the ship, artists etc up front and now they don't know how to repay those who booked. If they had an insurance clause it probably doesn't kick in till after the cruise.

They had to put up a bond -- wonder if anything is left to pay passengers.

[LadyMage]

That's IF they paid the artists... I somehow doubt that.

 

This makes me wonder if this entire thing was deliberate, and done for the insurance money. There is no cruise company who will put on a charter without insurance, and I can't imagine it'll be a small payout.

[LadyMage]

They had to put up a bond -- wonder if anything is left to pay passengers.

 

I'd hope there is. Else the lawsuit will be epic.

[SherriZ366]

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.

JSs are selling for $1,499 per person or around $3,000 for two. No where on the RCI website is there a price of $7,002.50 for a JS. Are you still trying to book with Maxwell? The cruise was cancelled in November.

 

I think that those who booked with Maxwell booked a lot of JSs and above -- wonder if they will go back into inventory. There are about 15 JSs on the website.

[SherriZ366]

That's IF they paid the artists... I somehow doubt that.

 

This makes me wonder if this entire thing was deliberate, and done for the insurance money. There is no cruise company who will put on a charter without insurance, and I can't imagine it'll be a small payout.

Interesting thought.

[LadyMage]

JSs are selling for $1,499 per person or around $3,000 for two. No where on the RCI website is there a price of $7,002.50 for a JS. Are you still trying to book with Maxwell? The cruise was cancelled in November.

 

I think that those who booked with Maxwell booked a lot of JSs and above -- wonder if they will go back into inventory. There are about 15 JSs on the website.

 

Hmmmm. Last time I checked the Maxwell cruise site, they were claiming their inside cabins were "sold out" - outright lie; RCI offered me an inside cabin all to myself for 1/5 of their cost - but I'd imagine the JS cabins were for the artists.

Edited January 28, 2015 by LadyMage

[SherriZ366]

Hmmmm. Last time I checked the Maxwell cruise site, they were claiming their inside cabins were "sold out" - outright lie; RCI offered me an inside cabin all to myself for 1/5 of their cost - but I'd imagine the JS cabins were for the artists.

That's why I'm wondering if more JSs will be released.

[hattack]

I am hoping most of the Maxwell artist line up signs on to sail on this year's Capital Jazz SuperCruise 9 and the booked guest on Maxwell's cruise are able to secure the few cabins left or deposit for SuperCruise 10

 

Don't think the Maxwell situation was a "scam"...just because an organizer can produce a land music festival does not translate into a producing a music festival on a cruise ship

 

For those FOS guests booked after the cancellation of the full charter after Nov 14th....enjoy your regular sailing and the deep discounts you received,.... but be careful what you ask for......due to the low cabin rates...the cabins blocked for the Maxwell group may be replaced by another group that you may not know about until you are sitting in the boarding terminal, when it will be to late to switch

[LetsGetWet!]

I am hoping most of the Maxwell artist line up signs on to sail on this year's Capital Jazz SuperCruise 9 and the booked guest on Maxwell's cruise are able to secure the few cabins left or deposit for SuperCruise 10

 

Don't think the Maxwell situation was a "scam"...just because an organizer can produce a land music festival does not translate into a producing a music festival on a cruise ship

 

For those FOS guests booked after the cancellation of the full charter after Nov 14th....enjoy your regular sailing and the deep discounts you received,.... but be careful what you ask for......due to the low cabin rates...the cabins blocked for the Maxwell group may be replaced by another group that you may not know about until you are sitting in the boarding terminal, when it will be to late to switch

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree with regards to whether its a scam or not. Let's look:

 

• Cabins priced from the outset at absurdly high prices - not seen ever on any other charter cruise
  
• Cabins sold poorly enough (and the promoter likely missed payments to RCI) that RCI cancelled the cruise in November
  
• Despite RCI having cancelled it, the promoter continued online AND via telephone to claim (fraudulently) that the sailing was still a full charter for months afterwards
  
• When enough people started figuring out that it wasn't a charter, and RCI was selling cabins at a fraction of the Maxwell price - posts started appearing on Facebook, and the promoter scrubbed/removed those posts so as to attempt to continue the charade (SCAM) that this was still a full charter cruise
  

[hattack]

Understand your perspective...however that would mean that the main sponsors who linked their reputation to this effort would have been scammed also

 

Lends to great tv for "The People's Court"

[Chyna3032]

That's IF they paid the artists... I somehow doubt that.

 

This makes me wonder if this entire thing was deliberate, and done for the insurance money. There is no cruise company who will put on a charter without insurance, and I can't imagine it'll be a small payout.

 

 

Normally, to use their name and likeness they are required to have at least paid the artist a deposit.

[Chyna3032]

Understand your perspective...however that would mean that the main sponsors who linked their reputation to this effort would have been scammed also

 

Lends to great tv for "The People's Court"

 

 

One of those Sponsor's being Essence...

[Folk Singer]

Interesting to think though.

[peter1975]

Guys - read back along this thread. On Page 7, you'll find it. Detr0itvsEverybody has contacted the executive offices at Royal Caribbean. The Maxwell charter has been canceled by RC altogether.

 

It is not happening. Period. Not full, not partial.

 

Even if this information is correct, it doesn't mean that this event can't still occur as a "large group" with special events planned.

 

I still believe that is what will happen. I don't think the Maxwell Cruise has been entirely cancelled -- it's just a much smaller version than originally planned. It's not any kind of a charter, yes, but it can still be a group!

 

I don't think the Maxwell folks would have gone to the trouble of updating their website to remove the language about it being a "full ship charter" if it was going to be cancelled entirely.

[Chyna3032]

Even if this information is correct, it doesn't mean that this event can't still occur as a "large group" with special events planned.

 

I still believe that is what will happen. I don't think the Maxwell Cruise has been entirely cancelled -- it's just a much smaller version than originally planned. It's not any kind of a charter, yes, but it can still be a group!

 

I don't think the Maxwell folks would have gone to the trouble of updating their website to remove the language about it being a "full ship charter" if it was going to be cancelled entirely.

 

Possibly, but there is no way that all of the main stream artists listed on their website could be afforded with only a large group. Anthony Hamilton alone was going to be $18,000 for someone I know that had a good deal on him. Chrisette has sky rocketed also...And mind you, this cruise was not going to be for charity so I doubt that the artists would sway very much on their pricing.

[looksandletters]

I still believe that is what will happen. I don't think the Maxwell Cruise has been entirely cancelled -- it's just a much smaller version than originally planned. It's not any kind of a charter, yes, but it can still be a group!

 

I don't think the Maxwell folks would have gone to the trouble of updating their website to remove the language about it being a "full ship charter" if it was going to be cancelled entirely.

 

If you call them, they are not taking any more bookings. For an event that has obviously had a very hard time booking rooms, I think it's pretty apparent that they would be desperate to book any rooms at this point if there was any chance of it going forward. The charter is cancelled.

[peter1975]

If you call them, they are not taking any more bookings. For an event that has obviously had a very hard time booking rooms, I think it's pretty apparent that they would be desperate to book any rooms at this point if there was any chance of it going forward. The charter is cancelled.

 

I'm not saying you're wrong and I'm right. I'm just stating that right now nobody really knows for sure exactly what will happen. Time will tell. I just don't want anyone to think they are reading absolute facts on here -- a lot of it is just speculation. I would also suggest that a lot of the artists may not attend -- it could just be "Maxwell and a Few Friends" only. We can agree on the fact that anybody who booked at the Maxwell rates got seriously ripped off is this "group" isn't cancelled entirely! :)

[Folk Singer]

Interesting. :eek:

[LetsGetWet!]

I'm not saying you're wrong and I'm right. I'm just stating that right now nobody really knows for sure exactly what will happen. Time will tell. I just don't want anyone to think they are reading absolute facts on here -- a lot of it is just speculation. I would also suggest that a lot of the artists may not attend -- it could just be "Maxwell and a Few Friends" only. We can agree on the fact that anybody who booked at the Maxwell rates got seriously ripped off is this "group" isn't cancelled entirely! :)

I'm not sure why a few are still trying to support them.

 

Here are absolute facts, no speculation:

 

• Cabins priced from the outset at absurdly high prices - not seen ever on any other charter cruise
  
• Cabins sold poorly enough (and the promoter likely missed payments to RCI) that RCI cancelled the cruise in November
  
• Despite RCI having cancelled it, the promoter continued online AND via telephone to claim (fraudulently) that the sailing was still a full charter for months afterwards
  
• When enough people started figuring out that it wasn't a charter, and RCI was selling cabins at a fraction of the Maxwell price - posts started appearing on Facebook, and the promoter scrubbed/removed those posts so as to attempt to continue the charade (SCAM) that this was still a full charter cruise
  

[CatgirlNC]

I think I agree with hattack, in that I don’t think this was an outright scam. It’s mostly likely a poorly organized, badly run and unsuccessful attempt at a full charter music cruise in the style of the successful established music cruises that have been mentioned here by hattack, LadyMage and others.

 

A scam would imply there was never any cruise planned to begin with, or they were listing artists who had no affiliation with the cruise. I don’t think a professional musician like Maxwell (who is the marquee artist- his name is on the cruise itself) would align himself with anything like that. My theory is that the high prices reflect back to poor decision-making on the part of the organizers. Maybe they were overly ambitious in booking the entertainment, and when it came time to crunch the numbers, those were the prices they had to charge in order to pay all the artists.

 

As far as the other points (deleting posts and such), I still think that’s more attributable to poor management than scam. Maybe they are in denial (to themselves even) that the cruise was a failure, and if they can just buy themselves some time, they can somehow get everything worked out in time to pull off the cruise, even if it’s a smaller version of what they originally envisioned.

 

I am not excusing or justifying in anyway the behavior and actions of the organizers of the cruise, I just can easily imagine how an idea that began with nothing but the highest of intentions (bring some great entertainers and their fans on a ship for a week of music, parties and fun) started to snowball out of control to the point that they are now desperately attempting damage control and will be lucky if this whole debacle doesn’t put them out of business.

[caribbean sailor]

It is definitely a full ship charter. Found this on the Charter groups website.

 

 

This is a full ship charter, which means that the entire ship will be dedicated to providing guests with the

Maxwell + The 7 Seas experience. Click here for details on exclusive experience only available on the cruise. The cruise will also have on board Celebrity Chef G. Garvin who will be creating special menus for the cruise as well as doing live cooking demonstrations. Rest assured, the party will never stop and you will be enjoying every minute along with thousands of others who all share the same musical passions as you do!

 

Charter groups web site.News to me, could you post that web site.Thanks in advance. :)

Edited January 29, 2015 by caribbean sailor

[hattack]

There may be folks new to cruising or experienced cruisers who were thinking about doing a full charter music cruise, that are following this thread (shadowing) and not posting...

 

 

A) this would be an excellent forum for a member of Maxwell's social media team to post a clarification of the situation both from a damage control perspective but also from an informational perspective so regular cruisers ( who post on this board) who booked on the FOS after November 14th, will have an understanding how the Maxwell group will impact their onboard experience for the week ....clear up fact from fiction

 

B) there is a strong track record for several successful private music charters (for all types of

musical styles) that many of us that post on CC 's theme thread have enjoyed and we can serve as a resource for those thinking about doing a full charter music cruise.....if someone had posted on CC last May (when the Maxwell Cruise opened for sale to the general public) that they were thinking about booking the Maxwell Cruise (or any music theme cruise charter) we could have offered feedback

 

March 3rd (final payment to RCI) will clarify the situation...after watching this situation play out on this thread, I am so thankful of my positive experience the last 6 years with Capital Jazz

[LetsGetWet!]

I think I agree with hattack, in that I don’t think this was an outright scam. It’s mostly likely a poorly organized, badly run and unsuccessful attempt at a full charter music cruise in the style of the successful established music cruises that have been mentioned here by hattack, LadyMage and others.

 

A scam would imply there was never any cruise planned to begin with, or they were listing artists who had no affiliation with the cruise. I don’t think a professional musician like Maxwell (who is the marquee artist- his name is on the cruise itself) would align himself with anything like that. My theory is that the high prices reflect back to poor decision-making on the part of the organizers. Maybe they were overly ambitious in booking the entertainment, and when it came time to crunch the numbers, those were the prices they had to charge in order to pay all the artists.

 

As far as the other points (deleting posts and such), I still think that’s more attributable to poor management than scam. Maybe they are in denial (to themselves even) that the cruise was a failure, and if they can just buy themselves some time, they can somehow get everything worked out in time to pull off the cruise, even if it’s a smaller version of what they originally envisioned.

 

I am not excusing or justifying in anyway the behavior and actions of the organizers of the cruise, I just can easily imagine how an idea that began with nothing but the highest of intentions (bring some great entertainers and their fans on a ship for a week of music, parties and fun) started to snowball out of control to the point that they are now desperately attempting damage control and will be lucky if this whole debacle doesn’t put them out of business.

Let me clarify. I don't think this was organized initially with the intent to be a scam.

 

But as recently as two weeks ago - two full months after RCI cancelled their charter - callers were being assured that the full ship charter was still definitely on, and they were still taking customers' money on the basis of that assurance. At that point, they were willfully perpetrating a fraud, and it had definitely become a scam.

There may be folks new to cruising or experienced cruisers who were thinking about doing a full charter music cruise, that are following this thread (shadowing) and not posting...

 

 

A) this would be an excellent forum for a member of Maxwell's social media team to post a clarification of the situation both from a damage control perspective but also from an informational perspective so regular cruisers ( who post on this board) who booked on the FOS after November 14th, will have an understanding how the Maxwell group will impact their onboard experience for the week ....clear up fact from fiction

 

B) there is a strong track record for several successful private music charters (for all types of

musical styles) that many of us that post on CC 's theme thread have enjoyed and we can serve as a resource for those thinking about doing a full charter music cruise.....if someone had posted on CC last May (when the Maxwell Cruise opened for sale to the general public) that they were thinking about booking the Maxwell Cruise (or any music theme cruise charter) we could have offered feedback

 

March 3rd (final payment to RCI) will clarify the situation...after watching this situation play out on this thread, I am so thankful of my positive experience the last 6 years with Capital Jazz

I doubt you'll see anyone from the Maxwell cruise show up here to clarify - because my bet is that they understand that if they start openly acknowledging the charter is no longer on that (more) customers will start demanding full refunds, refunds that they have no funds to pay.

 

Thanks to you & LadyMage for making this thread a great resource for anyone considering a full charter music cruise.