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Jazz Cruises?


WorldCruzer

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  • 5 weeks later...

Several of my friends and I are going on Crystal Symphony Dec 1-8, roundtrip out of Miami. It's more expensive than most lines but we have always liked Crystal.

 

Entertainers listed as follows:

 

Banu Gibson
&
Ms. Yve Evans
, Vocalists

 

Warren Vache
,
Duke Heitger
&
Bryan Shaw
, Trumpet

 

Kenny Darven
,
Frank Roberscheuten
,
Antti Sarpila
,
Bob Draga
&
Pieter Meijers
, Reeds

 

Bill Allred
&
John Allred
, Trombone

 

Bucky Pizzarelli
&
Howard Alden
, Guitar

 

Nicki Parrott
&
Clive Collins
, Bass

 

Rossano Sportiello
,
Randy Morris
&
David Boeddinghaus
, Piano

 

Jake Hanna
,
Butch Miles
&
Bert Dahlander
, Drums

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Just returned from The Smooth Jazz Cruise put on by Jazz Cruises, LLC. They use the Holland America cruise line. This was my fourth, and I already signed up for next year. There's a North Sea Jazz Cruise in July. It's on the Rotterdam and going to the Netherlands. Never been on the North Sea cruise, but the host, Marcus Miller, was an artist on our cruise, and he was phenomenal.Good luck and happy cruising.Turtle

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Just returned from The Smooth Jazz Cruise put on by Jazz Cruises, LLC. They use the Holland America cruise line. This was my fourth, and I already signed up for next year. There's a North Sea Jazz Cruise in July. It's on the Rotterdam and going to the Netherlands. Never been on the North Sea cruise, but the host, Marcus Miller, was an artist on our cruise, and he was phenomenal.Good luck and happy cruising.Turtle

 

Ah shucks! You had me excited as I would do a Jazz cruise in July but I prefer it leave from the states as it will get a little over budget if we had to fly to the Europe area. Anybody have listings for a Jazz cruise in the US up until August?

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Cruzer,

 

I've been keeping an eye out for you and I know of 6 Jazz cruises that sail every year. Most of the cruises are between Nov. and Feb. The only one during the period that you are looking for is the North Sea cruise, and it doesn't sail from the US. I would keep an eye on Smooth Jazz LLC, they are up to 4 jazz charters a year and they have the formula down to a science. They might continue to add charters. I've been on 2 and they were both first class.

 

I'll kee my eyes and ears open for you.

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This is not exactly what you asked for, but I'll give you the info anyway - in case it's of interest.

 

We just arranged a jazz cruise for Jan. 5 - 15, 2008. It's on Holland America's Maasdam - it's celebrating the 25th Anniversary of JazzSea Cruises.

 

It leaves from Ft. Lauderdale to Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Martinique, Tortola and Half Moon Cay.

 

Buck Creek, Climax, Grand Dominion, Bob SchulzFrisco Jazz, Jean Kittrell & The St. Louis Rivermen, and there are several more listed.

 

We've sailed on Holland America's Amsterdam and loved it.

 

The phone number for Jazzsea Cruises is 1-800-323-3881

 

I spoke with a really helpful lady there and made the arrangements. Good prices as well.

 

Hope this might help.

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Cruzer,

 

I've been keeping an eye out for you and I know of 6 Jazz cruises that sail every year. Most of the cruises are between Nov. and Feb. The only one during the period that you are looking for is the North Sea cruise, and it doesn't sail from the US. I would keep an eye on Smooth Jazz LLC, they are up to 4 jazz charters a year and they have the formula down to a science. They might continue to add charters. I've been on 2 and they were both first class.

 

I'll kee my eyes and ears open for you.

 

Thanks! :D Whats wrong with a summer jazz cruise! I'm-a Dyin' for one! :cool:

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Just returned from The Smooth Jazz Cruise put on by Jazz Cruises, LLC. They use the Holland America cruise line. This was my fourth, and I already signed up for next year. There's a North Sea Jazz Cruise in July. It's on the Rotterdam and going to the Netherlands. Never been on the North Sea cruise, but the host, Marcus Miller, was an artist on our cruise, and he was phenomenal.Good luck and happy cruising.Turtle

 

Hi All

This year I just completed my first cruise from Miami-Panama-LA 16 days on Oceania-casual ,small 700 passengers,open dining

 

So now that I am hook I would like to combine the two passions Jazz with Cruising and I have see the HA JazzCruises site and their artists are super for all of their sailings in late o7 and 08 I love it all smooth straight ahead latin.

7 days is two short may have to get back to back ones.

 

OK these cruises is it a different type of crowd that the traditional sailings, maybe younger, more party animals

Is it more open ,less dress code, how is it presented?

 

The entainement on my first cruise was my only let down

 

Turtle Will I enjoy myself? are the arists accessable

 

The other one for North Sea also look like one to die for.

 

Looking forward to responses

 

 

By the way I am passion about jazz and have 15 jazz web sites

 

jazzyman

www.chetbaker.net

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you'll LOVE the Smooth Jazz cruises..the artist are very accessible and there are several planned events that give you chances to meet,greet, interact and take pictures..The unwritten request is if during the day you see them with their families is to respect their privacy...they have theme nights but the dress code pretty much follows the ship's normal pattern

 

The best part is the late night jam sessions and the on deck midnight bbq's and jam sessions.

 

If you love jazz and cruising, you will "over dose"...IMHO, well worth the premuim that you pay,,,I always rationalize the additional cost to my GF by telling her if we went to see these artist over the course of the year at the local jazz clubs, it would cost us about the same

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you should look at JazzFest at Sea. It leaves October 28th for 7 nights to the Western Caribbean. Departs from Ft Lauderdale on Holland America's Westerdam. It's featuring the following artists:

  • Vocalists Banu Gibson and Terry Blaine
  • Special Guests Warren Vache and John Allred
  • Tom Saunders Midwest All-Stars with Tom Saunders, CHuck Hedges, Terry Myers, Russ Phillips, Johnny Varro, Paul Keller and VInce Bartels
  • JazzFest at Sea All-Stars with Allan Vache, David Jones, John Cocuzzi, Mark Shane, Bob Leary, Phil Flanigan and Ed Metz Jr
  • The Mighty Aphrodite Jazz Band with Bria Skonberg, Claire McKenna, Emily Asher, Shannon Thue, Georgia Korba, Shelley Park and Beth Goodfellow

Though I know the moderators don't like links or phone numbers, it is not a Holland America sponsored event. So if you are interested in JazzFest at Sea, you can look them up by that name online or call 800-654-8090 as you would have to book with them. This is year number four with them and it only gets better each year. As a matter of fact, I hear the 2008 JazzFest at Sea will be going to Aruba. Can't wait!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just heard about this one on the radio today.

 

11 night Fall Alaska & Coastal cruise from Vancouver, sailing September 21st, 2007 on Holland America's Volendam.

 

Includes: 11 night cruise, minimum of 6 performances/chat sessions with Guido Basso & the All Stars, airfare from Toronto, all meals & snacks each while on board the ship, an exclusive Smooth Sailings' Cocktail Party with the entertainers, Onboard activities & amenities and Broadway style shows & entertainment.

I'm not sure what other musicians will be on this cruise but the website www dot i love cruising dot com has contact info if you want to enquire. Guido is a great musician and I'd love to hear him play live again. Hey, my birthday's that week, maybe I'll give myself a present this year :D

 

Peter.

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  • 2 weeks later...

From what I can gather, summer jazz cruises are in Europe. The ones in the Caribbean are usually in Jan or in the autumn. If you really need a jazz fix go to New Orleans. They have great jazz clubs, great food and superb reasonably priced food. We've been to the spring Jazz fest there and it was great. I'm sure there are lots of other cities with jazz fests (ie. San Antonio, TX in Sept, Vancouver BC in June, L.A. in June etc) go for the weekend and then stay to see some of the other local artists. :p

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Just Announced..Capital Jazz Fest At Sea..full charter on the Grandeur of the Seas out of Baltimore to Bermuda October 14th-19th, 2007. Artist include Ledisi, Kim Waters, Lalah Hathaway, Pieces of a Dream, Alex Bugnon, Ken Ford, Will Downing,Boney James, Down To the Bone

 

Might be worth checking into

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Pete..on the charter smooth jazz cruises that I have been on, the guest are given lanyards to indicate whether you are with group A or B. If group A is assigned early seating, while A is eating B is at the main show and then vice/versa. The main entertainment acts are arranged as such that everyone gets to see all the acts during the course of the week, but not on the same night. Then after the second show each night, there is usually a late all star jam session (sometimes on deck which is really cool) where all the artist sit in on the jam sessions and very often passengers who bring their instruments can sit in with the stars (and that offer is extended to the crew, which IMHO, was awesome, our cabin steward plays a mean sax). The dress code is driven by the promoters (since it is a full charter), but usually they have the standard formal night which is the first full day at sea..The designated host usually does his/her show the last night at sea which includes a grand finale with all of the artist...During the day there are various events (Dave Benoit making martini's,Wayman Tisdale (about 6'8 and Jonathan Butler (about 5'4) playing on the same pick up basketball team game to 21 with the guest, Patti Austin hosting a for women only session talking about being over 40, or my favorite session featuring the sidemen of smooth jazz) a Q&A session with the artist including picture/autograph signings)...On one or two evenings, the artists will have a CD release party, or hold a special session which is open only to their fan clubs..There is an unwritten rule that indicates that during the day when the artist are with their families on deck or shore, that you respect their privacy, which everyone does, but the artist are generally just so nice and down to earth, that they will often approach the guest and engage in dialogue. I happen to be wearing my New Orleans Special Olympics teeshirt and discovered that Brian Culbertson is a huge supporter of Special Olympics. When the entire ship consist of smooth jazz fans it makes the entire week sooooooo special and the connection to the artist sooooooo special IMHO, it spoils one to take a "normal" cruise again. These smooth jazz cruises have such a high repeat business that usually towards the end of the week, the promoters announce who's on the ship next year and about 75% of the cabins are booked by repeating guest before the end of the cruise. My GF (who loves to cruise but prior to going on our first smooth jazz charter, was not a smoooth jazz fan) now has become hooked. Well worth the premium that the promoter charges. My goal is to try to go on the North Sea Jazz Cruise in July hosted by Marcus Miller. Every artist on the ship has either been nominated or won a Jazz Grammy and the best part is HAL Rotterdam serves as your hotel and they have a VIP package to the North Sea Jazz Festival held in Rotterdam. Living in New Orleans I attend the N.O. Jazz and Music Festival every year, and my dream has always been to attend a major European summer Jazz Festival, so I will be able to accomplish two goals in one setting. You'll love the smooth jazz charters .

 

Final thought..while the artist are performing you cannot take pictures with your own cameras or record the performances. However the promoter has several professional photographers that do that and you can purchase copies. There are however, ample opportunites thru out the week to take pictures in informal settings with the artist and have them sign the official poster. If you missed the concert or all night jam sessions, you can watch them the next day in your cabin on the close curcuit tv. Very often there will be special concerts of the artist in your daily port of call. The ship's crew really seem to enjoy the guest more then on a normal cruise, maybe it's because smooth jazz cruisers are just so mellow from being immersed in the music and the artist all week. Usually all tips etc, are prepaid as part of the package. Also very often, there is a pre cruise concert the night before the ship sails featuring both the artist that will be on the ship and one major performer not on the ship, hosted by the local smooth jazz radio station. Just this past January, before Brian Culbertson's All Star cruise out of Galveston, the pre cruise concert featured George Benson

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Hattack thanks for the informative response we have been on numerous cruises and matter of fact just got off the westerdam a couple of weeks ago but wanted to try the smooth jazz cruise. Normal cruises 2 formal nights, I know that you alluded to that but is there just one, what did you see for the dress code, again normally a tux for me but what was the majority in your estimation. Is there other entertainment that the ship would put on such as in the ocean bar, crowes nest etc. Or is that all shut down. Other than the jam sessions entertainment etc, for the most part it is a normal cruise routine ? How did you find out about the pre cruise show, we always go down a day or two before our trip and that would be great.

 

I saw that or actually asked that question when I was booking so the tip of about 10 per person per day is included normal ship charges for a cruise Of course one can tip extra if they so desire

 

Thanks again

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Oh you mentioned NO special olympics, I was down there with the red cross for 4.5 weeks after Katrina worked for a couple of weeks warehousing out of Walker second trip down I was based out of Jenna and Ferret as our distribution site

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oh sure there are tons of other normal cruise activities during the day and alternate entertainment in the evening in the smaller lounges (remember main lounge is reserved for the name acts on the ship)..you are safe if you pack your warobefor a normal 7 night cruise, but they do have special dress up theme nights (mardi gras, 60's etc)..as far as the pre cruise concerts, it's generally promoted both on the smooth jazz stations and the specific websites and various jazz publications (Smooth Jazz News, Jazz Time etc)

 

remember, many of the guest on a chartered smooth jazz cruise, are on a cruise for the first time and would not have considered a cruise if it was not for the artist onboard, so the cruiselines realize they have an excellent opportunity to showcase their product and induce guest to come back and cruise them again on a "normal" cruise at an affordable price. Believe it or not even the most hard core smooth jazz cruiser needs 1-2 nights of a different form of entertainment,but I have yet to meet one onboard (VBG)..

 

If you are thinking about going on a smooth jazz charter but not sure, you might check out some cruises that are not a full charter which will give you the best of both worlds..

 

thanks for coming to New Orleans to help us with the recovery..there is still so much work to do..I think when more people actually come down and spend some time, they will have a greater appreciation of how widespread the destruction was and how much is still so much needed

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hattack we are booked on the 2008 trip and veru excited but i was curious about the transition from a normal cruise if you will to a charter and you answered those questions and as you said if there is smooth jazz somewhere why would I need an alternate LOL

 

Yes even though I only spent a small snippet of time down there, being back up here in NH and Mass it is interesting how it is forgotten and just how much damage was incurred. I rememberd on or about the 12 of sept we went into NO and looking out over the interstate and nothing was moving no sounds, no folks no infrastructure you dont forget those things that is for sure

 

I think the ship for the smooth jazz trip is excellent as well as the itinerary

 

Pete

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Pete..just curious, which smooth jazz cruise are you booked on ?

 

The sad thing about my beloved New Orleans is that the silence you talked about is still here when you go in New Orleans East. There are just so many issues to overcome but I have faith that the city will come back, hopefully much better then pre Katrina

 

I grew up in upstate New York very near the border of NH and MAS (near Albany) so I am very familiar with your area

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The Waymon Tisdale cruise Westerdam Jan 20-28th I would have to look up on my map but we drove down from walker and I think it was 510 or 610 but nonetheless we didnt quite get all the way into New orleans, although we could have it was like something from a movie but even tougher was the second time down, we got to go over to the lower 9th ward as they had just opened that area up and my goodness that was hard to belive. It looked worst than some areas in viet nam

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