Seabourn Signature Jazz Cruise

Hi! I would like to book the 2015 Seabourn Signature Jazz Cruise in the fall as a Birthday gift to my husband but have a few concerns and would love to hear from anyone who went on the inaugural sailing last year-- was it worth the up-charge, did they skimp on any Seabourn standards, etc? . The price at 10K for a verandah room is at least $1,500 higher than a similar non jazz cruise which I was okay with. However, when I called the entertainment company that charters this (it is not booked through Seabourn) they said that they are also adding $1,700 per person for taxes, port fees, gratuities and administrative fees. It seemed concerning in that Seabourn always includes gratuities in the base price, so considering Seabourn charges only $175 for fees, basically the upcharge per person for the Jazz entertainment (which is excellent quality) is minimally $3,000 for this unique experience. Something about adding an exhorbident gratuitiy concerns me as well as when I saw the pre-hotels-- one is priced reasonably, but the other is a hotel I can book for $149 a night that has a pretty bad reputation, and they are asking for over $400 a night. My husband is dying to do this cruise though! Advice? Experience last year?

I personally wouldn't do business with any company that charged me for something that was otherwise "free" or included. Did you ask what they're charging for drinks or R2 reservations (VIP access to the Colonnade or SB Square)?;)

Are they bringing on their own special entertainers/lecturers? Perhaps that 1700 pays for them and covers their gratuities?

Their hotel upcharge doesn't seem to be any worse than some cruise lines I can think of asking 1000/night for a sub 300 room.

Id take a different cruise with Seabourn, pocket the 3k and visit NO or try one of Crystals Jazz themed cruises.

I would stay well away from this deal unless you have more money than sense.

Thanks so much for the suggestion-- I had assumed the much higher per person rate for a balcony room (at least 1,500 more) compared to a similar Seabourn cruise was the added cost for the truly world class jazz they provide, and then was taken aback at the additional 1,700 per person fees and gratuities mostly because it is a departure for a Seabourn cruise so seems a bit misleading to publish the rates then tack on an enormous gratuities charge. That being said, I have heard people love these jazz cruises and this is a special occasion so would love to hear from anyone who took it last year. To your point, if they are adding gratuities are they also charging for other things we all assume are included with Seabourn? They told me everything was the same except for the jazz but when I asked about the gratuities they then replied that it is not a Seabourn cruise but a charter by Entertainment Cruise Productions. I'm holding out hoping it is not a ripoff-- maybe they are just poor at marketing/communications.

Did you ask who the gratuities were for? Seabourn crew or their staff or the jazz players. You'd have to really want to do this to pay the up charge.