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Have any of you done a music cruise?  Sadly, RCCL is not in this game, because it is awesome.  Imagine a cruise where all of the normal entertainment has the week off and you are entertained both in concert and up close and personal by your favorite bands.  It's been a few years, but I have done three of these.  It is amazing.  There is usually a headline band and then 15 or so other acts in similar genres.  You will be amazed how many bands are doing it now.  There is a company called sixth man doing in on mostly NCL ships, and I think Carnival has it's own version.

 

I was on the Barenaked Ladies cruise twice and it was there that I first heard and saw a band that would turn out to be my all-time favorite band.  Anyone who likes music now... or ever has should look in to it.  Many bands old and new are taking part.  The Rock Boat goes out every year.  Kiss has a cruise this year.  There's county, rock, old rock, rap... any genre you want.

 

I've had photos taken with BNL, played Blackjack with Gaelic Storm, and seen as many as 5 concerts in a day.

 

Anyone done this?

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You bet I've done this and on Royal too. My first cruise ever was on the two Sovereign ship (Sovereign & Majesty) adventure known as the Dave Matthews Cruise. The ships ran low on booze at times and there was a near hurricane during the attempted performance in Nassau. I could tell a long tale about this wild adventure. Other than a few hurricanes that I actual went through in Orlando this was one of the worse storms I ever was in the middle of.

 

Unfortunately I think Dave was so scarred by this crazy cruise that they haven't done a real one like this sense.

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We haven't, but we have considered doin the "80s cruise" which is on celebrity summit this year. This cruise has a lot of musical acts performing. I hesitate to to book other lines, at least utill we hit diamond. Maybe we will do this cruise 2019 :)

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We haven't, but we have considered doin the "80s cruise" which is on celebrity summit this year. This cruise has a lot of musical acts performing. I hesitate to to book other lines, at least utill we hit diamond. Maybe we will do this cruise 2019 :)

I read about last year's '80s cruise and they had some decent acts. I'd go for it. Also, I don't think you'll find Celebrity all that different apart from better food quality and less onboard activities.

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I read about last year's '80s cruise and they had some decent acts. I'd go for it. Also, I don't think you'll find Celebrity all that different apart from better food quality and less onboard activities.

I hope the 80s cruise stays on celebrity it was on Holland last year. We only have 4 more cruise to hit diamond (assuming they don't change the rules),so it will have to wait but we will definitely do this cruise! I like that fact they keep it on the upscale lines, I think it might be a bit messy on carnival. I was 10 years old in 1980, this was our time!

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I read about last year's '80s cruise and they had some decent acts. I'd go for it. Also, I don't think you'll find Celebrity all that different apart from better food quality and less onboard activities.

There won't be less activities on a music cruise.  the live music will start at about 10:00 AM and go until 3:00 AM.  That's one of the real beauties of it.  I don't want to bore anyone with a personal story, but below I will report some of the highlights on the first BNL cruise in 2007.

 

First, the boarding process was really long, and we didn't know why.  It turns out we finally came to a door.  When it was our turn the door opened, our party of 4 walked in.  There was the all 5 members of BNL.  They posed for a complementary 8 X 10 photo with each group as the boarded.  A copy for everyone was delivered to the stateroom a couple of days later.  The band performed a sail away concert on the Lido Deck that afternoon.  They asked the fans that if we saw the band together on board to approach and chat or pose for a photo.  They asked for privacy if they were with their family.  They performed 2 full length shows during the 5 night cruise.  They had tons of appearances with the fans over the 5 days.

 

There was at least 20 other acts of similar genres on board.  Some we had heard of.  Most we had not.  On about the second night, the four of us were playing Blackjack together in the casino.  A band started playing in the casino.  At first, we wished they would stop because of the noise and distraction.  But, as the minutes went on, we all four started to like it.  After about 20 minutes, we abandoned the Blackjack table to join the gathering crowd around this unknown band.  They were amazing musicians.  They were very entertaining.  They were funny.  They music was great and not the normal "cookie cutter" music of today.  They loved performing for the gathering group.  The band is Gaelic Storm.  They are for me, the single best best band there is anywhere.  I have seen them at least 20 times in concert since that night in January of 2007.  They still play small venues.  They still meet and greet their fans after the show.  They know many of us by name.  In meet and greets they ask about my family.

 

On the last day at sea, at about 10:00 am, we were invited to go to our stateroom, remove all of our clothing, put on a robe, and come out on deck.  Not knowing what was about to happen, and unable to resist temptation, the four of us complied.  We arrived on deck at about 10:20 am.  We were lined up for a large photo.  On the count of 3, we ALL dropped our robes for about 5 seconds.  It is estimated there are 1000 barenaked people in that photo, and you can find it on the internet.  It was original, amazing, fun, and not dirty like many would think.  There are beautiful women in it.  There are children in it.  There are men in it.  BNL is in it.  It was a highlight of an amazing cruise, and as you can imagine, not like any other cruise I've been on.

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I have friends whose first cruise was a heavy metal cruise a few years back on MSC. They had a great time but didn't cruise again until this past Feb when they went as part of a large group on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog group cruise on the Allure. They had so much fun on Royal that they are going with us again on the Harmony next Feb.

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Royal Caribbean offers very few themed cruises on their own, but they do work with third parties that organize themed cruises, like the one Bill posted.

 

I was on a cruise last year, where there was a local band that brought a bunch of their fans with them and they played on the ship at select times.  RC will definitely work with bands to set things up, but they do not usually get in the business of booking recognizable musical acts on their own.

 

I know Carnival has been doing that lately, offering B and C-list bands to play onboard.  

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Yep and RCI has other special cruises besides Music with groups.  I went on the Hogs on the High Seas cruise

by 'accident' one year and had a blast - 2000 Harley enthusiasts sail together and do a fund raiser while sailing

we also were allowed to participate in the T-Shirt swap on Labadee, it was a blast.

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I went over to Celebrity and priced the 80s cruise (which sounds like a BLAST, espcially if Colin Hay is on it) - I guess I'll just stand at the dock and wave bye to that ship.

 

When the cheapest room is around $2500, I have to pass.  I don't have all that disposable income like most of y'all!

 

:(

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