I booked our spot on the cruise a while back - worked with Daphne at Travel by Ginny. She was/is very helpful and happy to answer any questions....I am still emailing her with questions all these weeks later and she sends a prompt response each time. I can vouch for the accuracy of the info in the previous email as I recently asked the same questions and received the same answers! It sounds like they have it all under control - if only they could guarantee that there won't be a winter storm here in the NE on the day of my flight to Florida, I'd have nothing left to worry about! I am so looking forward to being a true "Tourist in Paradise" in 2/09!

I have known Roland and attended concerts he has promoted for years, going back to the first time I saw Bamboo Forest in 1995. I live 150 miles north of Melbourne, his home base, but I will drive down there to see an artist even if they are playing here being promoted by one of the big corporate promoters because when you attend a Brevard JazzSeries event you are always treated well. You feel like part of a community of music fans and you will be taken care of and treated well. I've attended concerts all over the east coast since I was a kid and never had such consistently positive experiences. I am not a cruise person. I don't like structure when I'm on vaca..and Valentines day gives me the creeps (should you have to buy stuff to show people you care??) but if I was going to do a cruise this is one I would really trust. Plus it's not huge and overhyped so you won't have to worry about feeling like you're being herded.

is this for real, or is it a fanstasy thread?

if it stops in antigua, and has the ripps and spyro playing, i will be there!

Yes, it's for real, check this link out:

http://www.floridasmoothjazzcruise.com/

And no, SG will not be aboard, it's ONLY the Ripps....so ya better book quick, this one will quickly sell out!

This would be a great time. Cruising is my favorite vacation, Royal Caribbean is my favorite line and The Rippingtons are my favorite jazz band. Then why don't I sign up? Well first off I have two cruises planned next year, in April on a western Caribbean for 7 days and to Hawaii in December for a week as well. It is very tempting to sign up. But there is another reason and I am sure I will be flamed for this, but the price being charged for this cruise is out of sight. The rate for an ocean view stateroom on RCCL.com for this cruise is $389.00 per person. TravelByGinny is selling that same room with the concerts for $752.00. Two person occ. is a total difference of $726.00. I realize it the Rippingtons, but come on, why are you charging such a premium. Also, the Monarch is the worst of the fleet. RCCL does a nice job of keeping it shiney, but I have been on this boat. It is not the class of ship I like to cruise on. Call me a snob, but I am certain the suites that the band members will be staying in are no where as nice as the suites on RCCLs other ships. I would still love to go since it is the Rippingtons. In the past I have scheduled my vacations around their concerts, last time was in Las Vegas, and I would do it again, but not for a surcharge of $726.00. Is anyone else with me on this??

The travel agent's cost of $499 PP for an interior stateroom is not to shabby when the RRCL cost for the same room is $349 PP. Over 3 nights worth of concerts, the difference boils down to $50 PP per night to see the Ripps - basically what you'd pay if you were to attend one of their local gigs.

As for wifey and I, our favorite vacation is also cruisin' and we'll already have done a 7 day Western Caribbean the week before Thanksgiving '08 on the maiden voyage of the Ruby Princess. Now I'm sure that an interior room on the old Monarch won't hold a candle to a brand spankin' new Ruby mini suite balcony, but the Ruby won't have the Ripps playing aboard either...

The long and short of it is that we have no doubt that this will be one of our most memorable Valentines' Days!

While I'm sure most of us appreciate the info about the non-Ripps part of the cruise and the age of the ship when compared to the rest of Royal Carribean - the bottom line here is that the cost of this cruise includes events which are not available to the rest of the passengers.

My understanding is that the events will not be sold a la carte, and so if you're a Ripps fan - you are paying for access to the shows and events as well.

And if you live in a snowy section of the country, a cruise in february seems very tropical.

So, Kat - does this mean that you will be there? We can make a tropical toast with tropical drinks on a tropical island in the middle of February!?!?!?!?! A bit different than greasy fries in the grass in Detroit - but that was fun too!

Cheers to Life in the Tropics!

dunno yet, Carol. I haven't been on a cruise in 20 years.... and that was with the ex-hub.... he hated it and I loved it, so cruises stir up memories.

I have been considering either this cruise or another one... depends upon how much time I can take off from working... this one is easier in terms of scheduling.

I've never been on a smooth jazz cruise before, but I've been tempted to go many times. What's the experience like in general?

What kind of interaction might you have with the artists? And are there any ancillary activities for music enthusiasts, like jam sessions, music clinics with the artists etcetera? Any other planned activities of note, whether music oriented or not?

Just curious -- my wife's been insisting we go on one for several years, although she's afraid I'll get all wrapped up in the music and forget her