The Jam Cruise Forum

Thanks for the heads up Jamcruise. My main concern was having these "incidental costs" sprung on us after boarding. Your info. gives us a good idea of what to expect so we can plan accordingly. Thanks.

sodas range from 1.50-175
bottled water 1 litre 2.75 .5 litre 2.25
domestic beer 3.25 bahamian beer 3.50 european beer 3.50 and mexican beer 3.75
cocktails range from 4.25 to 4.75 and specialty drinks are 4.95.
cigarettes are 2.75
also a 15% gratuity will be added to your order


shit, this sounds excellent to me, i was expecting 5.50$ for a beer, and i dont see why they say we are not allowed to bring on any alcohol of our own etc, unless its because of import/export laws....... and we will be in the bahamas so we can get drinks down there also..........

Keelan

I have had the pleasure of cruising aboard the Regal Empress, and she's awesome if you go into it with the right attitude.

As a Blues Cruiser www.bluescruise.com, we cruised for 7 days aboard the Empress in 2002, and loved every minute of it!! As music lovers, you have to be there for the music and understand that sleep, food, and cheap cocktails are all over-rated

The Empress has been called a "Rust Bucket", but she has all of the Old World charm that ships should have, including wood fixtures and portholes instead of plastic everthing like the newer ships. The food really was pretty bad, but the music was phenomenal and the people I met made me smile no matter what.

So just enjoy yourselves, and realize that the money you're spending is going to the bands, which will give you the best entertainment for approximately 12 hours a day. If you add up all the money you spend on shows to see Galactic and Karl Denson, etc. you'll see you're getting a pretty good deal.

Oh, and most importantly, I HIGHLY recommend going into the duty free shop and buying bottles of Absolut for $9 NO TAX, and bring them back to your room. Then you buy a bottle of water, drink it, keep it, and fill it up with the FREE juice in the morning at breakfast. Wha-la!! You have VERY CHEAP cocktails for your trip!!

Have fun, enjoy yourselves and remember, SLEEP IS OVER-RATED!!

ok now this is more great advice... the duty free shop actually sells alcohol in bottle form??? hells yes, i can mix my own drink thank you very much....

it is also nice to hear from someone who has done a trip similar to this, on this same boat and lived to tell the tale

The more I check out our new boat, the more excited i become.

sleep is for the weak! [/quote]

sodas range from 1.50-175
bottled water 1 litre 2.75 .5 litre 2.25
domestic beer 3.25 bahamian beer 3.50 european beer 3.50 and mexican beer 3.75
cocktails range from 4.25 to 4.75 and specialty drinks are 4.95.
cigarettes are 2.75
also a 15% gratuity will be added to your order

if you ask me (which i know that you didn't) i think that 15% on a 4.50 drink is a bargan, it is less than the buck i would have given as a tip for a drink at the bars. i know it will add up, but so do all good times. and from what i see all of the people who wanted to have a good time did, and the people who sound like crusty grumpy people didn't. don't worry kids, they want to have us have fun and make it worth our while so that they can do it again and make some cash. and what is the harm in that anyway, people need money, and if someone is willing to put up with all of the crap that i am sure the administration and staff are putting up with to let me have a good time i say: here! have a few bucks!!! how much fun you have will all depend on your willingness to overlook the troubles and focus on the good times (a lot like life). so relax, you are getting 22+ shows, a room and all of your food for 4 days for 500 bucks and up. try going to jazz fest on that, where you buy a day ticket, late night tickets, a hotel, all of your food, and pay bar prices for drinks, not to mention cabs, atm fees for the cash for the cabs and drinks and STILL have a total blast. or just about any other show at a normal venue where you say thanks for the 5.50 warm bud and are just glad that they sell beer at this particular venue. it is a good deal, no it is a GREAT deal!!!


if you are looking for me i will be the one with the huge grin, kicked back and having a ball

sodas range from 1.50-175
bottled water 1 litre 2.75 .5 litre 2.25
domestic beer 3.25 bahamian beer 3.50 european beer 3.50 and mexican beer 3.75
cocktails range from 4.25 to 4.75 and specialty drinks are 4.95.
cigarettes are 2.75
also a 15% gratuity will be added to your order

if you ask me (which i know that you didn't) i think that 15% on a 4.50 drink is a bargan, it is less than the buck i would have given as a tip for a drink at the bars. i know it will add up, but so do all good times. and from what i see all of the people who wanted to have a good time did, and the people who sound like crusty grumpy people didn't. don't worry kids, they want to have us have fun and make it worth our while so that they can do it again and make some cash. and what is the harm in that anyway, people need money, and if someone is willing to put up with all of the crap that i am sure the administration and staff are putting up with to let me have a good time i say: here! have a few bucks!!! how much fun you have will all depend on your willingness to overlook the troubles and focus on the good times (a lot like life). so relax, you are getting 22+ shows, a room and all of your food for 4 days for 500 bucks and up. try going to jazz fest on that, where you buy a day ticket, late night tickets, a hotel, all of your food, and pay bar prices for drinks, not to mention cabs, atm fees for the cash for the cabs and drinks and STILL have a total blast. or just about any other show at a normal venue where you say thanks for the 5.50 warm bud and are just glad that they sell beer at this particular venue. it is a good deal, no it is a GREAT deal!!!


if you are looking for me i will be the one with the huge grin, kicked back and having a ball

now that the drink prices are posted it is not nearly as bad as the reviews make it seem.

Your point on cost relating to jazzfest is a great one
.... there are very, very few rooms that cost 500 per head. Relating to jazzfest, I go every year for at least one weekend. This year my husband and I stayed at the InterContinental (5star) for four nights, ate at the hotel restaurant and one brennan establishment, went to see 2 latenight concerts each night we were there, making a total of 8 shows. (yes, we slept through dayfest this year........... oops ) drank liberal amounts of alcohol and water at the shows, and I would be hard pressed to tell you that we spent more than $1500 for both of us. This cruise will cost double that for the same amount of nights.

Therefore, for the money, I do expect the same level of fun, quality, service, atmosphere, lack of bullshit, edible food, cheap liquor, and great music that I get in New Orleans each year.

And yes, if you are a veteran at dealing with the stink, the seediness, the lack of sleep, the crappy food grabbed from a pizza joint on bourban that you do get during jazzfest, then I think that you will manage to have a kick ass time on this boat.

I really believe that the folks putting together jamcruise are working overtime to bring us a most amazing time. All they need to do is to whip the boat operators into shape and let them know that we are veteran travelers expecting decent service.

Hello Again,
After reading some of the comments here, I wanted to point out one more thing, and then I'll quit - I promise!! I won't be on this cruise unfortunately, as I'm already booked for my 3rd Blues Cruise (Feb. 7-14, 2003) www.bluescruise.com, but I'm hoping to share some friendly experience and advice to you guys. First and foremost, this cruise will be INCREDIBLE!! Don't think for a second otherwise!!

As I mentioned, I've cruised on the Regal Empress, and the USS Melody (Blues Cruise) as well, and both cruises the staff kicked some serious ASS!! They work their butts off for 80+ hours a week for sometimes a month straight WITHOUT A DAY off! Their wages range anywhere from $1-$3.50 an hour, and most of them send every cent back home. And for that reason, I say this...

Please don't forget to tip those that do a good job for you!! They really deserve it, I promise!! Those that should be tipped are your room steward, waiter in the dining room, and if you're lucky like I was, the cocktail waitress/waiter that NEVER let me have an empty glass!! Get to know that person by name and he/she will take excellent care of you for the entire cruise! $20 each is awesome and if you give the room steward their $20 when you board, you're sure to find your room is always clean, there's extra towels and always ice in the ice bucket for your duty free purchased vodka and juice that you've acquired from the breakfast buffet for your cocktails!!

Oh, one more thing - the cruise lines don't like to see your privately made cocktails in public places, so be sure to be discrete. I pack one of those huge sippy water bottles for mine!!

That's it guys! You are about to embark on one of the most amazing journeys ever!! Think of every music festival you've EVER been to, and this one will leave every one of them in the dust. As a matter of fact, the only thing that sounds bad about this cruise is that it's only 4 days!! If you have the opportunity, extend and do both!! Last year, we cruised for 11 days, and saw over 80 shows. It was incredible!!

Bon Voyage!

bluescruiser, thanx for all that you have told us. i will definitely be bringing my own closed bottle for drinking mixed drinks out of.

also, as a poor person, isn't ok not to tip extra? isn't the reason that they include gratuity in each thing to make sure the wait staff get something from cheapskates? (i don't consider myself a cheapskate, quite the opposite, but when you are monetarily challenged, some things have to be cut out) if i happen to have lots of money for this trip, 20$ up front isn't anything, but if i don't have extra money, does that mean i will get bad service? i read all the reviews of both ships, and i think this is going to be fabulous. (i don't think i have ever used the word fabulous before) it is a budget cruise line, so i don't expect top notch food and ship, but the service should be, and by reading the reviews, it seems like the service is very good, and the food is good, and the ship is above average.

is there a gratuity charge each time they clean your room? that is one thing i haven't figured out, because i can clean, or keep clean, my own room. or is it just a flat daily gratuity rate for things like that?

finally, is it wrong to tip a band up front to ensure a good show?

For those who are monetarily challenged, I say this. Do what you can....

As for tipping the room stewards, no you don't tip everytime. Just $10-20 at the beginning, and get it out of the way. If you can't do that, do $5. As for the dining room server and your cocktailer. Wait to see who's giving you excellent service. Don't tip any of them if they don't. The point is, if you feel that someone has taken special care of you, it's nice to give them a tip. If you can't do $20, then do $10 or $5. As for the 15% gratuity that is automatically added to your drinks, dinner, etc. THE SERVERS SEE NONE OF IT!!! It all goes to the cruise line. That's my point. That's why I say don't forget to tip. It's a pretty important part and not many people realize it. That's the only reason why I brought it up on this page.

As for tipping the band, NO WAY!! They are getting paid ample amounts of money to be on that ship AND getting a vacation on top of it!! Quite frankly, I'm not sure how they would react if someone tried to tip them. I think they may be offended.

Again, just do what you can. My guess is one can't be that monetarily challenged if they've decided to go on this cruise in the first place, right?

sorry, that was my attempt at a joke at the end of my post. of course i wouldn't tip the band (maybe at the blackjack table {umphrey's}).
i am surprised that they see NONE of the gratuity money. it seems that it would be like most any other tip joint. split between everyone (with the house getting the biggest cut). regardless, i already know how much fun i am going to have, and i might have more. it would take something drastic to alter my mood while i am there. here's to all who will be there, with money or not.

All you half empties can go get on the short boat. This cruise is going to be sooooo cool it's not funny. They(Jamcruise) have answered every stupid gossip started, or mean/demanding sounding statemnet quickly, and in almost every situation above expectations! This is going to be so great. Drinks at festivals are always expensive, and on cruise ships too! These prices seem resonable. I don't mind tipping my bartender, roulette dealer,etc...! I'm curious once again about the precruise show? Not "How much is it going to cost me cause blah blah balh!" , Venue etc ! ALso I want to know about the Brewery. O'Dells, New Belgium, Victory, Humboldt, please not coors, D'OH! I wish it was tomorrow.
BOATAROO!!!!!-In Les C. voice.
Late,
Bigz
PS I spend my nights in bars.

drink prices not bad. psyched about that. water prices are fucking crazy. anyone bringin desalination equip?

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Boat Drinks

i will be bringing something to clean water to drink. i can't imagine spending money on water, unless it is evian.

we just went on the cruise ship 2 weeks ago to do some scouting and research, and I drank the water from the soda fountains the whole time and didn't have one problem, and I have a tempermental stomach.

the bottled waters are pretty big though if you do buy them.