"Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea" Cruise (Page 4 of 5)

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS,  JD IS SO GOOD AND MAN LOVE TO SEE THAT HAIR OF HIS GOING WHEN HE PLAYS.  THANKS HE IS GREAT

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who has posted comments and videos from the cruise.  As one of the unfortunate individuals who did not get to attend, it has been great experiencing it somewhat through the posts.  Albeit secondhand.  I had a few other random questions I have been wondering that I haven't seen anyone post specific to that I wanted to throw out to satisfy my curiosity.

Was there any indications in advance if Joe was going to sit in on a particular artist's set or just luck of the draw?
Were the artists around and available at all on the ship when not performing or did they mostly keep a low profile outside of their performances?
Did the artists (including Joe) have merch available for sale?
I know Joe had a specific meet and greet time.  Did the other artists have specific meet and greet times too?
I know there was a lot of talk regarding attendees taking instruments with them.  Were there specific jam or instructional opportunities available for attendees?

Thanks in advance to any attendees who might be able to shed some light on these questions for me.

Sorry, a bit of British reserve in that last post, after having a taste of the Rum we bought in Key West on the cruise and losing a bit of inhibition, what I meant to say was it was 4 of the best days of our lives!!!!

The following are my top 3 favorite shows from the cruise. They are done in playlist form so each link gives you videos of the whole show:

1. Late Night Artist Jam: First 3 songs feature Josh Smith & Kirk Fletcher, in the 4th & 5th JD Simo joins them, and the 6th through 9th add in Joe along with Paulie Cerra on a few and Fred Kron on 2 of them.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P … wIrGK2Y6P2

2. Rock Candy Funk Party with special guest Robben Ford on the last 2
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P … Qdsp_nj018

3. Joe's last show of the cruise in which he has Robert Randolph, Josh Smith, Ron Dejesus, Bernie Marsden and Kirk Fletcher accompany him on various songs
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P … Qdsp_nj018

The whole cruise was such a wonderful experience. I always want to see Joe perform with others and I certainly got my wish. He looked like he was having such a fun time playing with his friends. The late night jam was a blast and what you can't tell from the videos is how much the boat was rocking from side to side. I don't know how the guys kept their balance and played so well at the same time. It was great to see Rock Candy on a bigger stage with good lighting. I could finally see Mike Merritt. At the Baked Potato he is so hidden in a back corner it's impossible to see him. The songs they did with Robben Ford were really special. To see Joe doing a back and forth with one of his guitar heroes was definitely as much a thrill for all of us as it was for Joe. It was great to be able to see a number of musicians we never have had the opportunity to see before. Ryan McGarvey never comes east, so he was a special treat and reminds me a lot of how Joe played in his younger days. JD Simo was also a lot of fun. Quite the player and has quite a bit of energy. I enjoyed him the most on the artist jam where he performed a number of incredible solos. It was really cool how all the musicians were very accessible. We saw them everywhere and all were so pleasant and happy to talk with you. They were all having as much fun as we were and many mentioned how wonderful it was for them to meet so many new musician friends. Simo stated at his last show that before this cruise he had never met Josh Smith before, but because of this cruise he was ready to take a bullet for him, lol. Definite bonds were made. Joe was out and about as well, albeit frequently with a security guy present and watchful. We met Kevin Shirley for the first time which was cool as well as got to meet a number of people who work at J&R. They are all like a big family which is nice to see. The ship itself was quite nice. The staff were very friendly and helpful. At the restaurants dishes were cleared immediately, and cleanliness was important. When entering the buffet area, there was an attendant who always wanted to spritz your hands with an antibacterial cleaner (washy,washy guy). You didn't have to do it, but I think they wanted you to. We got our food nearly every time in the buffet or in the Atrium that served food 24 hrs a day. It was nice to have a place to grab a snack late at night. I think most people didn't even know that existed, but we went there quite a bit. (I always have to eat something before bed). There was a lot of queing up for shows so we would all take turns grabbing something to eat and the buffet was very handy for this. Each venue that the bands played at was quite different. The pool deck was obviously outside and quite large with the biggest stage, the Stardust Theatre held probably close to 1000 and had comfy seats and great lighting. The Atrium was a two level open area with a bar on the first level and chairs set up in front of the stage and food with chairs and tables on the second level. The Spinnaker was a low ceilinged wide area with plush couches and chairs set up and Bar City was an open floor with a bar at the back. Walking about on the ship was always confusing to me. I'm usually good with direction, but for some reason I was always turned around on that ship. And I felt there were many areas we didn't even see. Like it kind of went on forever and there were obviously hidden areas as well where the bands came up to the stage from. It would have been fun to really explore some of those places. The accommodations were very nice and every day little gifts were left for us on our beds. We had three in our room and I felt we had plenty of space. It was fun having Cathy bunk with us. We did things both independently and together which was nice and she kept the same hours as we did which worked well for sleeping and waking. The whole trip all around was one of the best vacations we have had. We hung out with great people and experienced great music day and night. What more could one want? Definitely will look forward to doing it again next year.

Thank u for all the reviews, videos, and highlights ..

Sounds like an awesome experience .. fun for all.

Like Rocket, I'm still waitin on some of the 'funny' tales .. and don't gimme that, 'What happens on the cruise .. stays on the cruise" .. lol

Thanks again for all the wonderful captures! 

I didn't participate in any of the jam sessions but saw a couple with cruise guests. I was too busy jetting from one venue to another to catch the next show I did get my guitar signed by Joe, though. Had to leave it with the production staff as there was no time to do it at the photo session, as you can imagine with 2400 or so guests to shoot pics with. I didn't see any other meet and greets with the other artists, but it wasn't necessary for the most part as they were around throughout the cruise and didn't seem to mind chatting or taking a pic.  I talked with Ana Popovic, JD Simo, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Ryan McGarvey and the Radio Moscow guys. I didn't personally see Joe or Robben running around, but did see everyone else.
It was really great seeing all of the shows and jamming with others during many of the shows, but also just the exposure to all of the acts I had never had a chance to see before, especially RCFP.

I do feel that I didn't get the full "cruise experience" (this was my first cruise) as I only ate in the main dining room once and seemed to fit meals in "on the run". I didn't really focus on the normal cruise activities, whatever they may be, but that was defininitely self-imposed. I was too busy trying not to miss any of the bands. I still didn't manage to fit in the Record Company due to conflicts of other bands I wanted to see (some 2 or 3 times).

I would defininitely recommend the cruise for anyone next year and will likely be there again. I think they should just cut the shore excursions and head out to see for about 5 days though I loved the day at sea as all of the acts started earlier and weren't as jammed together.

Stories eh? They might not mean much to anyone but me, but here goes....

1. I said I would try and meet Ron C on the ship at some point, so I could shake his hand - he seems a really nice genuine chap full of good deeds. Despite best intentions, I have no idea what he looks like and was wondering how I would locate him with no phone signal on board. In the process of boarding the ship, there I am walking along having just literally got on with my wife, and there's this guy just standing to one side on his own while we all walked past. I glanced at him and noticed a small guitar case and saw the name "Voyager" on it. I remember Ron posting he had bought one for the cruise and just broke out of the line, went over and said "Are you CindyRon by any chance?". "Yes" he replied - wow, fancy that, with over 2000 people getting on the ship! Even though I didn't see him again for the entire trip (which was a shame), I got to shake his hand as I intended - job done.

2. Called the elevator going up from our deck 8 where we stayed, to go to deck 12 where the buffet restaurant was situated, to put more weight on. Lift doors open and there is a man on his own, we walk in, and he says what deck you going to? My wife says "12" and he says, "same as me" and up we go. He asks if we're having a good time, which we both respond to confirming it's the trip of a lifetime. "I'm pleased" he says - ding - floor 12 and he bids us farewell. My wife comments how friendly the American's are, how the people on the cruise are so nice. I look at her and say "that was Carmine Rojas, Joe's bass player!!" - she had no idea! I have this image of Carmine Rojas as a "lift attendant" now, like in posh hotels. "What floor sir?" - ding......

3. Sat down on the upper level of the Atrium to watch some kid called Ryan McGarvey, heard he was good, but not sure what to expect. Hits his first chord and then blew me away, what a talent, great tone, big reverb/delay sound, reminiscent of Joe back in his earlier days. His vocals need work, he will get there, but his guitar playing is truly outstanding. A highlight for me, we went to see him for all three of his shows on board. He has new fans in my wife and I and we're going to see him here in England when he tours in the summer. Had a long chat with him about the damage to his pick-up selector switch on his Les Paul which he abuses in one particular song at each show, great lad, very chatty and utterly charming. My wife is in love with him I think......

4. Bernie Marsden was on our Virgin flight from London to Miami. Saw him in a restaurant in Heathrow Airport. Saw him in two restaurants on the ship eating - never saw him play on the cruise. I look out for him in every restaurant we go to now. I'm sure that's the only place we'll see him again....

5. Playing Roulette in the casino and the female singer in the Robert Randolph Band came and sat by us and proceeded to make a lot of money in a very short time, while we lost our hard-earned $50. She was lovely, raucously loud and a real personality and she chatted with my wife for a while. Don't know her name, but it was a pleasure to be in her company. Once again, my lovely wife had no idea who she was until I told her later.

6. Early hours of the morning, we are in the Spinnaker Lounge watching the Ded Nugent band, which apparently was a jam put together by some of the techs supporting Joe and other artists. Wife wants to go to bed (gigged out) and I'm begging her for another 30 minutes (and one more beer). We are standing at the bar, I turn to order my final beer of the day and who is standing to my left at the bar watching the show - Joe B along with Joanne Shaw-Taylor and Kevin Shirley.I'm talking two feet to my left. Remembering the appropriate etiquette and refusing to allow myself to try and catch his attention to talk guitars (he's in his own space - leave him alone), I just stand there enjoying the show with the person I have always wanted to meet and chat to, right next to me - how I resisted I'll never know, but I did. Others didn't, but he didn't moan, he just signed the guitars/memorabilia people thrust in front of him - top man. I didn't add to his load though, as much as I wanted to. It's just a nice memory I guess, standing at a bar watching a band, drinking, with my guitar idol alongside me and erm....saying nothing to him!

(There was a very strange woman trying to listen in to Joe's conversations and making ridiculous thinly veiled attempts to muscle in closer, she was so close to him she may as well have attached herself to him - utterly embarassing behaviour to be honest. I was cringing and couldn't watch her antics any more and we left with my wife and I shaking our heads in incredulity at what she was doing - she could be a member on here, so will say no more otherwise I will get in trouble! If I could have recorded it and put it on youtube, it would go viral, that's how bad it was.....)

7. Finally meeting Joe for our cruise photo, finally shaking his hand, the 'moment'. Oh dear, we were one of the final 100 or so people, he was hand-shaked out and had been a little ill, hence the last photos were outside in the fresh air. "Thanks for coming" he said (for the 1,900th time) and all I could utter was "hello". Like with Ron C, I got to shake his hand though - so job done.

8. Getting off the ship in Nassau for a wander around. What a depressing place, couldn't wait to get back on the ship in one piece and with all items of value intact. Never again! Saw Joanne Shaw Taylor wandering around with her bass player, she looked very nervous and I couldn't blame her.

9. Met a really nice couple from Idaho on the top deck outside waiting for the first Joe gig, we got talking and he says he has brought his guitar with him. Go fetch it I say, so he does - we sit there jamming on his Telecaster for a long while - good fun. Next day, he locates me and tells me to be on deck 6 by the bar for 2pm - jam time. I meet him there as requested and there are probably 7/8 musicians with guitars, one with a mouth organ and Mr Idaho with his Telecaster and a little amp. We jammed for nearly 3 hours solid, with me taking turns on his guitar, we had so much fun, a real blast.

10. Hearing Joe B announce on stage that there is going to be a BluesAliveAtSea #2, big cheers go up, my wife and I look at each other and cheer, and then that knowing look between spouses that said "how the **** are we going to afford it again!" - we will try of course.

11. Eating Dinner with some guy who is apparently famous and off "Storage Wars" - I'd never heard of it, never watched it - but he took it in good grace. Said he was a good friend of Joe's and was meeting up with him later apparently. Quite a character though!

Phew, just a few memories of mine to win the longest post award from Ron. This is all in addition to it being an utterly fantastic, memorable trip of a lifetime, one my wife and I will never forget. The music was awesome, Joe and his band/s performed superbly (loved RCFP!), the atmosphere was electric, the ship was beautiful, the cabin was great, the food excellent, the fellow passengers/guests were a credit to the Blues and despite it being a little less warm than usual, it was a hell of a lot warmer than back home so no complaints.

If I am lucky enough to have a next time, I will probably be a little less reserved and pluck up the courage to ask Joe for a quick jam and guitar geek chat though!

Awesome stories Rocky! I'm sure it was a awesome experience!