CTTE 2020

[awebert]

I believe booking starts soon... I couldn't find an existing thread so I started one...

Couple of questions for those that have gone in the past:

1) Does the VIP buy you anything, is it worth it?

2) If you do the excursions how much do you miss on the boat?

Thanks

[Rick]

1. I did not do the first time and did not think it was necessary. That being said, I will likely do this time since doing a larger cabin.

2. Not much. Not many bands scheduled during port. However, I did see Spock's Beard at the pool stage while many were gone on excursions in 17. They also played again at the pool at a later day/time, so you would not have missed them if you had an excursion planned.

[awebert]

Thanks for the info....

[Rick]

No problem. 2017 was THE best concert experience of my life. Headed back this year as well.

It is expensive. Do the periodic payments and save up.
It does take time. You will need a week of vacation basically.

It helps if you have a significant other that also likes the music. That was not the case for me. As a result, it's like a week vacation by myself with no family. Could be difficult to pull off.

[rickawakeman]

Lots already announced.


https://www.loudersound.com/news/hak...se-to-the-edge

[doh]

The whole trip is a VIP experience. Being an actual VIP is an incremental improvement only. It gets you to the front of a few lines and a goodie bag.

If you want to maximize your music experience, don't plan any excursions. While it is a lighter schedule during those times, there will still be 2-4 concerts. That said, some really enjoy getting off the boat and stretching their legs. I personally pick a two hour block with no concerts and head down to the dock to look around. I don't do anything more than that.

After going on the last three, I probably will have to skip this year due to some financial stabilization. But, it's a great experience and I heartily recommend it if it fits your budget.

[Mstove]

The whole trip is a VIP experience. Being an actual VIP is an incremental improvement only. It gets you to the front of a few lines and a goodie bag.

If you want to maximize your music experience, don't plan any excursions. While it is a lighter schedule during those times, there will still be 2-4 concerts. That said, some really enjoy getting off the boat and stretching their legs. I personally pick a two hour block with no concerts and head down to the dock to look around. I don't do anything more than that.

After going on the last three, I probably will have to skip this year due to some financial stabilization. But, it's a great experience and I heartily recommend it if it fits your budget.

This would be my advice, as well. We get off the boat a little and usually try and find something to eat if in a decent location. Otherwise, get back and enjoy some more music.

We missed 2018 because of finances/time and will likely miss the next couple (that may have been how we broached going to our fifth when asking our spouses). VIP does get you a few front line situations and does get you a tick closer, but it is really not that important, IMO.

Very expensive and also a really good value.

[JKL2000]

And so it begins...

[Yodelgoat]

I'm gonna chill on any cruises until they have this under control. Cruises are a petre dish. Anything someone has (Virus-wise) loves this environment. Lots of nice warm humid surfaces. I dont want to hurt sales, but ya gotta think about these things. Of course, if you have to get stuck on a cruise ship for 14 days, being stuck with a bunch of Prog musicians, would be a better choice than just about any I could think of. In '96 I did a 21 day cruise of the Baltic sea - it was too long. Nice, but you do get tired of the boat.

[SteveSly]

I'm gonna chill on any cruises until they have this under control. Cruises are a petre dish. Anything someone has (Virus-wise) loves this environment. Lots of nice warm humid surfaces. I dont want to hurt sales, but ya gotta think about these things. Of course, if you have to get stuck on a cruise ship for 14 days, being stuck with a bunch of Prog musicians, would be a better choice than just about any I could think of. In '96 I did a 21 day cruise of the Baltic sea - it was too long. Nice, but you do get tired of the boat.

We did a 10 day cruise once and that was a bit long in the tooth for me. CCTE is only 5 which for a music cruise is probably about right. As for the virus, I am not worrying about it.

[JKL2000]

The chances of catching it are statistically very small, so I’m sure everyone will be fine. But those Facebook groups can get touchy to begin with, so some people are a little panicky. Probably by the time of CTTE the news media will be done with that story.

[nycsteve]

Coronavirus is the headliner.

[JKL2000]

Extreme metal

[Nearfest2]

I heard they're playing the entire "Ebola" album in it's entirety.

[bigbassdrum]

No Staph Infection; No Coronavirus for me ....

I only like the old Coronavirus .....

Anti-Biotics ruined Coronavirus .....

[Vic2012]

I'm drinking a Corona right now.

[nearfest]

you know what goes well with Coronavirus? Lyme Disease

[Mstove]

And so it begins...

I notice you didn't follow up with any comments about that thread being pretty reasonable and that most people dismissed the idea of needing a contingency plan.

Considering the FB page is the main site for information about the cruise, it seems like a reasonable place for someone to bring up that concern if they have it. It isn't like there have been cruise ships involved in Coronavirus headlines or anything.

[Camelogue]

My my my Corona

[JKL2000]

I notice you didn't follow up with any comments about that thread being pretty reasonable and that most people dismissed the idea of needing a contingency plan.

Considering the FB page is the main site for information about the cruise, it seems like a reasonable place for someone to bring up that concern if they have it. It isn't like there have been cruise ships involved in Coronavirus headlines or anything.

I agree with you.

[Mstove]

I agree with you.

Okay - I have to give you this. Yesterday was the day the links for check-in went out and with the news of the spread to Italy, along with a worker on a different ship having it, it did seem to ramp up a bit. But, overall, I still think most people are being reasonable so far. There was one guy who eventually deleted his posts after ranting about no chance the ship will sail and on and on about anyone who wasn't stressed. But, it turns out, he wouldn't confirm he was going ever and so far at least a couple of the people pushing the panic button aren't going anyway (another guy ranted about it a month ago, starting out by explaining how happy he was to not be going because we were all doomed).

I expect that there might be some stressed out posts at some point. There are already more threads about it than necessary because people don't seem to search before asking questions, but most people seem pretty relaxed about the whole thing. You may be right, eventually, that it will get weird there, but so far not too bad.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

The thing about the coronavirus is .... if you do get it, your chance of dying is lower than from last year's flu. It's a big nothing from the media panic machine to sell advertising space.

[helix]

The thing about the coronavirus is .... if you do get it, your chance of dying is lower than from last year's flu. It's a big nothing from the media panic machine to sell advertising space.

next thing you'll be telling us that it's a hoax . . . .

[JKL2000]

The thing about the coronavirus is .... if you do get it, your chance of dying is lower than from last year's flu. It's a big nothing from the media panic machine to sell advertising space.

It’s not so much the fear of the virus as it is fear of being trapped on the ship for two weeks with Billy Sherwood.

[Plasmatopia]

It’s not so much the fear of the virus as it is fear of being trapped on the ship for two weeks with Billy Sherwood.

My thoughts are more along the lines of the "authorities" over-doing the response and shutting down certain activities like cruises or not allowing artists to travel from certain places. I hope it doesn't come to that.