[cowboy71]

I don't mean to scare anyone from going on the cruise, but it is a thing that's changed with the atmosphere, and will no doubt be changing in the future as well with new people coming to the cruise. And like we've seen in the earlier threads here on the forum, the change is welcomed by some, hated by some.

I think with 33% more people on cruise 2015, there will be a further change in that atmosphere too.

[doomguy]

Best part
Everything in comparison to a muddy and dusty land based festival. Comfortable bed, hot showers, nice food and drinks and plenty of choice. Random guy walking past and giving me a beer. Drinking, hanging out with guys in the hot tub for over an hour at 3am and not even realising they're band members, the fun times in Miami leading up to the cruise.

Worst part
There are a few inconsiderate people who think they own the space around them, but that is a minor detail. Long wait to buy merchandise. Can't really think of anything bad to say about it, I've only been in 2012 but it was easily the best festival/vacation I've been on.

[erkpod]

Long wait to buy merchandise.

Oh yeah, that was a big one for me. I saw the huge lines & I spoke to people who were spending 2-3 hours in line for merch. I don't see why you have to line up to browse at stuff. It would be like going to your mega store of choice on land & lining up just to go window shopping. The only time you should be lining up is when you select & pay for items, not to merely walk through the door.


The main merch I care about is the 70k stuff. Thankfully for the last 2 years, they had a smaller store on another level away from the main merch store. I didn't even walk into the main merch store in 2014.

[doomguy]

Waiting to buy official 70k merchandise is not necessary, because you can buy them from the webstore anyway. But some bands have cruise specific shirts that you can't get anywhere else, like in 2012 Candlemass 70,000 Tons of Doom Cruise shirt, which they only had small left by the time I got there, which only just barely fits but I bought it anyway.

[ShoreSlayer]

I have yet to meet a forumite onbroad and I'll be going for the 4th time in 2015

I have a signature on my Canadian flag that says different my friend

Best part (not previously mentioned): Talking up a storm to nearly every perfect stranger I met on the way home telling them about this incredibly new world I'd discovered

Worst part: Having nearly full blown, head-exploding anxiety attack and almost kicking a perfect stranger in the nads just for playing strange, heavy metal violin music 10 minutes before this - All Hands on Deck (Karaoke)

[Dutchguy-Tim]

I have yet to meet a forumite onbroad and I'll be going for the 4th time in 2015

I have a signature on my Canadian flag that says different my friend

i almost forgotten about the flag. that was awesome :-)

[LadyBlackfhyre]

Best part of the cruise for me is everything about it. I have been on 4 so far, and have made amazing friends over the years. It is such a wonderful feeling being surrounded by so many people who love the same things as you. Everyone is super awesome. I love being able to hang out with the bands and just always have a concert to go to. Its nice to be so close to everything exciting!

My least favorite part about the cruise is having conflicts in schedule where I have to miss parts of bands or full sets I'd want to see. I wish the cruise was 2 days longer so there could be more time in between bands so we don't have to rush around.

[biertroll]

Calvin... "Safety First", "fuck Mexico", idiot who threw a beer bottle into the pool. Apparently had spent over $2k little over half through the trip on liquor. To put bluntly, ate out somebody's ass on the pool deck while we were docked... MESSED UP.

Someone must've forgot where his cabin was.

I was on the deck when we were docked, I'm glad I didn't see this.

We were on the deck together! I remember looking at Mexico with a fruity drink on our hands. Glad we were facing away from the pool deck so we didn't have to watch this mess.

Selby!

[ShoreSlayer]

meh

[magicgrl111]

Someone must've forgot where his cabin was.

I was on the deck when we were docked, I'm glad I didn't see this.

We were on the deck together! I remember looking at Mexico with a fruity drink on our hands. Glad we were facing away from the pool deck so we didn't have to watch this mess.

Selby!

Holly!! :-)

[Mr.Kito]

he worst part is that you'll rarely enjoy shows out of the boat again.

this

[Stained Class]

he worst part is that you'll rarely enjoy shows out of the boat again.

this

Not just shows, pretty much every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise. Your life will become a series of countdowns to the next cruise.

[klons]

he worst part is that you'll rarely enjoy shows out of the boat again.

this

Not just shows, pretty much every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise. Your life will become a series of countdowns to the next cruise.

As of late, I've noticed I'm talking a LOT more to other cruisers than I am my friends that I can actually, you know, see in person. Don't know if that's a good sign or a bad one...

[Samhain]

he worst part is that you'll rarely enjoy shows out of the boat again.

this

The first show I went to see after the cruise was Dark Tranquility and I hadn't eaten before the show and for a second I actually thought that I could get pizza in the venue… nope. The post-cruise world is a sad, pizzaless disappointment :(

[Memnoch]

Maybe you guys should go to some better shows, because, at least for me, none of the best shows I've seen have been on the boat. Ok, the first Nile set was pretty awesome, but mostly it's just way too laid back on the boat - which is the thing I love about it, but in no way does that mean there'll be good gigs onbroad.

[Pellaz]

being so drunk you cant find front from back on the boat and spend 2 hours staggering around like a tool (been there done that )

Yeah, actually you don't need to be drunk to get forward and aft mixed up (but it probably helps).
It's happened to me stone-cold sober a time or three. ("Hey, shouldn't we be near the room by now-- ahh, crap, wrong side, wrong direction!")

[NuuX]

I have yet to meet a forumite onbroad and I'll be going for the 4th time in 2015

I have a signature on my Canadian flag that says different my friend

That is correct, sir. But only to a degree when there was a promise of 50+ forumites showing up for first breakfast and then something like 5 of us showed up I guess the rest were a bit "tired" after the first night.

[doomguy]

I agree with Memnoch in this case, some people need to get out more, go to more shows It's cool to see some favourite bands play in a unique location, but that doesn't necessarily make them better gigs, just different venue and atmosphere. Some of the bands I've seen on broad I've enjoyed their gigs on land more.

[Dutchguy-Tim]

I have yet to meet a forumite onbroad and I'll be going for the 4th time in 2015

I have a signature on my Canadian flag that says different my friend

That is correct, sir. But only to a degree when there was a promise of 50+ forumites showing up for first breakfast and then something like 5 of us showed up I guess the rest were a bit "tired" after the first night.

yeah i remember that on the first cruise to
with lulu slamming 3 bloody mary's down to get sober

[X-Thor]

Maybe you guys should go to some better shows, because, at least for me, none of the best shows I've seen have been on the boat. Ok, the first Nile set was pretty awesome, but mostly it's just way too laid back on the boat - which is the thing I love about it, but in no way does that mean there'll be good gigs onbroad.

I agree with Memnoch in this case, some people need to get out more, go to more shows It's cool to see some favourite bands play in a unique location, but that doesn't necessarily make them better gigs, just different venue and atmosphere. Some of the bands I've seen on broad I've enjoyed their gigs on land more.

Maybe weenie shows are better on the boat?

I guess it's also part of the festival "environment". People are frendlier, moshing is funnier, you get to drink more... And nobody will pickpocket you and take your phone.

Sure, some shows are still awesome, but at least I stopped enjoying regular gigs without a lot of "energy" from the band.

I guess the cruise sets a high standard, so I became more "picky" about shows afterwards.

[Stained Class]

Don't get me wrong I go to TONS of shows. But, Andy really tends to book bands that I'm in interested in and nothing beats the atmosphere on the boat.

[Jaimie38]

Maybe you guys should go to some better shows, because, at least for me, none of the best shows I've seen have been on the boat. Ok, the first Nile set was pretty awesome, but mostly it's just way too laid back on the boat - which is the thing I love about it, but in no way does that mean there'll be good gigs onbroad.

The vibe is obviously a lot more relaxed for the perfomers too--always smiling!!

[doomguy]

Maybe weenie shows are better on the boat?

I guess it's also part of the festival "environment". People are frendlier, moshing is funnier, you get to drink more... And nobody will pickpocket you and take your phone.

Sure, some shows are still awesome, but at least I stopped enjoying regular gigs without a lot of "energy" from the band.

I guess the cruise sets a high standard, so I became more "picky" about shows afterwards.

Aah, you're talking about the environment. It's obvious, the entire environment on the cruise is a million times better than any other festival or gigs, so I can see what you mean. But as far as the bands are concerned, and the gigs themselves, I don't think bands playing on the boat makes them perform any better. So for me at least, I enjoy the land and sea based shows equally, depending I guess on my mood or the atmosphere at the time, how the bands perform and the sound etc. For example I saw Candlemass both times on the boat, again at MetalDays and a 4th time at Wacken last year. Their Wacken show was by far the most enjoyable, and the highlight of the entire festival for me. Maybe had something to do with the fact I was cold, wet and miserable because it had been raining. It was a perfect night for doom anyhow.

[X-Thor]

Maybe weenie shows are better on the boat?

I guess it's also part of the festival "environment". People are frendlier, moshing is funnier, you get to drink more... And nobody will pickpocket you and take your phone.

Sure, some shows are still awesome, but at least I stopped enjoying regular gigs without a lot of "energy" from the band.

I guess the cruise sets a high standard, so I became more "picky" about shows afterwards.

Aah, you're talking about the environment. It's obvious, the entire environment on the cruise is a million times better than any other festival or gigs, so I can see what you mean. But as far as the bands are concerned, and the gigs themselves, I don't think bands playing on the boat makes them perform any better. So for me at least, I enjoy the land and sea based shows equally, depending I guess on my mood or the atmosphere at the time, how the bands perform and the sound etc. For example I saw Candlemass both times on the boat, again at MetalDays and a 4th time at Wacken last year. Their Wacken show was by far the most enjoyable, and the highlight of the entire festival for me. Maybe had something to do with the fact I was cold, wet and miserable because it had been raining. It was a perfect night for doom anyhow.

I can see why the warm caribbean sun doesn't contribute to make an ideal doom metal scenario.

Having said that, I think the only bands I've seen on and off the boat are Gotthard, Helloween, Turisas, and Haggard. Well, I've seen Carcass, Flotsam and Jetsam, and Helstar in the cruise pre-parties, but I don't think they count.

Let's see:

Gotthard blew me away in Mexico City because I had barely heard of them before that. Even then, both of their shows on the boat were superb.

I had a lot of fun at Helloween's chorus line show and danced with everyone. The sound was awful, though. The pool deck set was better. All in all, I think the 2008 Hellish Rock tour was when I enjoyied Helloween the most.

I saw Turisas in march 2013, right after the cruise. The show was longer and they played more old songs, which was awesome. I would say the show was better than those on the boat, but someone pickpocketed my phone while dancing/moshing, so that show sucked.

Haggard's pool deck show was probably the best show I've seen in my entire life. I have a hard time thinking of any other time where I saw any kind of live musical performance and felt such an awe. It was just perfect. I had seen Haggard in 2009 and 2012, they were good, but nowhere near so good.

But yeah, I would say going to metal shows becomes much less enjoyable after the cruise, mostly because of the environment. However, some bands do outperform themselves on the boat and some others I will probably never see on this side of the Atlantic, so... Yeah.

[Laura]

he worst part is that you'll rarely enjoy shows out of the boat again.

this

Not just shows, pretty much every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise. Your life will become a series of countdowns to the next cruise.

I have to respectfully disagree with all of the posts above. Like a few others have said, I attend a fair amount of music gigs (as well as other types of live performance events such as dance & theater mostly in and around my home town of Chicago), and with RARE exception I have an awesome time - whether it's partly or largely due to the particular band/set/performance, the people I'm with (friends, husband, kids, other relatives, or alone, which btw, I don't mind going to shows alone - sometimes I like being alone & almost prefer it in certain circumstances), the venue/sound/my seats and/or proximity to the stage) or any combo or all of those things mentioned.

And at the risk of sounding snarky (even though there is no ill will or true snarkiness meant on my part....especially to you Joey who made the "every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise" comment)....it seems that some people place perhaps too much mental (and life) focus/emphasis on this particular event?

???

[ShoreSlayer]

And at the risk of sounding snarky (even though there is no ill will or true snarkiness meant on my part....especially to you Joey who made the "every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise" comment)....it seems that some people place perhaps too much mental (and life) focus/emphasis on this particular event?

While some seem to spend far too much time extolling the virtues of almost every other event they attend and how much better than 70K they are.

I sometimes wonder who they're trying to convince

(snarkiness intended)

[cowboy71]

So, I can see both sides of the '70k is the bestz0rs' as well as the 'other shows rawk moar!' argument.

From an Aussie's perspective, we have NO metal festivals here. So 70k rules in that regard. And I've been to a few European festivals (Rockwave in Greece, BYH in Germany, Sweden Rock), and 70k wins with the whole 2000 fans, 200 band members, 'everyone has a backstage pass' vibe.

So as a complete event, when you combine that with the friendships forged on broad and on the forum, the luxury of inclusive food, a bed you can lie down in that is always only 5 minutes away, well it cannot be beat.

As far as the ACTUAL gigs themselves? Still pretty cool - can easily get to the barrier for any show you want, much easier to get souveniers like picks and setlists, no bouncers hounding you for taking video or using a digital SLR.

BUT, shows rarely go to plan - lots of late starts, sound dramas, the strobe lights and smoke this year were shit, only a couple of 'headline length' sets.

As much as I loved Dark Tranquillity's two shows on broad this year, it was MUCH better to see them do a 90 minute set in my hometown last night.

[Laura]

And at the risk of sounding snarky (even though there is no ill will or true snarkiness meant on my part....especially to you Joey who made the "every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise" comment)....it seems that some people place perhaps too much mental (and life) focus/emphasis on this particular event?

While some seem to spend far too much time extolling the virtues of almost every other event they attend and how much better than 70K they are.

I sometimes wonder who they're trying to convince

(snarkiness intended)

Ha, I see what you did there.
*sings...."when the snark bites"....*
http://youtu.be/4Qrjtr_uFac
(No snarkiness intended)

Oh, come on, Rob. I wager you have read enough from me to know that I think 70K is totally awesome & I definitely hold the 2011 & 2012 memories in my mind as *two* of many "peak-type" music (and other) experiences I've had in my lifetime. They're all great & special in their own way from The Ocean gig I saw just last Sunday in a divey small local club to Amon Amarth on the pool deck with the fog rolling in on the first 70K. In short, it's ALL good!

What utterly stopped me dead in my tracks (and made my jaw drop actually) when reading this thread was the stated notion that somehow one can't enjoy gigs as much post the 70K experience. Or the notion that somehow life afterwards is "dull" in comparison. In all fairness, perhaps some of what was said was somewhat tongue-in-cheek or exaggerated. I dunno.

[erkpod]

he worst part is that you'll rarely enjoy shows out of the boat again.

this

Not just shows, pretty much every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise. Your life will become a series of countdowns to the next cruise.

300 DAYS!

[Stained Class]

Come on Laura obviously I was exaggerating
But, it is true for the first month or 2 following the cruise (Post Cruise Depression) and in all honesty I find myself not as excited to go to Europe as I am to go on the next cruise. Which seems odd because Europe is going to be a longer trip, more expensive, more bands, I've only been to Europe once while I've been on the cr, Europe is only a couple months away months away. But, the cruise really is THAT great. Also, as other people have mentioned, I find myself talking to fellow cruisers online than my friends in Calgary. Hector's post might have been worded a little strongly but I think he was exaggerating too

[doomguy]

I can see why the warm caribbean sun doesn't contribute to make an ideal doom metal scenario. :lol

It was 2am on the pool deck of the first night. It was still the best show of the cruise for me though.

I saw Turisas in march 2013, right after the cruise. The show was longer and they played more old songs, which was awesome. I would say the show was better than those on the boat, but someone pickpocketed my phone while dancing/moshing, so that show sucked.

You probably dropped it! It fell out of your pocket.

Haggard's pool deck show was probably the best show I've seen in my entire life. I have a hard time thinking of any other time where I saw any kind of live musical performance and felt such an awe. It was just perfect. I had seen Haggard in 2009 and 2012, they were good, but nowhere near so good.

I believe you. Of the bands on that boat, Haggard would have been the one I wanted to see most, it would have been a magical show indeed! They're playing in Mexico again I think from the 19th to 21st June.

So, I can see both sides of the '70k is the bestz0rs' as well as the 'other shows rawk moar!' argument.

From an Aussie's perspective, we have NO metal festivals here. So 70k rules in that regard. And I've been to a few European festivals (Rockwave in Greece, BYH in Germany, Sweden Rock), and 70k wins with the whole 2000 fans, 200 band members, 'everyone has a backstage pass' vibe.

So as a complete event, when you combine that with the friendships forged on broad and on the forum, the luxury of inclusive food, a bed you can lie down in that is always only 5 minutes away, well it cannot be beat.

As far as the ACTUAL gigs themselves? Still pretty cool - can easily get to the barrier for any show you want, much easier to get souveniers like picks and setlists, no bouncers hounding you for taking video or using a digital SLR.

BUT, shows rarely go to plan - lots of late starts, sound dramas, the strobe lights and smoke this year were shit, only a couple of 'headline length' sets.

As much as I loved Dark Tranquillity's two shows on broad this year, it was MUCH better to see them do a 90 minute set in my hometown last night.

There's no argument, 70k rules. As a complete event, it is second to none. But yeah, I was referring to the actual gigs, which IMO doesn't necessarily make them any better because they're on a boat. There's a small intimate venue here called The Underworld that doesn't even have a barrier, no security/bouncers at all, and the stage is about knee high. If you stand right at the stage you have to be careful the guitarists don't knock you out! I'm going to see van Canto there on Wednesday.

Dark Tranqullity also played there in Nov. with Tristania, but it was 3 days after I got back from overseas, I was so jetlagged I couldn't stay to see them so I kinda regret that. I'd already gone to a gig the day I got back so I was so tired and I had to work.

Gigs here, and even European festivals are really good at keeping to schedule. I can't even remember going to a gig that was running late or badly organised.

[X-Thor]

I saw Turisas in march 2013, right after the cruise. The show was longer and they played more old songs, which was awesome. I would say the show was better than those on the boat, but someone pickpocketed my phone while dancing/moshing, so that show sucked.

You probably dropped it! It fell out of your pocket.

I searched for it when I felt it was gone, and couldn't find it. At the end of the show, we announced it on the speakers, and nobody gave anything. I'd say a pickpocket was quite likely, since never has a phone fallen out of my pocket.

Haggard's pool deck show was probably the best show I've seen in my entire life. I have a hard time thinking of any other time where I saw any kind of live musical performance and felt such an awe. It was just perfect. I had seen Haggard in 2009 and 2012, they were good, but nowhere near so good.

I believe you. Of the bands on that boat, Haggard would have been the one I wanted to see most, it would have been a magical show indeed! They're playing in Mexico again I think from the 19th to 21st June.

Magical is the correct word to describe it. They're coming in June, but I'll probably skip them. They come every year and I'm not sure I want to have another show touching the memory of the cruise shows.

[cowboy71]

... But yeah, I was referring to the actual gigs, which IMO doesn't necessarily make them any better because they're on a boat. There's a small intimate venue here called The Underworld that doesn't even have a barrier, no security/bouncers at all, and the stage is about knee high. If you stand right at the stage you have to be careful the guitarists don't knock you out! I'm going to see van Canto there on Wednesday.

Dark Tranqullity also played there in Nov. with Tristania, but it was 3 days after I got back from overseas, I was so jetlagged I couldn't stay to see them so I kinda regret that. I'd already gone to a gig the day I got back so I was so tired and I had to work.

Gigs here, and even European festivals are really good at keeping to schedule. I can't even remember going to a gig that was running late or badly organised.

Indeed!! So much true there - two cases like this from the last week in fact!

ORPHANED LAND - Sunday night. At a former church that is now a nightclub which would hold 200 people tops. People at the front could actually put their foot on the stage because it was that low and there was no barrier.

And Dark Tranquillity Friday night - actually started their set 15 minutes EARLY. THAT would never happen on 70k (admittedly that would actually be a bit annoying if it happened on 70k, but you know what I mean!)

[KDibildeaux]

And at the risk of sounding snarky (even though there is no ill will or true snarkiness meant on my part....especially to you Joey who made the "every aspect of life seems really dull after the cruise" comment)....it seems that some people place perhaps too much mental (and life) focus/emphasis on this particular event?

While some seem to spend far too much time extolling the virtues of almost every other event they attend and how much better than 70K they are.

I sometimes wonder who they're trying to convince

(snarkiness intended)

This

[taketheday]

The best part for me is first to make new friends, drink, laugh and talk with them, then come the gigs, of course. I still have the occasion to see some bands I never saw before and enjoy with their music. Well, of course, as a disabled person, it isn't that easy to jump between the stages to see a full gig, you have to miss one or to miss a part of it. The advantage until now is that the stages were close of each other, but that will be different on the Liberty where I will have to walk more, so also miss more of the gigs I will just try to do my best.

The worst part in 2013 was that I was ill the 2 last days with an awful bronchitis and this year was more than certainly the movement of the ship with the rain on Thursday. I had, as probably a lot of us, to try to not fall down. I almost did at least twice or three times More personally, I had some problems to get an extra step to go to the cabin's bathroom. I had to explain the maintenance guy at least three times what I needed, but he never added this step I had to find the solution by myself and it was more than never dangerous, particularly on Thursday.

[DJ Old Man Stares]

Best part = seeing all the same people at all the same bands that you're at and realizing that you're all family from far around the world.

Worst part = the fucking muster drill. I understand that its a legal obligation, but its beyond boring and it kills all the great conversations being had beforehand and the tone most of the time is so solemn. I say "fuck it!"

[Lala]

best part: everything, the pre- and pre-pre-parties, the cruise.....
worst part: getting injured by the shoes of a diver (only a bloody ear) and not be able at some concerts to watch, bang and listen in the first or second row cos of all the fucking pitters.

[Dutchguy-Tim]

Worst part = the fucking muster drill. I understand that its a legal obligation, but its beyond boring and it kills all the great conversations being had beforehand and the tone most of the time is so solemn. I say "fuck it!"

the first master drill was awesome.
some of the staff really looked like shitting their pants when the shout came "WALL OF DEATH!!!!!"

second muster drill i was in my cabin, because i was to honest and had been temporarily quarantined
but i heard that they played their part better then. (like if you look to your right you'll see the proper way to do air guitar

[ANTIKRISS]

Gonna sound like a noob, but, what does master drill mean?

[MikeB]

Gonna sound like a noob, but, what does master drill mean?

Better than I could explain it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muster_drill

safety first !