[Sgt. B]

Undecided. The post-cruise high has me saying yes. I would like a lot of the bands before making a decision. If there is a Barge to Hell the same year, I might opt for that instead. I would really hope UMC lets us know if there s going to be a BtH before taking bookings for 70K2015.

[broegaard]

fortunately money is not an issue but I will wait and see the lineup shaping up

[DrinkMoxie]

I would like to have a lineup with bands I've never seen and bands I can't get enough of AND also have the money and ability to go. But, I never blind book

[cowboy71]

20 more bands, plus the fact that the lineup this year was not 'ideal' for me, means that the statistical probability that the 2015 will be more to my liking is incredibly high.

*sad face*

[Lala]

Time (Thursday) and Place (Lauderdale) aren't good for me - and for most Europeans, but i will be IN again.....

[Laura]

This shoulda been a poll thread - in, out, maybe....can that still be added?

You? Are a very smart young lady :)

Poll created!

Thanks and thanks! Had to log back in so I could place my vote. (out)

I'll probably do exactly what I did this year and book in the last week when someone tries to offload a cabin. That worked out so well and I didn't stress about it all year :-)

Greg, I thought what you did (as well as Moxie) booking-wise this year was brilliant, and proved to me that a last minute booking is quite doable (that is, if one's work is flexible enough to be able to leave short notice). I've thought this for awhile - that will be the way I book any UMC cruise in the future....maybe not the week before, but within the last month. Now, if by some miracle, the entire line-ups on future cruises are announced MONTHS in advance, I may change my mind.

Sadly I am VERY likely out next year. Yeah there were issues... announcements, band quality for a power metal fan, the lack of any sort of loyalty/veteran gifts, etc...But a new boat and more bands sounds exciting so I would be a maybe.

However, with all of that said I am getting married in 2015 and need to save the vacation and $$$ for that. But here is to hopefully seeing you all again in the near future.

I don't know you, but congrats on your upcoming marriage. (I'm a hopeless romantic, and always enjoy reading happy stuff like that. )

[Sherlock]

I'm im ! This was our first cruise and me and my girlfriend had the time of our lifes... Even if next year's lineup is not the ultimate one, the cruise will surely be 70000 times better than a normal "blue hair" cruise ....

[BloodRedMike]

It might be the post cruise high talking, but I guess it's around 55% sure that I'll end up on the boat next year. Needs Martin van Drunen to happen. Or loads of other, almost as good, bands.

Absolutely. The novelty of just going on the cruise to hang out has worn off. Repeats and lack of really good bands will make me take my money elsewhere. Andy!! Bolt Thrower, Hail Of Bullets, Legion Of The Damned, and Carpathian Forest, please.

[Stained Class]

Yeah at this point the magic of the cruise itself has kinda died for me. Well, that's not really a good wording. I'm just not super excited just to be there now, I still love the fact that it's a metal festival on a boat but I didn't feel the same excitement when I landed in Miami until i started seeing everyone again.

[Sgt. B]

....Andy!! Bolt Thrower, Hail Of Bullets, Legion Of The Damned, and Carpathian Forest, please.

Listen to this man!!!

[Mindcrime]

So, what are you doing next year? Will you be going, not, or undecided?

OUT
Statsman and Mrs Statsman - unless we come into some $$$$$, we cannot afford to go next year

Same thing here- it's mostly the $$$$$ but also we had a regular cruise with friends in Dec. 2013 then 70,000 tons in Jan. 2014- it was really hard getting caught up with work from the first to go on another. This Dec. we will be gone for almost 2 weeks in Dec. for a cruise out of Puerto Rico- flying standby there and back so need some extra days on each end of a 7 day cruise---- so just can't see swinging another vacation so soon. I am hoping to return in 2016. It would be great to go out of Ft. Lauderdale because I always fly into there.

[samlanda]

DEFINITELY IN. Best time of my life. Cruise cherry was popped with vigor.

[Speedy]

Highly likely in. Monday to Friday is better for me than Thursday to Monday, but I'll make it work.

[X-Thor]

My plan was to go to Metaldays/Wacken this year instead of to 70K...

But Metaldays' lineup isn't as good, and I figured that I could spend that money going to Brazil and have money left for the cruise. It will depend on my ability to save and pay off a few debts I have left. It will also depend on what happens to my future in the next months (I applied to grad school, so...).

Anyway, I'm most likely in, but I'm not booking early. I simply cannot afford it. I'll try to keep the money apart and book after the summer.

I do want to go, and I do think Andy has made the changes he needed to. We'll see what happens next. For now, I'll just be a cheap fuck and save as much money as I can.

[CaptOblivious]

i would say at best a 30% chance of me going right now. there are to many other festivals i want to check out and experience before i am to old to enjoy them. that being said i could change my mind and decide to go at the last minute like i did with 70k 2013 so we shall see.

[erkpod]

Before this year, I was out for 2015. Now I'm in. I will be treating it as a stand alone holiday so no rushing in & out of Miami for me next time.

I don't care who the bands are. In fact, some of the best time I had was on Thursday in the hot tub. The amount of awesome people I interacted with (and now I've found this forum) was great.

[onenight]

I like the fact that there will be a different ship and port, but there needs to be a strong line up and about 75% of the bands announced before I decide to book again.

[cowboy71]

Things may change if multiple 'bucket list' bands of mine get added to the lineup, but for now I'm content to be sitting out 2015.

New ship, bigger ship, more fans. I'm just curious as to how it will all go.

So I figure if I start saving NOW, I KNOW I will have enough to do 2016, if 2015 pans out okay.

But I would hate to 'penny pinch' for a full year depriving myself of many things so I could do 2015, only to have an experience that was not up to the awesomeness that was the first four 70ks on Majesty.

[drrock]

Definitely OUT if it´s a line-up like 2014. To us that was not 70000k like it used to be, this was Barge to Hell Pt. II ...

Three years Andy did the impossible: Find a line-up everone is satsified with. For 2014 something went terribly in the wrong direction.

We´ll never again book early!!!

[Metaladdict187]

Saw Andys speech. Meh, no apologies for keeping us in the dark and slapping this together at the last minute.

For us, he really has to book more variety.

Having said that, we would do it again down the road. IF we had the cash. And more effort was given to the lineup.

Not to mention, those people starved for attention, really....???? It was funny at first but is now annoying.

[cowboy71]

Not to mention, those people starved for attention, really....???? It was funny at first but is now annoying.

The number of those types has definitely grown every year.

[X-Thor]

Three years Andy did the impossible: Find a line-up everone is satsified with.

Whaaat??

Also, this year can't be BTH pt II. It had Freedom Call! That's like all the weenie points in just one (awesome) happy metal band.

Also, you know, Leaves Eyes, Xandria, Gloryhammer, Victory, Rising Storm, Vicious Rumours, Nekrogoblikon...

But yeah, if you don't have a very broad metal taste, booking blindly isn't a smart idea, I think.

[Laura]

Not to mention, those people starved for attention, really....???? It was funny at first but is now annoying.

The number of those types has definitely grown every year.

I wasn't gonna comment on *that* topic here, but here is something that I just posted in response to a fb friend's status she just posted today (related to a hugely long 600+ response thread on the 70K forum fiends closed fb from a few days ago)

______, as you know, I commented a great deal on that 600+ comment thread that you started on the FB 70K forum fiends group. As I said there, I only went on 70K the first two years in 2011 & 2012, and I don't remember much of anything like what you and others described happened this year (yeah, there was a little of this and that "bad behavior" in 2011 & 2012 but nothing that *really* stood out to me). Not having been there this year, I don't know what to think...however, I must say that many things that were described were a *definite* turn-off. This truly saddens me a great deal since those two fests were two of the best times I've had in my life. It's funny in a way, that after those two somewhat "perfect" experiences, I made a conscious decision to not go back (at least for awhile), not because I didn't love it, but I had a fear that trying to repeat the same thing over and over was just not going to be the right thing for me to do. And more importantly, I'm always on the hunt for the next "perfect" novel experience. In short, if the current "trend" for 70K continues (and I assume it might because of even a larger ship), I won't be back. I will wait to see what happens next year and read the comments post-2015 70K. Btw, a guy on the 70K forum said he & his wife would likely not be back...and referred to the sideshow atmosphere with lots of people there simply "seeking attention" or something like that.

and a little later on after a few other people commented...I wrote:
What is somewhat confusing to me is that even though there were negative comments made by lots of people online, many of those same people (including several good friends of mine) said they had an awesome time. Hmmm....again, it's hard for me to know what to think since I wasn't there.

?????

oh - and it wasn't just the "attention seekers" that people were complaining about on the FB group - lots of comments about more disrespectful/jerk behavior, more out of control crowd surfing, people being complete slobs and "trashing" the ship, a noticeable increase in groupie types, aka as "the slut brigade" as someone referred to them on fb, and so on.

[SymonS]

For some odd reason I believe that this may just be in the cards for me once again....
But first on to the 25th anniversary of Wacken!

[KDibildeaux]

Or the forgotten five time cruiser gifts or all star jam. Promises to have it get better mean nothing to me personally. In the words of Fubar: "NUT UP OR SHUT UP".

I had a $100 credit on my room account. I kind of figured that was the gift for the 4+ time cruisers

[cowboy71]

Or the forgotten five time cruiser gifts or all star jam. Promises to have it get better mean nothing to me personally. In the words of Fubar: "NUT UP OR SHUT UP".

I had a $100 credit on my room account. I kind of figured that was the gift for the 4+ time cruisers

Did you refer anyone? Remember that you were meant to get a $50 credit for each person you referred.

[KDibildeaux]

I'm a maybe. Leaning towards no, unless certain wishlist bands are announced and the full (or almost full) lineup is announced in a timely manner.

[KDibildeaux]

I'm a maybe. Leaning towards no, unless certain wishlist bands are announced and the full (or almost full) lineup is announced in a timely manner.

[cowboy71]

I just calculated how much all up it cost the wife and I when taking into account everything (parking at the airport here, food/booze/etc on board/Miami/LAX, flights, cabin, etc).

If ever there was any doubt I cannot do 2015, that kinda sealed it.

[DJ Old Man Stares]

All year throughout the wait I said I wouldn't book again, but a solid lineup with quality rare thrash will aid in changing my mind. I said I wasn't even going to go for a third time, but holy shit, what a trip that last one was. I honestly don't know what the future may bring but I am excited for something, whatever the hell that is.

[Chris]

Not to mention, those people starved for attention, really....???? It was funny at first but is now annoying.

The number of those types has definitely grown every year.

I wasn't gonna comment on *that* topic here, but here is something that I just posted in response to a fb friend's status she just posted today (related to a hugely long 600+ response thread on the 70K forum fiends closed fb from a few days ago)

______, as you know, I commented a great deal on that 600+ comment thread that you started on the FB 70K forum fiends group. As I said there, I only went on 70K the first two years in 2011 & 2012, and I don't remember much of anything like what you and others described happened this year (yeah, there was a little of this and that "bad behavior" in 2011 & 2012 but nothing that *really* stood out to me). Not having been there this year, I don't know what to think...however, I must say that many things that were described were a *definite* turn-off. This truly saddens me a great deal since those two fests were two of the best times I've had in my life. It's funny in a way, that after those two somewhat "perfect" experiences, I made a conscious decision to not go back (at least for awhile), not because I didn't love it, but I had a fear that trying to repeat the same thing over and over was just not going to be the right thing for me to do. And more importantly, I'm always on the hunt for the next "perfect" novel experience. In short, if the current "trend" for 70K continues (and I assume it might because of even a larger ship), I won't be back. I will wait to see what happens next year and read the comments post-2015 70K. Btw, a guy on the 70K forum said he & his wife would likely not be back...and referred to the sideshow atmosphere with lots of people there simply "seeking attention" or something like that.

and a little later on after a few other people commented...I wrote:
What is somewhat confusing to me is that even though there were negative comments made by lots of people online, many of those same people (including several good friends of mine) said they had an awesome time. Hmmm....again, it's hard for me to know what to think since I wasn't there.

?????

oh - and it wasn't just the "attention seekers" that people were complaining about on the FB group - lots of comments about more disrespectful/jerk behavior, more out of control crowd surfing, people being complete slobs and "trashing" the ship, a noticeable increase in groupie types, aka as "the slut brigade" as someone referred to them on fb, and so on.

You probably had it right in not coming back.
I have only been on the Barge to Hell aside from this cruise. I imagine the first 70k to be more in terms of how that was with the people on the boat. Some silliness for sure but not what I experienced this time around. It's not that I think people should dress a certain way or act a certain way, there were just a few people who were very negatively effecting the cruise and might have been addressed sooner. From what I understand this isn't the first cruise some of these people have had issues. Also, there is what seems to be a good number of people who I don't think were there for the music as much as just being a spectacle. Overall it was a pretty good time, even aside from the rain closing the pool deck and people puking more from added sea sickness. I am sure there are more like me though who have to work for a living, and it costs good money to go to a thing like this. So I think it's fair to be a bit picky about these things.

[Ecliptica]

You would think the cost would deter a lot of that behavior -- as you said, there are people that work hard to go on this thing and don't want to have idiots/jerks ruining it for others.

With another 1,000 passengers -- that's my biggest fear. I don't want to sound like an elitist, but I really, really, really like our little family the way it is now. More people != a better experience.

[cowboy71]

You would think the cost would deter a lot of that behavior -- as you said, there are people that work hard to go on this thing and don't want to have idiots/jerks ruining it for others.

With another 1,000 passengers -- that's my biggest fear. I don't want to sound like an elitist, but I really, really, really like our little family the way it is now. More people != a better experience.

Yeah, another 1000 people = potentially another 1000 people at the 'big' shows. Suddenly they become more 'festival' like and less intimate.

[Spence]

Hi guys! This is my first post, so woo. Long time fan of stalking 70Tons/Barge lineup announcements, hopefully 2015 will be my first actual cruise. :)

I was just wondering if you guys could elaborate on exactly what crappy things people were doing on board? Just really curious, and I want to know if these behaviors would be detrimental or not to my experience if/when I go.

Thanks!

[Memnoch]

I too noticed more douchy behavior this year. Ok, it was nothing compared to your average festival, but then again the setting is a completely different one too. All venues looked terrible after a gig, with broken glasses and bottles and plastic cups on the floors. Is it really that difficult to walk five meters to the nearest table to place that empty glass on it?
Also, and many people onbroad also said the same, there were lots of people who seemed not to be there for the music, but to make an appearance or something.

All in all, this thing is starting to look more and more like a normal festival. I guess that was to be expected. What's funny is how (seems to me) most "real metalheads" loathe the average festival goers of Wacken and such for that exact behavior and the silly costumes and all, and somehow do the same thing on 70k. By silly costumes I don't mean the ones like Hector&Deb on Thursday (you guys put a lot of effort in those and looked awesome), but more of the silly hats and weenie suits (ok, Andrea's costume was funny) and all. And the same goes for all the dental floss clothes on girls and, fuck, there were men is speedos. Bikinis, dental floss and speedos go well on the pool deck, but not in the indoor venues and dining halls - no matter how good you might look in that. The one special thing about the cruise was always the setting on a luxury boat. Would be awesome if we were "forced" to wear proper suits&ties for the main dining hall and similar. 2000 metalheads looking like real people. The trashing, inappropriate clothing, douchy behavior towards the staff and other cruisers really takes a lot away from the experience.


Damn, I make it sound like I hated the cruise when I didn't. In reality this was probably my best cruise so far, but it could've been a whole lot better still.

[cowboy71]

Yeah - the Chorus Line theatre after the Overkill set was the worst i've ever seen it.

Bottles and trash everywhere.

And yeah, things like glass getting thrown in the pool, obscene behaviour (apparently a dude got locked up in the drunk tank for giving oral pleasure to a girl up on the pooldeck).

Definitely this has been getting worse each year.

SPENCE - don't mean to put you off though! You'll probably have a great time if you go in 2015. Me? put it this way - If I won $10k, I would happily book for 2015 and not regret it. Will I scrimp and save every cent and forgo other luxuries to do it? NO.

So yeah - my current plan is that I'm starting to save now, to potentially do it all again in 2016. Will watch from the sidelines, wait for all the feedback from 2015 to come in, and then decide.

IF the lineup in 2015 is killer, then I may forgo 2016 as well in the hope that the bands I liked from 2015 will repeat in 2017 :)

[NuuX]

The weakest of the three cruises I did for sure. I also saw the least bands of the three cruises and spent the majority of time in Viking Crown Lounge. I was sure this was my last cruise but with a new boat I might change my mind. Heavily depends on $$$ (and line up).

[Memnoch]

One thing that will have effect on me booking or not for 2015 is the smoking policy. I missed all karaoke this year, again, due to the heavy smoke in the Boleros. Maybe UMC could hire a few people to see that people only smoke in the designated areas? A fine of, say, $200 might make people more considerate of others. This year, again, the non-smoking side of the pool deck (upper level) and the Boleros were full of smokers. Not cool.

[Metalwrath]

I do have some degree of concern about the kind of people going on the cruise.
I've seen one or 2 mentions of more attention seeking people and people wearing the kind of stupid costumes you expect at rave and dance festivals.
And with the extra capacity there will probably be more of the Wacken mongos onbroad.
But that being said like every festival those kind of inviduals can just be ignored.

[epartos]

I did as I always do on festivals with the dental floss girls and attention seekers deluxe: Ignore! Then instead I gave my attention to the ones that were cool and fun to hang with. The less attention one give to attention whores, the more seldom they appear... imho.

Boleros was a smoky inferno, but still it was fun as hell. It would have been nice though with better ventilation in there to freshen up the room faster. Now that won´t be a problem on a new ship.

I wanna go back!!!