Welcome to the First Edition of the Malt Shop Scoop!
The Malt Shop Memories Cruise has become a fan favorite of so many people all over the country that we thought it would be great to start a newsletter for our Guests, our friends, and those who are simply interested in the fabulous music of the first decade of rock ’n’ roll and its pioneers. Our goal is to keep you up to date with what is going on with the Malt Shop Memories Cruise, offer some special gifts and incentives to our Guests, and try to provide you with some insights about the cruise and the performers.
We hope that you will enjoy these newsletters, which will go out every other month, or more often, if needed. We will sure have fun bringing it to you …
The Staff of the Malt Shop Memories Cruise
Malt Shop Memories Cruise Update: News From the Cruise!
Just six months remain before we embark on what is expected to be our best-ever sailing of the Malt Shop Memories Cruise. As the cruise approaches, we have a number of important announcements including an update on cabin sales, news on special payment plans and pricing for cruise alumni, revised pricing on Deluxe Staterooms with Verandahs, and a special offer for Florida residents.
Cruise Is Six Months Away: Believe it or not, the cruise sails about six months from now, and plans are already well underway to make this the very best sailing of the cruise possible. YourMalt Shop Memories Cruise staff has been meeting to make sure that we can have even more music, more fun and more events than last year. And we are always looking for ways to make the cruise even more luxurious and more fan friendly. To that end, we invite you to send your questions and comments to us at MSM@ecpcruises.com and we will respond directly.
Cabin Sales: As you will recall, Malt Shop Memories Cruise ’12 sold out and the pace of sales for Malt Shop Memories Cruise ’13 is even faster, so if you have not booked your cabin as yet or know of friends waiting to do so, now is the time! Cabins remain in the Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah and Outside Cabin categories, but, if you want a different category of cabin, just call the office and we will see if we can accommodate you. There are usually cancellations and, sometimes, we can make something happen for you.
Special Payment Plan and Pricing for Alumni: We are so excited that more than 300 of the cabins sold thus far are returning Guests, or as we like to call them, “Alumni.” There are still a lot of our very favorite past Guests who have not booked as yet. For those Alumni, we will alter the current payment plan and allow you to purchase your cabin under the ALUMNI PAYMENT PLAN. Under this plan, provided that you complete your reservation by June 15, your first 20 percent payment shall be due at the time of your reservation. Your remaining payments of 20 percent each will be due July 15, Aug. 15, Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, thereby allowing you nearly six months to complete the payments.
Revised Pricing: Malt Shop Memories Cruise is now offering a selected number of Deluxe Staterooms with Verandahs for $2,600 per person. This rate will last only as long as cabins remain in this category. The rate is based upon double occupancy and does not include taxes, fees and gratuities.
Special Offer for Florida Residents: We will pick you up, take you right to the pier for the Malt Shop Memories Cruise and take you home when the cruise is over ... for free! The Malt Shop Memories Motor Coaches will pick up Guests at four Florida locations: Sarasota, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Daytona and Jupiter. The precise locations will be identified shortly. But if you are interested, just contact the office at 888.852.9987 or write to reservations@ecpcruises.com
ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST SHOWS
In past years, we have highlighted the Malt Shop Memories Cruise with an Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, featuring some of the greatest tribute artists in the world. This year we have eliminated the contest in favor of offering shows from Elvis Presley's most memorable eras. We are featuring seven award-winning Elvis tribute artists from the United States, Canada and Australia. They are Mark Anthony, Jay Dupuis, Dwight Icenhower, Gino Monopoli, Anthony Von, Jay Zanier and Cliff Wright. Once again they will be supported by the fabulous EAS Band. Our Elvis tribute artists will be performing together, highlighting Elvis Presley's career in music. The shows include: Elvis in the 50s; The 68 Comeback Special; Elvis in Vegas -The Concert Years; Aloha from Hawaii featuring a luau by the pool; Elvis Gospel Show; Audience's Choice - the All Request Show; and finally, An Elvis Christmas Show.
Our Elvis tribute artists will also lead a casual nightly after party along with many of the headliners on the cruise! Dance, sing and party the night away!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF MALT SHOP MEMORIES TRIVIA!
Trivia fans! Think you remember EVERYTHING from last year's cruise? Test your knowledge and memory of all the events and fun from Malt Shop Memories Cruise '12!
Submit your answers to msm@ecpcruises.com with the subject line TRIVIA by May 17, 2013. The winner will receive a special gift from StarVista Entertainment/Time Life and be announced on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise Facebook page.
Question 1: Last year's cruise was forced to depart from an unexpected port-of-call due to Hurricane Sandy. What is the name of the port and city of departure?
Question 2: Frankie Avalon and Jerry Blavat hosted a fabulous cooking segment during the week on the main-stage. Before they got started, David Brenner made a special appearance. He shared many hilarious stories about growing up in South Philly and his mother's cooking. Frankie eventually prepared his succulent chicken dish. Did you make it when you got home? Remember his special ingredient? Great, but we want to know what famous establishment's T-shirt was David Brenner wearing on stage?
Question 3: Wasn't it great to see Dion perform all those great hits he had with The Belmonts? But did you see Dion during the week? He hosted a documentary on another brilliant performer who was a friend, mentor and a driving force in rock ’n roll. Name that friend.
Question 4: Elvis isn't dead on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise. Elvis Tribute Artists were on board to entertain us last year! Weren't they amazing? Everyone has their favorite Elvis moment … the Vegas performer, the more somber gospel hour, the young rock-a-billy hula contest. But did you see the other tribute performers onboard? Name the four other 50s pop icons that were impersonated on board.
Question 5: Malt Shop Memories Cruise is sailing for its fourth year! Some of you have cruised with us more than once on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise. (And we thank you!) But did you realize that our performers have so much fun with all of you that they have also come back to perform? Name all the artists that have appeared on more than one of our Malt Shop cruises.
Don’t forget to submit your answers to msm@ecpcruises.com with the subject line TRIVIA by May 17, 2013!
FACEBOOK FRIENDS
The Malt Shop Memories Cruise Facebook page has been very busy lately with many, many posts from former guests and those interested in the cruise. Here are just a few of those postings:
Madeline Adkins: To those of you who are thinking about it or just signed up, we do it every year. It's like a week back in time and the best week of our year. Am counting the weeks ’til we set sail again.
Shelley Kemp: I have been on other cruises but none compares to the Malt Shop Memories Cruise! The ports of call are breathtaking, the entertainment and lineup of famous entertainers are amazing, and they are all so personable and friendly! The entire ship relives the ’50s and ’60s era that we all loved so much! From poodle skirts and the Fonz to a great Motown show, its a blast! Three years ago I was looking for a cruise to go on and I’m so glad I found the Malt Shop Memories Cruise! Ever since the first one, I was hooked and will never miss another one! I'm already booked and can't wait until November!
Elizabeth Baer Smith: I have booked my fourth Malt Shop Memories Cruise! I just can't stop. It's such an amazing time, I look forward to it every year! The memories I have made over the years with these cruises will stick with me for a lifetime. I have made so many friends who continue to book as well, that each year it's like a reunion. We dance, sing, laugh. I've always been the outsider ’50s kid, but since these cruises, I finally feel like the insider, because I can finally be around others who have the same interests as I do.