FAQs

For Europe, Australia & New Zealand, please call 313-565-8888 ext. 4146 and ask about the Big Easy Cruise. 

Yes! StarVista LIVE will provide you with a booking number for use with the cruise line about six weeks prior to sailing. That number will allow you to complete your online check-in, as well as reserve other options, such as shore excursions, restaurant reservations, spa appointments, internet packages, etc. 

Please note that the reservation number that is printed on your email confirmation is for use with StarVista LIVE only and will not work on the cruise line’s website. 

In addition, you will be able to book these activities through the Holland America Navigator App that can be downloaded directly to your smartphone. For more information on the Navigator App, please click here. 

We do not allow anyone under 18 to sail on one of our themed cruises. Anyone over 18 but not yet 21 must share a cabin with a companion 21 or older. 

We recommend that guests arrive a day earlier than the cruise departs if at all possible, as there may be weather related travel delays. We typically secure a limited number of rooms as a special group rate for guests on the nights leading up to the cruise. More info on our pre-cruise hotel available here.

Each cruise line has various internet packages and you can buy one directly from them once you have your cruise line reservation number which we will send to you about 6 weeks prior to the sailing. Please refer to the Holland America Line’s website for the details. 

Alcohol: StarVista LIVE abides by the applicable cruise line’s alcohol policy. Please refer to the Holland America Line’s website for the details. 

Soda & Water: StarVista LIVE abides by the applicable cruise line’s soda and water policy. Please refer to the Holland America Line’s website for the details. 

These policies are subject to change at any time without notification. For more information please contact Holland America Line directly. 

The overall dress theme for the cruise is “smart casual.” 

Daytime attire is not subject to limitations, so guests may dress in appropriate and tasteful clothing of their choosing. Coverups and footwear are required in all venues and dining areas. 

Evening attire is subject to the dress code for that particular evening. Most evening dress code is “smart casual,” which means no shorts, tank tops or T-shirts in the main dining rooms or premium restaurants. Jeans are acceptable attire for the “smart casual” evenings. There will be one Formal Night, and our nightly themes offer you a chance to dress up in theme-appropriate clothing most nights. 

More information on nightly themes will be released approximately 6 weeks prior to sailing and will be listed on our website. 

You may change your traveling companion up until final payment free of charge. After final payment, there is a $150 change fee up until two weeks before sailing. Changes less than two weeks before sailing cannot be accommodated. All parties involved must be aware of the changes occurring so all guests must send an email acknowledging any changes. Please send your emails to info@bigeasycruise.com. 

We offer an easy, monthly payment plans to pay for your cabin for the Big Easy Cruise. To view payment plans details, including paying with Uplift, click here.  

StarVista LIVE is dedicated to making the payments for cabins as guest-friendly as possible. 

*All payments are non-refundable 

In addition to admission to all of the amazing performances and onboard events produced by StarVista LIVE, all of the standard items associated with a Holland America Line Cruise are included, which includes but is not limited to meals including 24 hour room service (except for meals at the specialty restaurants), non-carbonated beverages (i.e.coffee, juices, tea, etc), use of the ship's beautiful pools, and use of the ship's health & fitness center. 

The price does not include airfare, ground transportation, onboard purchases (i.e. spa services, specialty restaurants, carbonated and bottled beverages, alcoholic beverages, gift shop, etc), gambling, excursions, or travel insurance. 
 
Holland America Line does offer drink packages. Please check the Holland America Line site for more information. 

StarVista LIVE operates as a charter company contracting with the cruise lines up to two years in advance. Standard stateroom amenities (i.e. robes, yoga mats, sound systems, priority embarkation, etc.) are included as part of the StarVista LIVE cruise. These amenities and services are subject to change. The cruise lines occasionally offer new retail booking promotions (i.e. onboard credit, free internet, drink packages, dining packages, etc.) as enhanced amenities during certain periods of time for some cabin types. Unfortunately, not all the same promotional amenities and services options are available to StarVista LIVE under our contracted agreement and therefore we do not offer them as a standard part of the price of our cabins. If you have questions regarding the amenities and services included with a particular stateroom category, please call our office prior to booking your cabin for confirmation. 

All payments made are non-refundable. StarVista LIVE strongly encourages the purchase of Travel Protection. Once you receive your booking confirmation, a link will be provided to purchase Travel Protection from Travel Insured. 

The first of the month is the only day in which payments can be made.

Anyone that has ever sailed previously on, or has an active current reservation for, a StarVista LIVE cruise is entitled to Alumni pricing when booking a new StarVista LIVE Cruise. If you’re booking over the phone, just let one of our reservationists know. 

If you booked online and need your alumni discount applied to your reservation please email info@bigeasycruise.com and provide your full legal name, booking number, and what cruise or cruise(s) you’ve been on with StarVista LIVE and we will add your Alumni discount to your reservation. 

We do provide a “Military Rate”. To qualify for our “Military Rate” you must provide a copy of your DD-214 or a military ID.  Please email this to info@bigeasycruise.com after booking and the 5% discount will apply to your balance before your first payment installment. Please note that in order to receive the discount, you cannot have already paid in full at the time of the application. 

If a particular cabin category is sold out, we encourage you to join our Wait List as we often have cancellations and cabins become available. You can join our wait list by filling out the form online and your name will automatically be added to our Wait List. 

If the cabin category that you would like becomes available, you will receive an email stating availability. These cabins will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to book quickly. 

Yes, you can earn points for sailing on the StarVista LIVE cruises. Unfortunately, you cannot redeem any earned perks through your cruise line membership. If you have questions regarding a specific perk or amenity, you are welcome to contact the cruise line directly. If you speak with the cruise line, please make sure they understand that you are trying to redeem perks on this full-ship charter. 

We schedule many performances and activities in a number of venues throughout the ship.

We try to match the artist and their performance with the most appropriate venue, taking into account the entire schedule, so as to afford guests opportunities to see as much entertainment as possible.

Factoring in the total number of guests, the volume of performances and activities, and the size of other venues, we do occasionally run into lines and seating pressure. We manage this to the best of our ability by opening up the venues early when we can, scheduling multiple shows at the same time, adding shows when we can and communicating the schedule so guests can plan their day and evenings. But like many well attended activities (e.g. concerts, sports events, etc.) lines can develop.

Each event and performance onboard is set up in a festival environment. With numerous shows and activities going on at the same time with limited capacity in each venue, it is suggested that you plan in advance what events you would like to attend and arrive as early as you can.

The cruise is a floating music festival and as such, the artist’s performances are the primary focus of the schedule and autograph sessions are not formally scheduled. However, there is opportunity for informal interaction between the artists and guests in several ways. In some of our smaller venues, we encourage the artists, and they often do time permitting, to greet guests and sign or take a picture after the event or show. Additionally, some artists will bring copies for sale of their latest project (CDs, books, etc.) and when they do, we will often schedule a formal signing around those sales. When this happens, we communicate these events to guests so they can plan their schedules. 

Of course with 2,000 guests, the festival nature of the cruise, the artists’ planned schedules (sound check, performances, Q&A sessions, activities, etc.) and our desire to provide as many performances as possible, it is a very busy week that will limit artist availability. 

Many of our artists will be onboard the ship for the entire cruise. However, there may be some cases where an artist must join us during the trip or depart early due to schedule or other commitments. 

Galactic will be performing the night of Monday, November 6th at the famed New Orleans club “Tipitina’s” while the cruise is in New Orleans for cruise guests only. There will be two shows and guests will be assigned a designated show time around 45 days prior to sailing. There is no additional cost to guests for the shows and transportation will be provided to and from the venue. 

Tedeschi Trucks – Fireside Live will perform on the ship in the port of New Orleans in the main theater circa midnight on Monday, November 6th. Led by the husband/wife duo of guitarist Derek Trucks and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, and with 6 band members, Fireside Live brings to the stage a rare intimate window into the band's creative chemistry while still offering dynamic world-class musicianship. Guests will have time to see the exclusive Galactic shows and be back on the ship in time to see the Fireside Live show.

Per Holland America Line, all guests must check-in online for the Big Easy Cruise. You will be sent a unique booking number approximately 6 weeks before the cruise. Once you have this, log in to hollandamerica.com to check in online. After you complete your online check-in, all guests must complete the Vaccine Attestation, accept the Passage Contract and Risk Acknowledgment forms and complete the online check in at least 72 hours before embarkation. You also must complete the pre-cruise Health Questionnaire (available 72-24 hours before you embark the ship) as part of the online check-in process. You’ll be asked to reconfirm your answers when arriving at the port. This questionnaire, your boarding pass and your check-in time will be available on the Navigator App. 

If you have not yet accepted the Cruise Terms and Conditions, please make sure you do so as soon as possible to ensure that your reservation is not cancelled.  If you are not sure whether or not you have accepted, you can check your terms and conditions status by logging into your account.

Simply log in to your account and look for an “Accept Terms” button under the reservation. If this button appears, you have not accepted the terms and conditions. Click this button and follow the instructions. 

If you do not see this button, this means that you have already accepted the terms and conditions. You may also click on View/Modify under your reservation and you will be taken to the Payment page, which will list all of your important information including cabin number, dining time and Terms and Conditions status on the left-hand side of your screen. 

If you are unable to check-in online for any reason, please call our reservationists

For United States Citizens: A valid passport book is required for all travel outside of the United States. Passports must not expire within six months after your date of travel in order to be considered valid. For further information and passport requirements, please visit  www.state.gov  

Passport cards are not acceptable for this charter.  

For Non-United States Citizens: You must have a valid passport and any necessary visas for travel. Please carefully verify the existing identification requirements for your particular travel situation with your local consulate. In addition, non-U.S. citizens who have previously been admitted to the United States for permanent residence must carry their Permanent Residence Card (Form I-551), commonly known as a Green Card. Resident aliens not in possession of this must obtain one at the nearest office of the United States Immigration Service. 

Visas: Visa requirements vary depending on the passport under which you are traveling and the countries being visited. Guests traveling under non-U.S., non-Canadian and non-European passports must check with the Consulate of every country visited during the cruise for specific Visa requirements. When contacting the Consulate for the country being visited, be sure to provide the complete itinerary of the cruise so the Consulate can provide the correct information as your Schengen Visa requirements. Guests may also contact a Visa service agency in their country for assistance. 

You should have your passport book on your person at all times for embarkation and disembarkation.

You can contact our provider, Travel Insured International, at 1-800-243-3174 or www.travelinsured.com. Be sure to mention your trip dates and that you are traveling on a StarVista LIVE cruise.  

Travel Protection can help protect you and your travel investment and can help provide coverage for unforeseen circumstances during your trip. Plans include coverages for Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Baggage & Personal Effects, Accident & Sickness Medical Expense, and more. We encourage you to contact our provider, Travel Insured International, at 1-800-243-3174 or www.travelinsured.com to find a plan that works for you.   

The cost for your Travel Protection plan is dependent upon several factors, which may include your per-person trip cost, your place of residence, and your age. We encourage you to contact our provider, Travel Insured International, at 1-800-243-3174  or www.travelinsured.com to review plan options and related costs.  

Yes, you can contact our provider, Travel Insured International, at 1-800-243-3174 or www.travelinsured.com to see what plans are still available for you. You can also log into your StarVista LIVE account, go to My Reservations, and a button will appear with more information on how to get a travel protection quote.  

Guests on our 2023 sailing with any mobility needs, severe allergies, respiratory needs, and other accessibility requirements must enroll in our SAFE program by filling out the form below before August 30, 2023. 

Click here to fill out our Special Assistance Form

Guests who require a handicap accessible room should give our office a call to check availability and book directly with one of our helpful reservationists. Please have appropriate documentation available to confirm your booking need. Please note we have a limited amount of handicapped accessible rooms, so inquire early. A waitlist will be available in the event that all of our handicapped accessible rooms are sold out. 

Accessibility information can be found through Holland America Line.

The occupancy limit varies by cabin, some of which can accommodate 3 or 4 guests. Please note that the cabin size will stay the same regardless of how many guests are booked. In most cases, a convertible sofa bed is provided for the 3rd guest. A 4th occupant will be sleeping on a Pullman (trundle) bed that folds down from the ceiling. This guest must have the physical dexterity to climb up to the bunk bed. 

Guests traveling by themselves are certainly welcome! There is a small selection of inside cabins that are priced at a special single rate. If those are sold out, single guests may reserve any other stateroom and the cost will be doubled (this is known as the “single supplement”). If you are looking for a roommate, we can provide a list of names and you would contact them directly to arrange your own partnership. We will help organize the reservation when you both are ready. 

You are welcome to select a new cabin as available. If the cabin you would like is sold out, please contact us at (855) 923-7222 and we can add your name to the Wait List. If one opens up, we will notify you and you will be charged the difference in cost. 

Next year’s cruise will open for public sale shortly after this year's cruise returns. Keep in mind that the current guests have the ability to rebook for the following year, so inventory may be limited upon return. Check back to the website often for more specific details and get on our email list to learn about any pre-sale opportunities. 

StarVista LIVE, through its dedicated reservation department, provides an opportunity for registered Travel Agents to book guests on our unique theme music cruises and be significantly compensated for that effort. For more information visit the Travel Agent page on our website. 

The smoking policy designates all interior space, including staterooms and casino, as non-smoking areas. This includes cigarettes, cigars and pipes. Electronic cigarettes are allowed in staterooms (because they do not leave any residual odor) but cannot be used in public areas. Anyone who violates the ban on smoking in the staterooms will be charged a $250 cleaning fee. No smoking of any kind will be permitted on stateroom balconies. 

For guests who wish to smoke, there will be a designated area available for smoking outside on Deck 9, Sea View Bar and Pool. Clearly marked “Designated Smoking Area,” the area includes a sufficient number of ashtrays that are emptied regularly. Cigar and pipe smoking is permitted in the Designated Smoking Area. 

Holland America Line reserves the right to modify the smoking policy onboard or alter the locations where smoking is permissible at any time. Please refer to the Holland America Line website for any other information. 

While we often conduct vow renewal ceremonies onboard our cruise, we cannot offer opportunities for wedding ceremonies at this time. Guests are welcome to choose to get married on land at a port of call during the sailing, but this is not something that StarVista LIVE or the cruise line is able to assist with. Congrats to you and yours! 

If your stateroom is close to one of our main venues, you may be able to hear performances. Please be advised that some performances occur past 10 PM. Cabins near stairwells, the main dining room, and the pool can also be subject to operational sound. 

*Ports of call subject to change

StarVista LIVE does not provide transportation from the airport to the hotel or directly to the Pier. For those Guests staying the night before the cruise in our pre-cruise hotel listed on our website, StarVista LIVE offers fee-based luggage service and motor coach transportation on the day of the cruise from the hotel to the seaport. Simply bring your luggage down to the lobby and transportation helpers will assist you loading your luggage into our ground transportation and deliver to the terminal. That’s it! Your luggage will be delivered to your stateroom on the ship. More information and pricing available here.

We typically post the departure terminal approximately six weeks before the sailing. Please check back on our website on or around six weeks before sailing or look out for an email prior to departure for further instruction. Check for signs at the terminal entrance to confirm the ship location on embarkment day to confirm the ship’s location the day of. 

For the 2023 Big Easy Cruise, proof of vaccination will not be required to sail. We do highly recommend that every guest is fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted (if eligible) at time of sailing.

Yes, we are now able to allow guests using oxygen concentrators or undergoing peritoneal dialysis on our 2023 Big Easy Cruise.