2009 Rick Springfield & Friends Cruise Day One

The Second Annual Rick Springfield & Friends Cruise
Carnival Ship Destiny
Day One Thurs Nov 12th 2009
Review & Pictures by Rosie Malthaner

The first day or I should say evening on the ship was jam packed with events. Boarding the ship, lunch and checking in for our wristbands that we would need to wear for the duration of the cruise. The first event of the evening would be the Welcome Aboard Concert.

Welcome Aboard Concert
Palladium Lounge

Mark Goodman welcomed us to the second annual cruise and promised it would be the best time ever. Mark said that Movie Night would be must see TV and gave a disclaimer that it was for mature audiences, there would be adult language, sexual situations and nudity which was met with cheers from the crowd. After drawing the winners for the Sunday night front row seats, the show quickly got underway with beachy music leading into Rodgers drum intro.

Rick launched into the standard show starter of Mr PC. There wasn't much talking until after he played part of Sea Cruise and introduced "My Good Men" He mentioned that this year it really was Rick Springfield & friends as they really are his good friends. He went on to joke that Richard was 85, Doug was 12 or 13 and Brandon was the young stud, who he was sure would be his good friend and of course Mark. All the guests met with loud cheers and applause. Little did we know at that time how great they would all get along!

After I've Done Everything, Rick talked about how much they are looking forward to performing WCD in its entirety, in order and for the first time ever. Richard Marx would play with them as well and Rick would play during his set. Jet was introduced as their new single and always rocks the house. Rick decided he was too hot in his grey shirt with black vest and skinny black tie so we were treated to some stripper music and a shirt change. He asked us if we had gotten our luggage yet or the goodie bags, some baggage had been delivered but we hadn't gotten our great goodie bags yet!

Rick told us how hard they all had been working on rehearsing the WCD stuff and were going to give us a sneak preview of a song he had never done live.....Red Hot Blue Love! And they blew us away with it. After DTTS there was a little break and Rick broke out the harmonica and jammed to Love Me do without the vocals. Love Somebody was up next and we all know that means Human Touch will follow. Last year he did not venture into the crowd at all, would he this year? Yes indeed! He made his way through the center losing his balance and falling only once. He also ventured to the sides, climbed a bit and looked as if he was contemplating climbing up to the balcony. He though better, if only he had realized there were stairs on the side!

Back to the stage for Jessie's Girl (which much to my delight we only heard twice the whole trip. LOL) Back out for the encore shirtless!

Set List:
Mr PC
WVS
Affair of the Heart
Living in Oz
Sea Cruise (part of)
Introduction of Guests
IGE
I've Done Everything For You
Jet
Allyson
Stripper music
VIO
I'll Miss That Someday
Red Hot Blue Love
Crossroads
DTTS
Jam session with harmonica (I think it was Love me Do w/ no vocals)
Love Somebody
Human Touch
Jessie's Girl

Encore:
Wild Thing

Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party Lido Deck

After the first show we had a bit of time to go back to our cabins, unpack (if you were lucky enough to have your luggage) and change for the cocktail party and dinner. Then we were on our way to the cocktail hour. A very different experience than last year. This year the weather cooperated and we were able to have it on the lido deck, a little windy and chilly but much better than last year. Frosty free drinks were flowing. This year there was a huge difference as well. Rick and Company were all in attendance. A major change from last year. Rick made his way through the crowd, accompanied by security and took pictures and signed autographs. While he was doing this the other celebrities also took pictures and signed autographs for the fans on one side of the lido deck. I know I took this chance to meet Brandon Barash from General Hospital who was such a sweet guy and looked genuinely happy to greet the fans. They seemed to stay quite a while before being ushered off for dinner.

Movie Night
Palladium Lounge
Rick Springfield, Mark Goodman, Doug Davidson, Brandon Barash

The first thing that was shown on the screen at Movie Night was a MA-Mature Audience Warning, parental discretion advised, nudity, adult language, sexual situations. I hope anyone that had kids on the trip with them was smart enough to put them to bed before this because I know I sure wouldn't want to have to answer the questions that Movie Night would bring. lol.

There were a few trivia questions on the screen, similar to what is shown at movies. Mark introduced Rick, Doug and Brandon and the chemistry between them was immediate. Rick quickly informed everyone no wine, no show! Someone produced a "sippy cup" for Rick since he was spill challenged last year. The next thing to air was a video clip from Gomer and one from Rick's Mom, telling us how sorry she wasn't able to make the trip due to being sick.

Next up was what we were all waiting for and what we would be missing on TV by being on the cruise this weekend. Rick's Californication clips! ALL of them! After viewing the very revealing clips, Brandon commented that he didn't know Rick very long but felt like he had known him his whole life after seeing the clips! Rick's reaction was "Wow" He was asked what it was like to play the part. He responded that it was very freeing playing against type. Doug commented that he needed to change his name to "PrickSpringfield" Its all one word now thanks to Hank on Californication. Doug also joked that Rick gave his mom the flu so that she wouldn't be here to witness all of this! The audience was asked what they thought and it was met with great cheers. Rick commented that as a professional it was very bare bones because he used his real name.

Doug's clips were up next and there was a 31 years with Young & The Restless clip. They all commented how Doug's love screens were quite different from Rick's and it was decided that was the difference between broadcast TV and cable.

Mark Goodman had a few clips up next of MTV and they were all amazed at his hair! Doug asked Mark why they made him wear a helmet on his head? It was his trademark he responded joking. They showed us a clip of Mark talking about Rick's Grammy nomination and went into the clip of his acceptance.

Clips of Wonder Woman and Human Target were also shown. Brandon's scene from GH was one with Claudia after her miscarriage. He commented that he was shot 5 times and 2 days later he was at a wedding. They all realized that they had all been on a soap at one time or another. Mark talked about his cameo on One Life To Live as a DJ.

They showed a Battle Star Galactica clip and Rick talked about how cool it was to have Lorne Greene play his father. He had grown up watching Bonanza. How may of you are old enough to know that show he asked. A Nick Night clip was meet with cheers (this would be playing quite a bit on the Rick Springfield channel the cruise line had provided on tv in our cabins for us!)

Mark had another clip up next from a show he had been in called Parker Lewis Can't Lose. A connection was made between Rick and Mark. Both had acted with the same actress. Rick in Wonder Woman and Mark in Parker Lews.

General Hospital clips from the 80's and today were show next. Brandon commented on the Bobbie clips "So that's what she used to look like!" Rick commented after the Anne, Patrick and Robin clip where he is pretending to be Eli that he isn't a rock star, he is a nuro surgeon. He also said what a great guy that Jason Thompson is.

Doug's Price is Right clips were up and he commented on how he had said that "this is not your fathers Price is Right" and he had to write a letter to Bob Barker apologizing for the comment. Mark's OLTL clips as a DJ were shown and the story of how Jessie's girl made it to #1 was told. As Rick's Legion clip was coming on he decided it would be a good time to run to the bathroom and Doug took full advantage of this to make fun of Rick's acting. Hard to Hold was our last clip of the night.

They guys all seemed to have a great time joking and making fun of each other all in good fun. The chemistry was apparent from the start and it was quite different from last year. They all played off of each other and truly seemed to be enjoying each other. This would be a theme that would carry though out the trip. We were off to a great start! It was then time to finally get some sleep. And we would need it!