EC Un-Plugged:

You can win a Dinner Party for 6 on Mystic Blue!

Our Mystic Blue Winter, 2011 Dinner Sweepstakes ends at 11:59pm Eastern Time on Saturday, April 30, 2011.
Don’t miss your chance to win 6 FREE Dinner Cruise tickets.

To be eligible to win, all you need to do is click here and fill out the form.

The drawing will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2011. Entries must be received by April 30, 2011.
The Winner will be notified via telephone or email. Certain date restrictions may apply.
Click here for the Official Rules & Regulations.

10 things you should know about Mystic Blue:

1. It’s the coolest, most contemporary vessel at world-famous Navy Pier.
2. The climate-controlled decks boast a colorful, modern, casual atmosphere.
3. Sails for Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Blue After-Dark Moonlight and a variety of specialties all year long.
4. Bears Quarterback, Jay Cutler and his friends hosted a special Vegas-themed Charity Cruise aboard Mystic Blue!
Click here to read about it.
5. Every cruise offers tasty treats, fun and friendly service, and up-close views of the skyline like you’ve never before seen.
6. Some of the sites you’ll see include: Lake Point Tower, Adler Planetarium, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Willis Tower, John Hancock Center and more.
7. Won the 2009 Citysearch Nightlife awards for Best DJs, Best Dance Club, and Best Singles Scene.
8. Blue-After Dark Moonlight Cruises offer music spun by some of the most premier DJs in Chicago.
9. Mystic Blue has a great variety of holiday and specialty cruises, including Full Moon Dinners, Fireworks Dinners, Latin Moonlights, Air & Water Show Cruises, and more.
10. It’s the most awesome way to see Chicago’s skyline, rated “the best skyline in America” by Travel and Leisure.

Good luck to all those who enter.
Happy Weekend!

Summertime in Chicago rocks. But August is especially unique. Head to the lakefront beginning tomorrow and experience the Air & Water show from the water.

The Chicago Air & Water Show is the largest FREE show of its kind in the entire U S of A.

With Headliners:
• U.S. Navy Blue Angels
• U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights
• U.S. Navy Parachute Team Leap Frogs

Military Aircraft Performers:
• USAF C-130 Hercules
• Heritage Flight
• Viper West F-16 Demonstration Team
• USAF B-1B Lancer Bomber
• U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter
• KC 135 Stratotanker Aerial Refueling
• C-17
• T-6
• U.S.N. F-18 Super Hornet Demo
• T-38 Talon Demonstration
• USAF Reserve ParaRescue Wing
• U.S. Coast Guard Air/Sea Rescue

and Civilian Performers
• Aeroshell Aerobatic Team
• Lima Lima Flight Team
• Sean D. Tucker and Team Oracle
• The Firebirds
• Bill Stein Airshows
• Red Bull Helicopter

This is not an event you should be willing to miss. Get the best views of all that this high-soaring adventure has to offer aboard our Air & Water Show Weekend Cruises.

ODYSSEY:
Tomorrow, August 13th:
Early Air & Water Show Preview Lunch Cruise
Friday Champagne Dinner Cruise

Saturday, August 14th:
Early Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise
Afternoon Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise
Saturday Fireworks Dinner Cruise

Sunday, August 15th:
Early Air And Water Show Brunch Cruise
Afternoon Air And Water Show Brunch Cruise
Sunday Dinner Cruise

SPIRIT OF CHICAGO:
Tomorrow, August 13th:
Early Air & Water Show Preview Lunch Cruise
Friday Dinner Cruise

Saturday, August 14th:
Early Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise
Afternoon Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise
Saturday Fireworks Dinner Cruise
Moonlight Cruise

Sunday, August 15th:
Early Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise
Afternoon Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise

MYSTIC BLUE:
Tomorrow, August 13th:
Afternoon Air and Water Show Lunch Cruise
Friday Lake-Breeze Dinner Lounge Cruise
Blue After-Dark Moonlight Cruise

Saturday, August 14th:
Afternoon Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise

Sunday, August 15th:
Early Air And Water Show Lunch Cruise
Sunday Lake-Breeze Dinner Lounge Cruise

Check out our thrilling canine, Seadog, and see the Air & Water show from a whole new perspective!

Twenty historical vessels from around the world. The Parade of Sail. Nightly fireworks. A sight rich in history and tradition.

Featuring:
Appledore IV — USA
Bounty — USA
S/V Denis Sullivan — USA
Europa — The Netherlands
Fazisi — USA
Friends Good Will — USA
Inland Seas — USA
Lynx — USA
Madeline — USA
Flagship Niagara — USA
Pathfinder — Canada
Playfair — Canada
Pride of Baltimore II — USA
Red Witch — USA
Roald Amundsen — Germany
Roseway — USA
Royaliste — USA
Unicorn — USA
Windy — USA

Welcome to the majesty of the Tall Ships. It all goes down in 12 days.
Visit Odyssey, Spirit, Mystic Blue and Seadog Cruises to learn how you can best take part in the awe-inspiring adventure and beauty that is the Tall Ships.

Have a wonderfully different, uniquely amazing experience or two in Chicago this August!

One of our (I think I can speak for everyone) favorite perks here at Entertainment Cruises, is that we get to cruise whenever we want. And one of our core values is to be open and honest about our experiences. Read some snippets of our favorite memories below to get an insider’s glimpse of what a cruise is all about and the lasting impression it can leave behind.

Employee AW: I cruised with my grandma, mom, dad and sister on Washington Odyssey for Mother’s Day, 2008. It was easily the most memorable Mother’s Day we’ve spent together. Everyone loved the ship – as it’s an all-glass vessel, it’s very unique and is an experience all in its own. At the time, my grandma had recently gone through a hip replacement and it was great that she was able to see the DC skyline easily and comfortably right from her seat on the ship. My sister and I ended up teaching my mom the cha-cha slide, which my dad found quite entertaining. And to top it off, the food was amazing!

Employee SH: Odyssey’s Valentine’s Day cruise was the first cruise I went on just two months after I began my career at Entertainment Cruises and happens to be my favorite memory. My boyfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves during this fun and romantic cruise. We were seated at a window table that was adorned with red rose petals and the champagne was flowing while Breakfast at Tiffany’s was screened on the Amethyst deck. I remember really enjoying the tasting trio and the lobster bisque that when my salmon dinner came, I had to make room! So much food! We especially enjoyed the beautiful city views light up at night while nibbling on chocolate-covered strawberries that we dipped ourselves in the chocolate fountain. Then we danced until we docked. It is always a memorable Valentine’s Day when you are cruising!

Employee EK: In the Corporate Office, we are the “behind the scenes” shipmates. Because we are not on the boats and interacting with our guests on a regular basis, sometimes we forget the amazing impression that we leave with our guests. Recently, I had the opportunity to take a special someone on Odyssey. I truly enjoyed watching him experience what Odyssey has to offer. Seeing it through his eyes, I remembered the overly awed feeling that a guest walks away with after cruising with us. Experiences like this make me really proud of the work I do and the company I work for.

Employee HK: I cruised with 3 of my friends aboard Odyssey last March. During boarding, one of my friends casually mentioned to our server that my birthday had been the day before. She wished me a happy birthday and I didn’t think much else of it until dessert came. She presented us with a huge silver tray containing not only every dessert on the menu, but candles and “Happy Birthday” written in icing! It was a really thoughtful touch and we left the Odyssey with a sugar high that lasted the rest of the night!

Employee TC: I went on the Spirit of Chicago for my Graduation Week this past year. We got to eat, drink and socialize with all the friends we have made over the past four years. I didn’t really appreciate the city architecture or style until I saw it from Lake Michigan. I always think of the city as tall, colorful buildings as I pass by each day, but there really is so much more to them when you see them from the water. My friends and I took many photos of the scenic city views as the sun set! Definitely memorable.

Thanks for reading. See you next week!