Why So Little Karaoke?

[bucsat1]

Hey medolee,

 

Karaoke takes only 1 staff member to operate, and as many cocktail folks as they can spare. Some drink more because they dig the sounds, and some drink more to ease the pain ... either way, karaoke on a cruise is perenially one of the very best attended events aboard, and a very low overhead operation. Many times my wife and I have sat in a lounge listening to a mediocre combo play us into a catatonic state. I have never been in a karaoke venue aboard a ship that wasn't hopping with enthusiasm and busting at the seams. Witness the many posters that mention how quickly the signups are exhausted.

[sa7776]

on our last cruise (CCL) one lounge was used for karaoke every night. You had to be 18 or older. Karaoke for kids and teens was held in the teen disco.

[dc-snoopy]

I for one understand that Karaoke is not for everyone. I was on the Jewel last month with a bunch of theatre folks (dc-diva who is a theatre diva, was getting married to her now-DH who is also a theatre bum like me). Of the 56 in the group, about half had performed in musical theatre sometime fairly recently. And of those, maybe 5-6 of us actually sang...the others all tried to stay away until the Karaoke Idol night...then we had a party there and cheered on the couple that got up to sing (one of whom was not the best among us).

 

And for those who find it painful, it is what you make of it. There was a guy who was sent up by his wife who picked out the song for him (without telling him what it was). It was a song she had been telling him was good for him to sing (and it was in his range so much less painful than other choices might have been). But ... he didn't know the song and futzed around for a while. After a verse and a half, the audience just turned it into a sing-a-long (at least half of the audience knew the song) and we all made it through the song like a camp-fire song.

 

And bpear1600, those were not the best of the lot. They were just the ones who showed up early and signed up. If they had it more frequently, it might not be a bad idea to have the earlier nights be "tryouts" and select a couple of people each night to appear in the Karaoke Idol night.

 

However, it is popular. But for those who find it painful, it is a big ship and there are a couple of dozen other places to be and do things when it's going on. But for the hundreds who do like it, why not have it?

[Schplinky]

Karaoke would be more fun for average to bad singers (like myself) if they had a session for the great singers and a session for the average folks.

 

A story to illustrate our point: for my partner's 40th, we created a disco in the basement with a rented mirror ball and flashing lights. When we mentioned to one person that there would be karaoke, she wanted to check out the equipment, she was that experienced. The whole evening was spent with three guests taking turns at their next numbers while the rest of us sat around too intimidated to try what had been intended as a fun night for all. Finally, we'd had enough liquor and my best friend and I sang. I will never forget the looks of horror on people's faces while they waited us out. The icing on the cake was when one of the good singers told us to choose a song we knew better next time and we would do better. We were singing our favourite song!

 

Karaoke is and inherently fun activity but it can get taken over by folks who take it very seriously.

[bpear1600]

 

 

 

And bpear1600, those were not the best of the lot. They were just the ones who showed up early and signed up. If they had it more frequently, it might not be a bad idea to have the earlier nights be "tryouts" and select a couple of people each night to appear in the Karaoke Idol night.

 

?

 

I don't know about that, snoopy. I think there were tryouts and competitions all week and these were the finalists in each category. They were bad but to each his own. Some people like monster truck races; I don't.

 

On our first Mariner cruise the winner was the beautiful and talented Tiffany who used to frequent these boards. Her renditition of Unforgettable actually was.

 

I guess what I'm saying is unless Tiffany or Gwyneth Paltrow are singing don't expect to find me in the audience.:D

[dc-snoopy]

I don't know about that, snoopy. I think there were tryouts and competitions all week and these were the finalists in each category. They were bad but to each his own. Some people like monster truck races; I don't.

 

On our first Mariner cruise the winner was the beautiful and talented Tiffany who used to frequent these boards. Her renditition of Unforgettable actually was.

 

I guess what I'm saying is unless Tiffany or Gwyneth Paltrow are singing don't expect to find me in the audience.:D

 

It could vary from cruise to cruise. On our Jewel cruise last month, several of the singers who were in "Karaoke Idol" had never sang the whole week. And at the start of the night, they were telling people to "tell Jasmine what you want to sing" and checking in. They even had to plug quite a bit because they had too many men and not enough women singing (they had one "winner" for men and women and 10 minutes in, they had 6 guys singing and only 1 woman).

 

I understand that Karaoke isn't for everyone, but I think that it is popular enough among those who do like it that they should schedule it more. The attendance is certainly high enough compared to some of the other choices that are out there.

[boingy300]

Kareoke (?sp) What ever happened to Sumo wrestling? Does anyone remember that one?LOL! I thought that was 1 of the funniest things I had ever seen!

Karen, making a ponytail on the top of her head and saying "Sumo"

[camaroZ28]

Can anyone telll me if Rhapsody of the Seas has Karaoke, and if so, how often? I absolutely love singing, and I will bring my own CD. My husband and I met singing, (he is awesome....I have my moments), and we used to go all the time, now we do good to go once a week. He isn't going on the trip with us (I love him, but...THANK GOD). But when I heard that there might be Karaoke, this trip went from wonderful to FANTASTICALLY AWESOME. Ok, so I'm going a little overboard, can't help it. Anyway, if anyone has any info on the Rhapsody, I would greatly appreciate it! :p

[bucsat1]

Hey camaro,

 

I don't know about radiance, but i can tell you that you likely will not be permitted to use your own discs. They generally have everything programmed into their systems and are not using individual discs.

[camaroZ28]

Thanks for the info. I forget that some KJ's use computerized systems. I guess my disk wouldn't work, oh well, hopefully, if they do have karaoke, they will have a decent selection.

[MonaCK]

You can sometimes use your disks at the piano bar... I know we were able to...

[terri23]

Can anyone telll me if Rhapsody of the Seas has Karaoke, and if so, how often? Anyway, if anyone has any info on the Rhapsody, I would greatly appreciate it! :p

 

Rhapsody has "Ambush Karaoke" in the Schooner Bar. Unsuspecting people walk through, and are "ambushed" by the MC and have to sing a randomly chosen song. My DH was a "victim" and the crowd loved him! It was his first karaoke experience and people were coming up to him all week. The audience had a lot of regulars (a bit cultish, I think) with shakers in their hands and doing call-outs to a lot of the songs. There was one BAD singer that we saw, and the audience joined in (presumably to drown him out). It was all pretty fun, and sometimes very funny.

[island lady]

Rhapsody has "Ambush Karaoke" in the Schooner Bar. Unsuspecting people walk through, and are "ambushed" by the MC and have to sing a randomly chosen song. My DH was a "victim" and the crowd loved him! It was his first karaoke experience and people were coming up to him all week. The audience had a lot of regulars (a bit cultish, I think) with shakers in their hands and doing call-outs to a lot of the songs. There was one BAD singer that we saw, and the audience joined in (presumably to drown him out). It was all pretty fun, and sometimes very funny.

 

Oh that sounds like so much fun!! How original!!

Not staged at all, and thus keeping with the real theme of the whole thing. I would love to see that on the Mariner I am going on in June!! What a hoot!!! :D

 

Reminds of my favorite thing at Sea World in Orlando here. The best part of the Sea lion/walrus show is the mime that comes out and mocks the late comers!! It's great!! :)

 

Cheers!