Piano Bar

[mamaofami]

I liked Marc Farris much better than Jimmy. He had the place packed every night and we couldn't wait for the piano bar to open. He made that cruise special for us. Unfortunately Crystal Lines liked him too.:(

[startwin]

Truer words were never spoken. (or typed)

 

Frank Gusto was probably the worst singer I have ever found in a HAL piano bar. But the man knew how to create a party. And party it was! We had fun in his bar every single night. We closed the joint down at 2:00 AM only because the stewards had to get to bed.

 

I've never heard Frank Gusto, but he sounds much like Jimmy Maddox! By the time we finished our cruise, everyone in the piano bar knew one another, because of all the interaction. It was a great night every night and as our friends (Sapper and her DH) had late dining, it was up to us to try to hold seats in the piano bar till they got there. I guess its all in what you're looking for, but serious singers and players are not to be found in most piano bars - they are there to keep the place filled and the pax happy.

[RuthC]

I've never heard Frank Gusto, .

For years he held court in the Tropic Bar on the old Rotterdam. Every evening from 11:00-2:00 the joint was jumpin'.

Sadly, he left HAL in the early 90's.

[dazadelaide]

Hi, we were on the Zaandam in May this year and we went to the piano bar every day, not to see the piano player though.

Not sure who the piano player was but to us he was not that impressive. The reason we went everyday was to see Larry on guitar between the piano guys set. Larry was excellent.

As a previous poster said the piano bar on the Zaandam has tables and couches to us we found this a comfortable and relaxing way to spend a few hours each day.

Daz

[sapper1]

I've never heard Frank Gusto, but he sounds much like Jimmy Maddox! By the time we finished our cruise, everyone in the piano bar knew one another, because of all the interaction. It was a great night every night and as our friends (Sapper and her DH) had late dining, it was up to us to try to hold seats in the piano bar till they got there. I guess its all in what you're looking for, but serious singers and players are not to be found in most piano bars - they are there to keep the place filled and the pax happy.

 

In all our cruises the Zuiderdam Piano Bar is the only one that has held our interest night after night. On others we just poked our heads in the door for a few minutes. Jimmy Maddox was just plain fun for all of us wasn't he?

 

By the end of his act the area around the door next to us was jam packed with people who could not get in.

 

Nobody cared that he wasn't the best singer in the world. What you say about the piano man's job being to keep the place filled and pax happy is so true and he certainly did that brilliantly.

 

It is the only cruise where we did not linger after dinner and chose to make the hundred yard dash to get to the Piano Bar in time for "Name That Tune".

 

Thank you again for saving us a place next to you every night.

[Desdemona01]

Jimmy is an entertainer in the true sense of the word. As other posters pointed out, if you want a *performer* then go to the Vista lounge. Jimmy engages, entertains and is fun! The man's mental musical library is impressive! The piano bar was packed every night with overflow crowds. Close relatives of ours were going to be on the Nieuw Amsterdam while Jimmy was on board and we told them about him. They thought he was great but could rarely even get into the piano bar--what they heard was from the corridor. We've experienced *performers* in the piano bar and booooooring.....so full of themselves and little to no interaction with the crowd....We're trying to coordinate our next cruise with Jimmy's schedule because, like others have said, the piano bar is one of the highlights of our cruise if it's fun!

Edited October 28, 2012 by Desdemona01

[durangoscots]

I really like Daryl Spadacini (? spelling question here) when I heard him on the Maasdam. Had the place swinging. Last I heard he was on the Princendam this spring/summer... have no idea of his schedule.

 

Susan

[SeaRay48]

If you want a seat in the panio bar when Jimmy is playing, arrive early as the room will be packed with happy people!

[startwin]

In all our cruises the Zuiderdam Piano Bar is the only one that has held our interest night after night. On others we just poked our heads in the door for a few minutes. Jimmy Maddox was just plain fun for all of us wasn't he?

 

By the end of his act the area around the door next to us was jam packed with people who could not get in.

 

Nobody cared that he wasn't the best singer in the world. What you say about the piano man's job being to keep the place filled and pax happy is so true and he certainly did that brilliantly.

 

It is the only cruise where we did not linger after dinner and chose to make the hundred yard dash to get to the Piano Bar in time for "Name That Tune".

 

Thank you again for saving us a place next to you every night.

 

You're welcome:D And I'm still smarting from the night we should've won but those Aussies cheated:mad: We would have shared a set of HAL coasters, LOL.

[protocrone]

Eric Fisher was Piano Man on the Eurodam last November and we had the best time ever. Very talented with a very engaging format. Our group ranged in age from 33 to 67 and we all had a blast. My 30-something kids even hung out with him when the bar closed down. I wish he was on our Zuiderdam cruise that starts tomorrow!

[startwin]

I think all these posts just go to show how a good piano man can make a huge difference to your evening entertainment at sea:D

[dobiemom]

Last December on the Oosterdam, Bill Forrest was the piano man. Very good piano player and singer, and great entertainer. My DSiL and new friends closed down the bar a couple of nights! :D

[BarryFromBoston]

Unfortunatey we have never had any Piano "Men" like Jimmy Maddox, Perry Grant (former HAL), or Barry from Boston. Thus lately we have only walked into the Piano Bar -- stayed a couple of minutes -- weren't impressed - and left.

 

Hey there, Krazy Kruisers! Hope to catch you on cruise, next time around!

I'll be aboard the Westerdam from Seattle (Alaska cruises) July 28 - Septembert 29th, then next year, aboard the Noordam for Caribbean Cruises from Ft Lauderdale (select 10, 11, or 21 days), then a two-week repositioning from Fort Lauderdal to Barcelona. I'll also be back on the Veendam for New England Season next year, including the Voyage of the Vikings.

 

There are quite a few stand-outs in the piano bars, currently. People speak fondly of Jam, Stryker, Diane, and several others. Hope your next Piano Bar Entertainer keeps you singing and laughing in your barstool all night! Cheers from the Veendam... Barry from Boston :)

[RuthC]

There are quite a few stand-outs in the piano bars, currently. People speak fondly of Jam, Stryker, Diane, and several others. Hope your next Piano Bar Entertainer keeps you singing and laughing in your barstool all night! Cheers from the Veendam... Barry from Boston :)

I know all three of them! I was lucky enough to see Stryker again on the Maasdam a few weeks ago. It was his first night back! How's that for good timing.

 

I've heard great things about you, Barry, and hope to run into you someday.

[rafinmd]

Hey there, Krazy Kruisers! Hope to catch you on cruise, next time around!

I'll be aboard the Westerdam from Seattle (Alaska cruises) July 28 - Septembert 29th, then next year, aboard the Noordam for Caribbean Cruises from Ft Lauderdale (select 10, 11, or 21 days), then a two-week repositioning from Fort Lauderdal to Barcelona. I'll also be back on the Veendam for New England Season next year, including the Voyage of the Vikings.

 

There are quite a few stand-outs in the piano bars, currently. People speak fondly of Jam, Stryker, Diane, and several others. Hope your next Piano Bar Entertainer keeps you singing and laughing in your barstool all night! Cheers from the Veendam... Barry from Boston :)

 

Barry, do you happen to know who is moving into your spot on the Veendam?

 

Thanks

 

Roy

[solocanadian]

Truer words were never spoken. (or typed)

 

Frank Gusto was probably the worst singer I have ever found in a HAL piano bar. But the man knew how to create a party. And party it was! We had fun in his bar every single night. We closed the joint down at 2:00 AM only because the stewards had to get to bed.

 

What a great time was had by all with Frank Gusto in the Tropic Bar on Rotterdam V. Many happy memories. As you say, Ruth, he couldn't sing, but could surely entertain. The place was packed every night until 2:00 A.M. I remember stumping him one night and then having to sing the song. Be darned if another woman from the U.S. joined in. My mother taught me the song that she learned as a girl in the Canadian Girl Guides. The song was called, A Poor Old Slave. Was that you Ruth?:)

[rafinmd]

I liked Marc Farris much better than Jimmy. He had the place packed every night and we couldn't wait for the piano bar to open. He made that cruise special for us. Unfortunately Crystal Lines liked him too.:(

 

Carol, I'd love to suggest you consider this cruise:

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/caribbean-cruises/round-trip-miami--3229

 

Relatively affordable as Crystal goes and Mark will be there. I'd love to have you on the ship with me. Much as I'm doing you could also combine it with a HAL cruise to make it a longer experience. The Noordam or Westerdam would be good candidates for the week before, and the Westerdam, Eurodam, or NA for the week after.

 

Roy

[elycelynne]

Hey there, Krazy Kruisers! Hope to catch you on cruise, next time around!

I'll be aboard the Westerdam from Seattle (Alaska cruises) July 28 - Septembert 29th, then next year, aboard the Noordam for Caribbean Cruises from Ft Lauderdale (select 10, 11, or 21 days), then a two-week repositioning from Fort Lauderdal to Barcelona. I'll also be back on the Veendam for New England Season next year, including the Voyage of the Vikings.

 

There are quite a few stand-outs in the piano bars, currently. People speak fondly of Jam, Stryker, Diane, and several others. Hope your next Piano Bar Entertainer keeps you singing and laughing in your barstool all night! Cheers from the Veendam... Barry from Boston :)

 

I'm sailing on the Noordam on 1/27/14 (11-day itinerary). Are you going to be on that one? I've only done four HAL cruises, but absolutely love hanging out (and singing along) in the piano bar.

 

I concur about Diane being one of the standouts. Great entertainer who could play just about anything, and if someone requested something that she didn't know, she made her best effort to try to learn it before the end of the cruise.

[RuthC]

I remember stumping him one night and then having to sing the song. Be darned if another woman from the U.S. joined in. My mother taught me the song that she learned as a girl in the Canadian Girl Guides. The song was called, A Poor Old Slave. Was that you Ruth?:)

No, not I that time. :(

But I was able to stump Frank on my first try! :) Remember he used to say to ask for a song he couldn't play and he'd give $1000? I still have a fistful of his "Never too busy to say 'Hello'" money in my casual night purse. Some of it was for knowing a song no one else knew, though, not always for stumping him.

[mamaofami]

Carol, I'd love to suggest you consider this cruise:

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/caribbean-cruises/round-trip-miami--3229

 

Relatively affordable as Crystal goes and Mark will be there. I'd love to have you on the ship with me. Much as I'm doing you could also combine it with a HAL cruise to make it a longer experience. The Noordam or Westerdam would be good candidates for the week before, and the Westerdam, Eurodam, or NA for the week after.

 

Roy

 

Thanks for the invite to join you. We'll be moving soon and that date doesn't work for us. I just got an email from Marc. You will love him.

[mamaofami]

Here is a link to Marc's latest video. I hope it posts and I wish HAL hadn't let him go;

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151455277501316&set=vb.676211315&type=2&theater

[RuthC]

Here is a link to Marc's latest video. I hope it posts and I wish HAL hadn't let him go;

I didn't get anywhere (no where good, anyway) with the link, Carol. Among other possibilities, it suggested I didn't have permission to look at the page.

[mamaofami]

That's interesting, Ruth. I just clicked on what I posted above and it went right to the link. I don't know any other way to post it. Sorry. You would have enjoyed.

[RuthC]

That's interesting, Ruth. I just clicked on what I posted above and it went right to the link. I don't know any other way to post it. Sorry. You would have enjoyed.

Just tried again and got the same result. Maybe you have to be friends, or a fan, or follower, or whatever Facebook has, to get through?

Oh, well, thanks for trying.

[solocanadian]

No, not I that time. :(

But I was able to stump Frank on my first try! :) Remember he used to say to ask for a song he couldn't play and he'd give $1000? I still have a fistful of his "Never too busy to say 'Hello'" money in my casual night purse. Some of it was for knowing a song no one else knew, though, not always for stumping him.

Never saw his Never to Busy to say "Hello" Money.