Carnival getting rid of show bands

[Jana60]

Uh, not sure who you have been cruising with, but the singers and dancers have been crappy for many many years in my opinion, actually since my first cruise in 2001, they have never been much better than amateurs. The Dancers usually do well though.... And the sets have always been goofy, that is the point of the shows...

 

I don't care though, it's cheap entertainment.

 

Actually on the ships that still have regular shows rather than playlist projections I find the shows highly entertaining. And I agree with the poster who said it's not just the show band. He's correct. Playlist productions did away with the show band and replaced the four main singers and 12 dancers who also sang with a total of 8 singer/dancers who don't do a very good job at either. To try to make those eight performers look like an actual show they put up a background video with pictures of dancers. Thus it is not only the music that is canned but the performers are also!

 

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[goduckies05]

I meant broadway as in a band instead of canned music... Ticket to Ride seemed very much like a musical and that was on the Miracle. I personally thought Epic Rock was better.

 

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[poison7fl]

Well, I guess I am different because I'd rather that Carnival turn the whole showroom into a movie theater and serve popcorn 24/7. That would be awesome!

[bubys2]

We just returned from a wonderful 8 day cruise on the Carnival Sunshine. We loved the shows on the Sunshine. The Sound & Lighting package in the Liquid Lounge Show Room was amazing. My family compared the shows to the Valor and Dream ... We do remember a full band on the Dream in 2010. We do not remember a band on the Valor in 2012. As far as the Sunshine, no band. The shows were great! Very high tech ... Very entertaining ... Perfect!

[Disconnections]

Well, I guess I am different because I'd rather that Carnival turn the whole showroom into a movie theater and serve popcorn 24/7. That would be awesome!

 

Do we really need another venue to watch movies? You have the Lido TV, Thrill Theater on Breeze, stateroom television, a rumored IMAX on Vista and projected movies late at night in the main showroom depending on their MPAA rating.

 

The popcorn served on Carnival (and Princess - same supplier) is disgusting, tasteless and without butter.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Disconnections

[love my grandkids]

Carnival decided to get rid of show bands a good year ago when they decided they would eliminate the production musicals and replace them with playlist productions.

 

Saw the first batch earlier this year and thought they were awful and walked out on two. They consist of 4 male singers and dancer and equal number of females.

 

Saw the second generation a few months ago on Conquest and thought they were better and Epic Rock was actually pretty good.

 

Two weeks ago saw Ticket to Ride on Miracle and left thinking it was an awesome show and how sad it is being dumped for playlist.

 

Even worse Hasbro is an evening entertainment in the main lounge. Great for a 10 year old pathetic as adult entertainment.

[poison7fl]

Carnival decided to get rid of show bands a good year ago when they decided they would eliminate the production musicals and replace them with playlist productions.

 

Saw the first batch earlier this year and thought they were awful and walked out on two. They consist of 4 male singers and dancer and equal number of females.

 

Saw the second generation a few months ago on Conquest and thought they were better and Epic Rock was actually pretty good.

 

Two weeks ago saw Ticket to Ride on Miracle and left thinking it was an awesome show and how sad it is being dumped for playlist.

 

Even worse Hasbro is an evening entertainment in the main lounge. Great for a 10 year old pathetic as adult entertainment.

 

I don't know where you guys are getting this, but I was on the Liberty about three weeks ago, and they had just gotten a new orchestra and had the same shows as previous years... I think it all depends on the entertainment department rotating through different shows so they don't get stale, and not some big conspiracy to reduce the shows to a CD player and 2 strippers on stage that some are believing.

Edited December 28, 2014 by poison7fl

[Disconnections]

I don't know where you guys are getting this, but I was on the Liberty about three weeks ago, and they had just gotten a new orchestra and had the same shows as previous years... I think it all depends on the entertainment department rotating through different shows so they don't get stale, and not some big conspiracy to reduce the shows to a CD player and 2 strippers on stage that some are believing.

 

I don't see where you're getting your information from. Carnival Liberty was the first ship to receive Fun Ship 2.0, even before the Carnival Breeze launched as the second ship. Playlist Productions were not rolled out to the Carnival Liberty and were later announced with the Carnival Breeze being the first ship to offer these.

 

Carnival chooses to modify their show backdrops and props during dry dock. Carnival Liberty has not visited a dry dock facility since it received Fun Ship 2.0.

[Disconnections]

Carnival decided to get rid of show bands a good year ago when they decided they would eliminate the production musicals and replace them with playlist productions.

 

Saw the first batch earlier this year and thought they were awful and walked out on two. They consist of 4 male singers and dancer and equal number of females.

 

Saw the second generation a few months ago on Conquest and thought they were better and Epic Rock was actually pretty good.

 

Two weeks ago saw Ticket to Ride on Miracle and left thinking it was an awesome show and how sad it is being dumped for playlist.

 

Even worse Hasbro is an evening entertainment in the main lounge. Great for a 10 year old pathetic as adult entertainment.

 

I absolutely agree, love my grandkids. There is no way to consider Hasbro to be of high quality entertainment for older guests and adults.

 

Unfortunately, the day has come we see guest provided entertainment in place of production shows. Gone are the nightly shows and instead, we have Game Show Mania, Marriage Match, Hasbro and Carnival Legends in the main theater.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Disconnections

[poison7fl]

I don't see where you're getting your information from. Carnival Liberty was the first ship to receive Fun Ship 2.0, even before the Carnival Breeze launched as the second ship. Playlist Productions were not rolled out to the Carnival Liberty and were later announced with the Carnival Breeze being the first ship to offer these.

 

Carnival chooses to modify their show backdrops and props during dry dock. Carnival Liberty has not visited a dry dock facility since it received Fun Ship 2.0.

 

I am getting my info from personal experience three weeks ago... People are acting like it has already rolled out fleetwide, and is a greek tragedy. They had crappy shows then, and still have crappy shows, it's not life or death... jeez relax.

Edited December 28, 2014 by poison7fl

[Disconnections]

I am getting my info from personal experience three weeks ago... People are acting like it has already rolled out fleetwide, and is a greek tragedy. They had crappy shows then, and still have crappy shows, it's not life or death... jeez relax.

 

Seeing as your last two cruises were on the Liberty and Dream...

[mrb1963]

Sounds like an interesting idea...at first...then when you realize that pretty much every Carnival ship sails full, all that is really happening is that your $$ is replaced by someone else who is cruising in your place. Carnival has to cut costs somewhere to keep prices where they keep them.

 

Of course they sail full after they keep cutting the price. Maybe if they quit cutting back on Live music and entertainment overall they wouldn't have to keep slashing prices to sell those cabins.

[GottaLuvCruising]

Carnival's overall entertainment cutbacks were the impetus for changes in our vacation planning. We booked the Liberty 1/24/15 very far in advance, hoping all the while that they would not dry-dock and "add" playlist while we waited. Because this ship still has "real" shows and a show band, we look forward to our upcoming cruise. But we intend for this to be our last Carnival cruise.

 

The Liberty will be my 39th, 17th on Carnival, but also platinum on Princess and have cruised Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity and Disney. We also like to vacation in Las Vegas, specifically for the shows. We will continue to cruise (not on Carnival), but expect more frequent Las Vegas trips as, for us, the entertainment IS a big deal.

 

For cruisers who don't care, have a blast on Carnival. We did for more than 20 years. But Playlist / no showband were the last straws.

[love my grandkids]

I am getting my info from personal experience three weeks ago... People are acting like it has already rolled out fleetwide, and is a greek tragedy. They had crappy shows then, and still have crappy shows, it's not life or death... jeez relax.

 

They are phasing out their production shows as ships go into drydock.

 

Living in a small town entertainment on a cruise is huge for us. Many of the production shows like Ticket to Ride and Dancing in the Street were rather good.

 

The first production playlist show we saw, Divas, was rather pathetic.

 

Personally showbands not too important to us but the shows are. And the shows are going away. In a few weeks all the props on Ticket to Ride will be destroyed and than replaced by Playlist.

[jimbo5544]

Perceived value.

 

 

As with everything else. One persons trash is another's treasure.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

They are phasing out their production shows as ships go into drydock.

 

 

 

Living in a small town entertainment on a cruise is huge for us. Many of the production shows like Ticket to Ride and Dancing in the Street were rather good.

 

 

 

The first production playlist show we saw, Divas, was rather pathetic.

 

 

 

Personally showbands not too important to us but the shows are. And the shows are going away. In a few weeks all the props on Ticket to Ride will be destroyed and than replaced by Playlist.

 

 

The issue on shows as to entertainment value is whether the live band adds to the show. Carnival has made zero attempt to remove shows from their entertainment

 

 

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[papadewey]

1. What's the source? Verified before starting a writing campaign?

2. Are we sure it wasn't just "omar" having his contract ended and being replaced?

3. Not sure if i care about the live orchestra.

4. Canned music would be easier, more consistent, and work just as well, in my opinion. It would not change the quality of my enjoyment or cruise.

5. I wish they canned the singers music in the main shows, they typically suck and/or are off key.

 

The source of the information was multi sourced, some from Omar the band leader, but also from Troy Litton, the Cruise Director on his ship board morning show. I had commented how much I liked the Omar and Miracles, and he responded with the fact that once the Miracle comes out of dry dock, it will no longer have a show band. This he made this statement ship wide on his ship board morning show.

Hope this answers your question.

 

papadewey

[love my grandkids]

The issue on shows as to entertainment value is whether the live band adds to the show. Carnival has made zero attempt to remove shows from their entertainment

 

 

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True but the replacements to their production shows is rather pathetic compared to what they have done in the past.

 

Even some CD's we have spoken to agree with this.

[jimbo5544]

True but the replacements to their production shows is rather pathetic compared to what they have done in the past.

 

 

 

Even some CD's we have spoken to agree with this.

 

 

Actually they are improving, but I would agree they can do that. Pathetic is a strong word.

[meatloafsfan]

Do we really need another venue to watch movies? You have the Lido TV, Thrill Theater on Breeze, stateroom television, a rumored IMAX on Vista and projected movies late at night in the main showroom depending on their MPAA rating.

 

The popcorn served on Carnival (and Princess - same supplier) is disgusting, tasteless and without butter.

 

On the small stateroom tvs and on the pool deck (weather permitting) are the two real options for movies. The thrill theater is only on the Breeze and the Vista isn't even finished yet.

 

I'd rather that Carnival created a partnership with a major movie studio (like they did with Guy Fieri, DJ Irie, etc.) so that they could have a first run, still in theatres movie every other night (or every third night) instead of a production show or Magician, etc.

 

I'm not a fan of live bands or what I'd call circus acts (Magicians, jugglers, hypnotists).

 

If eliminating the live band means more berths for more alternative entertainers (not just musicians), I'm all for it.

Edited December 28, 2014 by meatloafsfan

[nybumpkin]

Actually they are improving, but I would agree they can do that. Pathetic is a strong word.

jimbo, I'd love to see Carnival's metrics for attendance/sales in the main lounge for Playlist as compared to the older shows. There was a time when I actually argued with someone in the lounge about seat saving for one of the production shows with the orchestra. The three Playlist Productions shows I saw on Glory in August did not have any problem with seat saving. (And yes, I did try three shows - unlike DH, who gave up after one show. I would describe two of the three as "pathetic.") I know entertainment is subjective, but I'm sure in Carnival's back rooms the assessment is all about dollars and cents. It's all about revenue. Maybe the cost of these shows is so significantly less than the older shows that they make sense.

[Disconnections]

I'd rather that Carnival created a partnership with a major movie studio (like they did with Guy Fieri, DJ Irie, etc.) so that they could have a first run, still in theatres movie every other night (or every third night) instead of a production show or Magician, etc.

 

Regardless of their partnerships, unless Carnival Corporation becomes a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, they aren't going to have the necessary licensing agreements for screeners of movies in theaters. Carnival's easiest option to accomplish what you are thinking of would be VOD.

 

I like receiving these for consideration purposes.

 

Edited December 28, 2014 by Disconnections

[love my grandkids]

Actually they are improving, but I would agree they can do that. Pathetic is a strong word.

 

Actually was going to use a stronger word than pathetic but decided it might not go over well.

[love my grandkids]

jimbo, I'd love to see Carnival's metrics for attendance/sales in the main lounge for Playlist as compared to the older shows. There was a time when I actually argued with someone in the lounge about seat saving for one of the production shows with the orchestra. The three Playlist Productions shows I saw on Glory in August did not have any problem with seat saving. (And yes, I did try three shows - unlike DH, who gave up after one show. I would describe two of the three as "pathetic.") I know entertainment is subjective, but I'm sure in Carnival's back rooms the assessment is all about dollars and cents. It's all about revenue. Maybe the cost of these shows is so significantly less than the older shows that they make sense.

 

We have seen playlist on two ships and didnt have to worry about getting there early.

 

Last week saw Ticket to Ride again on Miracle and had to get there a half hour early to get a decent seat.

 

Hopefully Carnival is paying attention to attendance at their shows. Or they might be thinking if passengers avoid shows perhaps they will spend more time in casino.

 

Beancounters are saving a bunch by eliminating a bunch of musicians and dancers but with most people saying other competitors are improving their entertainment wondering about this.

[poison7fl]

We have seen playlist on two ships and didnt have to worry about getting there early.

 

Last week saw Ticket to Ride again on Miracle and had to get there a half hour early to get a decent seat.

 

Hopefully Carnival is paying attention to attendance at their shows. Or they might be thinking if passengers avoid shows perhaps they will spend more time in casino.

 

Beancounters are saving a bunch by eliminating a bunch of musicians and dancers but with most people saying other competitors are improving their entertainment wondering about this.

 

Maybe you'd be happier on another cruise line, with other older folks.... :rolleyes: