It sounds like the HAL Cats are history!

[RuthC]

Thanks!

 

Nice to have a post reflecting facts... vs. nameless 2nd hand sources.

OVGgrl is posting about the Westerdam, not the Nieuw Amsterdam that Kazu posted about.

It doesn't make Kazu's post less a "fact" as both can be true. :rolleyes:

[chrismch]

The best band on the ship is always the house band that plays for the shows. These musicians are real pros as they can read music and play to whoever is a guest artist that week. I wish they were given opportunity to play in some of the other venues, but prepping for the shows is their main gig.

 

The HAL Cats who are "lounge" bands have mostly been from the Philippines. However last year on Oosterdam there was a HAL Cats band who was led by a Brit. This was one of the best HAL Cats we've ever heard. Enjoyed it when they did a Herbie Hancock (jazz) set and then another night of Motown. Would love to see them again. However if they let a 5 piece combo from the stage band play in another venue, I'd really like that!

[IndyDenise]

"Lawrence Welk music" wouldn't generally be termed "Big Band", but you won't find much of either on HAL any more. It's been years since that era of music was on their regular playlist.

 

Once in a while you may hear some "Big Band" music in the Ocean Bar at cocktail time, but that's about it.

 

 

So I'm thinking I'm not going to hear Pitbull, Bruno Mars or Katy Perry?

 

Maybe in the disco? I'd even settle for The Beach Boys and music from Oklahoma. I bet I can shake my booty like crazy to The Surrey with the Fringe on Top!!!

 

 

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[elycelynne]

So I'm thinking I'm not going to hear Pitbull, Bruno Mars or Katy Perry?

 

Maybe in the disco? I'd even settle for The Beach Boys and music from Oklahoma. I bet I can shake my booty like crazy to The Surrey with the Fringe on Top!!!

 

 

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You'll probably find music in the disco that's at least from the current millennium; however, you'll have to wait until at least 10:30 or 11 p.m., which I believe is when it opens.

[richard1s]

I beg to differ about the HAL Cats. On our January and December NA cruises – the singers and musicians were fantastic. While the name is idiotic, the quality of the music both times was amazing. The singers and musicians changed between the two cruises but both times, they were excellent. They played great big band classics, contemporary pop music or the Caribbean stuff; they changed music according to the venue. Good vocalists, guitar, saxophone and drummers performed each time. No matter what the venue, they were spot on and connected with the audience. If this is true, it is too bad.

[BJzink]

List of Veendam musicians in the daily "On Location" flyer for January 19, 2015: Solo Guitarist "Mike" in Mix; Adagio duo in the Explorer's Lounge; the "Neptunes" in the Ocean Bar; Piano Man "Lee" in the Piano Bar; "Erika and the Hal Cats" in the Crow's Nest. We did notice that the title "Hal Cats" didn't show up until the last several days of the cruise.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I agree......

Of the Neptunes I have heard, I like them much better than HAL Cats.

 

I agree

Of the Neptunes I have heard, I like them much better than HAL Cats.

[OVgirl]

OVGgrl is posting about the Westerdam, not the Nieuw Amsterdam that Kazu posted about.

It doesn't make Kazu's post less a "fact" as both can be true. :rolleyes:

 

Ruth, of course both can be true and are. These kinds of updates just let us know how quickly the changes are being made across the fleet.

[RuthC]

Ruth, of course both can be true and are.

Sam.Seattle didn't seem to think the same.

[Hlitner]

The best band on the ship is always the house band that plays for the shows. These musicians are real pros as they can read music and play to whoever is a guest artist that week. I wish they were given opportunity to play in some of the other venues, but prepping for the shows is their main gig.

 

The HAL Cats who are "lounge" bands have mostly been from the Philippines. However last year on Oosterdam there was a HAL Cats band who was led by a Brit. This was one of the best HAL Cats we've ever heard. Enjoyed it when they did a Herbie Hancock (jazz) set and then another night of Motown. Would love to see them again. However if they let a 5 piece combo from the stage band play in another venue, I'd really like that!

 

What you say is not exactly true. On many HAL ships the HAL Cats have simply consisted of a couple of piano/keyboard players, a few sax/woodwind players, a couple of drummers, few guitar players (both bass and standard) and often 2 singers. This group of musicians (who often have never even met until they get aboard the ship) are under the direction of the ship's music director (one of the musicians) who has to assign/allocate the musicians to the various venues. Some might work in the main showroom one night while others work as a dance band. The next night it could all be changed. The entire concept of the HAL Cats was to give the music director the flexibility to meet all needs with a limited number of musicians working under contracts at relatively low pay (when compared to decent bands).

 

We have heard some excellent musicians (and singers) in the various HAL Cat groups on our cruises. And we have heard some awful musicians and mediocre singers (never had a bad singer). As to the main production shows, they now use pre-recorded sound tracks that are sometimes enhanced by the onboard musicians who simply play along with the pre recorded tracks. The lack of any brass musicians (trumpets, trombones, etc) really handicap these bands but decent arrangements go a long way to covering up the lack of brass.

 

We sometimes feel a bit sorry for the really good HAL Cat musicians since they are handicapped by the format and quality of their colleagues. We have chatted with a few quality musicians who told us that it could often be frustrating, but it was a job...when many musicians cannot get jobs. I will tell you that none of them (with who we chatted) enjoy playing along with pre recorded sound tracks...but this has become the standard on nearly every mass market cruise line.

 

But, as far as we know, there are no true "HAL Cat Bands" since they are simply a group of contract musicians (like a pick up band) who generally have no band association with each other until they get aboard the ship. We have met many of these musicians and few were from the Philippines (this was in response to another post) We used to know one HAL music director (he was an Eastern European piano player familiar to many who have cruised on HAL over the years) who quit his job once the HAL Cat concept was put into practice. He told us that he did not want any part of the concept plus he did not want to direct bands that had no brass musicians.

 

Hank

Edited January 31, 2015 by Hlitner

[richard1s]

Why anyone would view discontinuing this music as a good move by HAL is beyond me. Although I can't speak for other ships, these performers were amazing on both of our 2014 NA cruises. They are recruited through some type of booking agent or talent provider.

 

On our December NA cruise, I was very surprised to learn that the singer had just joined the group on the departure date. They played extremely well together and all their shows seemed well rehearsed; no miscues and I heard them a lot throughout the week.

 

The musicians were great and even performed some jazz songs that I would have never expected. Four, including the lovely singer, were American and one guitarist was from Russia. All were very talented. In addition to playing as a group, they also provided the music for the incredible Cantare show, as well as the guest performer Tricia Kelly. I also believe that they provided the music for Dancing with the Stars competition. If HAL is really discontinuing these performances, that is unfortunate and I personally hope that they reconsider this.

[RuthC]

On our December NA cruise, I was very surprised to learn that the singer had just joined the group on the departure date. They played extremely well together and all their shows seemed well rehearsed; no miscues and I heard them a lot throughout the week.

Seattle has provided the playlist for all the HALCats musicians & singers. That's what they are supposed to stick to, and it's rare that they deviate from it.

 

They all have to know the same songs, in the same arrangements. Ask for something not on the list, though, and you're heading into less secure territory.

[Infi]

There were no Hal cats on the Prinsendam over Christmas/NYE. There was a "party band" (Filipino musicians with a male lead guitarist who also sang) that played each night in the Ocean bar, and the "Prinsendam orchestra" (similar to the Hal cats in composition, but with no lead singer) that backed up the production shows. There were no Neptunes.

 

We didn't make too much of it at the time, assuming it was just a quirk of the Prinsendam, but perhaps the Hal cats have been eliminated/changed. Yes, they weren't always the greatest, but any cuts to the onboard experience make me wary. I still miss the Adagio strings as a quartet and am sorry that they were cut.

[Stevedan]

Why must everything be so standardized that the music groups on all the ships have the same names and same playlist? This just adds to the generic atmosphere aboard.

 

I liked the days when ship bands each had their own personalities and playlists. There were bands we enjoyed year after year and the band members became friends. When we boarded a ship we always checked first to see which bands were aboard (esp. on the former Home Lines which had the best bands). Everything is so standardized these days, even the atmosphere aboard different ships of the same class.

[kazu]

There were no Hal cats on the Prinsendam over Christmas/NYE. There was a "party band" (Filipino musicians with a male lead guitarist who also sang) that played each night in the Ocean bar, and the "Prinsendam orchestra" (similar to the Hal cats in composition, but with no lead singer) that backed up the production shows. There were no Neptunes.

 

We didn't make too much of it at the time, assuming it was just a quirk of the Prinsendam, but perhaps the Hal cats have been eliminated/changed. Yes, they weren't always the greatest, but any cuts to the onboard experience make me wary. I still miss the Adagio strings as a quartet and am sorry that they were cut.

 

Just to clarity. There are NEVER any Halcats on the Prinsendam. Instead there is the Prinsendam orchestra. Halcats haven't been on the Prinsendam and never will be according to the focus groups I have been to on the ship.

 

The feeling is that the Prinsendam and the HALcats, don't mix.

[solocanadian]

Just to clarity. There are NEVER any Halcats on the Prinsendam. Instead there is the Prinsendam orchestra. Halcats haven't been on the Prinsendam and never will be according to the focus groups I have been to on the ship.

 

The feeling is that the Prinsendam and the HALcats, don't mix.

 

With all due respect, Kazu, the HALcats don't mix with any of the ships. They have always been accused of being too loud and who wants that when they are sitting around the pool having lunch. The Prinsendam and its guests are no better than guests on any other Hal ship. What Hal did to the Royal Viking Sun is unforgivable IMHO. The fact they cancelled one time dining for the entire compliment of the ship made her the equivalent of any other DAM ship. I truly hope they are "toast" throughout the entire fleet.

[boards]

Why anyone would view discontinuing this music as a good move by HAL is beyond me. Although I can't speak for other ships, these performers were amazing on both of our 2014 NA cruises. They are recruited through some type of booking agent or talent provider.

 

On our December NA cruise, I was very surprised to learn that the singer had just joined the group on the departure date. They played extremely well together and all their shows seemed well rehearsed; no miscues and I heard them a lot throughout the week.

 

The musicians were great and even performed some jazz songs that I would have never expected. Four, including the lovely singer, were American and one guitarist was from Russia. All were very talented. In addition to playing as a group, they also provided the music for the incredible Cantare show, as well as the guest performer Tricia Kelly. I also believe that they provided the music for Dancing with the Stars competition. If HAL is really discontinuing these performances, that is unfortunate and I personally hope that they reconsider this.

Our South Pacific crossing on the Volendam in Sept-Oct. we thoroughly enjoyed the music of Hal Cats. They provided backup music for all performances with the specials guests, as well as performing around Lido deck. We thought they did a great job.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

We didn't make too much of it at the time, assuming it was just a quirk of the Prinsendam, but perhaps the Hal cats have been eliminated/changed. Yes, they weren't always the greatest, but any cuts to the onboard experience make me wary. I still miss the Adagio strings as a quartet and am sorry that they were cut.

 

 

 

I miss the Adagio's but more than them I really miss the Rosario's. Thery were wonderful. I loved when they played during dinner. It was delightful having a fine dinner, lovely wines and listening to the Rosarios. :)

 

The screeching, screaming, ridiculously loud HAL CATS won't be missed by me.

 

[earljr]

With all due respect, Kazu, the HALcats don't mix with any of the ships. They have always been accused of being too loud and who wants that when they are sitting around the pool having lunch.

 

On our recent Maasdan 42 days they disappeared when we got to Civi.

Many of us "pool deck" people were extremely happy to see them go.

Too loud and the improvisions were poor at best.

We were positive that the singer majored in screaming at vocal classes

[richard1s]

The screeching, screaming, ridiculously loud HAL CATS won't be missed by me.

 

Again, for the 3rd time, these performers may vary from ship to ship but there was no "screeching, screaming, ridiculously loud" music when I heard them. Instead it was pool side, dancing and easy listening before dinner music. And clearly the musicans can depart from the script because they did.

[sail7seas]

Again, for the 3rd time, these performers may vary from ship to ship but there was no "screeching, screaming, ridiculously loud" music when I heard them. Instead it was pool side, dancing and easy listening before dinner music. And clearly the musicans can depart from the script because they did.

 

Seeing I have sailed 14 of HAL's current 15 ships (many repeatedly), I've certainly had a more than fair sampling. Enough to satisfy myself I've given the screaming, loud CATS enough chances to be the littlest bit entertaining, to my personal taste. Again, just my personal experience. I cannot think of one cruise when I actually enjoyed them. We normally left the pool or wherever they appeared. When they started up, we couldn't think of having a conversation. I don't find that relaxing but that is just me.

 

I'm happy you and others enjoyed them. That was why they were hired and put aboard the ships. :)

 

Edited January 31, 2015 by sail7seas

[KirkNC]

Put me in the camp of those glad to see them go. They were so loud you could not even hear yourself think when at the pool. They have driven us indoors on many occasions.

[jillorpy]

Last year on the eurodam they were so loud in the ocean bar conversation was dead. And the lead singer couldn't!!!!

 

 

 

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[R K TECT]

The Ocean Bar has the Ocean Bar Band, the Show lounge has the Show band, and the pool has canned music. If it is too loud, ask them to turn it down. No more live music.

[Hlitner]

The Ocean Bar has the Ocean Bar Band, the Show lounge has the Show band, and the pool has canned music. If it is too loud, ask them to turn it down. No more live music.

 

On many HAL cruises this is a bit of "slight of hand" as many of the musicians are one and the same and simply working multiple venues. The "show band" simply play along with pre recorded sound tracks (for the major production shows) which is how you can hear brass musicians when there is not a single one on the ship. The tracks are recorded in a studio(to be used on all HAL ships) and the onboard musicians must simply follow along!

 

Some of those same musicians will later show-up in the Ocean Bar, at the pool, etc. This is part of the HAL Cat concept which was a way to cut costs by not hiring specialty bands. We have had some terrific HAL Cat groups, and others that drove us to bed nearly as early as most HAL cruises who are in bed by 9.

 

Hank

Edited February 1, 2015 by Hlitner