Showtimes on MainStage changed across the fleet ?

[rotjeknor]

We just got back from the Rotterdam, 7 day Norway RT Rotterdam. Cruise was great as usual . Different from previous cruises were the showtimes on the MainStage .It used to be 8 and 10 PM, this time it was 7 and 9 PM . Are the times changed across the fleet ? On our april 2019 Zaandam cruise times were still 8 and 10 pm.

I regret to say that the offered entertainment on the stage was way below par. Some lame comedians and singers. Lincoln Center Stage on the other hand was awesome !

[simplyrubies]

Koningsdam showtimes (June 1) were 7:30 and 9:30 on the World Stage. 

 

I was also not impressed with most of the performances. They were fun to watch, but nothing to feel guilty about missing. My favourite was the BBC Earth II performance. 

 

Never got a chance to see many Lincoln Centre Stage performances since they usually took place during our dinner... that's what early diners get!

[BSinPNS]

Nieuw Statendam - Current times are 8 and 10 when there is entertainment.  One excellent singer, a decent guitarist, and a mediocre comedian who is doing three of the shows on a 14 day cruise.  As of night eight, main stage has been empty for three nights.  No guest presenters, only canned, memorized lectures by the EXC guide.  

[canadarocks]

This is lousy news to read, and not the first time I've seen it posted here. Holland America has long been known for not having enough daytime entertainment..... now they're cutting back on evening options.  Not good, and quite likely a game changer for us. We'll see what our February 2020 cruise brings. 😞 

[RuthC]

This cruiser is not pleased to read this. I go to dinner at 8:00, and it is impossible to get to the show at 9:00. The entrée is just being served then!
Please don't suggest going to the show at 7:00, either---that's cocktail time. Some things are sacred.  

[RuthC]

16 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Holland America has long been known for not having enough daytime entertainment..... now they're cutting back on evening options.

HAL has already cut back on evening entertainment a lot. For a few years now entertainment has ended earlier and earlier. Now the lounges are dark at least one night a week each, some of the shows have been replaced by movies, the show lounge is dark some nights, and now this!

It's as if HAL wants us all to go back to our cabins and go to bed early. I remember when the last bar closed at 2:00 AM. I was closing it!

[Takes Notes]

I just got off the Zaandam, and the showtimes have been moved back an hour, to 7:00 & 9:00.

 

The singer/dancer troupes are being phased out, since one cabaret performer can fill the revue slots.

 

On the other hand, food remains really good, to my standards anyway, and on this sailing the Adagio Duo were much better than most on the smaller ships.

 

 

[Hlitner]

A change to 7 and 9 is probably a good move on a cruise line where many cruisers are in bed before 10.   Princess has long had shows at 7 and 9 with the later diners generally using the earlier 7pm show (before they go to dinner) and the early diners usually heading to the 9pm shows with the exception of some who rush through their early dinner to make the 7pm show so they can be in bed by 8 🙂

 

We have no clue as to what is happening at HAL with their entertainment policies and scheduling.  Having cruised extensively for over forty years, HAL is the only line where we have encountered "dark nights" with no main theater entertainment and other nights where their main show is a movie!  To draw some comparison we were recently on a 10 Celebrity Summit cruise (a ship about the same size as the Koningsdam) where we had 3 Production Shows (with the 13 singers and dancers) accompanied by a live 6 piece band (only used for the shows).  On the other 7 nights we had 7 different guest entertainers.  There were no dark nights, no movies, and no Guest Entertainer performed on the main stage more then one night (several did a 2nd show during sea day afternoons).  The Summit also had two other bands (a 5 piece group and a 4 piece group), an excellent solo singer/guitar player and finally they had another duet group.  On most evenings there would be at least 2 bands playing...with one often going to near midnight.  There was also the usual DJ who provided music until around 2am.  I wonder how many have ever walked around a HAL vessel at 2am?  When I did this on the Rotterdam the only other folks I saw were the night cleaning staff!

 

Hank

[Azure Moon]

These reports are not making me look forward to my first Holland America cruise.  I have put off sailing on the cruise line for a couple of reasons - one of them being less entertainment, especially later in the evening.  Now I learn they are cutting back even more.     I do not want to go on a cruise to sit twiddling my thumbs and going to bed at 10 pm.  I am content to entertain myself with reading, playing Sudoku, and watching the scenery, but I also want entertainment I don't normally attend while home.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I sure don't like hearing about all these show changes and even not having shows on a few evenings.

 

We couldn't even do trivia on our last few cruises as they had them at 5 PM and 7 PM.

[baggal]

If I wanted to only eat, read and watch movies (I have Amazon and Netflix along with the usual 600 or so cable channels) I could stay home, order in every meal, and catch up on my binge watching.  But on a Caribbean cruise, which we take during the winter to escape the northeast weather, I want, no I need, more!  And, the "Music Walk" just doesn't do it for me.  I want "entertainers" not "musicians."  They are not the same.

 

We're currently booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam this winter.  But both the brand new Celebrity Edge and Princess Sky are sailing  in the Caribbean that week as well. While I'm still in the cancel without penalty time period, I'm going to take a better look at those cruises.

 

 

[BSinPNS]

If you are looking for more than a high end floating hotel, I would look elsewhere.

[Cruising-along]

On our most recent cruise (Westerdam Land/Sea May 26-June 2) the entertainment was the only thing I gave low marks to on the end of cruise survey.  Everything else was great.

 

But the cutbacks are so noticeable -- and I'm not that hard to please.  I miss the real entertainers, and am really tired of the staple magician and comedian for main stage shows.  The Billboard Onboard advertised their set one evening as "The British Invasion" and yet the first 6 songs had only ONE 60's song by the Beatles and one by the Monkees, the rest were by unknown artists in the 80's-2000's.  We walked out at that point.  

 

From now on I'll be looking at only ships with BB King, at least we love all their shows!

 

 

[auntem]

On 6/16/2019 at 7:26 PM, RuthC said:

HAL has already cut back on evening entertainment a lot. For a few years now entertainment has ended earlier and earlier. Now the lounges are dark at least one night a week each, some of the shows have been replaced by movies, the show lounge is dark some nights, and now this!

It's as if HAL wants us all to go back to our cabins and go to bed early. I remember when the last bar closed at 2:00 AM. I was closing it!

 I want to cruise with you  ! You aren't headed to Alaska on the Amsterdam this August are you ?😂

[mustgo]

Hal was our favorite line.  We have now switched back to Princess because of Hal's new lack of entertainment.  We don't see live production shows in our home and that is one of the highlights of cruising.

[KirkNC]

I knew when I read the headline it would not go over well.

[Walfam]

We always have 5:30 pm seatings for dinner, which gave us time to finish and often head to the Main Stage to grab a decent (I.e., not behind a pole) seat for the 8:00 show.  Unless dinner times are bumped up,  a 7:00 pm show is Impossible.  One at 9:00 is not doable, either, because we go to bed early.

 

 Thank you for this topic, because it will be important info when booking our next cruise and we may need to try another cruise line.

Edited June 22, 2019 by Walfam

[simplyrubies]

If it helps at all, HAL has an excellent in-room movie selection. They have lots of recent blockbuster movie selections, including many Oscar nominated films. We especially liked their section of films dedicated to the area in which you were cruising. For example, on our Med cruise, there were lots of movies set in Greece and Italy. 

 

This is the first time we watched so many movies on a cruise. With such a packed itinerary, it was nice to have time to unwind in the room.

 

The late night buffet at the Lido didn't have that many takers (beginning at 10:30pm), so I suppose that should be a sign of HAL's nightlife. Mostly officers and a few people coming in and out, but not nearly as busy as I thought it would be considering the excellent selection of food!

[joekerstef]

Just off Maasdam and our show times were at 7:30 and 9:30. We also had EXC In Depth talks at 6:30 and 8:30. Explanation given for change in times is that they have trouble getting folks to show up for the 10pm shows. Of course they scheduled both of the crew shows on our cruise at 11pm.....

[Walfam]

10 hours ago, simplyrubies said:

If it helps at all, HAL has an excellent in-room movie selection. 

I agree, but the maximum volume setting was so low, we had to use closed captions.  This was sitting 6 feet away from the TV.

 

 So then we had to choose between seeing the movie or reading the dialog. Our friends a couple cabins down had the same complaint.  Probably set that way so the neighboring cabin can't hear, but neither could we.  🙄  (My hearing has been tested and there is nothing wrong with it)

 

[Daisyloo]

1 hour ago, Walfam said:

I agree, but the maximum volume setting was so low, we had to use closed captions.  This was sitting 6 feet away from the TV.

 

 So then we had to choose between seeing the movie or reading the dialog. Our friends a couple cabins down had the same complaint.  Probably set that way so the neighboring cabin can't hear, but neither could we.  🙄  (My hearing has been tested and there is nothing wrong with it)

 

 

We have never had a problem with the volume on the tv.  Did you complain to the front desk? 

[Walfam]

1 hour ago, Daisyloo said:

 

We have never had a problem with the volume on the tv.  Did you complain to the front desk? 

No, we did not.  We figured that since the other cabins in which our friends were staying had the same issue, that it was just how it was.  Besides, it was not a deal breaker for us.  

[TAD2005]

I'm with Ruth.  We always have a few pre-dinner cocktails from 7:00 pm to dinner time at 8:00.   However, if HAL wants to cut into their beverage consumption revenue by forcing late seating diners to take in a show at 7:00 pm instead of paying money for drinks, then I would wonder what morons in Seattle are making these dumb decisions ?

[clarkg]

I guess I'm the odd one out here. I thought they were all at 7 and 9. My first cruise was hal, even though it hooked me on cruising it was a long time before I returned. Now they are on my watch list when I go anywhere. The Billboard on Board and BB King are wonderful. I'm not much for the production shows anyway.

[simplyrubies]

On 6/22/2019 at 6:45 AM, Walfam said:

the maximum volume setting was so low, we had to use closed captions

 

We did not have an issue with this - we were able to hear the TV fine sitting on the bed. Sorry to hear that you were having issues with your TV.