78232 Posted September 9, 2019 #1 Share Posted September 9, 2019 Just wondering...how late does the ocean bar usually have music? and what type of music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted September 9, 2019 #2 Share Posted September 9, 2019 That will vary a great deal, depending on the class of ship. Some of the older ships have a combo playing dance music before dinner, then again a few sets after 8:00 PM. Other ships may have a piano player in the evening. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir PMP Posted September 9, 2019 #3 Share Posted September 9, 2019 I believe the final set is from 9:15 till 10:00pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78232 Posted September 9, 2019 Author #4 Share Posted September 9, 2019 If it makes a difference, I was thinking of Eurodam or Nieuw Amsterdam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted September 9, 2019 #5 Share Posted September 9, 2019 10 minutes ago, 78232 said: If it makes a difference, I was thinking of Eurodam or Nieuw Amsterdam. IIRC, those will have a piano player only in the Ocean Bar after dinner. They may be quiet at cocktail time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted September 9, 2019 #6 Share Posted September 9, 2019 59 minutes ago, RuthC said: That will vary a great deal, depending on the class of ship. Some of the older ships have a combo playing dance music before dinner, then again a few sets after 8:00 PM. Other ships may have a piano player in the evening. Sadly, that's just on the smallest (and oldest) ships, the R and S class. I recall a piano player (not very good) in the Ocean Bar at cocktail time on the K'dam. Nice stage for musicians, little dance floor, perfect setting for a combo, but no. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakridger Posted September 10, 2019 #7 Share Posted September 10, 2019 On Noordam last May there was no live music in the Ocean Bar. Nieuw Amsterdam in July 2018 didn't have live music in the evening in the Ocean Bar either. (don't know about earlier in the day) ~Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Belle Posted September 10, 2019 #8 Share Posted September 10, 2019 We purposely chose the smaller and older Veendam for our annual Dec. R & R cruise. The dance music in the Ocean Bar during cocktail hour and after dinner seems to bring us back every time. Fewer and fewer HAL ships seem to provide our type entertainment in these time slots. Don’t get me wrong! We enjoy all classes of the ships for a variety of reasons relating to each. BUT.....we like the combos that play music in the Ocean Bar best. On some of our cruises we have been without anything in particular to do between 7 & 8 PM except have cocktails on our veranda. We can do that on our balcony at home. 😉 We love the personal attention we get from the crew on the Veendam. They are always a happy bunch and that in itself has brought us back to her several times. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat04 Posted September 10, 2019 #9 Share Posted September 10, 2019 A jazz trio in the Ocean Bar is something we miss on the larger ships. Nice for quiet cocktails, maybe a little dancing even if you aren't the best dancer. And my two left feet agree with me on this. Definitely a plus to the older ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimnKaren Posted September 10, 2019 #10 Share Posted September 10, 2019 Zaandam this spring had a solo piano player during the dinner hours. He was good; but no one danced. It was cocktail time. Later - 8:45 or so (right after the first show in the lounge) a musical trio plus vocalist did about three 45-minute sets. More dancing then. It used to be the Neptunes (OMG - remember them?). Some trios were better than others. Some would grant requests and others looked at you like nutso. I don't know who makes the decisions on those things. Consistency should be the rule. It isn't. Ocean Bar will always be a better spot for us rather the "The Mix" or "The Crow's Nest" venues. Once, several years ago, when we boarded and sat in the Ocean Bar as we sailed away, a bar server came up and said, "You want you usuals?" Oh my, Mark remembered us before we had a chance to really see him. One of the great things about HAL voyages! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted September 10, 2019 #11 Share Posted September 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, JimnKaren said: Zaandam this spring had a solo piano player during the dinner hours. He was good; but no one danced. It was cocktail time. Later - 8:45 or so (right after the first show in the lounge) a musical trio plus vocalist did about three 45-minute sets. More dancing then. It used to be the Neptunes (OMG - remember them?). Some trios were better than others. Some would grant requests and others looked at you like nutso. I don't know who makes the decisions on those things. Consistency should be the rule. It isn't. Ocean Bar will always be a better spot for us rather the "The Mix" or "The Crow's Nest" venues. Once, several years ago, when we boarded and sat in the Ocean Bar as we sailed away, a bar server came up and said, "You want you usuals?" Oh my, Mark remembered us before we had a chance to really see him. One of the great things about HAL voyages! Jim I remember the Neptunes! Every group I encountered was excellent. Whether it was a jazz set or a dance-music set they were great to listen to. It's a conundrum for me when I book a HAL cruise. I love the Vistas--balconies are less expensive and the hydropool is my favorite indulgence. But the R and S ships still have classy low-key entertainment offerings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennysUncle Posted September 11, 2019 #12 Share Posted September 11, 2019 We are just off the Zaandam doing the Montreal to Boston cruise. The Ocean Bar had a very good combo, now called the "Ocean Quartet" instead of the Neptunes. They are not a pick-up group, but an actual group named "C'est si Bon" from Buenos Aires, so they are not just sight-reading. Piano, electric bass, drums, and lady singer/clarinet. Some instrumentals and vocals, a mix of American songbook - Latin - Brazilian - French. Most days they did 45 minute sets at 6:30, 8, 9, and 10. One night off each week. There were few dancers, but the Ocean Bar was generally full with listeners. The Adagio was a duo - piano and violin, and seemed good, well attended. The Piano Bar was Jeff Warren with an extensive repertoire and interesting patter. He kept the Mix Bar and surrounding hallways packed to overflowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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