maasdam entertainment

[Sidney24]

Appreciate comments on the recent entertainment on Maasdam.

 

[kira5]

On the Maasdam in August.   No production shows.   A violinist, a vocalist, a pianist each gave two separate concerts each.  A strings duo played almost each evening.  Trivia twice a day usually.   One or two lectures each day, if you consider that entertainment.

[freestyling]

You might want to review the Maasdam Seattle to Sydney almost live thread posted. You will see lots of Maasdam info and VERY current !

Edited September 22, 2019 by freestyling

[Sidney24]

14 hours ago, kira5 said:

On the Maasdam in August.   No production shows.   A violinist, a vocalist, a pianist each gave two separate concerts each.  A strings duo played almost each evening.  Trivia twice a day usually.   One or two lectures each day, if you consider that entertainment.

 

[Sidney24]

Many thanks for reply.

Must admit sounds rather boring compared to the production shows.

[Sidney24]

14 hours ago, freestyling said:

You might want to review the Maasdam Seattle to Sydney almost live thread posted. You will see lots of Maasdam info and VERY current !

 

Manty thanks 

[kira5]

Sorry, I forgot to mention a quartet of tenors who covered a variety of artists.

[freestyling]

The Maasdam is currently the only HAL ship that is geared toward expeditions or EXP as HAL denotes. There is no Billboard music venues or production shows. We sailed her for 48 days and loved the experience of lectures, smaller unique ports, etc. 

We understood however that there would be no “production shows”. We sailed for the itinerary on this ship. 

[Ken the cruiser]

We just heard from someone on the CC Roll Call of our upcoming Maasdam Australia circumnavigation cruise who talked with some HAL Sidney folks would said they were going to upgrade the entertainment on our cruise based on all of the negative comments they've been receiving. But, they also said that did not mean they would be adding any production shows.

 

Not sure what that all means, whether the driving force is HAL Sydney or HAL HQ Seattle, but at least someone in HAL is acknowledging their variety of entertainment options is a little weak. Personally, we booked this Maasdam In-depth EXC cruise for all the lectures while we cruise around Australia. But it would be nice to also have some evening entertainment in the main theater other than lectures every night as we'll will be on the ship for 40 days.

[freestyling]

Please let us know what entertainment was added for your cruise. 

[mcrcruiser]

3 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We just heard from someone on the CC Roll Call of our upcoming Maasdam Australia circumnavigation cruise who talked with some HAL Sidney folks would said they were going to upgrade the entertainment on our cruise based on all of the negative comments they've been receiving. But, they also said that did not mean they would be adding any production shows.

 

Not sure what that all means, whether the driving force is HAL Sydney or HAL HQ Seattle, but at least someone in HAL is acknowledging their variety of entertainment options is a little weak. Personally, we booked this Maasdam In-depth EXC cruise for all the lectures while we cruise around Australia. But it would be nice to also have some evening entertainment in the main theater other than lectures every night as we'll will be on the ship for 40 days.

SWe were thinking of doing the 30 day cruise from San Diego to Sydney  on Maasdam until we saw the lack of the shows  ie  for entertainment . This did not sir well with us  .We like the itinerary ;but ,there is more to a cruise than ports .

 

 Why doesn't HSL use other  ships like they did on 2015  when we sailed 21says  ,on Nordam  to Sydney from SD ?  That was a very pleasant cruise   .We would love to see  Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam do this same voyage that is scheduled for Maasdam  in 2020 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by mcrcruiser

[dillpickle48]

We love the Maasdam In-Depth approach.  More interested in learning about nature and culture than singers and dancers. Last cruise on the Maasdam, the showroom was used for expert lecturers, culture performances by local ambassadors and the occasional entertainer.  Music in Mix bar, Ocean bar and Explorers lounge.  Enough entertainment for us.

[JMAUST]

16 hours ago, kira5 said:

Sorry, I forgot to mention a quartet of tenors who covered a variety of artists.

Just off the Maasdam also had a quartet in the ocean bar six nights per week and the guy on the piano bar six nights per week

[Sidney24]

5 hours ago, dillpickle48 said:

We love the Maasdam In-Depth approach.  More interested in learning about nature and culture than singers and dancers. Last cruise on the Maasdam, the showroom was used for expert lecturers, culture performances by local ambassadors and the occasional entertainer.  Music in Mix bar, Ocean bar and Explorers lounge.  Enough entertainment for us.

Appreciate your comments maybe HA believe that this will set them apart from other Cruise Lines although it appears to be a cost saving measure.

We would be happy with hearing about nature and culture in the morning or afternoons but its nice to relax in the evening with a decent show in the showroom therefore as others we have no choice but to look elsewhere when making our next booking.   

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I was on the Maasdam in late August.  There was a variety of musical performances in the theater most nights of the 14 day cruise.

 

Including the single most impressive entertainment I’ve ever heard and seen on a cruise!  This was a Taiko drumming show, performed by about ten Japanese women.  The best entertainment I’ve ever enjoyed on board so far on any cruise line.  It was truly an invigorating show!

 

The lectures were pretty good but would not be a reason for me to book the Maasdam/EXC again.

 

I doubt this group of Taiko drummers would be on cruises in other regions, unfortunately!

 

Some of the other notable musical performers (theater shows) were the Jersey Tenors and a Japanese pianist.  Both were very good.

[TiogaCruiser]

1 hour ago, SetAnOpenCourse said:

I was on the Maasdam in late August.  There was a variety of musical performances in the theater most nights of the 14 day cruise.

 

Including the single most impressive entertainment I’ve ever heard and seen on a cruise!  This was a Taiko drumming show, performed by about ten Japanese women.  The best entertainment I’ve ever enjoyed on board so far on any cruise line.  It was truly an invigorating show!

 

The lectures were pretty good but would not be a reason for me to book the Maasdam/EXC again.

 

I doubt this group of Taiko drummers would be on cruises in other regions, unfortunately!

 

Some of the other notable musical performers (theater shows) were the Jersey Tenors and a Japanese pianist.  Both were very good.

 

8 hours ago, dillpickle48 said:

We love the Maasdam In-Depth approach.  More interested in learning about nature and culture than singers and dancers. Last cruise on the Maasdam, the showroom was used for expert lecturers, culture performances by local ambassadors and the occasional entertainer.  Music in Mix bar, Ocean bar and Explorers lounge.  Enough entertainment for us.

I’m still scratching my head over what they are currently doing on Maasdam. I’d be fine with lecturers and the local cultural performances in place of the general shows (which I don’t have interest in), which is what I understood the EXC originally was. Or maybe is. 

 

What at I don’t get is how HAL is ( or isn’t) marketing it. For some time I’ve had my eye on the Alaska and Mexico itineraries. When you pull them up on the HAL site there is NOTHING to indicate they are different. So someone could quite easily book one and have no clue it is EXC and expect it to include full shows, etc., then be quite disappointed when it isn’t. 

 

So I’m still wondering if it will be any different than my SA on Zaandam or my most recent Mexico on Veendam as they had cultural ambassadors. If I book and it turns out it’s even more in-depth than those (which the initial hype indicated) I’d be delighted; if it was less, not so much.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

10 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

 

I’m still scratching my head over what they are currently doing on Maasdam. I’d be fine with lecturers and the local cultural performances in place of the general shows (which I don’t have interest in), which is what I understood the EXC originally was. Or maybe is. 

 

What at I don’t get is how HAL is ( or isn’t) marketing it. For some time I’ve had my eye on the Alaska and Mexico itineraries. When you pull them up on the HAL site there is NOTHING to indicate they are different. So someone could quite easily book one and have no clue it is EXC and expect it to include full shows, etc., then be quite disappointed when it isn’t. 

 

So I’m still wondering if it will be any different than my SA on Zaandam or my most recent Mexico on Veendam as they had cultural ambassadors. If I book and it turns out it’s even more in-depth than those (which the initial hype indicated) I’d be delighted; if it was less, not so much.

If by “cultural ambassadors” you mean people from the countries you’re visiting, FYI the primary EXC presenters on our Japan cruise were not (one was from Canada, the other was I think Canada or US).

 

But my attitude is different than yours, I think.  If I like the places the ship is going to, and I like the ship, then I am interested.  I don’t need to know so much about the lecturers and guest performers.  Anyway, that’s just me.

[Sidney24]

On 9/24/2019 at 6:50 AM, mcrcruiser said:

SWe were thinking of doing the 30 day cruise from San Diego to Sydney  on Maasdam until we saw the lack of the shows  ie  for entertainment . This did not sir well with us  .We like the itinerary ;but ,there is more to a cruise than ports .

 

 Why doesn't HSL use other  ships like they did on 2015  when we sailed 21says  ,on Nordam  to Sydney from SD ?  That was a very pleasant cruise   .We would love to see  Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam do this same voyage that is scheduled for Maasdam  in 2020 

 

 

 

[Sidney24]

We are in full agreement with your comments.

HA have advised that a Bridge Director will be on our 20 day cruise however I know some now book other cruise lines

such as Oceania and Azamara to ensure they have a Bridge Director. 

[darstamp]

I have sailed on Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean and HAL.  I like entertainment such as sing-a-longs with a piano player, dancing with a good rock band, classical music, singers, Karaoke, but I can live without production shows.  The only first rate production show I've ever seen on a cruise was on the Celestial Crystal cruising around Cuba. My view is if they can't do it right, don't do it.  Having said that, I am hoping to sail on a 16 day cruise to Mexico on the Maasdam next fall and hope I enjoy it and don't get bored.

[willow949]

13 minutes ago, darstamp said:

I have sailed on Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean and HAL.  I like entertainment such as sing-a-longs with a piano player, dancing with a good rock band, classical music, singers, Karaoke, but I can live without production shows.  The only first rate production show I've ever seen on a cruise was on the Celestial Crystal cruising around Cuba. My view is if they can't do it right, don't do it.  Having said that, I am hoping to sail on a 16 day cruise to Mexico on the Maasdam next fall and hope I enjoy it and don't get bored.

If you are thinking of the Sea of Cortez cruise, I would book early. The ship sells out fast and the prices don’t go down. We booked for the Oct 2020 last week with Holland’s sale and will have over $1000.00 OBC including our Shareholder credit. 

[darstamp]

Thanks for the tip.  Our TA has reserved a block of rooms.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

58 minutes ago, darstamp said:

I have sailed on Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean and HAL.  I like entertainment such as sing-a-longs with a piano player, dancing with a good rock band, classical music, singers, Karaoke, but I can live without production shows.  The only first rate production show I've ever seen on a cruise was on the Celestial Crystal cruising around Cuba. My view is if they can't do it right, don't do it.  Having said that, I am hoping to sail on a 16 day cruise to Mexico on the Maasdam next fall and hope I enjoy it and don't get bored.

If you like enrichment lectures, you will not get bored on sea days on the Maasdam as we just boarded her yesterday for a 40 day Australia and SP cruise and there are 5 lectures today, our first sea day, and there is a IDA: Pop Opera in the main theater this evening.
 

Last night on a transition day they had a game show and then showed a movie in the main theater. Internet service is also very acceptable in the cabin area as I am on our balcony posting this. 
 

BUT the Maasdam with its unique in-depth EXC program is not your typical HAL ship. So IMHO if you like the party atmosphere in the evening lounges, you may not want to book a Maasdam cruise as it may be a little more “relaxed” than you might like. But, if you like to learn new things on a wide range of subjects, then you may want to give the Maasdam a try. For example the 5 lectures today are (1) Adventures of a croc biologist, (2) port lecture, (3) Coral reefs, (4) Magic manta rays and (5) a nature travel story. 
 

IMHO I’m 67 and was raised on rock n roll and this is not a ship you will hear much of that on.