Entertainment aboard HAL ships

[EDLOS]

Three years ago after 9 straight HAL cruises I left for other cruise lines because the repetitiveness, sparseness, of musical offerings and total lack of interest in Opray  "style".  Planet Earth can be watched only so many times. ! Most competitive lines generally offer more than one venue going at the same time, giving you some choice.

Has anything changed in the last few years ?????

[St Pete Cruiser]

Yes it has.  The music walk, which consists of BB Kings, Billboard Onboard Pianos and Rock Room seems to always be going along with the theater shows.

[jimmy2x]

16 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Yes it has.  The music walk, which consists of BB Kings, Billboard Onboard Pianos and Rock Room seems to always be going along with the theater shows.

Agreed, at least on the Pinnacle class ships. 

[igraf]

45 minutes ago, EDLOS said:

... Most competitive lines generally offer more than one venue going at the same time, giving you some choice.

Has anything changed in the last few years ?????

 

Entertainment scales up with the size of the ship.

 

igraf

 

 

[Djptcp]

There is also a classical music venue. We found the rock venues on the Koningsdam to be sooooo loud we just couldn't stay very long and we were up a deck looking down on the venue over a balcony so not even on the same level. At the time, the two piano players on the Oosterdam rock venue were not very good players or singers. The best entertainment we ever saw on Holland was Feb. 2020 on the Veendam - a group of dancers that were wonderful and gave brilliant performances.

[JeffElizabeth]

The wife and I might be in the minority but the entertainment was never a big deal for us. The piano bars were the only entertainment we tried to attend. So we don't mind missing mediocre comedians and sub par magic acts. 

[NCTribeFan]

You couldn't pay me to sit in a piano bar.  I'm rather particular about music and often really dislike tunes that are generally popular.  Just because it was a "hit" doesn't mean it was any good!  

 

I've had the BB Kings bands for my past two HAL sailings (Zuiderdam and Koningsdam).  Both were outstanding.  By far the best live music I've encountered on about 40 total cruises!

 

Also had the Lincoln Stage on K'dam and enjoyed it very much.

 

I'm booked on Eurodam for November and Nieuw Amsterdam for December.  Really wish they had the Rolling Stones venues on those ships. 

 

If there's no musical entertainment happening on a given evening, I entertain myself in the casino (for as long as my meagre daily gambling allowance holds out!).

 

Honestly, I'll take no music over bad music!

[Aquahound]

4 hours ago, EDLOS said:

Three years ago after 9 straight HAL cruises I left for other cruise lines because the repetitiveness, sparseness, of musical offerings and total lack of interest in Opray  "style".  Planet Earth can be watched only so many times. ! Most competitive lines generally offer more than one venue going at the same time, giving you some choice.

Has anything changed in the last few years ?????

 

I agree with the others.....that the Music Walk is a nice addition.  The talent they hire for BB King is phenomenal.  However, it's still the same few choices every night and after a few nights, I get tired of those same few choices.  

 

On my last couple HAL cruises, there was zero toned-down entertainment, like a solo guitarist or solo pianist in a lounge where you could relax and still have quiet conversation.  Lincoln Center Stage is ok, but it's set up like a concert.  No talking.  

 

I keep providing feedback for them to add (or I should say bring back) live musicians to venues like the Crows Nest and Silk Den.  But I'm sure the feedback is futile.  

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

The wife and I might be in the minority but the entertainment was never a big deal for us. The piano bars were the only entertainment we tried to attend. So we don't mind missing mediocre comedians and sub par magic acts. 

Funny you mention this because before the COVID shutdown HAL had already eliminated piano bars from many of its ships.  We are also big piano bar fans and it keeps getting more difficult to find ships with a piano bar and real piano bar entertainer.  HAL used to have some of the best.

 

Hank

[SumoCitrus]

6 hours ago, EDLOS said:

Planet Earth can be watched only so many times

 

Amen. I mostly sail HAL for the nice cabins, great destinations, and good food.

[kucherov]

59 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Funny you mention this because before the COVID shutdown HAL had already eliminated piano bars from many of its ships.  We are also big piano bar fans and it keeps getting more difficult to find ships with a piano bar and real piano bar entertainer.  HAL used to have some of the best.

 

Hank

As in Barry from Boston.

[kucherov]

5 hours ago, Djptcp said:

There is also a classical music venue. We found the rock venues on the Koningsdam to be sooooo loud we just couldn't stay very long and we were up a deck looking down on the venue over a balcony so not even on the same level. At the time, the two piano players on the Oosterdam rock venue were not very good players or singers. The best entertainment we ever saw on Holland was Feb. 2020 on the Veendam - a group of dancers that were wonderful and gave brilliant performances.

+1....saw them on the Veendam in 2019...was pleasantly surprised...better than those I've seen on Oceania or Seabourn.

[Hlitner]

4 minutes ago, kucherov said:

As in Barry from Boston.

Now you are speaking my language 🙂  We have spent many an evening listening to Barry from the days when he worked on RCCL to, more recently, when we was with us for the entire Voyage of the Vikings Cruise (a favorite cruise of Barry's).   

 

Hank

[Copper10-8]

Let's hope, with the hiring of Gus Antorcha as president, and the dropping, like a brick, of Orlando Ashford, HAL will rehire their full production casts and start picking up the production shows again. Mr. Gus can start by giving his vice president of entertainment, Bill Prince, a swift kick in the derriere, and by telling him not to pass Go and not to collect $200 on his way out 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Copper10-8

[taxmantoo]

6 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Let's hope, with the hiring of Gus Antorcha as president, and the dropping, like a brick, of Orlando Ashford, HAL will rehire their full production casts and start picking up the production shows again. Mr. Gus can start by giving his vice president of entertainment, Bill Prince, a swift kick in the derriere, and by telling him not to pass Go and not to collect $200 on his way out 

Totally agree.  Still do not understand the logic behind building multi-million dollar stage facilities on the new Pinnacle Class ships and them limiting themselves to a few horrible independent dance shows and whale movies. 

[Hlitner]

When HAL was messing around (and messing up) all their entertainment...I posted that HAL seemed like a "ship without a rudder"   (no wise cracks about how Azipod ships have no rudder).  I agree with the other poster that with a new CEO, perhaps we will hopefully see HAL restoring some of their previous entertainment programs (such as a piano bar).  For the HAL fans that are content to have BBC Documentaries as their main show entertainment I do think they could put that on the cabin TVs for the crowd that heads to bed by 7:30.

 

Hank

[Al Aboard]

I would also like to see the addition of a simple piano player/piano bar to the entertainment choices in the evening.  The Ocean Bar has a piano but no player or the Crow's Nest is available in the evenings to add such a venue.  Sometimes you just want to sit down with a drink and talk with a little background music which the Music Walk entertainment does not lend itself to.

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Mr. Gus can start by giving his vice president of entertainment, Bill Prince, a swift kick in the derriere, and by telling him not to pass Go and not to collect $200 on his way out 

 

He should have "walked the plank" years ago! 

 

2 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Totally agree.  Still do not understand the logic behind building multi-million dollar stage facilities on the new Pinnacle Class ships and them limiting themselves to a few horrible independent dance shows and whale movies. 

 

I have commented on this since my cruise on Nieuw Statendam!

 

If one takes the Behind the Scenes Tour on the Vista and Signature Class ships, one will learn that their capability has been severely underused almost from their introduction into service.  One exception to that is notable in my memory was on Nieuw Amsterdam in her introductory year.  The musical group Cantare was allowed to use the Nieuw Amsterdam's stage capabilities to the max.  There performance remains the best musical performance that I have experienced on any HAL ship in recent years.  

 

3 hours ago, kucherov said:

As in Barry from Boston.

 

So much looked forward to Barry from Boston during my VOV.  Became quickly tired of his "act".  Can never remember her last name, but "Janet" who was an excellent piano bar entertainer.  Her husband was a member of the group that played in the Ocean Bar--when they had a group there--and the combination of the two made the evening even better.  The Piano Bar's Stewards liked it; they had to have earned much $$ in tips because of the number of guests packing the room and ordering beverages.

 

Not "everyone's cup of tea", but Perry Grant was the Piano Bar entertainer, he packed them in each night he performed as he did when he was on my Celebrity Eclipse cruise.  

[lost4sure]

rkacruiser,

 

I think Diane Fast is the piano player you are referring in the piano bar and her husband (can't remember his name) in the Ocean Bar. 

[Crew News]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

If one takes the Behind the Scenes Tour on the Vista and Signature Class ships, one will learn that their capability has been severely underused almost from their introduction into service.  One exception to that is notable in my memory was on Nieuw Amsterdam in her introductory year.  The musical group Cantare was allowed to use the Nieuw Amsterdam's stage capabilities to the max.  There performance remains the best musical performance that I have experienced on any HAL ship in recent years.  

 

When the showrooms were upgraded, HAL forgot to upgrade the performers using the new facilities. 

 

Amen to Cantare.  I was fortunate enough to be onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam to hear Cantare and echo the comment above.  Their CD remains on my shelf and their music on both my phone and MP3 player for traveling.

 

Another main stage show that I did not leave while in progress was a four-person percussion group on the HAL Caribbean circuit several years ago.  The audience was given drumsticks to hit together as the group played ladders, trash cans, cups, drums, shoes, bells, etc accompanied by a lone guitar player.  The show was amazing and the standing ovation from the audience lasted quite a long time after they ended. 

 

The classical musicians and piano players have always been impressive and deserve a spot in the main showroom schedule.

 

HAL entertainers used to be recruited and organized into groups, experience a few practice sessions together, and then put to sea.  We all remember the many combinations as the HAL Cats playing on all of the ships in the fleet.  Four good solo artists would try but never seemed to mold into a "group".

 

I was onboard when the BB King group made its first HAL appearance and talked with one of the members.  What a huge improvement!!! 

 

Better entertainment has always been a CC dream.

[Mary229]

5 hours ago, Crew News said:

The classical musicians and piano players have always been impressive and deserve a spot in the main showroom schedule.

Indeed.  A night out at the Symphony would be great.   I am fairly particular about classical music but HAL's musicians do far better than most cruise ship entertainers

Edited June 9, 2021 by Mary229

[Crazy For Cats]

6 hours ago, lost4sure said:

rkacruiser,

 

I think Diane Fast is the piano player you are referring in the piano bar and her husband (can't remember his name) in the Ocean Bar. 

We had a very enjoyable cruise with Diane in the Piano Bar.  There was a group of us onboard and on the last night she performed a song that she composed for the group.  Sadly she left HAL and is now in Ketchikan.

[taxmantoo]

6 hours ago, lost4sure said:

rkacruiser,

 

I think Diane Fast is the piano player you are referring in the piano bar and her husband (can't remember his name) in the Ocean Bar. 

Her husband at the time (no longer a couple ...) was named Bob. He would show up most nights after his gig in the Ocean Bar and sometimes even bring some of the other musicians along for an improvised jam session.  We spent a few nights in there on the Noordam WAY PAST closing time.

[oldpharmguy]

  One exception to that is notable in my memory was on Nieuw Amsterdam in her introductory year.  The musical group Cantare was allowed to use the Nieuw Amsterdam's stage capabilities to the max.  There performance remains the best musical performance that I have experienced on any HAL ship in recent years.  

 

I say amen to this Crew News.   We would catch the early and late shows.  They were the best.

[igraf]

19 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

...

On my last couple HAL cruises, there was zero toned-down entertainment, like a solo guitarist or solo pianist in a lounge where you could relax and still have quiet conversation.  Lincoln Center Stage is ok, but it's set up like a concert.  No talking.  

 

 

I prefer that no one is talking while I am listening to music.  I recall a music performance being ruined by a loud group who were so rude that they decided to sit up front next to the musicians, and then try to talk louder than the music.  I finally had to ask them to have their conversation elsewhere.

 

igraf