No more BB King's on Zuiderdam?

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I am sure that magazine is on the "must" reading list of all 4 and 5* Mariners and there are likely many copies in the ship library's.

 

Hank

🤣🤣

[dockman]

On 6/17/2022 at 1:43 AM, canadianbear said:

Wow-I missed that.   Disappointing for us as we prefer BB King.

HAL might do well to practice a bit more of "if it ain't broke don't fix it"....BBK was best new entertainment addition to HAL in decades so some exec decides to get rid of it?  WOW  what is/was he/she thinking?

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, dockman said:

HAL might do well to practice a bit more of "if it ain't broke don't fix it"....BBK was best new entertainment addition to HAL in decades so some exec decides to get rid of it?  WOW  what is/was he/she thinking?

 

Your question can apply to many, many, many changes that have taken place in recent years!  

 

I have a possible answer.  Job justification to the question as to "why are we employing you?" for some executives.  

[canadianbear]

5 minutes ago, dockman said:

HAL might do well to practice a bit more of "if it ain't broke don't fix it"....BBK was best new entertainment addition to HAL in decades so some exec decides to get rid of it?  WOW  what is/was he/she thinking?

I agree.  We really enjoyed their music.  Luckily we are booked on the Rotterdam later this year so can see them.  Will make us be more careful on what ships we book as HAL entertainment lacks in my opinion. 

[indychillin]

1 hour ago, canadianbear said:

I agree.  We really enjoyed their music.  Luckily we are booked on the Rotterdam later this year so can see them.  Will make us be more careful on what ships we book as HAL entertainment lacks in my opinion. 

Agree! Obviously doing an Alaska cruise for Alaska but in the evenings, it is sure nice to enjoy good music, if you are not going to have comedians or magicians at the Main Stage (DH favorite entertainers)

[Skylark baby]

On 6/17/2022 at 7:52 AM, NCTribeFan said:

There were 8 of us doing the B2B from 6-1 to 6-15.  We met at the lounge to be escorted off.  While there, staff was covering all the furniture with sheets.  I'm thinking, "what is happening here?"  When we got back on the ship, I walked past and there were big, heavy drapes blocking off the entire venue and I could hear some sort of machinery going.  I was wondering if they were doing a deep-clean because of Covid.

 

Nothing on the Daily for that day for music (so it was very quiet that evening), but for Thursday, it listed the Rolling Stone band.

 

I walked past a couple of times and they sounded like they were good.  My friends enjoyed them.  I personally preferred the BB Kings and of the first week.  I actually was avoiding the club because it was crowded and no one there was masked.  Didn't matter, since I contracted Covid anyway!

 

I'm looking forward to my Rotterdam TA next April where there will be both venues.

 

[Skylark baby]

Did you. quarantine on the ship.?

[taxmantoo]

13 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Your question can apply to many, many, many changes that have taken place in recent years!  

 

I have a possible answer.  Job justification to the question as to "why are we employing you?" for some executives.  

Let's just all agree that the last two Holland America Presidents are not quite ready for prime time 😉 I was under the impression that Jan Swartz would surround herself with better than Gus when she let Orlando go...

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Let's just all agree that the last two Holland America Presidents are not quite ready for prime time 😉 I was under the impression that Jan Swartz would surround herself with better than Gus when she let Orlando go...

 

A most thought provoking post and thank you for making it.

 

Agree that HAL's leadership has suffered since the departure (and passing) of Kirk Lanterman and the promotions of Stein Kruse.  (Have never understood why a Princess Executive was a CCL Board Member, but, after Mr. Lanterman's retirement from the Board, Mr. Kruse never received an appointment to the Board.)  

 

I am of the belief that many of the changes that have taken place with the HAL experience--both good and not so good--have taken place because of the retirement or resignation and the subsequent replacement of those Vice-Presidents and Senior Vice-Presidents who had little experience in the cruise industry or as a cruise guest.  I wonder about their qualifications in the leisure travel experience industry as well.  

 

When the President of the Company lacks depth of experience in the company in which he/she is in charge, doesn't one have to depend on the support of those sitting in their nearby executive offices?  

 

Ms. Swartz has maintained a Princess cruise product that is as good as it has been in most areas.  The variations that I have experienced has been due to the onboard execution of that product.  (She is not responsible for me being served the most watery, flavorless, undercooked serving of Fettuccine Alfredo that I have every had.)

 

12 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

I was under the impression that Jan Swartz would surround herself with better than Gus when she let Orlando go...

 

I wonder:  who did make that decision  Was it her or someone else further up "the food chain"?  

[opa&oma]

On 6/18/2022 at 6:57 AM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I believe the songs they play are dictated by Hal.  It’s not the bands choice.  At least that’s the way it used to be.

Each performing band is given a list of 100 approved songs they may play from.

[Aesop081]

First time on HAL coming up in 6 weeks and the thing I was looking forward to the most has been removed....well of course it has.  FFS

[sergel02]

On 6/18/2022 at 2:56 PM, JennysUncle said:

From the chart, it looks like the Rock Room is the purpose-built venue on the Pinnacle class ships, whereas on the Vista ships they are playing in what originally was the Queen's Lounge.  The cooking demonstrations were there in the afternoon, and in the evening, sometimes games, maybe the HAL-Cats.

If it’s like in the Koningsdam I went on it’s like a separate lounge, but right across from the Billboard room and dueling piano so it gets kind of loud sometimes, especially with casino right above you.

 

HAL is kind of known for their music now but I wonder if the change was licensing thing. Maybe rebranding them might help some guests little rather than getting rid of them entirely. I admit I didn’t check out either the Blue Club or Rolling Stone much in my cruise because the music wasn’t my style, but I didn’t know until I went their set list was more varied than I thought.

 

I wonder if they’ll merge some venue purposes and have singers perform in the same area. BB Kings and Lincoln Center both performed in the same venue on Koningsdam but at different times.

[VMax1700]

It was the same on Oosterdam in June.  No BBK, but replaced with Rolling Stone Lounge. 

Disappointing.

[sofietucker]

On 6/18/2022 at 9:57 AM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I believe the songs they play are dictated by Hal.  It’s not the bands choice.  At least that’s the way it used to be.

Yep. We were disappointed to find with 2 excellent bands in BBKings that a) the setlists were repeats every night and b) no requests, not even by BB.  Both per HAL policy. One band we made friends with (bassist from our town, hung with them on Half Moon, etc.) kindly suggested that the DJ who played each night following their last set would take our requests.  That being said, one keyboard player stayed onstage during breaks and played, for instance, Weather Report tunes... 

[sofietucker]

On 6/18/2022 at 7:32 PM, dockman said:

HAL might do well to practice a bit more of "if it ain't broke don't fix it"....BBK was best new entertainment addition to HAL in decades so some exec decides to get rid of it?  WOW  what is/was he/she thinking?

Welp, looks like we may finally be parting ways with HAL. We loved this line for a number of reasons, but particularly the live music. The Ocean bar used to always have a jazz combo for both "real" jazz and dance standards... Gone; final time was on the farewell voyage of the Prinsendam. HALcats, who were usually very good, by the pool and around the ship: gone. Piano bar in Crow's Nest, that featured requests and singalongs: gone.

 

We were thrilled when BBKing's first opened! Even though they never play but a single blues song, and zero jazz, and have to follow established setlists, on repeat. Depending on the band, they will sometimes play other tunes of their own choosing if they sacrifice their breaks.

 

Rolling Stone? Meh. Have seen on 2 ships; both times it was a cobbled-together band that had never played together until they met on the ship (I know, they do this sort of auditioning with the other musicians too, but these groups couldn't avoid stepping on each other's solo riffs and outperforming each other. Just something about the "rock" beast and professionalism, I guess.) Plus simply bad playing/singing, except for maybe 1-2 musicians.

 

Billboard dueling pianos? Less said the better. Though one time the couple was kind of like Captain and Tennille, lol. Another time the pianist knew nothing but Billy Joel...

 

And some of the excellent show bands used to occasionally throw together a late night improv jazz set in a bar... But guess what? On both our mid/"post" pandemic cruises (Celebrity, Oceania), all the stage shows were performed to prerecorded music (except some of the vocals)! Be interesting to see about HAL. The cruise lines may have generally decided to ditch an expensive band.

 

So given that live music, along with itinerary, is a big draw for us in cruising--why we won't cruise Viking, for instance--we may find ourselves voting with our feet off HAL, to Celebrity (Edge had 4 bands and 3 DJs, even minus the show band, in June 2021). A shame, since we are 4-star mariners, but free laundry ain't everything, lol.

Edited July 15, 2022 by sofietucker

[Grandma7]

I left Celebrity for HAL just for BB King! Really enjoyed the music and they were always packed on the 2 week cruise. I have 2 cruises scheduled on HAL and looks like they will continue  on those ships for now, but if they take that away I will definitely go back to Celebrity!

[timbom]

Ditto all of the above comments.  Only reason we have sailed Holland is because of BB King.

 

Their show room repeats are of little interest to me.  Hopefully they will come up with a replacement better than this offering.  Suspect just another money grab.

 

  

[57redbird]

A guy who was the lead singer at BB Kings on the Zuiderdam is now one of the recruiters & on his FB page there is a flyer for entertainers for HAL....maybe it's a supply & demand issue.

[57redbird]

https://bbkings.com/at-sea/

[VMax1700]

54 minutes ago, 57redbird said:

https://bbkings.com/at-sea/

 

Interesting that they must be US citizens.  

[Kelownabccan]

Too bad....was one of our fav places to hang out on HAL......always nice to have a live band and good old songs to dance to........the violin concerts were not our "cup of tea"....lol

[jabcruiser]

We have been big fans of the BBKing Blues Bands since they first started.  A big draw to HAL for us.  However, on our recent 35 day HI-So Pacific cruise on Zuiderdam we were very disappointed and only went twice.  Terrible band(especially singers) - no audience interaction, no dancing, bad song mix(no blues, no motown classics, half the songs I didn't even recognize).  Singers did not move one inch during entire performance. What a huge disappointment and on a 35 day cruise.  Not a fan of Rolling Stone.  Found it very amateurish on Konigsdam several years ago .  Maybe has improved by now.  Anyway, looks like music venues will no longer be a draw for us to cruise HAL.

Jane

[zgscl]

A source onboard indicated to me that there are issues with BBK bands and their ability to provide musicians. The transition to Rolling Stone Lounge is more due to them already having the name but the music will still be a mix of music with musicians coming from somewhere else and that it is not intended to be replaced by the same concept/music found on the newer ships. I will be very interested to read live reports of what the actual onboard experience is on ships with this newer concept. 

[muffin]

On Zuiderdam inI late June. Enjoyed new content of Rollingstone. BBK had run its course for us….same old, same old, and very loud.   Although only,55 % full, it was a happening place every night as was the piano bar. Highlight for us was Dancers in the theatre…..amazing repertoire and three programs all very different from one another.  Much more entertaining than the full  production program of yesteryear for us. They were really very good!  

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, zgscl said:

A source onboard indicated to me that there are issues with BBK bands and their ability to provide musicians. The transition to Rolling Stone Lounge is more due to them already having the name but the music will still be a mix of music with musicians coming from somewhere else and that it is not intended to be replaced by the same concept/music found on the newer ships.

 

Reading this is another indictment of the entertainment department's leadership and decisions that have been made, now for more than a decade, that have resulted in substandard entertainment that many expect.  

 

Excellent entertainment has been provided for a venue.  Only to be substituted with either no entertainment for a venue or disappointment after disappointment.