‘World Stage’ entertainment

[momilani]

I haven’t traveled at all in 3 years (last trip was 11/19 on the Noordam) and the World Stage is new to me.  Is the entertainment there like the song-and-dance shows of old, or is it more like the BBC movie stuff?  Still 2 shows nightly? Times?  
We’ve booked a cruise on the Konigsdam in December and having not traveled since the plague hit, I don’t know how much it has changed things. Thanks!

[rkacruiser]

My only "World Stage" entertainment experience was during the early sailings of Nieuw Statendam.  I was most disappointed in what I experienced in view of the hype from HAL.  A modern dance company that was "interesting".  But, one performance was enough for me.  The use of the theater's technical abilities were woefully used.  (But, that has been true for all of the main theater productions on all of the Vista and Signature Class ships, in my opinion.)  

 

Recent posts that I have read indicate that there has been improvements in the programming.  That's a hopeful sign.  

 

BBC Earth?  Yes, on some sailings, such programming does still exist, I believe.  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 hours ago, momilani said:

I haven’t traveled at all in 3 years (last trip was 11/19 on the Noordam) and the World Stage is new to me.  Is the entertainment there like the song-and-dance shows of old, or is it more like the BBC movie stuff?  Still 2 shows nightly? Times?  
We’ve booked a cruise on the Konigsdam in December and having not traveled since the plague hit, I don’t know how much it has changed things. Thanks!

Here is the typical entertainment now a days - 

2 shows - usually 7:30 and 9:30

You can expect comedians, solo vocalists, and male quartet groups and a variety of instrumentalist.   This aspect of the entertainment is largely unchanged.   Singers will now often sing to pre recorded music and the live orchestras are not usually available.   Comedians can play on both the world stage and the BB King stage.  

The big change is the traditional production shows - all your old favorites "Midnight Hour" etc are no longer performed.   HAL no longer has any entertainers that are part of ships company.  They are all considered guest entertainers.    The old Belinda King production shows have been replaced by a company called "Step One Dance Company"   Here is a good clip showing the current production shows.   We like them a lot - never miss a show and often see them twice - Others don't like them - So FWIW - Watch this video and judge for yourself.   

 

 

The Koningsdam will also have the BB King Band and Rolling Stone Rock band performing - also there is a pair of piano players singing pop songs and taking requests.

 

During the day - Lincoln Center has a nice offering of classical music with a string quartet

 

I am not a big fan of BBC live earth - I much prefer live entertainers than watching a movie.  

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by The-Inside-Cabin

[taxmantoo]

Don't forget about "Origins Story" the new 45 minute HAL infomercial guaranteed to knock your socks off  🙄 on the first night of the cruise. zzzzzzzz

[Btimmer]

In addition to the above, there are generally EXC presentations by the Cruise & Travel Director on a theme related to the cruise.  For our just completed Alaska cruise, there was an Alaska themed presentation and for our upcoming Canada, Greenland and Iceland cruise there is a Canada presentation.  There are also some generic EXC presentations thrown in like Surfing, Wireless Communications, etc.

 

I'm one of those who's not a big fan of the Step One Dance Company Presentations.  We've seen them from the very beginning, and with them on every ship, it's gotten a bit boring for the most part.  There are a couple that I really like and don't mind seeing again:  Humanity and the one with the Pianists from Billboard Onboard and the vocalist from the Rolling Stone Lounge or BBKing stage.  I really believe there needs to be more variety of Main Stage entertainment across the fleet.  For our upcoming NS cruise next week, there are no presentations by Step One in the first half of the cruise, just great entertainers and BBC Earth accompanied by the Lincoln Center stage artists who are really good.

[oakridger]

3 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Don't forget about "Origins Story" the new 45 minute HAL infomercial guaranteed to knock your socks off  🙄 on the first night of the cruise. zzzzzzzz

 

I plan on attending this talk on one of my cruises, but I think it is more suited to an afternoon at sea presentation as an enrichment lecture.  It isn't my idea of a fun evening show!! 

[montythecat]

Music is important to us so we have jumped ship from Celebrity. I dislike

their theatre productions so we are giving HAL a try because of their

interesting approach to trying to provide music which might appeal to

the majority of their passengers. The Billboard On Board offerings work

for us on the Pinnacle class ships with the rock band in The Rolling 

Stone Lounge, the two pianists and the classical quartet. On Nieuw

Statendam in May BB Kings was a disappointment. Very little blues and

lots of boring soul music. Nevertheless, we had enough to keep us very happy.

Unfortunately, a couple of months later on Oosterdam it wasn’t as good. The

Rolling Stone Lounge was occupied by a rather poor soul band who 

provided no variety at all in their offerings. It was a carbon copy of BB Kings

on NS. Whilst the classical stuff was good and and Christa and John saved

our evenings on the pianos we weren’t getting the new approach to music

which HAL led us to believe we would be listening to. It is a pity that the original

intentions for RSL and BBK seem to have been abandoned. Only the RSL

survives on the three new ships with music we are particularly keen on. 

There was little in the theatre to attract us although we did pop in, albeit briefly, 

to see what they were providing. As expected, it was singers and dancers

which is not our cup of tea.

We have another cruise booked on Oosterdam (a long delayed COVID postponement)

in 2023 and after that the jury will be out on whether or not we stay with HAL. If we do,

it will definitely only be on Pinnacle Class ships. I just hope they will be visiting the 

places we want to explore. I trust I have provided a useful summary of our entertainment 

experiences on HAL.

 

 

[ski ww]

Just finished a two week cruise on the Oosterdam. No interesting guest speaker on a sea days, didn't watch the dancers had one magician.  Went to the Main Stage three times in the two weeks. We used to go every night.  Entertainment has gone down hill from past years.