Lincoln Center Stage -- Disappointing

[SunNFunCruzer]

Heads up for those sailing the Rotterdam soon. Lower your expectations. While the ship and staff are 5 star, the highlight for us, Lincoln Center Stage, is falling flat (figuratively and literally). We just began week 2 of the Best of Norway cruise. For the first week, the quartet was a trio of women, who repeated songs in multiple programs and who frequently sounded off (I'm looking at you violinist).

 

A few days ago, the male cellist returned to the ensemble, and there was appreciable improvement. This afternoon's program, that will be repeated again at 7pm, was another mashup of programs that will be played throughout the week. Many songs we heard sans the cellist last week. The programs last ~30-35 minutes, and at most 3 programs a day a performed, why there is so much repetition is both mind-boggling and disappointing.

 

We book HAL mostly for itinerary and Lincoln Center. Some days last week, I could count the audience members on two hands. That is terrible for anyone in Corporate paying attention. Today's program was improved, and the audience multiplied quite nicely. How that audience will fare as they realize the same songs will be played over and over, should provide incentive to the Entertainment team and the quartet itself that their programs should diversify and grow.

 

We are die-hard LCS fans, but HAL must do better to keep us.

 

For those Covid conscious.... Mask wearing and social distancing are both nearly non-existent. Staff and passengers from last week to this have been diagnosed positive and quarantined. The staff are excellent.... Top to Bottom. The Captain makes multiple daily requests to wear masks indoors and when social distancing is not possible, yet the announcements fall on deaf ears. Sadly, it seems the staff bear the brunt, and that's a real shame.

 

Happy to answer any questions I can. 

[rodndonna]

I wonder if this is 'staffing' issue. They are not immune to Covid and are not easily replaced when a member(s) fall ill.

 

Although disappointing, I haven been keeping my expectations low until we are much further past the effects that Covid has had ,and will have on our travel experiences in general. We are coming on our 3rd cruise (Norway) with HAL, but they have all been post Covid. I am still wondering how closely our experiences reflect what HAL was 4 years ago, and what it will be 2 or 3 years from now.

[SilvertoGold]

I wonder what the violinist "sounds off" about. Interesting!

3 sets a day is the norm from what we have seen over 7+ weeks this year, each being one theme (Night at the Ballet, Movie Themes, Piano Recital, etc).

 

Who is the Captain and Hotel Manager?

[BobbiSox]

Thanks for the heads-up. I am boarding in late October for the back-to-back Southern Caribbean, my first time on Rottordam. Before the Covid cutbacks, I have enjoyed the quartet , then the trio, and most recently on Zaandam, I enjoyed the duet. I don't know if HAL can have a classicla 'solo' artist in the Loncoln Center State, but they may just try it. 

Edited August 22, 2022 by BobbiSox
typo

[SunNFunCruzer]

14 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

I wonder what the violinist "sounds off" about. Interesting!

3 sets a day is the norm from what we have seen over 7+ weeks this year, each being one theme (Night at the Ballet, Movie Themes, Piano Recital, etc).

 

Who is the Captain and Hotel Manager?

 

Lol... I thought I was clear.... Violinist is flat. Captain is Timmers, , Hotel Mgr is Van Oorschot. And three daily 35 minute original and/or distinct programs would be great. Even repeating one program in a day, like a theatre show is repeated, would be acceptable. What's happening is that whole shows/programs are repeated and then the additional distinct programs are conglomerations and mashups of those repeated programs, which leads to mind-numbing repetition and that led me to create this topic.

[aliaschief]

Just watched the afternoon quartet of three strings and pianist. Sounded great to me. These are back to back cruises. The movie last night was the same as our previous Sunday embarkation. Exploration presentation today on Norway was as same as last Monday.

 

Main Dining room same menu so far as last week.Though we booked this cruise as a 14 day Best Of Norway cruise it’s basically programmed as a seven day cruise which will have repeats.

Though I agree that it would be nice to have some new choices this does often occur on what really are back to back same cruises.

 

I’m no way a music connoisseur but the quartet sounded good to me and I thought they were very talented.

 

Still having a great time.

[SunNFunCruzer]

1 minute ago, aliaschief said:

Just watched the afternoon quartet of three strings and pianist. Sounded great to me. 

 

Yes, today's performance was improved, as I stated in my original post. Did you attend any performances last week? Performances of the trio?

 

[SunNFunCruzer]

12 minutes ago, BobbiSox said:

Thanks for the heads-up. I am boarding in late October for the back-to-back Southern Caribbean, my first time on Rottordam. Before the Covid cutbacks, I have enjoyed the quartet , then the trio, and most recently on Zaandam, I enjoyed the duet. I don't know if HAL can have a classicla 'solo' artist in the Loncoln Center State, but they may just try it. 

 

Yes. I would take a unique and original program of one, two or three musicians any day over continuously repeated songs and programs performed by a quartet.

 

[SunNFunCruzer]

8 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

The movie last night was the same as our previous Sunday embarkation. 

 

For anyone boarding Rotterdam, to address the complaint above, the movie on deck may be repeated, but I'd guess there are close to 100 On Demand movies available for free in your stateroom. In fact, Rotterdam has the most comprehensive movie collection I've seen at sea. For comparison, hop on over to the Carnival board, where someone just complained that all on-demand movies were removed for their sailing.

[VMax1700]

15 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Main Dining room same menu so far as last week

Really?  As we board next Sunday, I have been watching the menus and have them all listed (sad I know!).

According to the menus that are on my Navigator, last week on Sunday (day 1) was Spaghetti Aglio, Top Sirloin with button mushrooms, Cod with endive, Rudi's Chicken Cordon Bleu, etc

Yesterday (day 1 again) was Bucatini, Haddock, Pork Medallions, Short Rib with olives, Rudi's Spiced Chicken etc.

Last week on Monday (day 2) was Blue Gala - Filet Mignon with green peppercorn sauce, Lamb Chops and Today (day 2) is Silver Gala - Filet Mignon Oscar, Rack of Lamb.

So my question really is if these are the menus you actually have onboard or is it just sample menus posted to the Navigator if not onboard?

[StevieElle]

Re your Covid comment. We board in a few weeks. If guests were quarantined, did they have to change rooms? We plan on breakfast room service but where can we eat dinner safely? As we look forward to seeing the fjords, we will wear our N95 masks on board but are afraid of getting sick.

[Cruise Suzy]

28 minutes ago, StevieElle said:

Re your Covid comment. We board in a few weeks. If guests were quarantined, did they have to change rooms? We plan on breakfast room service but where can we eat dinner safely? As we look forward to seeing the fjords, we will wear our N95 masks on board but are afraid of getting sick.

Welcome to CC.

 

It depends on the situation if those who test positive stay in the same stateroom or are moved. You can order room service from the In Room Dining or MDR menus - MDR order needs to be within the first hour or so the MDR is open. Depending upon how your desire to see the fjords relates to your fear of getting sick, you may want to reconsider the cruise. DH and I have cruised 3 times since the restart but we live in an area where very few wear masks, so a cruise is not much different than our daily lives. We are vaccinated, boosted and wear masks as needed.

 

Now back to the original subject ...

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by Cruise Suzy

[bluesplayer]

Sorry to hear about Lincoln Center.  Every cruise I have been on the musicians in LC were top notch.  This was pre Covid.  Many were Russian, which I doubt this is the case now.

[Dunmore2]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

Really?  As we board next Sunday, I have been watching the menus and have them all listed (sad I know!).

According to the menus that are on my Navigator, last week on Sunday (day 1) was Spaghetti Aglio, Top Sirloin with button mushrooms, Cod with endive, Rudi's Chicken Cordon Bleu, etc

Yesterday (day 1 again) was Bucatini, Haddock, Pork Medallions, Short Rib with olives, Rudi's Spiced Chicken etc.

Last week on Monday (day 2) was Blue Gala - Filet Mignon with green peppercorn sauce, Lamb Chops and Today (day 2) is Silver Gala - Filet Mignon Oscar, Rack of Lamb.

So my question really is if these are the menus you actually have onboard or is it just sample menus posted to the Navigator if not onboard?

Back when you sailed on the Oosterdam in May(?) and you so kindly posted your menus, ( and the bread pudding pics) that was exactly what my Navigator app was showing at home. 

[aliaschief]

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Really?  As we board next Sunday, I have been watching the menus and have them all listed (sad I know!).

According to the menus that are on my Navigator, last week on Sunday (day 1) was Spaghetti Aglio, Top Sirloin with button mushrooms, Cod with endive, Rudi's Chicken Cordon Bleu, etc

Yesterday (day 1 again) was Bucatini, Haddock, Pork Medallions, Short Rib with olives, Rudi's Spiced Chicken etc.

Last week on Monday (day 2) was Blue Gala - Filet Mignon with green peppercorn sauce, Lamb Chops and Today (day 2) is Silver Gala - Filet Mignon Oscar, Rack of Lamb.

So my question really is if these are the menus you actually have onboard or is it just sample menus posted to the Navigator if not onboard?

I’ll admit we have not done a large comparison of menus. To us it has seemed when previewing menus that there were some repeats or similar menus.

Specialty dining were packed last week and the trend is starting to pick up this week. Many first time cruisers disappointed as they had not made advanced reservations.

[SunNFunCruzer]

6 hours ago, StevieElle said:

Re your Covid comment. We board in a few weeks. If guests were quarantined, did they have to change rooms? We plan on breakfast room service but where can we eat dinner safely? As we look forward to seeing the fjords, we will wear our N95 masks on board but are afraid of getting sick.

 

Some guests get moved to the quarantine floor (the "ward"). Standard policy is that you need to change rooms unless all the quarantine rooms are full. Fear of catching Covid on the Rotterdam under current protocols is reasonable. If I knew what I know now (what actual conditions onboard would be like), when I booked, I would not have booked. Not worth the risk. The coughs became louder and more frequent as the end of the cruise (the 5th, 6th and 7th day approached). Now, in week 2, you can imagine....

 

I expected with the average age of the HAL cruiser trending so high, extra protocols would be in place. On this Best of Norway cruise, I think the average age is the youngest I've experienced. Many younger Europeans.... Good luck!

 

[SunNFunCruzer]

6 hours ago, StevieElle said:

We plan on breakfast room service but where can we eat dinner safely? 

 

If you mean "safely from Covid" the back of Deck 9 on the port side closest to aft is your best bet. This is the rear of the lido buffet, although the smoke from the starboard side of deck 9 at times is unbearable. And it feels yucky, like you're breathing in someone else's exhale.

 

The smokers are numerous.... on the lido and on their balconies, sadly.

 

Although there are negatives on these posts, we've enjoyed the cruise, obviously just not as much as we would have if people were more courteous, respectful, thoughtful and conscientious.

[Crusin-Suzan]

7 hours ago, SunNFunCruzer said:

 

Lol... I thought I was clear.... Violinist is flat. Captain is Timmers, , Hotel Mgr is Van Oorschot. And three daily 35 minute original and/or distinct programs would be great. Even repeating one program in a day, like a theatre show is repeated, would be acceptable. What's happening is that whole shows/programs are repeated and then the additional distinct programs are conglomerations and mashups of those repeated programs, which leads to mind-numbing repetition and that led me to create this topic.

Errol Nelson was not HD?

[ChinaShrek]

8 hours ago, SunNFunCruzer said:

 

 

For those Covid conscious.... Mask wearing and social distancing are both nearly non-existent. Staff and passengers from last week to this have been diagnosed positive and quarantined. The staff are excellent.... Top to Bottom. The Captain makes multiple daily requests to wear masks indoors and when social distancing is not possible, yet the announcements fall on deaf ears. Sadly, it seems the staff bear the brunt, and that's a real shame.

 

Happy to answer any questions I can. 

 

I was on the same cruise as you and had a wonderful time. I'm not sure how you heard about positive Covid cases or quarantining taking place. No announcements were made about this that I heard. No notices were distributed. As for the crew suffering? Again, how do you know this? I asked several crew members (steward, waitress, bartender, and cleaning person) and they told me that they wanted to remove their masks but couldn't. The cruise was almost normal! I am also happy to answer questions.

[Guest ldtr]

9 hours ago, SunNFunCruzer said:

 

Lol... I thought I was clear.... Violinist is flat. Captain is Timmers, , Hotel Mgr is Van Oorschot. And three daily 35 minute original and/or distinct programs would be great. Even repeating one program in a day, like a theatre show is repeated, would be acceptable. What's happening is that whole shows/programs are repeated and then the additional distinct programs are conglomerations and mashups of those repeated programs, which leads to mind-numbing repetition and that led me to create this topic.

The norm for Lincoln Center on HAL is the same program repeated 3 times each day.  The programs are also repeated every 7 days so the programs the second week should be the same as during the first week. Was the same pre-Covid.

[Sea42]

2 hours ago, SunNFunCruzer said:

The smokers are numerous.... on the lido and on their balconies, sadly.

Smoking on the balconies should be reported each time you smell it. The staff take these complaints very seriously.

[Wakepatrol]

I will have David Foster on the next plane, he will straighten things out

[NavyCruiser]

Although we appreciate classical music, we are looking forward to enjoying some good rock, blues & dueling pianos also....

[VMax1700]

4 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

dueling pianos

They are not 'duelling pianos'.  They are just two pianists who play a limited set list and try to sing along, sometimes ok, but mostly poorly.🙄

[Nang]

I have to agree with VMax. We got off the Rotterdam 10 days ago. The pianists are good entertainers but do not expect good quality singing.

 

I am not surprised to hear there are repeats in the LSC performances. It was the same with the Rolling Stones Rock band and the pianists. However, given they do 3 performances of 45 minutes, 6 days a week it is no surprise to me. The Rock band did introduce a few new songs in their sets over the 3 weeks we were onboard however after a week I noticed the repetition but it did not bother me. On other ships we frequented the BB Kings and also noticed the repetition.