NCL Reducing Entertainment Staff Across the Fleet

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Oh, we missed the old classics like Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals on stage at the Stardust Theater, old days when Jean Ann Ryan Productions ran them - then, to cut costs ... NCL Productions came around & took over, and wasn't too popular initially but "Fountains" was fun & entertaining then with the CD on stage in a leading role ... and some of the crew talent shows weren't bad.  

 

Maybe, Frankie & Harry Company is going to re-train among the more talented crew members to become the next wave of onboard entertainers ... keeping in line with Sail & Sustain by digitizing those stage sets with 3D virtual ones.  /s  

 

Just not going to walk into a semi packed theater to watch a movie while some folks are heard coughing & sneezing, etc. etc.  Could do that safely from the privacy & relative safety of one's suite and stateroom, studios to balconies, it really doesn't matter - and Room Service specials at 50% off ... a winner ?? 

 

Gotta have a sense of humor these days.  

Maybe they can send some of the Miami staff to do Fountains.

[cementhands]

The main reason we love NCL is the amount of activities staff! Live bands and dancing opportunities. Big fan of mojitos bar with live music and dancing. Zumba classes line dancing and theme parties good comedians and tribute bands tooo! Enjoy the big shows but it’s gotta be hard to recruit and keep them healthy and performing with the ongoing covid19. 

[02143]

This is a sensitive topic that I'll try to handle respectfully.

 

I am sure that budget and savings is always a compelling reason for a company to cut a show. However, I wonder how much Kinky Boots being a show centered on a drag queen is perceived as more controversial for NCL's customers in 2023 than in the past, now that it's become a political topic, especially in Florida. I don't think that drove the decision, but it may have made it easier to axe.

[iamaqt2]

20 minutes ago, 02143 said:

This is a sensitive topic that I'll try to handle respectfully.

 

I am sure that budget and savings is always a compelling reason for a company to cut a show. However, I wonder how much Kinky Boots being a show centered on a drag queen is perceived as more controversial for NCL's customers in 2023 than in the past, now that it's become a political topic, especially in Florida. I don't think that drove the decision, but it may have made it easier to axe.

I highly doubt NCL axed it because of its theme.. NCL told politicians to pound sand once before, I doubt they canceled their show for any political reasons. 

This is purely finance driven.. they need to increase revenue and cut costs across the board to recoup the losses of the last 2 years.

[rj59]

What’s next in entertainment cutbacks? “The Million Dollar Duet”? The Fab Three in the Cavern Club (sorry, George). None of it can be as bad as HAL, which got rid of its singers/dancers and now every ship has a choice of 3 dance shows and a nature documentary. Every music venue is tied to a corporate sponsor and every musician can only play from an approved setlist. Booring.

[New2cruise2022]

This could be a knee jerk reaction as many actions follow a process without adequate contemplation. That being said, they should have some good data to look at. NCL can see the reservations and get an adequate headcount. NCL also has survey data they can analyze. Anecdotally, there are lots of people that love entertainment, but they may be too tired to actually enjoy the entertainment. I am not privy to this information, so I can’t comment on it. 
 

I would never be inclined to give any company credit for this in the current climate — but maybe (probably not) this is cost diversion instead of cost cutting. For example, I like being entertained. But I value good service and good food more than I value entertainment. If I am eating and drinking with people I like, I don’t need a comedian, a magician, or a Broadway hit to be happy. Give me a good table and good food and I can enjoy my day. 

[ceilidh1]

Anyone know the status of Six? I've seen it twice on Bliss but last April it wasn't offered on our sailing. We are sailing her again this April and it shows on the entertainment offerings, but wasn't sure if it was running yet.

[kjquilts]

13 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

Anyone know the status of Six? I've seen it twice on Bliss but last April it wasn't offered on our sailing. We are sailing her again this April and it shows on the entertainment offerings, but wasn't sure if it was running yet.

 

We saw it on Bliss in May

[DaggoB]

Also in November. 

[McFins]

6 hours ago, laudergayle said:

Noise Boys is no longer showing under Entertainment for our April Prima cruise.  For me, they pulled Priscilla on Epic right after we made final payment, and now Noise Boys right after final.  I guess my timing is off…lol.

Noise boys no longer showing on May Prima cruise…but was there a week or so ago

 

 

[CruizinKittie40]

On 1/13/2023 at 2:31 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

My only concern is that they'll eventually bring it back.

lol right?

I would rather see other amenities  implemented over free "entertainment".  Give me FREE WIFI  

[CruizinKittie40]

5 hours ago, cementhands said:

The main reason we love NCL is the amount of activities staff! Live bands and dancing opportunities. Big fan of mojitos bar with live music and dancing. Zumba classes line dancing and theme parties good comedians and tribute bands tooo! Enjoy the big shows but it’s gotta be hard to recruit and keep them healthy and performing with the ongoing covid19. 

I've always found this odd. I go on vacation to relax and Zumba is the last thing I would want to do on a cruise LOL

 

To each his own! 

[DaCruiseBug]

Next up they'll install movie screens in the theatre and just show a recording of each show instead.

 

Wouldn't put it past NCL anyways...

[CruiseMH]

21 hours ago, uneamie said:

 How is cutting out staff improving operating efficiencies?Wouldn't less staff make it harder to be efficient? 

Efficiency means to do the work with as little amount of staff as possible.

If the same work can be done with 9 % less employees than it automatically increases the efficiency

"efficiency" in almost all large companies is just another word for profitability.

 

I don`t need the second daily room service,but the live entertainment is one of the things that NCL is famous for. the big stage shows as well as the large amount of live musicians/performers throughout the ship.

If the reduce this significantly they are loosing an important part of their concept.

I still do have cruise next certificates and will use it for a cruise end of the year(most likely)

 

Based on the experience on this cruise i will decide whether to use NCL again or maybe switch to RCCL.

 

[laudergayle]

30 minutes ago, CruiseMH said:

I still do have cruise next certificates

You bring up a good point.  We have three cruises in 2023, of which 2 of them we’ve already used Cruise Next certs.  Based on all of the changes (increased DSC, reduced daily service; increased Beverage package gratuities, fewer onboard liquor/wine/beer options; non-complimentary breakfast room service; subtle but noticeable changes in SPD menu and up charges; and now…eliminating some of the off-Broadway productions and reducing on-board entertainment…did I miss anything?), we will not buy Cruise Next certs on our next 2 cruises.  We might consider Cruise First @. $250 …but we will not emboldened ourselves to NCL with onboard CruiseNext.  Hope that this statistic will be strong enough for NCL to reconsider their price/value/competition equation. 

[lostinparadise999]

10 hours ago, njkate said:

I have to agree!! Within the last few months they have upped the DSC, they have eliminated free room svc for continental breakfast, they have reduced cabin servicing from twice a day to once a day and now cutting back on entertainment add to that currently very high pricing, what I used to pay for two in a balcony barely gets me an inside on some itineraries.

 

Yes I get inflation but imo cruise fare has really jumped.

 

I have a cruise in March on Dawn, then have an April 2024 trans Atlantic booked that I got at a reasonable fare that can be cancelled if Del Rio comes up with anymore cuts to service

 

Was looking at Europe cruises for summer but I’m not paying $1500 pp or more depending on cruise, won’t touch Prima at those prices, for an inside, so booked Paris/Normandy land vacation 

 

 

We stopped doing NCL when the food variety was cut and extra charges for lamb chops, lobster etc. Also gratuity on other  lines are $16 US and NCL is $20 hmm two gratuity price increases in the same year.

NCL is telling their client there is no deals and it's going to cost you period and the think you will pay because they are NCL.

Just how much does NCL think the cruise passengers will put up with before jumping ship?

Gee the only one that doesn't get salary cut....Del Rio. He will get a bigger bonus. 

[zgscl]

Ironically they announced this change less than 24 hours after buying a cruise within final payment. It will be interesting to see the changes that take place between now and when I sail in May. Hopefully they still will have good entertainment even if it is somewhat more efficient (read cheaper and scaled back with fewer people to pay). I imagine I will still be impressed - I have been sailing HAL on much smaller ships for a long while, and their offering is extremely repetitive and in some cases pathetic. 

[RD64]

22 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Oh, we missed the old classics like Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals on stage at the Stardust Theater, old days when Jean Ann Ryan Productions ran them - then, to cut costs ... NCL Productions came around & took over, and wasn't too popular initially but "Fountains" was fun & entertaining then with the CD on stage in a leading role ... and some of the crew talent shows weren't bad.  

 

Maybe, Frankie & Harry Company is going to re-train among the more talented crew members to become the next wave of onboard entertainers ... keeping in line with Sail & Sustain by digitizing those stage sets with 3D virtual ones.  /s  

 

Just not going to walk into a semi packed theater to watch a movie while some folks are heard coughing & sneezing, etc. etc.  Could do that safely from the privacy & relative safety of one's suite and stateroom, studios to balconies, it really doesn't matter - and Room Service specials at 50% off ... a winner ?? 

 

Gotta have a sense of humor these days.  

The Jean Ann Ryan shows - The JARS - simply the best cruise line entertainment at the time - and sadly never to be repeated. If you didn’t sail on The Norway in the 1980s / 90s you have no idea how much cruise ship entertainment has declined. For those that are going to refer to me as a dinosaur because I miss one of the many highlights of classic cruising - please feel free to bring it on.

[RD64]

1 hour ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

lol right?

I would rather see other amenities  implemented over free "entertainment".  Give me FREE WIFI  

Believe it or not - we managed quite nicely 25 years ago without this thing you call the Internet on a cruise. We all had responsibilities, things to deal with back home, but we managed to survive for a week in blissful ignorance. Mind you, there was ship to shore telephones if necessary.

Edited January 15, 2023 by RD64

[laudergayle]

15 minutes ago, lostinparadise999 said:

Del Rio.

That would be plural. 

[ontheweb]

On 1/13/2023 at 7:43 PM, wally4ever said:

Kinky Boots is a great show.  What about it is so irksome to you that you would prefer it not to be offered even to those interested in watching it?

Agree, great show, we actually saw it on Broadway.

[ontheweb]

13 hours ago, luv2kroooz said:

I have been following along on the live thread for Getaway 1-8-23. This is a twelve night sailing. I think they are seven or so nights in at the time I am typing this. The posted freestyle dailies shed a lot of insight to current entertainment.

 

They have yet to have one " fly-on" entertainer in the main theater. Maybe the fly on acts have already been eliminated, too. They've had three nights of burn the floor. Three nights of the comedy, which are the same comedians that perform in Headliners comedy club. And a movie.

 

Live lounge entertainment has also been drastically reduced. There is one cover band, a duo or two and a pianist. It looks to me like the band that used to play in the Manhattan room or more formal main dining room has been eliminated. That is now shared among the onboard bands mentioned above.

 

I, too, am wondering about the situation over at NCLH in general and NCL specifically. I guess the 4q results will tell a lot. When Mr. Del Rio spoke to investors a few months ago, he used words like record bookings, record yields, and prices 30% higher than the previous record year of 2019. They had a clear path to profitability he proudly announced. Expectedly, he didn't mention anything about the significantly reduced onboard experiences and pending layoffs of shoreside employees right before Christmas, entertainment staff and crew. Again, 4q results will shed light.

 

This may not impact those who don't care about entertainment. For us, we enjoy entertainment and the live music and these were things that NCL did really well pre-Corona.

Been on 5 different cruise lines, and the one thing I can say NCL did best on our NCL cruises was they had the best entertainment. This would be a bad area to cut down on. JMHO

[stefmaia]

Looks like Noise Boys has been removed from my Feb 5 cruise on Prima.

[uneamie]

4 hours ago, CruiseMH said:

Efficiency means to do the work with as little amount of staff as possible.

If the same work can be done with 9 % less employees than it automatically increases the efficiency

"efficiency" in almost all large companies is just another word for profitability.

 

I don`t need the second daily room service,but the live entertainment is one of the things that NCL is famous for. the big stage shows as well as the large amount of live musicians/performers throughout the ship.

If the reduce this significantly they are loosing an important part of their concept.

I still do have cruise next certificates and will use it for a cruise end of the year(most likely)

 

Based on the experience on this cruise i will decide whether to use NCL again or maybe switch to RCCL.

 

I guess the word "efficient" means something different to me. I'm thinking that say for instance they employ less room stewards to make up the rooms...........this would mean it takes longer to get the rooms cleaned............thus "less efficient".  Hiring less bartenders, thus one bartender versus 2 means he is servicing the same amount of people and creating a very less efficient experience for the customer. However....I can see where it all translates into profit, but certainly not more efficient to me. 

[AnitaVacation]

10 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Been on 5 different cruise lines, and the one thing I can say NCL did best on our NCL cruises was they had the best entertainment. This would be a bad area to cut down on. JMHO

We used to cruise mostly between Carnival and NCL. People would always ask me which one I liked better. My standard answer used to be 'Carnival has larger cabins, but NCL has way better entertainment.' Well, in the last few years, Carnival has upped thier game on entertainment and NCL has brought in ships with larger cabins... so it was getting evened out... So, I guess now my answer is 'whichever one gives the biggest bang for our buck'....I'm booked on the MardiGras 5x this year... 

 

We did a 10-day cruise on the Getaway in November, the lack of good entertainment was definitley noted...MDQ was our only night in the theatre for the entire 10 days, Syd Normans only had 4 shows in 10 days filled in with karaoke on non-show nights.

 

Also, didn't NCL used to have some complementary movies on demand in the cabin? Now, every movie on demand is $10??? 

 

(my very first cruise was in 2006 on the Norwegian Magesty, oceanview cabin, 104 sq... can you even imagine??) 😶