Fewer Onboard Activities on HAL?

[charliedalrymple]

16 hours ago, ajcathy said:

I enjoyed the Music Walk every night

 

Several of you have mentioned the music walk.  What is that?

[oakridger]

The area of the ship where music groups and possibly other entertainment happens.  You will find The Rolling Stone Rock Room, Billboard Onboard and BB Kings Band there. (depending on the ship)

 

~Nancy

Edited May 8, 2023 by oakridger

[Overhead Fred]

On the Pinnacle class ships (Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Rotterdam), they often show movies at night on the huge screen above the Lido pool and the NY Deli serves all kinds of late night snacks you can enjoy while watching. 

 

I was just on the Rotterdam for 33 days and never lacked for things to do. It is true that much of the evening entertainment is music oriented (BB Kings, piano duo, rock band) and that is fine for me. The music usually did not end until midnight or a bit later. 

 

I think the entertainment is pretty ship (or at least ship class) dependent. Cruise length, itinerary, cruise director, and such also probably play a role. 

 

[DaveOKC]

No doubt that HAL is offering fewer things to do than in pre-Covid days.  However, the 3 Pinnacle class ships do have more options (Music walk, movies under the stars, etc) than the older HAL ships.

 

[Guest ldtr]

12 hours ago, BarbandDaleT said:

We are sailing HAL for the first time soon and this sounds a little depressing.  

It's fine, you just have to adjust to the line and not get upset because it is a bit different. We found the ship size good, the indoor pool area nice and the food quite good. Even if entertainment is a bit limited other things make up for it.

[roussillon]

Hi All.  We have not yet booked this Rotterdam, cruise but I think that all should be made aware of some upcoming changes to the musical entertainment onboard HAL....I presume it is due to cost-cutting, as everyone I know really likes the music walk.  Having multiple daily chamber music quartet concerts has been a highlight for us, but this is going to change.  There will no longer be a Lincoln Center Stage, and apparently the string trio and piano will rotate around various ships in the fleet, and will be in the Theatre And just think how many ships there are, and they will not be on all cruises I guess. So this is a major cut.  BBKing stays on some ships, but there are some changes coming in the smaller ships:  There will be a new Rolling Stone lounge with different playlist which will take the place of BBKing. this is a big downgrade from my viewpoint.  Please consider this when setting your expectations.

 

We were on the Nieuw Statendam a few weeks ago and the Cruise Director alluded to changes coming from HAL headquarters but could not give any details. But he confirmed that changes were in the works. I came home and found this article from The Points Guy which is a reasonably reputable travel site.  You can read the details that leaked out a few months ago which I was not aware of:

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-line-removes-music-venues/

 

I think HAL should be more forthcoming on details, as we are all putting down lots of money for an entertainment package which has been confirmed to be degraded significantly.  HAL is my favorite line, but we are having some second thoughts now due to the sneaky way the changes are being handled.

 

Anyway, Happy Cruising!   Roussillon

[Mary229]

19 minutes ago, roussillon said:

Hi All.  We have not yet booked this Rotterdam, cruise but I think that all should be made aware of some upcoming changes to the musical entertainment onboard HAL....I presume it is due to cost-cutting, as everyone I know really likes the music walk.  Having multiple daily chamber music quartet concerts has been a highlight for us, but this is going to change.  There will no longer be a Lincoln Center Stage, and apparently the string trio and piano will rotate around various ships in the fleet, and will be in the Theatre And just think how many ships there are, and they will not be on all cruises I guess. So this is a major cut.  BBKing stays on some ships, but there are some changes coming in the smaller ships:  There will be a new Rolling Stone lounge with different playlist which will take the place of BBKing. this is a big downgrade from my viewpoint.  Please consider this when setting your expectations.

 

We were on the Nieuw Statendam a few weeks ago and the Cruise Director alluded to changes coming from HAL headquarters but could not give any details. But he confirmed that changes were in the works. I came home and found this article from The Points Guy which is a reasonably reputable travel site.  You can read the details that leaked out a few months ago which I was not aware of:

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-line-removes-music-venues/

 

I think HAL should be more forthcoming on details, as we are all putting down lots of money for an entertainment package which has been confirmed to be degraded significantly.  HAL is my favorite line, but we are having some second thoughts now due to the sneaky way the changes are being handled.

 

Anyway, Happy Cruising!   Roussillon

We don’t know what is up.  Much consensus has been built around the idea that they are simply ditching the expensive branding and perhaps will go back to the days when they acted as their own talent agency instead of relying on these packages.  I am not a fan of the branded packages - they are far too rigid. The same playlist, the same style, the same errors compounded over and over. 

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

We don’t know what is up.  Much consensus has been built around the idea that they are simply ditching the expensive branding and perhaps will go back to the days when they acted as their own talent agency instead of relying on these packages.  I am not a fan of the branded packages - they are far too rigid. The same playlist, the same style, the same errors compounded over and over. 

Yep, I would prefer that they book existing bands with their own character to play in the venues, instead of forming a band out of individual musicians, and playing a limited set of songs.

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, ldtr said:

Yep, I would prefer that they book existing bands with their own character to play in the venues, instead of forming a band out of individual musicians, and playing a limited set of songs.

Here is my assumption about branded bands.  The brand sets the size of band, the instruments, the song list and perhaps even a training session.  .  I find the branded versions to be watered down to fit the palate of a certain demographic they don’t want anyone coloring outside of the lines.  
 

in the “good ole days” HAL sought out talent through agencies looking for quality free lancers.  It likely was cheaper and far more interesting.  Yes, we still had classical music, rock and roll.  Rhythm and blues was not well represented but pardon my New Orleans homegrown snobbery - it still isn’t.  

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

Here is my assumption about branded bands.  The brand sets the size of band, the instruments, the song list and perhaps even a training session.  .  I find the branded versions to be watered down to fit the palate of a certain demographic they don’t want anyone coloring outside of the lines.  

 

While I agree with this up to a point, the flip side is quality. The "cocktail music trio" that joined Westerdam to play in the Ocean Bar nightly were absolutely atrocious musicians. They were nice kids, the music wasn't gratingly loud, but -- they just couldn't play well.

 

Especially contrasted with the extremely talented and polished Lincoln Center Stage group that they apparently replaced.

 

[mcrcruiser]

Hopefully  a day in the future when they can spend a bit more HAL will bring back the production shows  to the World Stage.We miss those a lot as well as  magicians ,ie

[Mary229]

22 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

While I agree with this up to a point, the flip side is quality. The "cocktail music trio" that joined Westerdam to play in the Ocean Bar nightly were absolutely atrocious musicians. They were nice kids, the music wasn't gratingly loud, but -- they just couldn't play well.

 

Especially contrasted with the extremely talented and polished Lincoln Center Stage group that they apparently replaced.

 

HAL needs to step up their entertainment, no doubt, and the cost of branding is an unnecessary added cost.  They are due for a change of offerings.  I hope they soon announce a newly formulated entertainment package.

[cruisemom42]

11 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

HAL needs to step up their entertainment, no doubt, and the cost of branding is an unnecessary added cost.  They are due for a change of offerings.  I hope they soon announce a newly formulated entertainment package.

 

Yes, but my point is that at least branding is some guarantee of quality. The trio they had on board should not ever have been hired. I honestly could not sit through one of their sets and enjoy a drink.

 

If HAL wants to get rid of branded acts then fine. But don't replace it with something worse.

[Mary229]

Just now, cruisemom42 said:

 

Yes, but my point is that at least branding is some guarantee of quality. The trio they had on board should not ever have been hired. I honestly could not sit through one of their sets and enjoy a drink.

 

If HAL wants to get rid of branded acts then fine. But don't replace it with something worse.

I hope I am not simply being sentimental but prior to all of this branding nonsense I  was always pleased with HAL entertainment especially their formerly stellar enrichment programs.  Even the cooking demos were fun

[AFNavigator]

On 5/7/2023 at 3:57 PM, ldtr said:

One of the problem is that the venues on HAL ships are not designed in a way to be conducive to some of those other activities.  Where as on Princess you have 2 other general purpose venues in addition to the main theater. On Hal the venues are more optimized  for music walk. When they do use the spaces for thing like trivia (in the piano venue) it is not a good venue for it.

One venue HAL tremendously under-uses is their World Stage (main stage).  It gets used most evenings once or twice for a Step One Dance show, a comedian, or showing the same BBC Earth film each week but the room hardly gets used at all during the day.  They may have one or two informative presentations there on sea days but that's about it during the day.  No cooking shows, no trivia shows, no game shows, no bingo, maybe 1 feature film a week, etc.--a hugely under-used venue.  They do run some trivia and bingo near the casino but even those are maybe only 3-4 times a week.

 

The one thing you will see the schedule packed with are some fitness activities and an onslaught of sales and spa promotions.  Take those sales promotions out of the schedule and the schedule suddenly doesn't have much to offer until the Music Walk starts up in the evening.

[Boatdrill]

On 5/7/2023 at 1:33 PM, sfaaa said:

No karaoke, no outdoor movies under the star, no Lido sail away party with live band, no waterslide, no silence disco etc. Bring a book or two with you if this is a concern. 

What is "silence disco" ?  

[oakridger]

5 minutes ago, Boatdrill said:

What is "silence disco" ?  

 

The poster probably means "Silent Disco".  It's where all the people on the dance floor get headphones to play the music and it's often different music on different headsets.  I've only seen it on people's cruise vlogs, but it looks fun.

 

~Nancy

[Boatdrill]

The original Crow's Nest, which was a perfect late night bar, is very missed on the mid size to larger ships.  Remember when they had a DJ there for late night dancing ? Those were the days....  

[iceman93]

I'm someone who has different experiences and perspectives on shipboard entertainment:

 

- As a cruise ship guest who's spent hundreds of days at sea on a few different cruise lines.

- As a Disney Imagineer who was involved in various aspects of themed entertainment around the world.

- As a professional DJ who has worked both club and mobile gigs for decades in a REALLY wide variety of venues and audiences.

 

And I'll sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I think HAL had a really good thing going about 20 years ago.  They had enrichment lectures, cooking demos, art classes, wine tastings, and other "upscale" options like that.  They also had a variety of outside performers (comedians, magicians, etc.), energetic sailaway parties, Caribbean deck barbecues, live musicians in lounges and the main dining room, and late-night DJs playing different styles of music in various venues at night.

 

They have stripped most of that away, and I agree with other posters who say one of their big mistakes was moving to branded partnerships (America's Test Kitchen, Billboard, BB King's, even Microsoft and Chateau Ste. Michelle).  Holland America has what could itself be an EXTREMELY powerful brand, but they fail to embrace that and instead spend money and resources courting other brands that may or may not have been really good fits.  The World Stage is a venue with incredible potential that is barely utilized--I have to imagine the executive who made the pitch to spend all the money on the World Stage then left the company, and no one else shared the vision of what the place could be.

 

I'll often say that what makes Disney unique in the cruise market is that they are the only ones who are an entertainment company that happens to have cruise ships, while everyone else has cruise ships that happen to feature entertainment.  I don't expect HAL to live up to Disney when it comes to onboard entertainment.  And even today's HAL, with its limited offerings, creates an overall cruising experience that my family (ages 10-51) loves.

 

But could it be better?  Of course.  Like everything else about HAL right now, it seems like a brand adrift, unsure who its target market should be and how it should focus resources.  To me, customers who complain "there's nothing to do" on HAL are simply looking to complain.  Part of HAL's charm is its ability to make a cruise about the journey, which blends both the destinations and the ship experience.  Expecting it to be like RCCL, or Disney, or Viking, or whomever else is silly.  But to be successful in the increasingly competitive marketplace, HAL better figure out its niche soon, and make it clear to customers what that niche is.  Otherwise I'll sound like a REAL fuddy-duddy when I lament how I used to like to sail on HAL at all...

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, iceman93 said:

I'm someone who has different experiences and perspectives on shipboard entertainment:

 

- As a cruise ship guest who's spent hundreds of days at sea on a few different cruise lines.

- As a Disney Imagineer who was involved in various aspects of themed entertainment around the world.

- As a professional DJ who has worked both club and mobile gigs for decades in a REALLY wide variety of venues and audiences.

 

And I'll sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I think HAL had a really good thing going about 20 years ago.  They had enrichment lectures, cooking demos, art classes, wine tastings, and other "upscale" options like that.  They also had a variety of outside performers (comedians, magicians, etc.), energetic sailaway parties, Caribbean deck barbecues, live musicians in lounges and the main dining room, and late-night DJs playing different styles of music in various venues at night.

 

They have stripped most of that away, and I agree with other posters who say one of their big mistakes was moving to branded partnerships (America's Test Kitchen, Billboard, BB King's, even Microsoft and Chateau Ste. Michelle).  Holland America has what could itself be an EXTREMELY powerful brand, but they fail to embrace that and instead spend money and resources courting other brands that may or may not have been really good fits.  The World Stage is a venue with incredible potential that is barely utilized--I have to imagine the executive who made the pitch to spend all the money on the World Stage then left the company, and no one else shared the vision of what the place could be.

 

I'll often say that what makes Disney unique in the cruise market is that they are the only ones who are an entertainment company that happens to have cruise ships, while everyone else has cruise ships that happen to feature entertainment.  I don't expect HAL to live up to Disney when it comes to onboard entertainment.  And even today's HAL, with its limited offerings, creates an overall cruising experience that my family (ages 10-51) loves.

 

But could it be better?  Of course.  Like everything else about HAL right now, it seems like a brand adrift, unsure who its target market should be and how it should focus resources.  To me, customers who complain "there's nothing to do" on HAL are simply looking to complain.  Part of HAL's charm is its ability to make a cruise about the journey, which blends both the destinations and the ship experience.  Expecting it to be like RCCL, or Disney, or Viking, or whomever else is silly.  But to be successful in the increasingly competitive marketplace, HAL better figure out its niche soon, and make it clear to customers what that niche is.  Otherwise I'll sound like a REAL fuddy-duddy when I lament how I used to like to sail on HAL at all...

Twenty thumbs up. Well said.  You should write corporate directly.  If you don’t want to please give me permission to lift your words (plagiarize) and send it myself.   

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

While I agree with this up to a point, the flip side is quality. The "cocktail music trio" that joined Westerdam to play in the Ocean Bar nightly were absolutely atrocious musicians. They were nice kids, the music wasn't gratingly loud, but -- they just couldn't play well.

 

Especially contrasted with the extremely talented and polished Lincoln Center Stage group that they apparently replaced.

 

That is a shame. I suppose they will blame it on Covid and the supply chain of musicians being affected.

[ExpatBride]

4 hours ago, iceman93 said:

Part of HAL's charm is its ability to make a cruise about the journey, which blends both the destinations and the ship experience.  Expecting it to be like RCCL, or Disney, or Viking, or whomever else is silly.  But to be successful in the increasingly competitive marketplace, HAL better figure out its niche soon, and make it clear to customers what that niche is.  Otherwise I'll sound like a REAL fuddy-duddy when I lament how I used to like to sail on HAL at all...

 

Yes! 100% this! I'm younger than HAL's target demographic BUT the classic sailing experience is what endeared me to HAL in the first place. I'd sailed RCCL and NCL and enjoyed it, but HAL was what I'd always imagined cruising would be like. I liked the classical music, the yum-yum-man, and the guy playing us into the early and late seatings. The onboard experience matched the elegance of their white and navy ships.

I was committed to HAL for that step back to a more elegant time that they provided. I haven't sailed since before Covid (personal choice) and I hope that at least glimmers of the former HAL exist on my upcoming summer sailing. Classic doesn't have to mean stodgy and outdated.

[AliceS]

On 5/7/2023 at 12:07 AM, charliedalrymple said:

We are seasoned cruisers but have never sailed on HAL.  Our preferred line is Princess, and we really enjoy the broad range of activities offered onboard, particularly in the evenings.  We've heard that HAL has a limited activity schedule compared with other lines and that things tend to die down fairly early in the evening.  We are quite interested in some upcoming HAL itineraries (especially Antarctica) but are concerned that we might find it a bit "dull."  Can anyone comment on that?

I was on KONINGSDAM recently for 35 days and was very busy.   You may not enjoy my interests?   I played pickelball and bridge.   There were bridge lessons for beginners and intermediates and a duplicate game every afternoon on sea days.   I missed all lectures because they were at the same time.   The music was outstanding, but the shows in the theater at night were OK.   Decent comedian, but totally lacking in production shows…. Like Princess.   I had a great time.   BB King was amazing.

[Guest ldtr]

14 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Here is my assumption about branded bands.  The brand sets the size of band, the instruments, the song list and perhaps even a training session.  .  I find the branded versions to be watered down to fit the palate of a certain demographic they don’t want anyone coloring outside of the lines.  
 

in the “good ole days” HAL sought out talent through agencies looking for quality free lancers.  It likely was cheaper and far more interesting.  Yes, we still had classical music, rock and roll.  Rhythm and blues was not well represented but pardon my New Orleans homegrown snobbery - it still isn’t.  

I am still waiting for a zydeco band.

 

I worked for LSU for a couple of years.

Edited May 9, 2023 by ldtr

[Guest ldtr]

51 minutes ago, ExpatBride said:

 

Yes! 100% this! I'm younger than HAL's target demographic BUT the classic sailing experience is what endeared me to HAL in the first place. I'd sailed RCCL and NCL and enjoyed it, but HAL was what I'd always imagined cruising would be like. I liked the classical music, the yum-yum-man, and the guy playing us into the early and late seatings. The onboard experience matched the elegance of their white and navy ships.

I was committed to HAL for that step back to a more elegant time that they provided. I haven't sailed since before Covid (personal choice) and I hope that at least glimmers of the former HAL exist on my upcoming summer sailing. Classic doesn't have to mean stodgy and outdated.

Their desired demographic is getting younger. Their avg passenger age is down to 57 according to Frommers most recent update.