Solo Guitarist still part of the entertainment onboard?

[C-sea]

 Good Day All,

We were on a Viking Ocean cruise this past August and there was not a guitar player entertaining. There had been a guitarist performing on all Viking Ocean cruises we had taken before. When I mentioned about this on my current roll call, a cruiser mentioned they also hadn't had the solo guitarist in October, both trips were on Mars.

 

Has a solo guitarist been part of the entertainment team onboard a Viking Ocean cruise lately?

[millybess]

4 minutes ago, C-sea said:

 Good Day All,

We were on a Viking Ocean cruise this past August and there was not a guitar player entertaining. There had been a guitarist performing on all Viking Ocean cruises we had taken before. When I mentioned about this on my current roll call, a cruiser mentioned they also hadn't had the solo guitarist in October, both trips were on Mars.

 

Has a solo guitarist been part of the entertainment team onboard a Viking Ocean cruise lately?

On our January cruise on Sea, in the Explorer’s Lounge, we encountered the best guitarist we’ve had the pleasure of listening to on Viking. His name was Mark. Unfortunately, about halfway through the cruise, he disappeared. After that, there was no entertainment in the EL except Trivia, which we also enjoy. 

[shipboy]

There’s a solo guitarist on the current cruise we are on and she is very good

[FetaCheese]

Have taken 3 VO voyages.  Guitarist on each.  Last cruise, on Star TA, the singer/guitarist was on her 1st contact. Our friends did not appreciate her style (wife is a professional symphony musician), although wife and I found her to be fine for a lounge performer.

 

1st VO, Venus, Greek Odyssey Dec. 2021, the guy was really excellent, but can't remember his name.  Had everyone singing along to Sweet Caroline one evening.  Lots of fun!

 

Have found that individual Entertainers can, and do, vary in quality.  We have been happy with the overall entertainment team on each cruise.

[SantaFe1]

We have had a solo guitarist on every one of our eight VO cruises. Varying ability.  But we had one on the Star last month.  I wonder if your glitch was just a contract confusion?  We usually enjoy the guitarist in EL.  

[C-sea]

21 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

We have had a solo guitarist on every one of our eight VO cruises. Varying ability.  But we had one on the Star last month.  I wonder if your glitch was just a contract confusion?  We usually enjoy the guitarist in EL.  

I thought so SantaFe1, until it was mentioned on my current roll call that there wasn't a guitarist in October on Mars and we didn't have one in August. It really adds a lot to the Explorer's Lounge ambiance and I would want to know if Viking is cutting back on this form of entertainment.

[C-sea]

3 hours ago, millybess said:

On our January cruise on Sea, in the Explorer’s Lounge, we encountered the best guitarist we’ve had the pleasure of listening to on Viking. His name was Mark. Unfortunately, about halfway through the cruise, he disappeared. After that, there was no entertainment in the EL except Trivia, which we also enjoy. 

I would have been truly disappointed to have a great guitarist entertainer suddenly be gone and not replaced and...  I don't play trivia 

[SantaFe1]

16 minutes ago, C-sea said:

I thought so SantaFe1, until it was mentioned on my current roll call that there wasn't a guitarist in October on Mars and we didn't have one in August. It really adds a lot to the Explorer's Lounge ambiance and I would want to know if Viking is cutting back on this form of entertainment.

Goodness, I hope not!  My favorite was a guitarist  we picked up in Spain on our WC, I believe his name was Valentino, who would play classical guitar if you asked him. (BTW my husband is from RI). 

Edited March 9 by SantaFe1

[SantaFe1]

And I should say, in regard to cutting back, on our first VO cruise in 2017, they had a trio, not a duo playing. 

[Clay Clayton]

Mark is aboard Sky on the World Cruise and is amazing!  The best was one evening when he played during dinner on the Aquavit. The culinary team was cooking out there and when the rush had slowed down, they were taking photos of themselves with him.  It was truly magical when for his final number, the chefs started using their tongs and spatulas for percussion and the 20-30 guests left joined in a singalong.