Does house band play before nightly shows?

[TBfrPH]

Read an old post that the house band plays dancing(?) music for about 30 minutes before each nightly show in the theater.  Would recent sailors please confirm if that is still true, especially on the Riviera?  We're booked to sail her to Alaska next year.  Thank you.

[MEFIowa]

We were on Riviera 10/30-11/19, 2023 in the Med. On most nights the "house band", in this case the Seaside Band, would play in Horizons from 1830-1915 and 1930-2015.

 

So from the 11/3 Currents, the first set was "Soft Rock Classics" and the 2nd was "Dance Thru the Decades". From the 11/14 Currents, the first set was "Easy Listening" and the second set was "Take to the Floor".

 

BUT hate to break it to you, there usually were very, very few people. Most nights less than 10. Sometimes I'd be the only one for some of it. I got to know the Brazilian singer because she smoked and she'd sit down in the smoking lounge by Horizons with my wife, who smokes (not me). I'd come up and join them. I tried to show solidarity with her and the band by at least sitting thru 30 minutes or so most nights, sipping a diet ginger ale.

 

Seaside Band also had an evening show in Horizons from 2230-2330. Never went. Too late for us. We cruise for excursion. From the 11/3 Currents, "Beatles & More".

[pinotlover]

To be a little more specific on this issue. The Lounge on the O and A ships don’t really have a dance floor other than up on the stage. Therefore, I have never witnessed the band playing pre-show and dancing on those ships. 
 

However, the the Lounge on the older R ships are different. Part of the “ stage “ is actually at floor level. On some cruises, on certain nights, on the R ships the band has indeed played pre-show there and people were up dancing. Sometimes most every night, others more occasionally. Best to confer with your CD, after you board, to get details for your cruise. 
 

As with many questions posted here, the answer is not one size fits all. As to the O and A ships, I doubt Oceania wants many of those more senior cruisers climbing up and down off the Lounge stage! 😇. Horizons will probably continue to be the best you get.

[TBfrPH]

Thank you, @pinotlover, for this helpful clarification.

[no fuss travel]

On the R ships, they had dancing in the show lounge when they held functions., like the Captain Welcome Aboard Party, Oceania welcome back parties.  Other than than that any dancing was held in Horizons.  Some nights the floor was quite crowded.

[kahuna21]

On 6/11/2024 at 5:21 PM, TBfrPH said:

Read an old post that the house band plays dancing(?) music for about 30 minutes before each nightly show in the theater.  Would recent sailors please confirm if that is still true, especially on the Riviera?  We're booked to sail her to Alaska next year.  Thank you.

In our experience of three cruises on Marina, the shows were at 9:30 PM, and from  8:00 or 8:30 to 9:30 PM, there was no/nada music anywhere on the ship. That was a real downer for us early diners who have 1 to 1.5 hours to spend between dinner and a show with nothing happening. 

[TBfrPH]

3 hours ago, kahuna21 said:

In our experience of three cruises on Marina, the shows were at 9:30 PM, and from  8:00 or 8:30 to 9:30 PM, there was no/nada music anywhere on the ship. That was a real downer for us early diners who have 1 to 1.5 hours to spend between dinner and a show with nothing happening. 

We will learn from you.  Sounds like late dinner is the way to go. 

[pinotlover]

11 hours ago, kahuna21 said:

In our experience of three cruises on Marina, the shows were at 9:30 PM, and from  8:00 or 8:30 to 9:30 PM, there was no/nada music anywhere on the ship. That was a real downer for us early diners who have 1 to 1.5 hours to spend between dinner and a show with nothing happening. 

Marina is an “ O” ship, with an elevated stage. Nope, they don’t do music in the Lounge early. See post #4.

 

We have found 7:15-7:30 to be a lovely time to dine for dinner. All those starving souls aboard ship, people requiring extra time or assistance in getting seated, are adamant about being at a special table, air wanting to be in bed by 8:30 are all taken care of before we get there. We can then leisurely enter, eat, and be finished in plenty of time to hit the head and go directly to the show.

 

For those inclined, the ships often do trivia in Martinis starting around 8:00 that lasts to near showtime. Sometimes, it’s “ name that tune” with the piano player which we find more fund than regular trivia. It’s harder for those that typically cheat by googling answers.

[Vallesan]

5 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Marina is an “ O” ship, with an elevated stage. Nope, they don’t do music in the Lounge early. See post #4.

 

We have found 7:15-7:30 to be a lovely time to dine for dinner. All those starving souls aboard ship, people requiring extra time or assistance in getting seated, are adamant about being at a special table, air wanting to be in bed by 8:30 are all taken care of before we get there. We can then leisurely enter, eat, and be finished in plenty of time to hit the head and go directly to the show.

 

For those inclined, the ships often do trivia in Martinis starting around 8:00 that lasts to near showtime. Sometimes, it’s “ name that tune” with the piano player which we find more fund than regular trivia. It’s harder for those that typically cheat by googling answers.

You seem to constantly imply/assume in your posts that anybody who is not 100% able bodied needs to eat at 6.30pm so they can be in bed by 9pm at the latest. I actually, as a person with mobility issues, find you quite offensive. I think you should refrain from assuming that anybody who can’t run a marathon is ‘gaga’ which is what you’re implying.

[pinotlover]

36 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

You seem to constantly imply/assume in your posts that anybody who is not 100% able bodied needs to eat at 6.30pm so they can be in bed by 9pm at the latest. I actually, as a person with mobility issues, find you quite offensive. I think you should refrain from assuming that anybody who can’t run a marathon is ‘gaga’ which is what you’re implying.

Are you offended when the airlines allow those with mobility issues to have extra time and board first? We believe arriving later than 6:30 and allowing all those with such issues a matter of courtesy. Same with those that choose to go to bed early. We let them have plenty of time before we arrive to achieve their wishes. If you’re offended by any of this, you’re just easily offended. Absolutely no reason to be. Enjoy your cruises. 🥂

[Vallesan]

9 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Are you offended when the airlines allow those with mobility issues to have extra time and board first? We believe arriving later than 6:30 and allowing all those with such issues a matter of courtesy. Same with those that choose to go to bed early. We let them have plenty of time before we arrive to achieve their wishes. If you’re offended by any of this, you’re just easily offended. Absolutely no reason to be. Enjoy your cruises. 🥂

Ahh! Yes we definitely speak different languages! I hadn’t read your post as you being ‘courteous’ to others, to me it read as you being ‘condescending’. But, in the sprit of having ‘good natured banter’, let’s just put this down to a misunderstanding.