Dual piano are coming back

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Dual piano are coming back....

[rodndonna]

13 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Dual piano are coming back....

 

"Dual" as in two playing together like the last iteration on HAL ...

or "Duel" as in two piano's "duelling" ...which many confusedly thought the other format was supposed to be doing but wasn't

[St Pete Cruiser]

24 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Dual piano are coming back....

Interesting.  When I asked the pianist onboard in Billboard, where did they put the other piano, he said they sold them to Princess!  Funny, I thought.

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Dual piano are coming back....

 

Yahoo...that did not last too long.....

 

 

[KAKcruiser]

Don't know if this is true but someone told me that the piano was actually a keyboard and the rest of the piano was a shell.  If so, I guess it would be easier to move around.

[Shmoo here]

2 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Dual piano are coming back....

 

Not particularly a fan of "duel" (as in raucous, "listen to ME" pianos).  But the one cruise where they were actually just "dual" (two pianos playing together) was not bad.

[FlaMariner]

49 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Don't know if this is true but someone told me that the piano was actually a keyboard and the rest of the piano was a shell.  If so, I guess it would be easier to move around.

 

The pianos looked pretty real to me...You can see inside them especially when the guy comes around after each "set" and cleans/dusts them. 

[VMax1700]

54 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Don't know if this is true but someone told me that the piano was actually a keyboard and the rest of the piano was a shell.  If so, I guess it would be easier to move around.

They are Yamaha Electronic Grand Pianos,  I think they are model CLP765 weight about 100kg, so 220 lbs.  The 'keyboard' unit does indeed lift out, but the speakers, pedals etc are part of the body.  It could be dis-assembled and stored in quite a small area. 

[NCTribeFan]

I hope this is only on Pinnacle class because I personally really don't like the piano bar being right across from "my" roulette wheel.

 

I just don't understand why these are so popular.  Seems to me that many good pianists aren't particularly good vocalists.  Or that good vocalists aren't particularly good pianists.

 

But they absolutely must play The Hits, whether those songs are in their vocal range or not, so you often just get a lot of shouting.  And people cheer and clap because, hey, they're playing The Hits!!!  Whoo Hoo!!!!

 

Honestly, I think about 95% of the general population has absolutely no ear for music, so they just don't hear when people are off-key, or have an unattractive voice.  Unfortunatly, I do hear it.

 

OK.  Rant over! 😁

[Cruising-along]

34 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

I hope this is only on Pinnacle class because I personally really don't like the piano bar being right across from "my" roulette wheel.

 

I just don't understand why these are so popular.  Seems to me that many good pianists aren't particularly good vocalists.  Or that good vocalists aren't particularly good pianists.

 

But they absolutely must play The Hits, whether those songs are in their vocal range or not, so you often just get a lot of shouting.  And people cheer and clap because, hey, they're playing The Hits!!!  Whoo Hoo!!!!

 

Honestly, I think about 95% of the general population has absolutely no ear for music, so they just don't hear when people are off-key, or have an unattractive voice.  Unfortunatly, I do hear it.

 

OK.  Rant over! 😁

Amen!!  I hear it too. 

[Petronillus]

2 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Interesting.  When I asked the pianist onboard in Billboard, where did they put the other piano, he said they sold them to Princess!  Funny, I thought.

In addition:

When the Lincoln Center association was first established, each ship was equipped -- at no doubt great expense -- with Steinway grand pianos. Now that classical music is being re-introduce, albeit not under the Lincoln Center brad, I assume that those Steinways are again being put to good use. On our last cruise (Westerdam) it was tucked away, lock and under wraps, in the slightly elevated stage side of the Explorers Lounge.

This is just another grouse that HAL cut off the Lincoln Center Stage performances without having the foresight to plug the classical music hole that was left. Not the best/smartest management decision.

[FlaMariner]

55 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

I just don't understand why these are so popular.  Seems to me that many good pianists aren't particularly good vocalists.  Or that good vocalists aren't particularly good pianists.

 

But they absolutely must play The Hits, whether those songs are in their vocal range or not, so you often just get a lot of shouting.  And people cheer and clap because, hey, they're playing The Hits!!!  Whoo Hoo!!!!

 

 

Understood....

 

.....But we love Billboard Onboard!.....spend most evenings at the seats around the pianos....Fun times.......We are hooting and hollering when they play "the hits". LOL. And "All request" means we will hear American Pie and Sweet Caroline....And Her Majesty will request Wagon Wheel!

 

LOL.

[Stpatsirish]

This summer the Nieuw Amsterdam in Alaska had dual pianos in Billboard Onboard with George and Lena.

[EtaC]

Recent cruise on Oosterdam had two performers in Billboard. I think the one player happens when they do the long South American itineraries or a repositioning. 

[Petronillus]

3 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Understood....

 

.....But we love Billboard Onboard!.....spend most evenings at the seats around the pianos....Fun times.......We are hooting and hollering when they play "the hits". LOL. And "All request" means we will hear American Pie and Sweet Caroline....And Her Majesty will request Wagon Wheel!

 

LOL.

I second that emotion. @NCTribeFan weighed in with his/her opinion and I'm happy that @FlaMariner piped up with the opposite view. On our Asia Collector cruise last February on Westerdam, we were treated to the incomparable Krista Meadows performing solo. DW & I were fans (but not fanatics). She had both the vocal and piano skills to make soloing work. Second highest high point of the cruise. (The highest was getting to see Mount Fuji on a clear day in all its glory.)

[Kay S]

7 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Dual piano are coming back....

Do you have a source for this?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

7 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Amen!!  I hear it too. 

I know Pinnacle class so far.

[NowVoyager2]

Last November on the Rotterdam - the dueling pianos were the worst...they  spent 3/4 of the time talking about their day & telling stupid jokes w very little playing..their singing voices were no compensation to say the least.

[Moriah]

7 minutes ago, NowVoyager2 said:

Last November on the Rotterdam - the dueling pianos were the worst...they  spent 3/4 of the time talking about their day & telling stupid jokes w very little playing..their singing voices were no compensation to say the least.

I also was on Rotterdam last November and would give the same review of the piano players.  It was a huge disappointment to me.  But then... I am still nostalgic for the old "Piano Bar" on the Vista ships 20 years ago...sigh... (Oh, snap out of it, Moriah!)

[iflyrc5]

On the Volendam in July/Aug the single piano player/singer was not good at all.  Half way through our 24 days the venue was almost empty when he was playing.  

[mightycruisequeen]

15 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I just don't understand why these are so popular.  Seems to me that many good pianists aren't particularly good vocalists.  Or that good vocalists aren't particularly good pianists.

 

But they absolutely must play The Hits, whether those songs are in their vocal range or not, so you often just get a lot of shouting.  And people cheer and clap because, hey, they're playing The Hits!!!  Whoo Hoo!!!!

 

Honestly, I think about 95% of the general population has absolutely no ear for music, so they just don't hear when people are off-key, or have an unattractive voice.  Unfortunatly, I do hear it.

 

OK.  Rant over! 😁

YES!  I couldn't possible agree more!

Edited 1 hour ago by mightycruisequeen
I don't play roulette.

[VMax1700]

15 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

Honestly, I think about 95% of the general population has absolutely no ear for music, so they just don't hear when people are off-key, or have an unattractive voice.  Unfortunatly, I do hear it.

I hear you and unfortunately, I hear them too!

And what is worse than an out of tune piano player.????.......

two out of tune piano players 😱

[Turtles06]

We've taken one HAL cruise so far, the 21-day Viking Passage on the Zuiderdam.  The two Billboard Onboard guys were entertaining, but they only had a limited repertoire that was mandated from the folks on shore.  And they played through it repeatedly.  How many times can you listen to "Piano Man"?  😲

 

It was the same problem with Lincoln Center Stage   -- a limited number of programs.

 

Some forms of entertainment don't do well on long cruises the way they are set up.  While we don't cruise for the entertainment, it's still something nice to have, especially on a long cruise.

 

 

[KAKcruiser]

If the two piano players are coming back, they are not necessarily from Billboard Onboard who I believe was a franchise.  Maybe HAL will hire them from a different talent pool and they will be better.

[Cruising-along]

1 hour ago, iflyrc5 said:

On the Volendam in July/Aug the single piano player/singer was not good at all.  Half way through our 24 days the venue was almost empty when he was playing.  

Most likely the same one we had for 94 days on the Volendam Grand Australia/NZ.  I can't remember his name, but he was the absolute worst we've ever heard. His voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard.