Bands on Board

[vanders]

Just wondering if people could give any feedback on the bands on board the HAL ships. They've changed their format and are making the house band also do the work of the crows nest bands.

 

(yes, I may be a musician in one of these bands, but I won't say which one just yet... I might get in trouble ;)

 

Just like to hear what people think of us, and if we're actually noticed or appreciated!

Always nice to hear what you really think, as opposed to what we think you think.

 

Any questions you'd like to ask about entertainment I'll try to answer as well.

 

 

[JPSnipper]

I did notice on my recent Westerdam cruise that the "Hal-Cat's" seemed to be everywhere. One day they were out by the Aft Pool, another by the Lido pool and later in the evening performing with the cast in the Vista. This is obviously added value for the passengers, but I hope the musicians are justly compensated. It seems like a lot of work. I hope this format works well for you.

[Copper10-8]

I noticed the same thing two weeks ago on Ryndam (another change? saving $$?).

They called the Ryndam band when they were not performing with the cast and/or guest musicians in the main show lounge, the Hal Cats and they then had a female lead singer, Maria. They would perform on sailaways and, on a couple of nights, in the Crow's Nest. There was no longer a "dedicated" band in the Crow's Nest unlike just three months prior on Oosterdam, where another group called the Hal Cats with a singer, Jalynn, performed nightly in the Crow's Nest.

Don't know how the musicians feel about it but I would personnaly prefer it to go back to the old way.

[PathfinderEss]

Just wondering if people could give any feedback on the bands on board the HAL ships. They've changed their format and are making the house band also do the work of the crows nest bands.

 

(yes, I may be a musician in one of these bands, but I won't say which one just yet... I might get in trouble ;)

 

Just like to hear what people think of us, and if we're actually noticed or appreciated!

Always nice to hear what you really think, as opposed to what we think you think.

 

Any questions you'd like to ask about entertainment I'll try to answer as well.

 

 

We had a band on the Veendam over New Years that was wonderful but don't know if they were a house band or not. Have a feeling not. Just returned off the Ryndam and was not to impressed with the band there, have a feeling on this one that it was a house band, but don't for sure.

What is Hal premise on doing this, is it to save money, or utilizing their on board entertainers more? Are they planning on working you like they do all service workers, 24/7? Were you hired by JQ?

[RuthC]

I'd appreciate it if you would explain what you mean by "house band". I think I have an idea of what that is, but want to be sure.

To answer your question---over the years I've liked the bands that play in the show lounge. I've really enjoyed the groups in the Ocean Bar and the Explorers Lounge. I love a good piano bar.

Music is a big part of my soul.

But, lately I think someone has decided that "Louder is Better". It isn't. :rolleyes: I went to the Crow's Nest as the Noordam sailed from NYC :eek: ---and kept walking right back out. I used to make it a point to go to the Lido pool area at lunchtime just to listen to the music. Can't anymore---it's so loud it hurts my ears.

I don't want to go deaf listening to that!

What's up with the loud noise?

[Copper10-8]

I'd appreciate it if you would explain what you mean by "house band". I think I have an idea of what that is, but want to be sure.

 

Ruth, I'm not Vanders but the "house band" is usually the band/orchestra assigned to the ship that accompanies the cast in the production shows as well as the musical guest performers that come onboard. Generally, you'll find the ship's musical director in charge of them. Up until, it appears, now, HAL has usually had another live band perform nightly in the Crow's Nest (except on Prinsendam), a live band (trio or quartet)in the Ocean Bar, the strings in the Explorer's Lounge and the pianist in the piano bar. Looks like things are changing here also

[caribbean girl]

I think the music on a ship can really make a big difference on the ambiance. We were on the Oosterdam a few years ago and ALL the bands on board were awesome. They had an excellent steel band which played at the ship's pools daily...perfect sound level and a great Caribbean feel for the trip. They played when we stopped at HMC, which was great fun, too. Really enjoyed dancing to their music. I think they said that one of the musicians was from the islands and played on a very famous steel band (forget the island...sorry.) They also had a wonderful jazz quartet with very talented musicians. They played nightly at the Ocean Bar...not so much the typical Ocean Bar group playing the big band faves, but much more enjoyable for us. They had a NY jazz club sound. The strings were also excellent...straight from Hungary and very good. On our recent trip on the Noordam, the HAL Cats played...not so great. Too loud and 'bwamb bwamb', if you know what I mean. Thanks for asking what we think...:)

[RuthC]

John, that's what I would think the term "house band" would mean, but I wanted to be sure that vanders meant the same thing.

I remember the time when it was an orchestra that played for the shows---bigger (and better---fuller sound) than a "band".

While we're at it, perhaps vander can answer, what ever happened to Big Band cruises? Once upon a time every trans-At was a Big Band cruise. Then it was one or two a year. Now it's ... ? Gone? :confused:

[vanders]

Thanks everyone for your posts. I'll address them as much as I can. Unfortunately I'm going to be back at sea the next 2 weeks but I'll drop in when I can.

 

JPSnipper said: I did notice on my recent Westerdam cruise that the "Hal-Cat's" seemed to be everywhere. One day they were out by the Aft Pool, another by the Lido pool and later in the evening performing with the cast in the Vista. This is obviously added value for the passengers, but I hope the musicians are justly compensated. It seems like a lot of work. I hope this format works well for you.

 

The old format was that the house band (halcats/vista band/westerdam orchestra etc) would play sail aways by the pool on port days, a couple of instrumental deck sets during sea days, and then a cocktails/dancing set around 5pm, then whatever shows required musical backing in the main lounge. IMHO that was more of what a house band should do - unobtrusive music, and with the constant change over of personnel that happens it's easier to fit in.

I can tell you that in my case I'm not being compensated any more than last year, and am on about the lowest of any musicians.

Copper10-8 said:

I noticed the same thing two weeks ago on Ryndam (another change? saving $$?).

They called the Ryndam band when they were not performing with the cast and/or guest musicians in the main show lounge, the Hal Cats and they then had a female lead singer, Maria. They would perform on sailaways and, on a couple of nights, in the Crow's Nest. There was no longer a "dedicated" band in the Crow's Nest unlike just three months prior on Oosterdam, where another group called the Hal Cats with a singer, Jalynn, performed nightly in the Crow's Nest.

Don't know how the musicians feel about it but I would personnaly prefer it to go back to the old way.

 

They've decided to go this way on most of the ships. The old crows nest band used to come on as a band - they were used to each other, played the gig, could do requests off the top of their head, and didn't rely on reading charts. Most of the guys I've talked with who have done or are doing the new regime are not in favour of it - there's no musical challenge or satisfaction (unlike when we could play jazz cocktail sets etc). Also some bands are being worked to death, which means the guys don't enjoy playing, and it probably comes out in the presentation of it.

 

PathfinderEss said:

We had a band on the Veendam over New Years that was wonderful but don't know if they were a house band or not. Have a feeling not. Just returned off the Ryndam and was not to impressed with the band there, have a feeling on this one that it was a house band, but don't for sure.

What is Hal premise on doing this, is it to save money, or utilizing their on board entertainers more? Are they planning on working you like they do all service workers, 24/7? Were you hired by JQ?

 

Thanks for the update, New Years might've been a special band, but I'm not sure. I believe Uncle Hal's premise is to save money - given my pay rate I'm pretty sure they go for the cheapest option - they've slashed 4 positions on the ship and are making the house band play more. Our current contract says we can work upto 5 sets a day, but when we're scheduled over that it's a case of "well you have to do it".

I was hired by JQ, but I'm through Proship. JQ has a bit of a reputation with the onboard musicians so I try to keep my dealings to a minimum.

 

RuthC said:

I'd appreciate it if you would explain what you mean by "house band". I think I have an idea of what that is, but want to be sure.

 

To answer your question---over the years I've liked the bands that play in the show lounge. I've really enjoyed the groups in the Ocean Bar and the Explorers Lounge. I love a good piano bar.

Music is a big part of my soul.

 

But, lately I think someone has decided that "Louder is Better". It isn't. :rolleyes: I went to the Crow's Nest as the Noordam sailed from NYC :eek: ---and kept walking right back out. I used to make it a point to go to the Lido pool area at lunchtime just to listen to the music. Can't anymore---it's so loud it hurts my ears.

I don't want to go deaf listening to that!

What's up with the loud noise?

 

The house band is made up of musicians who join the ship as individuals and fill the spot - ie: sax player joins in may, drummer comes late june, etc - and play guest entertainer shows, cast production shows, captain's welcome aboard, cocktail sets, deck sets. They are now playing the role of Crows Nest band in addition to this.

The volume is probably due to the choice of songs we're provided with, since it seems they're trying to make us sound like a tight party band that's been together for years as opposed to what we really are. Last year we played less obtrusively or in-your-face, now it's almost like a deck set is a mini concert...

 

CaribbeanGirl said some nice things, but I think I've addressed most things above. Thanks for the insight though :D

 

RuthC asked about big band cruises. I haven't heard of any but I've only been around for a couple of years. I know that Hal has the smallest house bands - one sax and then the rest of the horn parts are covered by synthesizer, another budget measure perhaps? There are jazz and blues charter cruises available, but usually only the 7-10 day itineraries. I know that Guest Entertainers get sick of having only 1 horn playing their parts, when most tunes sound better with at least 2 saxes, a trumpet and a trombone.

 

I must stress that these are all my own opinions and observations, so hopefully I won't get canned for writing here.

[Copper10-8]

Vanders; thanks for your insight, it is appreciated! Sound like here again, the times are a changing! Have a great cruise! (What ship are you going to?)

[Gerd]

Hello all

 

We are just back from our 30th wedding anniversary cruise on the MS Veendam - and yes, there also was no more an entitled Crows Nest Band.:confused:

 

The cruise director named, that Seattle has chosen it, because they do no more make enough money during evening time.

 

But one think is also true – a Show Orchestra, which is well dedicated for the Rubens Lounge, is by fare not an adequate Dance Band for the Crows Nest…..!! :(

 

And we particularly do really like those Filipinos Dance Orchestras, because they really know, how one can – and should play dance music at the Crows Nest.

 

And "Ruth C" we agree with you, why today they think that a louder music is a good music. …?!? And another point is also unfortunately true. It looks like that today to became a Disk Jockey, means no more, that one should understand what dance music is, and in which rhythm and in which order one could play different type of music styles. Und also they ignore, how one could regulate the loud speakers in order, that the music sounds on its best.

 

 

 

Happy cruising to everybody

 

Anna & Gerd

 

 

 

Our marvelous cruises :

 

MS Ryndam – Wayfarer – March 1997

MS Noordam - Transatlantic Island Hook - April 2001

MS Volendam - Southern Caribbean - April 2002

MS Volendam - Westfarer Caribbean - April 2004

MS Prinsendam - Windmills & Waterford – September 2004

MS Westerdam - Western Caribbean - April 2005

MS Statendam - Hawaii Circle - September 2005

MS Rotterdam - Vikings and Czars – July 2006

MS Veendam - Southern Caribbean – March 2007

 

106 days - 29'479 Nm

 

 

Future Cruise :

 

at least a 7 day Caribbean Cruise in the next 18-month => just won from its MS Veendam raffle, oh happy days....

[christy744]

I enjoyed the music on our Hawaiian holiday cruise last year but I did notice that the female lead singer (I think the band was called "Toni and the Boys") also worked the art auctions after playing late sets in the Crow's Nest in the evenings and other sets on deck throughout the day. That seemed a bit extreme to me.

[diann744]

I am the previous poster's prettier sister and can add that the house band in the Ocean for our Hawaii cruise was the Lookouts and they were fantastic. We bought the CD which, in my opinion, had some production-value issues but if they were playing down the street I would be getting in my car right now.

[Odd Ball]

This is not good news. Another Cutback :mad: When is it going to stop ?

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks everyone for your posts. I'll address them as much as I can. Unfortunately I'm going to be back at sea the next 2 weeks but I'll drop in when I can.

Thanks for the update, New Years might've been a special band, but I'm not sure. I believe Uncle Hal's premise is to save money - given my pay rate I'm pretty sure they go for the cheapest option - they've slashed 4 positions on the ship and are making the house band play more. Our current contract says we can work upto 5 sets a day, but when we're scheduled over that it's a case of "well you have to do it".

I was hired by JQ, but I'm through Proship. JQ has a bit of a reputation with the onboard musicians so I try to keep my dealings to a minimum.

I must stress that these are all my own opinions and observations, so hopefully I won't get canned for writing here.

 

Let me first say thank you Vander for your reply. Its to bad that Hal is resorting to these kind of cut costing ideas, while they are still raising prices for their overall cruises. I also know that Hal is one of the lowest paying cruise line out there when it comes to entreatment, so there is no reason for good entertainers to choose Hal to work for. I happen to love music, and it is a big part of my cruising experience, therefore it does not bode well for me as a Hal passenger when I hear things like this.

Your a smart person to take a wide circle around JQ, but what I have never understood about him is his hiring practices. Though to be fair, probably the lack of money that Hal has budgeted for entertainers, might have a lot to do with his hiring no talent entertainers.

It has always seem to me, that if you have entertainment in your bars, such as piano bar, crows nest, ocean bar, explorers lounge, etc., and you revenues for drinks are high, you probably have someone good working for you or in more correct terminology "a draw", but if the bars revenues are low, wouldn't that give you a clue that your entertainers in that area are probably not so good. Ofcourse if you have a religious group on board that could skew the facts a little. If money is your bottom line, then you hire people who will make you that kind of money, you don't have to have a business degree to figure that one out. You don't go hiring a show band to play dance music in the bars, makes no sense to me, but then that is just my humble opinion.

[Randyk47]

Our observation from the 18 March Veendam cruise was that not having a regular band in the Crow's Nest was one of the major disappointments of our cruise. On every cruise, starting in 1995, we've loved to go to the Crow's Nest before and after dinner for a few drinks and dancing and that was the case through our Volendam cruise in March 2006. So we boarded the Veendam with the expectation of many nights relaxing and dancing again in our favorite lounge. It didn't happen! :( Not that it will make a difference but it was one of our major issues on our comment cards at the end of the cruise. Personally we think HAL has chosen poorly.