Different CRUISE lines cutting back on LIVE music

[SwKnight]

Suggest you check with the people on the prior cruise to see if the LIVE (lounge type - party too) BANDS have been replaced. :eek:

 

The wife and I love to dance and will NOT cruise some of our PRIOR cruise lines. Hint they begin with a "R" or "C!" ;)

 

They are being replaced with ELECTRONIC music and BINGO games!

 

I pray and hope you have "Good" and fun dancing. :cool:

 

Steve

[cruise_lover]

Its a shame that live music is no longer offered. I love listening to the Big Band music. My TA who books lots of music cruises (cajun, zydeco, etc.) tells us that it is because homeland security is making it harder and harder to bring instruments onboard. Just the paperwork involved is a big headache. They usually have to duplicate everything because the paperwork gets lost from his office, to homeland security to the port authorities.

[cb at sea]

Our 1st couple of cruises had great bands and combos. The last several were mediocre, at best. I don't like "canned" music--where the "band" is pre-recorded and there's one live entertainer. I mean, some do a good job, but it's not the same as an entire live band!

Oh, well. They've cut costs on food, so entertainment is the next logical place!

[Jsipes]

Holland still has live band music, and chamber music too.

[mauiedin87]

We're vigorous dancers too. In fact it's what keeps us in shape. We sincerely hope to find some live music on the Island Princess on our next cruise. Last spring they had a couple of good, very small groups. On the Veendam several years ago, we loved the small dance band, and they were happy to see us coming, because everybody else just sat and drank. We had the dance floor to ourselves.

[Firkin]

I was so looking forward to seeing live music. Charo had been performing on the boat we will be on and the both of us were hoping to see her. What about the shows will they have taped music also?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Suggest you check with the people on the prior cruise to see if the LIVE (lounge type - party too) BANDS have been replaced. :eek:

 

The wife and I love to dance and will NOT cruise some of our PRIOR cruise lines. Hint they begin with a "R" or "C!" ;)

 

They are being replaced with ELECTRONIC music and BINGO games!

 

I pray and hope you have "Good" and fun dancing. :cool:

 

Steve

 

I do take exception to this statement about Royal Caribbean cruises. We've been on three RCI cruises in the last six months. While they are reducing live music, it is not exactly as described.

 

Here are some examples. The pool side calypso/reggae bands used to be four or five-piece. They are now often two or three-piece with little reduction in music quality. The theater orchestras used to be twelve-piece, now they are fewer. Majesty has a seven-piece orchestra now. Brilliance had a nine or ten-piece orchestra. The largest Freedom Class ships may still enjoy a twelve-piece orchestra.

 

There are still small lounge combos with a singer. I've never found cruise ship lounge singers to be very good, except for soloists in the piano lounges. There is also a group on most RCI ships called the Rosario Strings who play violins and cello. They often play in the main dining room or in the Atrium area.

 

Many RCI ships now also feature a Latino band that plays in the Boleros lounge or in other areas fo the ships for special events. This band specializes in music such as salsa, merengue, bachata, etc. They are very popular on Caribbean cruises. I do not know if they perform on Mediterranean cruises where that style of music may not be as well appreciated.

 

Also, some configuration of the theater orchestra, usually smaller in size will play a big-band swing set or traditional dance music in one of the dance venues during the cruise.

 

Bingo has been a big attraction on RCI ships ever since I have cruised on them. I'm not a Bingo fan myself, but it really isn't a fact that Bingo has replaced live music.

 

Electronic DJ music is played in the discos, which is common in land discos as well.

 

I pay attention to music because I used to play in bands myself. Music, especially live music, is important to me. I have complained to the cruiseline about the reduction in live musicians on RCI cruises, but to say that Bingo and electronic music have replaced most music on Royal Caribbean is incorrect and does a disservice to the cruise line. It misinforms those who might be considering sailing on RCI.

[Kathie44]

SwKnight, if you are referring to the R & C (one owns the other), I don't know what you are talking about. We've been on 4 cruises each and just got back from another C cruise. There was lots of music with the same party band on the same ship as last year. Dancing daily at poolside and every evening.

[trivia nut]

I was so looking forward to seeing live music. Charo had been performing on the boat we will be on and the both of us were hoping to see her. What about the shows will they have taped music also?

 

Just did a cruise on the Explorer. We were so pleased and surprised to have Charo perform one night. She performed with a live band. She is also a primed guitar player. (Studied in Spain with the best as a child.)

She was funny and blew us away with her musical talents. It was loud, but we think RCCL had some problems with the equipment that night. I didn't mind it being loud. It was wonderful!

 

You are in for a treat. Get a front row seat early. She dances through the first few rows and flirts with the least suspected. She's not as old as everyone thinks she is. She looks better than ever. She was only 19 when she became a big star after being on the Tonight Show in the 60's.

Enjoy your cruise!:) :) :) :)

[cruisnpat]

We saw Charo in Hawaii several years ago and she was great. Like you said she danced around the tables and flirted with a lot of the guys, my DD and BIL included.

 

I would love to see her again.

[DiveCruiser]

Suggest you check with the people on the prior cruise to see if the LIVE (lounge type - party too) BANDS have been replaced. :eek:

 

The wife and I love to dance and will NOT cruise some of our PRIOR cruise lines. Hint they begin with a "R" or "C!" ;)

 

They are being replaced with ELECTRONIC music and BINGO games!

 

I pray and hope you have "Good" and fun dancing. :cool:

 

Steve

Steve,

Unfortunatly they call that saving a buck.