Carnival needs to fire the Fascination piano bar guy..

[pmang]

so, i've been following this thread with some interest, as I too, was, not too long ago, a regular Carnival Piano Guy.

 

first, I know PMang personally, and he is not on the Fascination (hows Scandinavia, PMang?)

quote]

 

Hi Mark.... Nice to "see" you here...

 

Things here in Scandinavia are going fine.... Crazy on weekends... These people can drink! I'd hate to see them on a 3 day cruise!!!

 

Weeknights are dead though... Hardly any people out and I end up playing songs that wouldn't normally be on the piano bar play list. It's hard to break out the sing-a-long standards when there are only a hand full of people in the bar....

 

I hope that no one goes on line to start a web thread to have me fired for not being fun all the time!!!!

 

LOL... just kidding people.... couldn't resist.....;)

[wcurry66]

I feel like I'm at an Alanon meeting

 

My name is Wendy and I'm the wife of a musician

 

having not been there, I can't attest to skill or lack there of, but I do know many musicians. :)

 

I'd never rate one on a single gig.. Who knows if their wife just left them, they're hung over, fighting a cold, or seasick

 

Most respond to positive vibes. Its amazing what a kind word and a smile (not to mention a tip) can do to perk one up

 

Its worth asking if they know something you'd like to hear

 

If you play, by all means, ask if you can give it a whirl (unless that';s against some carnival policy). Help the guy out.

 

Kudos to all of you doing daily 5 hour gigs.. That's unfathomable

 

I plan to go directly to the piano bar on my next cruise and thank whomever's there

[kiraryker]

How about the Triumph?? Do they even have a piano bar?

[MistyRo76]

I feel like I'm at an Alanon meeting

 

My name is Wendy and I'm the wife of a musician

 

having not been there, I can't attest to skill or lack there of, but I do know many musicians. :)

 

I'd never rate one on a single gig.. Who knows if their wife just left them, they're hung over, fighting a cold, or seasick

 

Most respond to positive vibes. Its amazing what a kind word and a smile (not to mention a tip) can do to perk one up

 

Its worth asking if they know something you'd like to hear

 

If you play, by all means, ask if you can give it a whirl (unless that';s against some carnival policy). Help the guy out.

 

Kudos to all of you doing daily 5 hour gigs.. That's unfathomable

 

I plan to go directly to the piano bar on my next cruise and thank whomever's there

 

We did try most of these things you mentioned in our piano bar experience on the Freedom (with Peter). We went in on at least three occasions to see if it got any better - it didn't

 

We tried to make requests, but once Peter very rudely pointed out to another lady that what she was asking for wasn't on his play list (he said it in a way that made it seem that she was stupid for asking), we didn't try that tactic again.

 

One of the guys with us had mentioned how the player on the Valor a while back would always let him play a song or two while he was on break...so he tried to ask Peter the same and got immediately shot down saying it wasn't allowed and not in a nice way. If it's against policy that's fine, but its the way you say it that really counts.

 

It was almost an uncomfortable atmosphere in there. Not fun at all. I certainly don't wish the guy to be fired....but if this is how he is week in and week out, perhaps his contract should be reviewed when its up. I did mention his behavior and performance in a letter to Carnival. I typically write a letter after each cruise to point out the many people who went above and beyond our expectations....and occasionally have to mention a couple who don't. Being a customer service manager, I would like to know if my employees were not living up to the company's and my expectations.

 

Misty

[pmang]

All right.... Now we are off topic, but I just noticed something that was mentioned twice that I would like to comment on....

 

This is just my opinion...

 

Jumping on stage to play a few songs in the piano bar....

 

Well, early in the night, I would let the occasional person sing if they asked to. This would only be if it's slow... not prime time. It would be extremely rare that I would relinquish the piano and let someone else play. In my 5 years with Carnival, I think I remember letting one passenger sit in (piano and vocal) and do some songs.... That person knows who he is... He ended up working for Carnival as a pianoman with a very successful run (go figure?). I let countless people sing... my sore throat some nights welcomed it.... Other Carnival musicians from the ship (orchestra pianist, cocktail pianist, etc) where always welcome on stage to play and we would cross promote each other.....

 

In the piano bar, the player is in a no-win situation if a guest takes over the piano. The guest will either be really good, or really bad.... Now, his friends/family will want him to keep going regardless (I know it can just as easily be a she!).

 

If he's excellent, it's very hard for the player to come back on to do his show if his skills aren't quiet as good. The other guests feel let down and most likely will leave. Now this isn't an ego thing of not wanting to look bad.... There is always a better player then you somewhere... Always.... Doesn't matter who you are. This is about controlling your show. You now have a situation where other guests want the other person to keep playing. He may want to, he may not... But the guy hired by the ship to do the job is in a tough spot.

 

On the flip side (and much more common)... the person is terrible. Absolutely killing a song... This can kill the mood in the bar very quickly. Even worse, the guest could start to be heckled by the other passengers. Now, the player is in a different kind of tough situation. He would need to make the guest feel special and the floodgates have been opened. Guaranteed that some person in the crowd will now think it's hilarious to say they want to play... and then proceed to sit down and play "Chopsticks" or "Heart And Soul".... You have lost the room again....

 

If you just let someone sing, that is a one and done thing. If they are really good... Fantastic! Keep the guest in mind when you do a duet song and invite them back up. If they're bad, you have a mic as well and can help them out.....

 

This is just my opinion on the subject... I'm not trying to start a fight here... I just wanted you all to see things from a players point of view. You are never "helping the guy out" by playing a few songs for him. You've just made his night a lot harder.... either by upstaging him... or sucking! LOL :) :D

 

Of course, the player needs to be polite when explaining this... I always said that you are welcome to sing a song (again... if it was slow), but no non-Carnival musician can perform on the piano during the show. Some other piano players may allow this and don't share the same opinion as me.... That's fine... Just wanted to point out how I did things...

 

There are venues for guests who want their moment to shine.... Karaoke and the Talent Show....

[jessemon]

Geez people...I obviously don't want the guy fired....

Did I miss something in the title of this thread you started saying Carnival should "fire" this piano player ?????:rolleyes:

[CWcruisers]

I am a customer service manager and if one of my employees is not delivering the standard of service that is expected of them, I would want to know.

 

I think that is probably what the OP had in mind, it was just the delivery method was a bit harsh.

 

I know the piano man auditions for his job, but there are some that I do wonder how they got in.

[ASONGULOVE]

ahh. PManG...youve outed me at last! lol...

 

yes, the person was me, but what he left out of the story, which was a pertinent fact, is that my "request" to jump onstage and play a song was accompanied by a $20.

 

In the trade, we call that an "I don't suck fee", as it mitigates the piano players risk of losing his crowd to a less-than-impressive amateur, as PManG illustrated in his example.

 

ok, now back to the original topic...

[Randr2210]

Just got off the Fascination, and was very excited about going to the piano bar at night....last cruise it was the place to be...well Mikael...not sure if that is spelled right...is really not very much fun...he sings and plays well but does not play for audience participation....also breaks often ...so needless to say only went there once and everytime went past it was empty...I feel we have been served an injustice..:eek:

 

There is another piano bar entertainer that is awful on the Triumph. Everyone complained about her.

[DJ Eddy]

You are never "helping the guy out" by playing a few songs for him. You've just made his night a lot harder.... either by upstaging him... or sucking! LOL :) :D

 

This is true also in the disco, people come up and show me their I-pod and say "i'm just trying to help you out" but they're not. Carnival are a corporate company and they provide music on CD format that they have paid royalties to play in public, also it is all edited so now proanfity, head office listen to all music before sending to the ships. Therefore I can only play what Carnival have provided, and unfortunately there is no hook up for I-pods... Carnival still provide music on CDs.

I know there were (there may still be) some DJs that used their laptop with songs on it but there was a fleetwide memo sent out saying they are not supposed to as it may contain music that is not pre-approved and pre-paid by Carnival, and in the past some DJs have had a drink spilt on their laptop or it has been damaged and they have tried to sue carnival.

If, on the other hand you are having a private function in the disco and have paid for a DJ for an hour or 2 thn we can play whatever you like, you can use your i-pod etc (if you have the correct leads) as you have paid for the function.

[markntara]

Just got off the Fascination, and was very excited about going to the piano bar at night....last cruise it was the place to be...well Mikael...not sure if that is spelled right...is really not very much fun...he sings and plays well but does not play for audience participation....also breaks often ...so needless to say only went there once and everytime went past it was empty...I feel we have been served an injustice..:eek:

 

Yep, your right on all accounts, it is spelled Mikael, and he is really bad. I seen him on the Celebration in Jan 08 and he was decent, but this past Jan he was horrible.

 

It was like he didnt give a s**t! and on top of him, the drink service was nadda in the piano bar. Imagine that? Peeps ready to drink and no one to serve them ...

[pwrmom]

Yes, I agree that Mikail was terrible... I was there.... There was a reason the bar was EMPTY.... it was very apparent he did not want to entertain anybody - and was happy when people left - He all but pushed us out! He asked what we wanted to hear and then performed the most horrendous version of the song you've ever heard! We even went back for a second go at it, thinking he was just having a bad night the first time around! No such luck! Seriously. wow - I'm not sure how Carnival thinks this is entertainment. Maybe they can convert club 88 into something more useful - because a "piano bar" it is not!