Are the Hell (HAL) Cats completely gone from HAL ships now?

Fingers crossed. I never get headaches but they always manaaaged to make my head pound. :eek:

Fingers crossed. I never get headaches but they always manaaaged to make my head pound. :eek:

Me, too! Any time I saw them setting up by the pool, I'd run away.

I remember on group in particular. We were all the way in the PG by the windows and was like they were on the restaurant with us- singer had a "piercing" voice.

Some of the Hal Cats groups were quite OK and a lot more enjoyable than some of the steel drum players they have now on most Caribbean cruises.

The same can be said of the BB King All Stars that a lot of people were saying of the Hal Cats: some of the groups are quite good while some of them are just horrible. We have had some BB King groups where we wished the Hal Cats were back.

On the ships we have been on the last few years, the HAL cats were gone.

But we did have a bad -- really loud group on one of our Westerdam repositioning cruises -- made it impossible for all of us to hear the cellar master at his special dinner in the Pinnacle.

We can not stand the loud BB King group either. On several ships we have walked by the Queen's Lounge and their loud music and screaming singers hurt my ears in the hallway.

It is now called "The Band" and they support the singers and dancers and the guest entertainers and don't have their own singer. At least that is how it was on the Maasdam in Oct/Nov and the Rotterdam in Feb/Mar

It is now called "The Band" and they support the singers and dancers and the guest entertainers and don't have their own singer. At least that is how it was on the Maasdam in Oct/Nov and the Rotterdam in Feb/Mar

I think "The Band" on Zuiderdam this winter had a singer. A man, as opposed to the screechy women the Hell Cats always had. Not sure as we heard them only a few times--they didn't play in Ocean Bar every night because of their work in the showroom. (Lead singer in the production shows was a screecher, so the elimination of the Hell Cats doesn't guarantee your ears won't be assaulted)

I don't know much about music, so maybe someone can help me...so there is....

1. Soprano

2. Mezzo Soprano

3. Contralto

and Screecher?

I think "The Band" on Zuiderdam this winter had a singer. ........ Not sure as we heard them only a few times--they didn't play in Ocean Bar every night because of their work in the BB showroom.

Last cruise we missed the live band at night in the Ocean Bar. Not much else with live music was open after late fixed seating except for BB King and the Piano Bar - BB King being very, very loud and the piano bar guy being just so-so.

I don't know much about music, so maybe someone can help me...so there is....

 

1. Soprano

2. Mezzo Soprano

3. Contralto

and Screecher?

Screecher has less to do with vocal range than talent and training.

Thanks,,,,,,,,,,, :D I think. :)

Screecher has less to do with vocal range than talent and training.

Or, a Steven Tyler wannabe... Or, some of the female contestants from the old "Rock Star" TV show (where INXS and Supernova were picking new lead singers) ;)

When we were on the Westerdam in 2016, we did not have any music in the evenings in the Ocean Bar -- big disappointment.

The Band had to play for all the shows in the show room.

We haven't seen the HALcats on any HAL ships in a while.

However, we really loved the BB King bands on our latest Oosterdam & Eurodam cruises.

Yes, they're loud, but they're good, and it's live music. :cool:

We haven't seen the HALcats on any HAL ships in a while.

However, we really loved the BB King bands on our latest Oosterdam & Eurodam cruises.

Yes, they're loud, but they're good, and it's live music. :cool:

I agree. The All Stars that played in the BB King on the N. Amsterdam during our Panama Cruise in Sept. were one of the best bands we've ever experience on any of our cruises, on any cruise line we've been on. Fantastic entertainment.

The HAL cats are not my cup of tea at all.

When we were on the Oosterdam in 2013 there was a fantastic vocalist who used to sing up in the Crows Nest most evenings, called Chris Toler. He played mostly modern stuff, quite soulful, and played a guitar. Unfortunately there was only usually about 15 people up there listening.

Is there still music in the Crows Nest from about 9-11pm?

We had a BB King Group on the Rotterdam in Fall 2016. Saw them play for a few minutes on 2/3 occasions and that was enough!!!! Very bad for a variety of reasons not the least of which is because they are probably taking way too much of the ship entertainment budget so besides the bad music other areas suffer as well.

On the ships we have been on the last few years, the HAL cats were gone.

 

 

 

But we did have a bad -- really loud group on one of our Westerdam repositioning cruises -- made it impossible for all of us to hear the cellar master at his special dinner in the Pinnacle.

 

 

 

We can not stand the loud BB King group either. On several ships we have walked by the Queen's Lounge and their loud music and screaming singers hurt my ears in the hallway.

We tried listening to them on the Eurodam this past February but after two tries we agreed that they sounded like a bad wedding band.

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The HAL cats are not my cup of tea at all.

When we were on the Oosterdam in 2013 there was a fantastic vocalist who used to sing up in the Crows Nest most evenings, called Chris Toler. He played mostly modern stuff, quite soulful, and played a guitar. Unfortunately there was only usually about 15 people up there listening.

Is there still music in the Crows Nest from about 9-11pm?

We saw Chris, too, on Zui. He was very good! The Guitar Players on Vista Class are gone. We have not seen any on Signature Class in quite some time. Last April Zaandam still had one in The Mix. The only music I've seen in Crow's Nest in the last couple of years has been a Piano Player on Prinsendam.

We saw Chris, too, on Zui. He was very good! The Guitar Players on Vista Class are gone. We have not seen any on Signature Class in quite some time. Last April Zaandam still had one in The Mix. The only music I've seen in Crow's Nest in the last couple of years has been a Piano Player on Prinsendam.

His music was the highlight of the cruise, entertainment wise. It's a shame HAL don't have more vocalists like that on board.

I agree. The All Stars that played in the BB King on the N. Amsterdam during our Panama Cruise in Sept. were one of the best bands we've ever experience on any of our cruises, on any cruise line we've been on. Fantastic entertainment.

Agree. On our Eurodam cruise in 2016 they were awesome...the best band ever on a cruise ship.

On our Westerdam Alaska cruise in 2015 we found the BB King group to be one of the highlights of the cruise. It took a little time to adjust to the loudness of the music, but once we did we loved the band. We've found that almost all concerts nowadays are amped to the max and it can be deafening. We even tried to get the band at our daughter's wedding to tone it down, but they wouldn't and only us old farts seemed to really mind.

We're looking forward to whatever BBKing group will be on our Christmas cruise aboard the Eurodam...although now, with all the complaints here, we're hoping we won't be disappointed.

On our Westerdam Alaska cruise in 2015 we found the BB King group to be one of the highlights of the cruise. It took a little time to adjust to the loudness of the music, but once we did we loved the band. We've found that almost all concerts nowadays are amped to the max and it can be deafening. We even tried to get the band at our daughter's wedding to tone it down, but they wouldn't and only us old farts seemed to really mind.

We're looking forward to whatever BBKing group will be on our Christmas cruise aboard the Eurodam...although now, with all the complaints here, we're hoping we won't be disappointed.

I am worried too about the BB King being too loud. That would be a shame if they are good otherwise and there was no way I could enjoy it at that volume.

Is there any seating near the venue where you could still hear it?

I am worried too about the BB King being too loud. That would be a shame if they are good otherwise and there was no way I could enjoy it at that volume.

Is there any seating near the venue where you could still hear it?

Take along a few pairs of those little spongy earplugs.

It'll cut the volume, but you'll still be able to fully enjoy the BB King band.

Simplest solution in the world. :)

I am worried too about the BB King being too loud. That would be a shame if they are good otherwise and there was no way I could enjoy it at that volume.

Is there any seating near the venue where you could still hear it?

You can hear it in the hallway. Some people say they wear noise-cancelling headphones in order to go to BB King.

Loud surroundings make me very uncomfortable, almost a claustrophobic feeling. So if I can hear the music pounding as I walk by in the hallway, I'm not going in. On one of our cruises, they did a show in the main lounge. It was very good and most of the time, the volume was not excruciating. And they actually played some blues!