Entertainment on HAL Ships

Since HAL is trying to attract a younger set of pax, will they also create entertainment that in fact is geared to those younger people ?

What do you think will happen on future cruises:rolleyes:

Define “younger”, please.

HAL caters to all ages in a more refined, contemporary style of cruising with varying ranges of entertainment. Ships, venues & programming reflect positive efforts to attract a “younger” demographic than the line has traditionally catered to. Still, no climbing walls, skating rinks, water parks, raunchy poolside parties, etc. so if these appeal to you then HAL may not be for you, yet.

Over the years we have sailed Carnival, NCL, Princess & HAL, each as a married couple before child, with child, & sans child. They all have their pros & cons, with HAL now being our favourite cruise line that now meets/exceeds our needs, expectations & enjoyment within our budget.

As for future cruises I suspect HAL will continue to modernize their offerings while maintaining their core values that define their brand.

Not sure how much “younger” they are shooting for but we have found that other cruise lines do often have better entertainment. For instance, we also sail princess and royal Caribbean and find they typically have better entertainment. That said, we love sailing Hal and do so for the itenerary and not just for entertainment.

The show lounge on K'dam does a great job of incorporating new video walls and using them in multi-media presentations there. My recent experience with Lincoln Center Stage classical performances suggest that whomever is hiring/scoring the material these artists perform is at least tipping their hat at a younger audience: note-for-note guitar solos from classic rock within the context of a string quintet was a lot of fun. Of course at 64, maybe I'm the younger demographic they're shooting for?

The show lounge on K'dam does a great job of incorporating new video walls and using them in multi-media presentations there. My recent experience with Lincoln Center Stage classical performances suggest that whomever is hiring/scoring the material these artists perform is at least tipping their hat at a younger audience: note-for-note guitar solos from classic rock within the context of a string quintet was a lot of fun. Of course at 64, maybe I'm the younger demographic they're shooting for?

Yup you are just a kid lol :p:p:p

They've just added a classic rock venue to the Nieuw Statendam, and will probably add it to the K the next dry dock. It's by Rolling Stone Magazine. That should help attract younger cruisers. I'm 76, which is not what they are looking for, but can't wait for that venue on The Nieuw Statendam that I'm booked on.

They've just added a classic rock venue to the Nieuw Statendam, and will probably add it to the K the next dry dock. It's by Rolling Stone Magazine. That should help attract younger cruisers. I'm 76, which is not what they are looking for, but can't wait for that venue on The Nieuw Statendam that I'm booked on.

It's a new venue that HAL is introducing for their new, and largest demographic... Boomers!;):D

Classic Rock? :') I'll be on the Nieuw Statendam's maiden voyage. Really looking forward to the new ship and now to this new entertainment.

As a token HAL "youngster" (44 now, 35 when we started, 9 cruises, #10 booked) I would say from my point of view, a recalibrating of the brand demographic is well under way and has been happening for a few years now with regards to music and entertainment.

This past summer on Volendam, we had stage shows that were not either Motown, British Invasion or The Beatles. Mercifully.

Not that I minded those themes the first few times, but seeing those same themes across multiple ships and lines over the past 8 years was getting a bit much. Granted, I could have done without the country themed show we had and hence did by skipping it, but the Legends of Rock show (late 60's to mid 90's music) was a welcome change.

Background ship music was also bumped up about a decade in terms of overall age; hearing Tom Petty, Madonna and Third Eye Blind.

We also had a younger piano player with considerable contemporary music knowledge that was a contrast to the normal piano bar player that we also had. TV and movie themes by request in the Ocean Bar, old standard sing alongs in the Mix/Piano Bar area

Katei, the rock themed violinist was probaby the highlight of the show for us; for a small group of people, visibly older than us, it was "too loud for the evening". Subjective opinion isnt worth debating. It likely was for us as we thought, and was for them as they thought.

Personally, add in BB Kings, Billboard, and the Rolling Stone themed classic rock room/show, I see a line that is more likely to continue to appeal to me than it would if these changes had not occurred.

None of this prevented us from finding the quiet, tucked away spaces on board that HAL has a bit of a reputation for, nor did any of these changes prevent us from enjoying the Adagio duo or BBC Earth Live orchestral experience; we still experienced and enjoyed the more quiet, reserved, sophisticated aspects of the trip.

HAL is marketed and designed to appeal to a certain segment and demographic of cruise ship passengers; periodically, they will have to adjust their practices and branding to reflect what new customers entering that demographic want and expect, and to less reflect those that are leaving that demographic.

It feels exciting and interesting when you "age in" to a demographic, but when you "age out", its more a sense of loss and dislocation.

If I'm still sailing the next time HAL does this, I will probably be less enthused than I am now.

Dogstar, what goes on at " raunchy poolside parties" I am wondering?

Dogstar, what goes on at " raunchy poolside parties" I am wondering?

Hairy chest contests, belly flop contests... you name it. Thankfully, these do not occur on HAL cruises!

Since HAL is trying to attract a younger set of pax, will they also create entertainment that in fact is geared to those younger people ?

 

What do you think will happen on future cruises:rolleyes:

I hope they bring back audience-participation game shows, pool entertainment and/or Crows Nest entertainment but for now, out of the 7 lines I've sailed, HAL is the absolute worst in the entertainment field.

Define “younger”, please.

 

Over the years we have sailed Carnival, NCL, Princess & HAL, each as a married couple before child, with child, & sans child. They all have their pros & cons, with HAL now being our favourite cruise line that now meets/exceeds our needs, expectations & enjoyment within our budget.

 

As for future cruises I suspect HAL will continue to modernize their offerings while maintaining their core values that define their brand.

Two words......"Right On"!

Since HAL is trying to attract a younger set of pax, will they also create entertainment that in fact is geared to those younger people ?

 

What do you think will happen on future cruises:rolleyes:

HAL has tried to attract a younger crowd in the past too. What is now the 'Gallery Bar' was a one time the 'Northern Lights Night Club' which was, in fact, a Discotheque. Never saw anyone in there. Of course the majority of my first cruises were full ship charter Blues Cruises. But I still can't picture anyone on a HAL ship sliding across the floor like John Travolta!

It's not about sliding across the floor, or even dancing. It's about having something different to chose from. I, for one, will definitely be there.

Not sure how much “younger” they are shooting for but we have found that other cruise lines do often have better entertainment. For instance, we also sail princess and royal Caribbean and find they typically have better entertainment. That said, we love sailing Hal and do so for the itenerary and not just for entertainment.

I'm a military officer in my early 30s. My wife and I love to cruise. We've done all the major lines, NCL, RCCL, and Carnival and they are great family vacations. We just got off the Carnival Magic with our child and it was a great family vacation but we're looking for a getaway without our child now. We've been really attracted to HAL's offers lately, the ships look amazing and relaxing, the food looks awesome.

I remember discos on HAL ships back in the early 80's. I was in my 20's then and hardly used them. I spent lots of time in clubs then and didn't want that cruising.

We love HAL because they don't try to entertain us 20 hours a day. We don't need to be kept busy- we do just fine on our own.

HAL's market has always been known as "forty something" and up. Today's 40's an up people are very different than in the 80's or 90's- we fall into that group.

We are people that lost coats and ties and wear jeans and t shirts to work. We eat when and where we want to eat. We entertain ourselves just fine and don't need to be entertained or kept busy.

We cruise only HAL because we don't want water slides and tons of kids running around. We don't want to be in a frat drinking party. We bring our tablets so dont need a library.

I would think we are in the target market for HAL. We only cruise in NS and normally have a high onboard spend. We get to know Wine Stewards, Bar staff, and Spa staff. Breakfast and dinner are in PG every day as we are on the ship to escape noise and crowds. We love the art on the ships. We still haven't tried Koningsdam as we really love the "classic" feel on previous ships. If i want to see a Hyatt Regency I will stay in one. When we travel on land we look for the classic boutique hotels.

HAL needs to change to meet the expectations of the next generation of people just coming into retirement ages. IMO they are doing a great job at least for us,

Not sure how much “younger” they are shooting for but we have found that other cruise lines do often have better entertainment. For instance, we also sail princess and royal Caribbean and find they typically have better entertainment. That said, we love sailing Hal and do so for the itenerary and not just for entertainment.

In the last year we have been on Hal, Royal and Princess. Found the main shows to be on par with those on Royal and Princess.

I wish they had things other than "review" as i call them.....some sort of singing/dancing type of show. I'd love a comedian, a cirque de soleil type of show, family game shows, activities like trivia but more than once a day. Music isn't my thing...to just keep adding music venues makes me sad.