Quality of Entertainment

[Off Shore]

We have just returned from a Mediterranean cruise on the Insignia. The quality of entertainment was awful. There was not one entertainer from the areas covered in the itinerary. The band was the worst that I have ever heard on a cruise ship. The entertainment acts were quite inferior to what we had on the Nautica on the New Zealand Australia run. We have two more cruises booked, but might cancel.

[LHT28]

It is not unusual not to have local entertainers.

 

Just curious what or who were the entertainers?

 

We enjoy some of the shows but entertainment is always a personal thing... just like food ;)

 

We go to a few shows but usually find other things to do in the evening..like chat with new friends, casino or just relax on deck but it is just us.

 

Lyn

[capecodder2]

You would cancel over the lack of "good" entertainment? O is not known for it's entertainment - that would be the last thing I would ever cancel over. They can eliminate it altogether as far as we are concerned especially on the port-intensive European itineraries. If it is that important to you, maybe you should consider a very large ship instead of a small one with other things more imortant to offer (IMHO).

[Mura]

I agree. The lack of good entertainment is way down on our personal list as a reason to cancel a cruise. But if it IS that important to you, than perhaps you should.

 

What surprises me is that we were on Insignia in late July/early August and thought that the entertainment was vastly improved from the past. They'd gotten rid of the boy and girl chorus line and the acts were pretty much solo acts -- some classical, some not. We thought it was a pretty good mix.

 

And we thought the band was quite good as well. But of course your perception of the ability of the bank may well depend on the type of music you prefer.

 

Now, our cruise was mostly Norway and most of the acts were from Poland. If your cruise was in the Med, perhaps they were looking at performers who were closer to the scene. Why important people from northern Europe when the ship is in southern Europe? So maybe we just lucked out.

[Aruba]

I agree. The lack of good entertainment is way down on our personal list as a reason to cancel a cruise. But if it IS that important to you, than perhaps you should.

 

What surprises me is that we were on Insignia in late July/early August and thought that the entertainment was vastly improved from the past. They'd gotten rid of the boy and girl chorus line and the acts were pretty much solo acts -- some classical, some not. We thought it was a pretty good mix.

 

And we thought the band was quite good as well. But of course your perception of the ability of the bank may well depend on the type of music you prefer.

 

Now, our cruise was mostly Norway and most of the acts were from Poland. If your cruise was in the Med, perhaps they were looking at performers who were closer to the scene. Why important people from northern Europe when the ship is in southern Europe? So maybe we just lucked out.

Mura, I was on the same cruise with you. We probably met although I have to admit I can't put a face to your cruisecritic ID. :o But I agree with your post regarding the entertainment on that sailing. The pianist from Poland was excellent, although it was unfortunate that they "miked" the piano which I thought distorted the sound. The Impressa String Quartet was wonderful. We were on the ship for 6 weeks, listened to them play every night either before dinner or at Tea, and do not think we heard them repeat a piece. And Leslie Jon is always a terrific entertainer IMO; his Tevye number could have been Zero Mostel himself. So...maybe we did luck out!

[Mura]

Ah well, I'm not putting a face to your I.D. either, Aruba! Too bad ... I agree about the pianist and the miking. The one thing I could have done without most of the time was the performer's "chatting" to the audience. For the most part that was overlong and poorly done. Since they all did it, I assume they were told to do the spiels.

 

Did you see the gypsy violinist? We thought he was great!

 

I wasn't as impressed with the string quartet as you (although the first violinist was first rate) but that is probably because my father was a professional violist and I grew up listening to chamber music.

 

All in all, we were pleasantly surprised at the better quality of the entertainment on this cruise.

 

(And the scenery wasn't half bad either ...)

[wripro]

To me the best evening entertainment is a nice, leisurely dinner with friends and fellow passengers followed perhaps by a nightcap in a lounge. I don't go to Broadway for a good meal and I don't cruise for the entertainment. That said, if entertainment is really important there are other lines out there with superior offerings.

[Off Shore]

Most of the comments are to a certain extent valid.

However, a Caribbean itinerary should have better entertainment.

I can't imagine that it costs that much more for a good band than a tired Polish "Jazz" band that played music from the 20's and 30's. Are there that many 90 year olds on board?

If the cruisers are in their 60's or70's then wouldn't music from the 1950's or 1960's would be more appropriate. When the Clarinetist said "I'm sure you all remember the Benny Goodman concert in Town Hall in 1938 I thought I was on HAL

[Mura]

Offshore, that DOES put a different complexion on it! We had a young Russian band so perhaps there was a crew change inbetween your cruise and ours.

 

Now, I happen to be very fond of music from the 20s and 30s, even though it is long before my time. And I wasn't around for Benny Goodman in 1938 either! I am no longer one of the younger passengers (although also not among the oldest passengers either), so I'm sure I would have been scratching my head at such a comment as well.

[LHT28]

I was also on the cruise with Mura & Aruba

The string quartet left when we did.

The Jazz band (part of the larger band ) we found quite good but they may have rotated out.

 

We have had Polish or Eastern European bands on most of the cruises with O even in the Caribbean.

Must be where the contractor get the musicians from.

 

We have enjoyed them all

 

JMO

Leslie Jon does a good impression of Zero Mostel signing If I were a Rich Man ....Sorry but we are tired of seeing it every cruise though I am sure he could find another number to sing & do a really good job

 

I was not around in 1938 either but do enjoy Benny Goodman tunes ;)

 

I prefer the classical musicians rather than the Staff singers

It is just a personal choice

 

We do not base a cruise on the entertainment but on the ports & the ship.

 

Lyn

[Mura]

As usual I agree with Lyn! No surprise there since that's been the case for a long time. We only met in person on the cruise this summer but we've been corresponding for years.

 

I don't mind Leslie Jon's impression since we've never seen it! This was the first time we've cruised with him and we happened to miss that show.

 

Being classical musicians ourselves, we do prefer that type of music. But that doesn't mean we don't enjoy good jazz and etc. And Howard enjoyed the magician this time, too.

 

Our experience HAS been different in terms of Lyn's comment about eastern european musicians being more the norm on Oceania cruises. We hadn't noticed that ourselves. I don't know if we indeed had people from different areas or we just never noticed! Could be either or both ...

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Our experience HAS been different in terms of Lyn's comment about eastern european musicians being more the norm on Oceania cruises. We hadn't noticed that ourselves. I don't know if we indeed had people from different areas or we just never noticed! Could be either or both ...

 

Mura

 

Most of the string quartets & the Main bands have either been from Poland or the Ukraine on the cruises we have taken with O.

Not to say all the other cruises had the same nationalities.

 

The single performers are from many Countries & we enjoyed most of them.

Only one musician I can say we were very disappointed with

 

some people just do not like classical music

I like most music venues ..just not hip hop or Rap ;)

 

Lyn

I am a 60's gal

[newfirsttimer]

I also just returned from Insignia. I was not expecting a high quality of entertainment since these boards have often stated that Oceania is not known for their entertainment and more often than not, what there was was not very good. The average age on the cruise I was on was 63 so I do agree that music from the 20's and 30's is not very appealing. I thought the string quartet was excellent even though it was not my type of music. I also liked the ship's band but did not care for the smaller group that played in Horizons. I do not like comedians or magicians so I gave those a pass. I believe it is all in your expectations and if entertainment is high on your list, Oceania is certainly not the cruise line to go with. I actually thought the entertainment quality was better than I was expecting.

[Mura]

Most of the string quartets & the Main bands have either been from Poland or the Ukraine on the cruises we have taken with O.

Not to say all the other cruises had the same nationalities.

 

The single performers are from many Countries & we enjoyed most of them.

Only one musician I can say we were very disappointed with

 

some people just do not like classical music

I like most music venues ..just not hip hop or Rap ;)

 

Lyn

I am a 60's gal

 

 

Another 60s gal, Lyn. We had noticed that the string quartets are usually eastern european but in the past we haven't been very pleased with them in general. I remember four young ladies on Regatta in particular. It was partly a combination of only adequate ability plus some very poor arrangements. I would prefer that they play "real" music, but then I'm a classical music person and I certainly understand why they do a lot of arrangements of more popular music considering when and where they play. It isn't so much the pieces themselves as the arrangements they we objected to!

 

And maybe we didn't notice the nationalities of many of the other performers because we tend not to go to the shows. It's not that we don't go to any ... we just don't go to most! And we did go to more on the Midnight Sun cruise than we have in the past.

[Bruin Steve]

I have always held that Oceania's entertainment is largely inferior--on the whole--however we have always found at least one or two acts we've enjoyed...and with the rest, we just make the best of it...We are among those who DO enjoy entertainment on a ship--though it's never the primary reason for cruising...We cruise on Oceania for the itineraries primarily, then the food and service...and the overall relaxing atmosphere...It's just that, as long as we're on the ship and have little choice as to what to do at night, we appreciate having some nightly form of entertainment...

 

So, on the whole, I think most of all would agree that there is some room for improvement...and I think Oceania knows that as well...Hopefully, they make the effort...

 

I have noticed that, on the Marina, at least the way it appears on the deck plans, the showroom is more of a dedicated showroom and less of a bar with a stage...I'm also assuming the entertainment systems and facilities are better as well...hopefully this is all a prelude to an increased emphasis on entertainment...

 

I always do get a laugh out of Oceania or any other cruise line tuning their entertainment towards "Swing" or "Big Band" or whatever the music of the 1930s or 1940s was...Seems like they've been playing from that playlist for decades now...It may have been borderline appropriate back when my parents were cruising...and they were born in the Mid-1920s and weren't exactly going to see Benny Goodman in 1938!

 

But, really, start doing some math...Just how old do you think your customers...or your target customers...are?

 

I imagine that I may be in the target demographic for a line like Oceania...

I am 56 years old...So, I was "College-age" in the 70s...

Someone 10 years older than me...66...would have been the same place in the 60s...

Someone a full TWENTY years older than me...76...would have been that age in the 50s!!!

 

So, by my estimation, say your target demographics are somewhere in the 45-75 year old range...And say you wanted to match music to be "nostalgiac" to these customers, you'd want to be providing music from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s...and that's asssuming everyone's music tastes stopped progressing when they graduated from college...

 

Yes, good music MAY be timeless...So, we can all appreciate some music that's older than that...but certainly don't make it the primary emphasis of your entertainment...

 

[Okay, here's where my musical preferences are...best cruise ship music show I've ever seen was on RCCL where the singers/dancers performed Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Meatloaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"]

[wripro]

I can only assume that the reason most bands come from Eastern Europe is that they work for less money.

[LHT28]

I can only assume that the reason most bands come from Eastern Europe is that they work for less money.

 

Maybe they do not have a musician's union that have set prices for gigs ;)

 

Lyn

[pratzert]

I also just returned from Insignia. I was not expecting a high quality of entertainment since these boards have often stated that Oceania is not known for their entertainment and more often than not, what there was was not very good. The average age on the cruise I was on was 63 so I do agree that music from the 20's and 30's is not very appealing. I thought the string quartet was excellent even though it was not my type of music. I also liked the ship's band but did not care for the smaller group that played in Horizons. I do not like comedians or magicians so I gave those a pass. I believe it is all in your expectations and if entertainment is high on your list, Oceania is certainly not the cruise line to go with. I actually thought the entertainment quality was better than I was expecting.

 

Hi Judy,

 

I was on that same voyage. I had read from others on the forum prior to our cruise, that they considered the entertainment to be just so-so on "O" and I wasn't expecting much. But I was pleased that what I saw was fairly good.

 

I must admit, by the time I had had a few drinks and than the most delicious food I've ever had I my life.... I turned in pretty much after dinner most evenings.

 

But we did catch a few shows. I liked comedian and he made me laugh. I LOVED the String Quartet, I thought them to be very talented. Some of the music played in Horizon's was not my cup of tea, but I still thought it was performed well.

 

Overall, I didn't think any of the entertaiment was "bad". I thought they were all talented. ( The more I drank, the better the magician got.):p

 

After being aboard, I can see why there is not a huge production as I have seen on some ships, there just is not enough room in the entertainment venue, but I thought it was all fine.

 

My feeling is that the majority of the passengers were on board for the itinerary and the food. That's what we were there for and we were not disappointed.

 

Tim

[tanny18]

IMHOl, it's the luck of the draw!! We were on a back to back December 09/January 10 -- sailing from Singaport/Sydney/Auckland. On the first half of the first cruise, the entertainment was so so (but we're used to that -- again, we don't sail Oceania for the entertainment -- we could sail on Carnival for that). The second part of the first cruise and the second cruise had wonderful entertainment. There was a singer who voice left everyone in awe...I even bought his CD which I've never done. There was a classical pianist, who at his second performance, did classical and Jerry Lee Lewis. The lounge rocked. So foro anyone who wants great entertainment ALL THE TIME, it ain't gonna happen. And as far as I'm concerned, good food, a wonderful bed and a great staff trump entertainment any day of the week!! Arlene:rolleyes:

[Bruin Steve]

I guess I should, perhaps, delve a bit more into the subject of what defines "Good Entertainment"...

 

Obviously, whether someone has talent or a good singing voice or whether a musician plays nicely is always a matter of personal perception, giving rise to the appearance that getting a good singer or a so-so singer on your cruise is "hit or miss"...or could easily be perceived differently by two different cruisers...

 

But, when I judge entertainment, it goes a bit beyond the clearly subject areas of what I--or anyone-- likes or doesn't like...

 

There are many components to "entertainment", all of which add into the "quality"...

 

Some may not notice such things...but I tend to...

These are things that are more objective than each of our relative taste...

 

First, there is production value: Any show or performance is enhanced by its staging--the lighting, the sound amplification, costumes, backdrops, etc. Yes, to some it may seem unnecessary, but there are reasons entertainment poductions have typically done such things...whether you notice it all or not, these tend to create more entertainment value...

 

This is one of those areas where Oceania tends to fall flat...largely, of course, to the minimal facilities, lack of a production stage, etc.

 

Next, there is the presentation by the performer or performers: How do they relate to the audience? What do they do beyond mere singing or dancing or whatever? Clearly, a very good magician who merely performs trick after trick silently would be nowhere near as entertaining as an average magician who relates to the audience and spices up the act with witty banter.

 

An Eastern European pianist with little in the way of English Language skills may be a very fine musician...and the pure music quality may be high...but he will fail as a showman to most compared to the piano man with a rapport with his audience...someone who says a few words here and there and has some audience interaction...

 

Shows require more than simple musical entertainment...there is a difference between a "recital" and a "show"...

 

So, when I say Oceania is lacking in the area of entertainment, I am not saying that some of the performers don't have good voices...or musical ability...

 

What I am saying is that they lack presentation...and professionalism ...and staging...Some the fault of the individual performers, some just issues with the facilities available on the ships...

 

Now, do they have to improve the quality? Maybe not...

If Oceania's customers aren't cruising for the entertainment...and the entertainment is just there to fill the time in the evenings while at sea...then "good enough" entertainment may be good enough...

[wripro]

For all the above reasons I stay away from the shows. A cognac in the Martini Bar never disappoints.

[hondorner]

I have to disagree somewhat. I agree that like food, good entertainment is in the eye of the beholder. I don't care for Vegas-style production shows with second rate singers and dancers, no matter how great the stage values or how wonderful the costumes. I much prefer cabaret-style entertainment from individuals or small groups.

 

I have 57 nights aboard Oceania ships, and I've missed maybe two or three nights of entertainment, mostly because I wasn't feeling so hot a couple of times. I've never seen a bad magician, a bad comedian, or heard a bad singer. There was one evening when the cruise staff produced the show, one of the assistance cruise directors was a modern dancer, and she spent 90% of her routine writhing on the floor out of sight of most of the audience -- but that was one performance of several in ine show of many.

 

Have you ever attended a Back Box theater in the round? How about a lounge-style cabaret? Did those smaller surroundings really distract from the performance? That's the kind of entertainment I enjoy.

 

My second favorite form of music is classical, and the string quartets, classical guitarist, classical clarinetist and his coloratura wife, were all outstanding. My absolute favorite form of music is John Phillips Sousa performed by a marching band, but I don't expect to find that aboard ship. That doesn't make the entertainment bad....

[Aruba]

There was one evening when the cruise staff produced the show, one of the assistance cruise directors was a modern dancer, and she spent 90% of her routine writhing on the floor out of sight of most of the audience -- but that was one performance of several in ine show of many.

I remember her. Yes, that was a memorable performance...but probably not for the reasons she intended. But as the saying goes, different strokes for different folks.

 

There was a pianist on a few of my O cruises that we called "Arpeggio Man". His idea of playing included racing up and down the keyboard as often as he could, playing as many arpeggios as he could fit in a measure. As a pianist myself, I found it kind of comical but others seemed to enjoy the showmanship of it.

 

We don't cruise on ANY line, particularly Oceania, for the entertainment -- so when we DO get a good entertainer/performer (such as the 1st violinist Andiry of the string quartet on our recent Insignia voyages or the jazz pianist Tim Lambert on a prior Regatta sailing) we look upon it as an unexpected treat and enjoy it all the more.