Standards of Princess Guest Entertainment

[Shogun]

Hi All

Guest entertainment on the Grand Princess, I

noticed that on my cruise there will be two guests, both have been on TV talent shows,

but did not win, however they make a living doing what they do, now a guy called Simon said of one that the persons act was nothing special had seen a thousand folk do it better, and would place the act low down on a local town theatre show.

So question is should we expect better, or is it a sign of the times, cost cutting ,that we are lucky to have any guest entertainment ,

Now I do not go the shows, but I rely on them keeping my cruise buddies happy and in the theatre as much as possible , so at night so I can find a quite bar to sit at .

Yours Shogun

[paul929207]

I think Simon is paid to make outrageous statements like the one you cited.

[indigosails]

It just might be a sign of the times that cost-cutting is cutting into the entertainment. Just keep your expectations low and you won't be too disappointed.

[Beyondships]

I have not noticed any deterioration in the quality of the entertainment on Princess. When I was on Crown Princess earlier this year, they had a comedy duo, Alfred & Seymour, who were quite good and packed the theater each time they were on.

[cruiseryyc]

I have never found the "guest" entertainment to be good - mostly aged singers or comedians. Of course, like Shogun, my evening entertainment is sitting with an after dinner drink(s) listening to a band or outside listening to the ocean going by.

[caribill]

Quality is about the same (some good, some bad), but quantity is down.

 

On at least one ship they have cut the shows from two different 45 minutes of entertainment (one in Princess Theater, one in rear lounge or Explorers) to one 30 minute show in the Princess Theater. A reduction of 67%, from 90 minutes to 30.

 

On another recent "live from" the only evening entertainment was a movie in the Princess Theater.

 

(Above does not include live dance music in the lounges which continues to exist.)

[ONT-CA]

One should never judge a theatrical act by the "full house" of the theatre aboard a ship. All and any entertainment has been paid for and therefore is attended regardless of who or what is on the bill. When we did so attend, and that was many a moon ago we always wondered why every performance was accorded a standing ovation. To us that should be reserved for the exceptional performance but as later explained to us, it is part of the process of the exit to get to the elevators before the crowd. We too capitalize on the evening spaces generated aboard the ship during the theatre coral.

[Pam in CA]

Simon's been wrong before, and will be again. Often, people who don't win or are even in the finals wind up being far better entertainers and successful than the one who won. That doesn't mean the entertainers you're referring to are great but I don't pay attention to what Simon says.

[RickEk]

Simon's been wrong before, and will be again. Often, people who don't win or are even in the finals wind up being far better entertainers and successful than the one who won. That doesn't mean the entertainers you're referring to are great but I don't pay attention to what Simon says.

 

Exactly... remember Jennifer Hudson? She came in 7th place on the third season of American Idol. She's done much better (Grammy and Academy Award winner) than the winner of that season, who was?.... anyone? Oh yeah, it was Fantasia. Where is she now? :p

 

And by the by, on our upcoming cruise, there will be two shows I haven't seen yet... British Invasion and Stardust. I do believe that I'll be there to check them out (thank god, it's not Piano Man again!!). :p

[KruzPrincess]

A judge on talent show is still only one person's opinion. Have to point out that the American Idol (or the British version, I presume) is not picked by the judges. It's picked by the viewers and I've found that the viewers don't always have very good taste. LOL. I've often seen judges quite upset by who gets voted off. At any rate, the also rans have to get work somewhere and it appears it may be on cruise ships. I don't expect to see Jennifer Hudson or Daughtry (AI losers) on a cruise ship, but some others might do OK there. Personally, I don't think cruise ship shows are that good and I avoid them, but I hear a lot of other people do enjoy them. If you want to see some fabulous entertainer you can go to Las Vegas and pay a couple hundred dollars.

[Jasperdo]

 

On at least one ship they have cut the shows from two different 45 minutes of entertainment (one in Princess Theater, one in rear lounge or Explorers) to one 30 minute show in the Princess Theater. A reduction of 67%, from 90 minutes to 30.

 

I was expecting that to be the case on the Coral Princess Panama Canal cruise a few weeks ago. But I was happily surprised to find the entertainment schedule to be the same as before. Two full shows one night, with a third show the next night. There were 5 Production Shows all together, and 2 of them were almost an hour long. Hopefully Princess has abandoned their "Anytime Entertainment" idea.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

I would go and see this years winner of Britains got talent,

 

 

 

watch and see why

 

 

yours Shogun

[gertz]

Shogun,

We like the shows and go to all of them some of them twice, or 3 times or some 5 and 6 times.

We are not judges just spectators and enjoy them. Everyone to their own taste and we do not judge people that do not attend.Gosh we are even dog lovers.

[Mapu]

I was expecting that to be the case on the Coral Princess Panama Canal cruise a few weeks ago. But I was happily surprised to find the entertainment schedule to be the same as before. Two full shows one night, with a third show the next night. There were 5 Production Shows all together, and 2 of them were almost an hour long. Hopefully Princess has abandoned their "Anytime Entertainment" idea.

 

Sadly the "Anytime Entertainment" is on the Emerald.

[Loonbeam]

Honestly, it depends on what you like as well. For example, we saw Mark Crocker on the Island and thought he was great, but others on the same ship said he was either average or boring. In contrast we thought the 'Comedy Magician' was atrocious but other people raved about him...

 

Shrug. Like the food, its subjective.

[hubofhockey]

Sometimes, when someone is truly mediocre, Simon comments that the person may have a future entertaining on cruise ships. Let's face it. You're not getting Broadway level talent. But sometimes it's pretty good.

[Jasperdo]

Sadly the "Anytime Entertainment" is on the Emerald.

Sorry to hear that. I was hoping it was a quickly discarded experiment.

[KruzPrincess]

Hi All

 

I would go and see this years winner of Britains got talent,

 

 

 

watch and see why

 

 

yours Shogun

 

I'd go see them, too!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing.

[fishin' musician]

I do believe the evening entertainment on Princess is comparatively weak... NCL and RCL are much stronger in this category. But, apparently I don't choose a cruiseline based on evening entertainment as DW and I will soon set sail on yet another great Princess cruise. The Princess experience is so excellent in other areas that I'm willing to forego top shelf evening entertainment.

[caribill]

As one comedian said on Princess: "I am not the best comedian, but I am the best one in my price range."

[Pam in CA]

Sometimes, when someone is truly mediocre, Simon comments that the person may have a future entertaining on cruise ships. Let's face it. You're not getting Broadway level talent. But sometimes it's pretty good.

Several years ago, on my Sapphire Sydney to LA cruise, we had a group called "WestEnders." Each of the group had had major roles in top London musicals. They were incredible... as good or better than Broadway. They were scheduled for three shows and wound up doing four, every single one packed to the gills with people standing on the sides and back of the Princess Theater. If you ever see them listed in the Patter, skip dinner or do whatever you have to do to see them. :) http://www.thewestenders.com/index.asp?

[PescadoAmarillo]

I don't know why the Emerald is getting screwed with Anytime Entertainment, but it's taken what I have historically considered a Princess weak spot (entertainment) and made it even worse. I am most interested in comparing it to the Island Princess entertainment in August.

 

Entertainment makes up a large portion of our cruise enjoyment. We have always really enjoyed the production shows, but most guest entertainers have left us unimpressed (and we don't enjoy audience participation shows either). All the OBCs in the world can't make up for that, and I think if anything caused us to permanently wander from Princess, it would be the entertainment.

[caribill]

I am most interested in comparing it to the Island Princess entertainment in August.

 

 

Which sailing?

[hubofhockey]

As one comedian said on Princess: "I am not the best comedian, but I am the best one in my price range."

 

Yes, it figures as that joke is a bit recycled. Bill Murray certainly used it in reference to Camp North Star in the 70's comedy, Meatballs.

[ambelina]

A judge on talent show is still only one person's opinion. Have to point out that the American Idol (or the British version, I presume) is not picked by the judges. It's picked by the viewers and I've found that the viewers don't always have very good taste. LOL. I've often seen judges quite upset by who gets voted off. At any rate, the also rans have to get work somewhere and it appears it may be on cruise ships. I don't expect to see Jennifer Hudson or Daughtry (AI losers) on a cruise ship, but some others might do OK there. Personally, I don't think cruise ship shows are that good and I avoid them, but I hear a lot of other people do enjoy them. If you want to see some fabulous entertainer you can go to Las Vegas and pay a couple hundred dollars.

 

We've seen some really good shows in Las Vegas and some not so good and we paid alot of $$$ for them. We have seen good and not so good entertainers on Princess, but at least it was included in the price of our great trip. We are leaving soon on the Emerald and we are hoping that the new shortened entertainment won't be too disappointing.;)