Current piano bar entertainers

[erin_cruisers]

Kory Simon is hands down THE best entertainer I've ever seen on a cruise ship.

I was on Freedom last year for two weeks, and this guy had a traffic jam in front of the piano bar every night he played. You had to come early to get a seat.

On the Brilliance last month, there was a woman playing in the Piano Bar, and after just hearing part of one song, we couldn't get away fast enough.

I'm sorry but I didn't even get her name. :o

[hummy0605]

We loved anselmo on splendour and the schooner bar is our favourite bar but looks like we are in a minority but wasn't keen on Henry saxby on adventure - sorry

[lakelorain]

Liked Paul O'Shea on the Liberty and Roxy on the Explorer. We spend a lot of time and money in the Schooner Bar if the piano player is good.

[Bobal]

It seems that the piano bar entertainer on Legend is (or soon will be) someone called Will from the UK, as he's introduced himself on our roll call for the cruise at the start of May.

[eel]

Hi Lee! Yes! Henry Saxby was lots of fun, engaging & even some funny quirks! i.e. "Piano Man" will cost you a surcharge & Freebird or Coldplay are off limits! Haha!!! He has quite a few interactive bits & is extremely versatile. He will even give USB's of his material. Word has it he is working on compiling a performance show for the ship theatre. We were on B2B & got a good opportunity to meet & get to know him. He would stay on much later past his shift if the crowd was good. Great, talented guy.

 

Picture of Henry in the Schooner Bar:

P1000980 by eel1957, on Flickr

 

Picture of the Schooner Bar crowd:

P1000981 by eel1957, on Flickr

[peteukmcr]

Matt Yee was our favourite but he appears to do mainly chartered sailings these days. The Schooner Bar was standing room only when we saw him on Mariner and Navigator.

 

Would like to know who's scheduled for our upcoming Allure sailing in 5 weeks.

Edited April 7, 2013 by peteukmcr

[steveru621]

Tony B on the Explorer, the best.

 

Liam on the Allure, second best.

[steveru621]

I am of the school that a good piano bar entertainer can make or ruin a cruise.

 

I agree it does make a difference. We love the Schooner Bar.

[olibubble]

we had david curtis last october on the liberty and his website says he is doing april - october this year too.

 

Hilarious.

[Gilpet]

It seems that the piano bar entertainer on Legend is (or soon will be) someone called Will from the UK, as he's introduced himself on our roll call for the cruise at the start of May.

 

Will (can't remember his surname) was on our Jewel cruise last July. We thoroughly enjoyed his music and spent a lot of time in the Schooner. Kory Simon was on Independence in 2011 and was great, sadly the entertainer on Independence last year wasn't good - we didn't spend any time in there at all and I can't remember what his name was.

 

Gill

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Where is the piano bar on the Allure? We do like to sit and enjoy a couple of nights a cruise if the entertainer is good.

[steveru621]

Where is the piano bar on the Allure? We do like to sit and enjoy a couple of nights a cruise if the entertainer is good.

 

On the Allure it's in the Schooner Bar. I'll probably be wrong, but I believe the piano bar is at least in the Schooner bar on all RCCL ships.

[sonvoltken6]

We had Kory Simon on the Freedom in 2010 and he was the best! Hopefully we get another good one. I've honestly only seen one that I honestly didn't care for. He was on the Radiance in 2011...I can't even remember his name!

 

Kory was AWESOME I have him as a friend on FB but I have no idea what he is doing.

[cathy1227]

Tony B on the Explorer, the best.

 

Liam on the Allure, second best.

 

When we were on the Liberty, Matt Yee was playing & we really enjoyed him. When we were on the Oasis in October, Tommy was the piano player. He was good, too; however, I have to say that we liked the Schooner Bar on Liberty much better. We felt the Schooner bar on Oasis was off the beaten path, and the layout wasn't quite as conducive to a sing-a-long type of piano playing venue :rolleyes:

 

Anyway..... (LOL) - How is Liam? We will be on the Allure later this month & look forward to spending some time in the Schooner Bar. Thanks!

[cariad1000]

We loved anselmo on splendour and the schooner bar is our favourite bar but looks like we are in a minority but wasn't keen on Henry saxby on adventure - sorry

 

I completely agree. Just off the Adventure and we only went to the piano bar once. The piano was miked which was totally unnecessary in such a confined space and I didn't think much of his voice either. All in all, it was so loud we couldn't hear ourselves think. Certainly not my idea of a piano bar:(

[printingchick]

Matt Yee is awesome! Since my next cruise is on a smaller ship, it's highly unlikely I'll get the good fortune to see Matt again! Loved him on Freedom!!

[remrph]

Hey Ria and Lee,

 

Miss you guys ! Henry was the best. Loads of fun. I'd book a cruise just to spend the nights with him.........listening to his piano playing I mean. We were in the Schooner bar probably 4 of the nights of our cruise tossing 'em back with our CC friends that we only saw one of the main shows. I wish I could find out if he is on our cruise next year.

 

Bob

[gadawg1979]

We love Kory and I hope Royal is listening and will keep great piano bar peeps.

[jstraw20]

I think I've developed a real love/hate relationship with the piano bar entertainers, at least on the Explorer.

 

I should preface this with saying that I'm a Production Manager, so the last thing I want to do on vacation is see a show of any kind. I don't go to any of the big shows in the theatre (sorry guys). But I love music so I try to catch all of the bands and music acts in the various bars.

 

On my second to last cruise Matt Yee was the piano bar player du jour, and I liked him. Good voice, good pianist, great energy. Not something I'd seek out on shore but I enjoyed him.

 

I can't remember the name of the piano bar guy on my last cruise, and to be honest I'm glad I can't because I feel bad about calling him out. He had a *very* pure, strident voice that just got under my skin. I'm sure it's just me because the audiences every night he played really liked him. But couple that very loud, strident vocal quality that with a very out of tune piano and the fact that the sound was cranked to eleven every time he played... Oy, I had issues.

 

Honestly, if the sound wasn't so damn loud I think I might have been able to deal. But come on, the board is right behind the piano and it looks like a very simple layout. Turn it down. I could hear you from 3 decks up. :cool:

Edited April 12, 2013 by jstraw20

[AlisonoftheSeas]

Any recent Freedom people know who is on now?

[cindyseattle]

I just sailed in Mid March and Manda Vincent was the pianist. She is from Ireland. We were there almost every night. She has a great sense of humor and is very personable. Sorry to hear someone earlier in this thread didn't like her. I'd cruise on any ship she's on again. :)

[ksuds]

The Jewel currently has Gustavo. He's pretty entertaining. Has a pretty long playlist. As long as you shoot out requests he will play, if not, he will go take a break.

 

Previously on the Jewel was Chuck Perry. He never seems to enjoy performing. He complains and takes long breaks because he is expected to work 3 hours a day. The Jewel would let him take one night off per week because he complained that he was overworked. He could be fun if he wanted.

 

Kelly Goodrich is on or heading to the Enchantment. We've always loved him. Great entertainer. He seems to have fun doing his shows. If the bar is crowded and people are having fun with him, he will play until 2-3 in the am.

[TBone2K]

My favourite piano guy was Roxy from Australia on Explorer.

My least favourite I can't even remeber his name... On Independence, an Irish fellow who would sing all the songs at the same volume. Only piano entertainer I've ever heard who actual sings with an accent that isn't required by the music.

 

My favourite piano player substitute was Derek Lewis.

[gadawg1979]

Anyone Know who is on Freedom....

 

I cannot believe that I am saying this but if you all will send me a direct message with who is on what ship I will try to put it together like the Captains and Cruise Director threads.

[yknot13]

oiy, oiy, oiy,,,,,,mmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

Matt Yee rocks.