Piano Bar Schedule (updated)

[catfluff]

Just wondering if anyone knows who the performer will be during the Oct 21 Zuiderdam TA?

[HokiePoq]

Barry from Boston was fantastic on our recently completed Voyage of the Vikings. It was mentioned that he was getting off with us at the end of the cruise but I did not hear who was coming on. Barry and Christina, the CD, put on a matinee show that was great.

[pbnjrockette]

anybody have information about the Piano Bar player(s) on the Rotterdam?

[Globaliser]

I have updated the Jimmy Maddox thread with the newest information about his schedule.

[mcphreek]

Who is on the Oosterdam Oct 16th?

 

If you haven't already found out, Barry from Boston is currently onboard the Oosterdam until January.

I just returned from a 7 night Alaska cruise and found his Broadway schtick, incredible repertoire and engaging style to be fantastic! There wasn't a night I didn't stop by for at least a few songs.

[catfluff]

Any idea of who we'll be enjoying on the Zuiderdam TA in October? :)

[Lizzie68]

I need to know who is on the NA at the beginning of the Alaska season, 2016.

[TAD2005]

We were on the 26 day collectors cruise from Athens, through Rome, and TA to Ft. Lauderdale, starting Oct 14 through Nov 9.

We had Paul C McD for the Athens-Rome leg. He was fantastic. Talented, supplemented the piano with his own electronic keyboard which provided drums, bass, etc. He really engaged the crowd, and he had a full house every night.

Paul C McD ended his contract in Rome, and we got Tom. No last name provided, just Tom. At the scheduled hour of 9:00pm, he walks in, sits down, plugs in his microphone, and starts playing. No welcome, no "Hi everybody, I'm Tom and I'm going to rock this place", nothing. He just starts playing. This was forgiven for the first few nights, but after the first week, and the same stuff every night, the crowds were very thin after the first set. He never talked to the audience, never engaged them, he just played and sang. We might as well had a CD player up there for all of the interaction that went on.

I understand that Tom had big shoes to fill, replacing Paul C McD in mid cruise. We hope that he found his niche when he had a totally new crowd after the Ft.Lauderdale turnaround.

But overall, he needs to loosen up, work his audience, and get involved with them.

[Lizzie68]

We were on the 26 day collectors cruise from Athens, through Rome, and TA to Ft. Lauderdale, starting Oct 14 through Nov 9.

We had Paul C McD for the Athens-Rome leg. He was fantastic. Talented, supplemented the piano with his own electronic keyboard which provided drums, bass, etc. He really engaged the crowd, and he had a full house every night.

Paul C McD ended his contract in Rome, and we got Tom. No last name provided, just Tom. At the scheduled hour of 9:00pm, he walks in, sits down, plugs in his microphone, and starts playing. No welcome, no "Hi everybody, I'm Tom and I'm going to rock this place", nothing. He just starts playing. This was forgiven for the first few nights, but after the first week, and the same stuff every night, the crowds were very thin after the first set. He never talked to the audience, never engaged them, he just played and sang. We might as well had a CD player up there for all of the interaction that went on.

I understand that Tom had big shoes to fill, replacing Paul C McD in mid cruise. We hope that he found his niche when he had a totally new crowd after the Ft.Lauderdale turnaround.

But overall, he needs to loosen up, work his audience, and get involved with them.

 

Oh dear, that doesn't sound like any of the pianists we've had. Hopefully he'll either smarten up or be gone.

[elycelynne]

We were on the 26 day collectors cruise from Athens, through Rome, and TA to Ft. Lauderdale, starting Oct 14 through Nov 9.

We had Paul C McD for the Athens-Rome leg. He was fantastic. Talented, supplemented the piano with his own electronic keyboard which provided drums, bass, etc. He really engaged the crowd, and he had a full house every night.

Paul C McD ended his contract in Rome, and we got Tom. No last name provided, just Tom. At the scheduled hour of 9:00pm, he walks in, sits down, plugs in his microphone, and starts playing. No welcome, no "Hi everybody, I'm Tom and I'm going to rock this place", nothing. He just starts playing. This was forgiven for the first few nights, but after the first week, and the same stuff every night, the crowds were very thin after the first set. He never talked to the audience, never engaged them, he just played and sang. We might as well had a CD player up there for all of the interaction that went on.

I understand that Tom had big shoes to fill, replacing Paul C McD in mid cruise. We hope that he found his niche when he had a totally new crowd after the Ft.Lauderdale turnaround.

But overall, he needs to loosen up, work his audience, and get involved with them.

 

Wow, Tom sounds like a real prize. I hope you mentioned this in your post-cruise survey -- HAL needs to weed out the clunkers (for their sake as well as ours -- low attendance = lost bar revenue).

Edited November 16, 2015 by elycelynne

[newfiegirl4]

Great thread.

So who's on the Westerdam for the 28th sailing, out of FLL. Sorry if I missed it.

[Globaliser]

The Jimmy Maddox thread has been updated.

[sofiegsd]

Does anyone know who the piano man will be on the inaugaral

TA of the Konigsdam in Oct. 2016?

[retiredkid]

Any idea who the piano man is on the NA for the April 10-29 Panama reposition? Thank you for any response.

[AECrowell]

We'll be on the NOORDAM for the Sydney to Sydney cruise beginning 3/25/16. Does anyone know who the piano player will be? Thanks!

[elycelynne]

We'll be on the NOORDAM for the Sydney to Sydney cruise beginning 3/25/16. Does anyone know who the piano player will be? Thanks!

 

It will probably be Michael Sara. If I'm not mistaken, I think he's doing the whole Australia season on the Noordam.

[candf]

Anyone know who's going to be on the Eurodam for April 24, 2016 sailing from Barcelona?

[JPH814]

How far in advance will we know the Piano man on a cruise?

 

We will be on the Oosterdam in February 2017 in the Caribbean. The piano bar is always a highlight of any cruise. We have had great ones in Stryker and Jimmy Maddox in the past. Would love to know who we get this time.

[JPH814]

How far in advance will we know the Piano man on a cruise?

 

We will be on the Oosterdam in February 2017 in the Caribbean. The piano bar is always a highlight of any cruise. We have had great ones in Stryker and Jimmy Maddox in the past. Would love to know who we get this time.

[backwerd]

How far in advance will we know the Piano man on a cruise?

 

We will be on the Oosterdam in February 2017 in the Caribbean. The piano bar is always a highlight of any cruise. We have had great ones in Stryker and Jimmy Maddox in the past. Would love to know who we get this time.

 

Sadly, there won't be a Piano Man on your February 27 2017 cruise. The Piano Bar on the Oosterdam has been replaced by the Billboard Twin Pianos set-up. It does not come close, in our estimation, to the fun and professionalism of the Piano Bar experience. (The two young singers currently on the Oosterdam we thought were mediocre at best).

 

Our biggest disappointment on our recent Oosterdam cruise was the removal of the dance floor and dance music in the Ocean Bar. Had we known that there was to be no ballroom music (or at least very little) on our cruise we would have cancelled. That was always our favourite venue on HAL. We like the B. B. King Band, and can boogie with the best of them, but it isn't the same as "real" dancing.

 

Does anyone know if there is still dance music on the smaller HAL ships?

 

D.

[Cruise_More_Often]

The pianoman on the NA recently was Mike (don't know his last name), and he was GREAT. He's an accomplished pianist with an amazing voice, and he really interacted with his fans. I was fascinated just watching his fingers flying across the keyboard. This was the first time we've been in a piano bar on a HAL ship, and we went every night. I can hardly wait for my next HAL cruise. :D

[Copper10-8]

The pianoman on the NA recently was Mike (don't know his last name), and he was GREAT. He's an accomplished pianist with an amazing voice, and he really interacted with his fans. I was fascinated just watching his fingers flying across the keyboard. This was the first time we've been in a piano bar on a HAL ship, and we went every night. I can hardly wait for my next HAL cruise. :D

 

Mike McCabe

[Chelly]

Wondering who will be playing the Piano Bar on Westerdam's Oct.22, 2016 cruise to Mexico. So happy a Vista Class is returning to Mexican Riviera from San Diego.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Mike McCabe

Thanks, Copper. I Googled before I posted and did find a couple of hits for Mike McCabe. I think he's much better in person than in the YouTube videos I found, so I thought it was a different person.

[TAD2005]

We have always enjoyed the piano bars (and players) on the Vista class ships. We will be on the Oosterdam soon and the regular piano bar has been transformed into the Billboard Twin Pianos. Will they have 2 pianists for every session ? How do they handle requests shouted out by the customers seated around the pianos ? Just because they have 2 pianos, doesn't mean they must have 2 pianists every night. One very talented person could fill the bill very nicely.

For those CC members who have been on the O-Dam since the April 2016 drydock, what was your experience in the new Billboard Dual Piano bar ?