Confessions of Cruise Ship Entertainers

[ODECCIT]

Very interesting yahoo article about Hal and other cruise line entertainers.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/confessions-of-a-cruise-ship-entertainer-we-think-104648872707.html?hp=1

[summersigh]

This sounds like a story crafted to support a theory the writer had about shipboard entertainers. I found it a little hard to believe some of the claims made in it.

[RuthC]

"Wealthy" passengers on "Holland America"? Sure, some, but as a rule? No. Comfortable is a better word to describe most of the passengers on HAL.

I take the whole article with a grain of salt.

[YubaSutter]

I think the article is probably pretty accurate.

[CowPrincess]

This sounds like a story crafted to support a theory the writer had about shipboard entertainers. I found it a little hard to believe some of the claims made in it.

 

"Wealthy" passengers on "Holland America"? Sure, some, but as a rule? No. Comfortable is a better word to describe most of the passengers on HAL.

I take the whole article with a grain of salt.

 

My best friend's ex-partner took a year off to work as an entertainer on a ship. The stories I heard from him support some of what is said in that article.

[BumperII]

I read that article too, and found little to disagree with. One establishes very few long lasting relationships with entertainers and crew members. We come at this from very different perspectives, they are at work and we are on vacation.

 

I think all of these folks do a fantastic job. How they manage to keep smiles on their faces is beyond me. It is a tough, demanding occupation. The rule for us as passengers is that one must always remain mannerly, respectful and cordial.

 

We leave additional gratuities. The crew will never remember the tips we leave. And they will never forget those who take away the "hotel service charge". We like to sense that we are worthy of the "welcome back greeting".

Edited December 13, 2014 by BumperII

[kazu]

I read that article too, and found little to disagree with. One establishes very few long lasting relationships with entertainers and crew members. We come at this from very different perspectives, they are at work and we are on vacation.

 

I think all of these folks do a fantastic job. How they manage to keep smiles on their faces is beyond me. It is a tough, demanding occupation. The rule for us as passengers is that one must always remain mannerly, respectful and cordial.

 

We leave additional gratuities. The crew will never remember the tips we leave. And they will never forget those who take away the "hotel service charge". We like to sense that we are worthy of the "welcome back greeting".

 

We too leave additional grautities and I do think the crew remembers.

 

When we arrived on the P'dam I was greeted by a cabin steward who remembered me and the cabin I was in last time (he was our steward). He did remember us and welcomed us back. I am sure that had something to do with the gratuities left on the first and second segment, but I could be wrong.

[Sir PMP]

Very interesting yahoo article about Hal and other cruise line entertainers.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/confessions-of-a-cruise-ship-entertainer-we-think-104648872707.html?hp=1

 

There is no entertainment on Hal....

[kazu]

There is no entertainment on Hal....

 

I guess you are right if you discount the piano man (haven't seen a woman), the Adagio, the musicians in the Ocean Bar/elsewhere, the entertainers that come on board and of course the HAL dancers and singers and on most ships the HAL cats. I probably missed some, but like them or lump them, they are entertainers.

[luvcruisn']

There is no entertainment on Hal....

 

I thought that the entertainment on my recent Prinsendam cruise was very good.

[0bnxshs]

I think the key to this article is found at the bottom where it quotes the book as having a disclaimer that the stories contained in the book are fictional. I take the whole thing very lightly.

 

But it is good to remember that our vacations are other people's jobs. We will certainly see things from very different perspectives.

Edited December 13, 2014 by 0bnxshs

[rafinmd]

I guess you are right if you discount the piano man (haven't seen a woman), the Adagio, the musicians in the Ocean Bar/elsewhere, the entertainers that come on board and of course the HAL dancers and singers and on most ships the HAL cats. I probably missed some, but like them or lump them, they are entertainers.

 

Don't know about others but Debbie Bacon (only does grand voyages on Amsterdam) is superb.

 

Roy

[Topsham]

Back in the 80s I was cruising in VISTAFJORD and met a passenger... Jeraldine Saunders. What a woman! Retired but in the 60s/70s he was a real-life cruise director. She eventually wrote a book about her experiences in cruise ships. She gave me a copy... still have and her autographed. You may have heard her.... if not at least the book but you have seen the TV series..... "The Love Boat".

 

Compare now and back then? Well, much of the job is the same now as it was in forty years. My guess that back then was more 'raunchy' than today.... even the last twenty years! So much rules and regulations now. Hardly much fun to be had.

 

 

 

Stephen