A cappella group on Silhouette

[miched]

Acapella is fine for a few minutes and Celebrity limited it to that whenever they performed. It is a novelty and not anything that would keep the majority entertained. If you noticed they were usually outside the theater or in the atrium for 15 minutes max. They did have them in a lounge on one cruise for a few sets and it was not well attended.

 

On a mystery trip we ended up at a barber shop competition. It is acapella and they're were many different categories and styles. After 30 minutes I wanted to leave but we were stuck until it was over and the bus left. Other than the person that organized it I don't think any of the others ever attended another.

 

I am for various styles of entertainment and music as long as it is in the right place at the right time. I don't think playing rap or techno music during breakfast in Blu or the buffet is appropriate.

 

A lounge, bar or cafe without a dance floor doesn't need loud music prohibiting people from having a conversation. I guess it doesn't matter to the younger crowd how loud the music is because they don't know how to talk to anyone unless it is thru texting.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[neverbeenhere]

We were happy to see it when the 4 Horsemen, Four Squares, 3 Dimes & A Quarter were no longer cruising with Celebrity. They were an entry on our comment cards for years. The strings were nice for a walk through in the atrium but we rarely saw more than a few sit and listen for long periods. For years, the Cova was 20% full when they were playing and 30% full when they weren't playing. The winds of change eliminated the Cova and the strings. This idea of an ALL Van Halen Celebrity cruise, maybe. But ALL 70's Disco diva cruise, NO WAY!

[patterson3]

We were happy to see it when the 4 Horsemen, Four Squares, 3 Dimes & A Quarter were no longer cruising with Celebrity. They were an entry on our comment cards for years. The strings were nice for a walk through in the atrium but we rarely saw more than a few sit and listen for long periods. For years, the Cova was 20% full when they were playing and 30% full when they weren't playing. The winds of change eliminated the Cova and the strings. This idea of an ALL Van Halen Celebrity cruise, maybe. But ALL 70's Disco diva cruise, NO WAY!

 

haha I never had the pleasure (or perhaps displeasure from the sounds of it?) of seeing/hearing the 4 Horsemen, Four Squares, or 3 Dimes & A Quarter, but on my last Eclipse cruise there was an a cappella group called Full Tilt and every single one of their performances onboard was standing room only. People were filing into the Ensemble Lounge 1/2 hr before their performances in order to get a seat, and during the final performance in the theatre on the final night, they stole the show from Celebrity's singers and dancers. I was amused that there was actually quite a long long for autographs and pictures with them after that show outside of the theatre. Perhaps they were the exception though (I honestly don't even remember the names of any other a cappella groups on any of my other Celebrity cruises although I can say that for almost every other onboard entertainer that I've ever seen on a ship (I've yet to see Perry Grant- he was actually scheduled to join the Eclipse the cruise after ours, but people seem to have strong opinions of him on this board, so I'd like to see him some time to form my own opinion)....

[patterson3]

Miched, I don't disagree with you that it is a novelty and is fine for a few minutes. Even the performances that I enjoyed were usually no more than 30-35 minutes maximum, so I can certainly see why Celebrity would choose this area to make cuts. Same with the string quartet- I never would sit down just to hear them play, but I thought they were great background music for the Champagne high teas or pre-dinner on formal nights, but I suppose they could just as easily play the classical station on satellite radio and get the same effect at much less cost. I can understand the reasons behind the cuts, and from a financial position obviously lower costs allow Celebrity to keep the price of cruising down, but it is a bit unfortunate that they continue to dumb down cruising. Not everyone cruises to spend all day sitting by the pool or in the casino getting drunk on beer and/or frozen drinks, but sometimes it seems like that's where cruising is headed.

 

Acapella is fine for a few minutes and Celebrity limited it to that whenever they performed. It is a novelty and not anything that would keep the majority entertained. If you noticed they were usually outside the theater or in the atrium for 15 minutes max. They did have them in a lounge on one cruise for a few sets and it was not well attended.

 

On a mystery trip we ended up at a barber shop competition. It is acapella and they're were many different categories and styles. After 30 minutes I wanted to leave but we were stuck until it was over and the bus left. Other than the person that organized it I don't think any of the others ever attended another.

 

I am for various styles of entertainment and music as long as it is in the right place at the right time. I don't think playing rap or techno music during breakfast in Blu or the buffet is appropriate.

 

A lounge, bar or cafe without a dance floor doesn't need loud music prohibiting people from having a conversation. I guess it doesn't matter to the younger crowd how loud the music is because they don't know how to talk to anyone unless it is thru texting.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[NLH Arizona]

I'm happy to see Celebrity "modernizing" itself, and moving form the old style acapella and strains to modern music of DJ and live musicians.

 

I hope the trend continues. HAL and Cunard likely have the necessary audiences to enjoy the older skewed music choices. I have not sailed either, and have no plans to do so anytime soon.

I'm with you, Curt.

 

If I hear an a capella group or a string quartet, I'll be moving along. I would love to see more live bands (even some name groups) doing more modern music.

[hcat]

No acapella group on our recent Reflection cruise...but music around the ship was diverse and well spaced, and rotated in venues. We were so relieved, having experienced 2 Silhouette cruises with drum banger and Miami DJs.

 

We enjoyed the music, including a very good jazz group w/ vocalist, excellent folk guitar singer, another vocal duo and an all around band with excellent vocalists. The DJ played around the ship and at the Martini bar, and upstairs club,.but never drowned out other music around the atrium...Heard DJ was loud at outdoor pool, but we were mainly in the Solarioum.

 

Seemed to work well. Most of the recent string groups were not very good. Anyhow so no loss there, sadly,..Would still enjoy a real island band or steel drum on Carib itins and a Key West type guitar player and a Latin Band, ..but overall it was a huge improvement over last 2 X cruises,

 

the piped in wierdo music still was played but mostly in the background,...

[TeaBag]

No acapella or strings on our recent Silhouette. We miss the String quartet. I love classical music.

[keithm]

Last April we were disappointed on Eclipse that there was no longer an a capella group. If Celebrity drops the orchestra, I will be bitterly disappointed. Over the years the number of musicians in the orchestra has been dropping seemingly cruise-by-cruise, but if the orchestra is taken away completely, one of my favorite things about cruising--live music--will be gone. I truly hope Celebrity doesn't do that to its passengers.

Try Cunard, they still stick to tradition. We'd do them more, if they had more Caribbean trips.

[keithm]

The A capella groups and the string ensembles were very much appreciated on prior cruises, as were the party bands who played music that one could couples dance to. That is why Cunard is now my favorite line instead of Celebrity. I'm sure that Celebrity will not miss my business much. They prefer clients who like loud DJ music and rhythmic bobbing as opposed to couples dancing together on the floor. When I think about it, it makes sense. Celebrity doesn't make as much money off of drinks from me as they would a younger crowd. On a cruise I only dance with my wife. The younger dancers don't need a partner to do the kind of dancing that Celebrity is promoting. I would guess that it means they can get more people dancing and more people drinking. And, of course, a DJ probably costs less than a live band.

Well, it was fun on Celebrity while I was the target audience. I will just keep moving to more formal and conservative and more expensive lines until the entire industry is Carnivalized and then I'll stay home. Jerry of Jerry and Lady Kathryn

Cunard has been our favorite line as well. It's their overall abandonment of the Caribbean that caused us to try Celebrity. I found the Eclipse, with it's 14 day voyages to be closest to Cunard. We'll see how our Jan.18'th voyage goes.

[royalcruz]

The music on Silhouette last week was great....DJ accompanied by saxaphone, jazz/soul/folk groups, orchestra with show singers, party band. One of the headliners was an Elton John performer/comedian. The accapella groups were great for a few years, but it's time for different options.

[scifimonkey]

Cannot help but think myself very lucky to enjoy most forms of music given the pain and anguish apparently caused to some in this post. I have always thought that the set piece entertainment on Celebrity was not one of its strong points, others seem to do the big shows better;but where I have always found them to be very good is in the range and variety of small groups and individual musicians dotted around the bars of the ship. (Many of them deserved a bigger and better stage) from jazz groups to pop groups to classical guitar and a DJ.

X do not seem to cater to the extremes and as yet I have not experienced either individual opera performances or rap on board but would welcome either as part of a rich mix. They have set their stall out to attract a wide range of age groups and the music needs to reflect that same broad range. On the admittedly rare occasions that I didn't like what was on offer in any particular bar on any particular night then at least I can be comforted in the knowledge that there are another 5 or 6 great places to relocate to on board all with a great atmosphere, great staff and unless you are quite unlucky some really nice people to get to know.

I guess if you want your favourite drink, with your favourite music in a location tailored to your exact tastes then your best option is to stay at home!

[TravelerThom]

... On the admittedly rare occasions that I didn't like what was on offer in any particular bar on any particular night then at least I can be comforted in the knowledge that there are another 5 or 6 great places to relocate to on board all with a great atmosphere, great staff and unless you are quite unlucky some really nice people to get to know...

I concur that it it fully appropriate that X offers music that appeals to all tastes. I think that it becomes contentious when music that does not appeal to an individual (whether rap or opera or whatever) is played in a location and at a volume that is hard to avoid. Music and volume that would be appropriate for a club scene is not the best choice for the Centrum (an area that is pretty much unavoidable when moving about an S-class ship). It is a little hard to get to know those really nice people when (as sometimes occurs) the music is so loud that the bartender can't get your drink order or the Guest Relations person can't hear what you are saying. And I think that it is appropriate that one of the musical tastes that should be catered to is no music; some (small) portion of public space both indoors and out should be for people who don't want to listen to someone else's music (at least not at full volume), especially when passing through scenic areas.

 

Thom

[Cruise a holic]

We are on the 2/8/15 Silhouette Western Caribbean cruise and wondering if there has been an A capella group on the recent Silhouette sailings? We really enjoyed the group, "Uncommon Ground" on our last cruise on the Reflection in January 2014.

We also truly enjoyed the acapella groups on the Celebrity ships. It was so nice to hear them all over the ship. They appealed to people of all ages and a BIG mistake for Celebrity to discontinue. While we do have a few more celebrity cruises booked, and are Elite plus members, perhaps we should consider other cruise options. We enjoy the Martini bars, but the piped in music is horrible at this and some of the speciality restaurants. Celebrity needs to hire a new head of entertainment that understands what appeals to multiple generation guests.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Cruise a holic

[Lois R]

Quote:

"I;m not sure I recall an acapella group, or string quartet winning either the Voice, American Idol or the Sing off"

 

Huh?:eek: The SING OFF is strictly Acapella.....you must be thinking

of another show because every winner of The Sing Off is Acapella.

The musical instruments on this show are the singer's voices.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Lois R

[Aloha 1]

Music is subjective. As a musician, I appreciate many forms of this genre. Each has it's place. I agree that the direction Michael Bayley took was in stark contrast to the advertising message 'Modern Luxury" and more in keeping with Carnival. Celebrity has some of the most beautiful ships at sea, wonderful staterooms and suites, decent food and specialty restaurants. The A Capella and string trios and quartets truly added a sense of elegance and "not your bargain basement cruise". Live music is a must for show performances and adds to the sense of an "evening out".

 

What is NOT appropriate is playing misogynistic rants at loud volume on a ship with children. There is a time and place for that sort of slop...and it isn't on a cruise ship with a mixed passenger demographic.

 

I truly hope Lisa will change the direction imposed by Bayley and return the line to its motto, "Modern Luxury".

Edited December 25, 2014 by Aloha 1

[NLH Arizona]

Cannot help but think myself very lucky to enjoy most forms of music given the pain and anguish apparently caused to some in this post. I have always thought that the set piece entertainment on Celebrity was not one of its strong points, others seem to do the big shows better;but where I have always found them to be very good is in the range and variety of small groups and individual musicians dotted around the bars of the ship. (Many of them deserved a bigger and better stage) from jazz groups to pop groups to classical guitar and a DJ.

X do not seem to cater to the extremes and as yet I have not experienced either individual opera performances or rap on board but would welcome either as part of a rich mix. They have set their stall out to attract a wide range of age groups and the music needs to reflect that same broad range. On the admittedly rare occasions that I didn't like what was on offer in any particular bar on any particular night then at least I can be comforted in the knowledge that there are another 5 or 6 great places to relocate to on board all with a great atmosphere, great staff and unless you are quite unlucky some really nice people to get to know.

I guess if you want your favourite drink, with your favourite music in a location tailored to your exact tastes then your best option is to stay at home!

I think there is a place for all types of music, but I think the problem is that some only want the kind of music that they like and don't want other types played. I personally don't like classical or jazz, but don't have a problem walking away from a venue where it is being played and enjoying another part of the ship. If everyone would just think about others, then maybe there wouldn't be so much complaining about what they don't like and what they want. People have to remember that what is slop to one person, is music to another's ears. Edited December 25, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[Rob the Cruiser]

i could do without the repetitive Christmas music played in Bistro on Five and Cafe al Bacio aboard Eclipse. I have nothing against Christmas music, but they played the same dozen or so songs over and over (and over) again.

 

Pick up a cappuccino at 8:20 am and hear ""Holy Night". Walk by at 9:15am and hear "Holy Night". Come to think of it, that may be the only song they played. :rolleyes:

[macusr]

haha I never had the pleasure (or perhaps displeasure from the sounds of it?) of seeing/hearing the 4 Horsemen, Four Squares, or 3 Dimes & A Quarter, but on my last Eclipse cruise there was an a cappella group called Full Tilt and every single one of their performances onboard was standing room only. People were filing into the Ensemble Lounge 1/2 hr before their performances in order to get a seat, and during the final performance in the theatre on the final night, they stole the show from Celebrity's singers and dancers. I was amused that there was actually quite a long long for autographs and pictures with them after that show outside of the theatre. Perhaps they were the exception though (I honestly don't even remember the names of any other a cappella groups on any of my other Celebrity cruises although I can say that for almost every other onboard entertainer that I've ever seen on a ship (I've yet to see Perry Grant- he was actually scheduled to join the Eclipse the cruise after ours, but people seem to have strong opinions of him on this board, so I'd like to see him some time to form my own opinion)....

 

We too were big fans of Full Tilt when we sailed on Equinox in 2011 - followed their performances all around the ship and bought their CD. We enjoy a cappella singing and thought it was a nice alternative entertainment option and one that helped distinguish Celebrity from other cruise lines. I'm very disappointed to hear that they've done away with this. We are cruisers in our early to mid-40s.

[Cruise a holic]

We too were big fans of Full Tilt when we sailed on Equinox in 2011 - followed their performances all around the ship and bought their CD. We enjoy a cappella singing and thought it was a nice alternative entertainment option and one that helped distinguish Celebrity from other cruise lines. I'm very disappointed to hear that they've done away with this. We are cruisers in our early to mid-40s.

 

I find it funny that "vaudville type acts" like a xylocynth player we saw on a cruise a few years back are hired by Celebrity. This was a man playing an instrument that was like a one man band- corny, and his wife, who really had no talent, dancing around him being hired by celebrity and I heard that they are still around!

 

While I understand and respect that people of all ages have different taste, I cannot believe that the Xylosynth player and his wife are a good well rounded choice for people of all ages!

And the A cappella groups are eliminated. On all of our Celebrity cruises, people of all ages followed the A capella groups around the ship. They were a hit-

Edited December 28, 2014 by Cruise a holic

[Presto2]

Music is subjective. As a musician, I appreciate many forms of this genre. Each has it's place. I agree that the direction Michael Bayley took was in stark contrast to the advertising message 'Modern Luxury" and more in keeping with Carnival. Celebrity has some of the most beautiful ships at sea, wonderful staterooms and suites, decent food and specialty restaurants. The A Capella and string trios and quartets truly added a sense of elegance and "not your bargain basement cruise". Live music is a must for show performances and adds to the sense of an "evening out".

 

What is NOT appropriate is playing misogynistic rants at loud volume on a ship with children. There is a time and place for that sort of slop...and it isn't on a cruise ship with a mixed passenger demographic.

 

I truly hope Lisa will change the direction imposed by Bayley and return the line to its motto, "Modern Luxury".

 

Couldn't agree more. We love a real mix of music from classical to heavy rock and are happy to listen to both in the right place. Celebrity seem to have removed some of the choice we used to have re a variety of music they provide. That's not 'modern luxury', more like 'limited luxury' and sadly not for us. :(