Can Someone Explain the Piano Bar.... Does Every Ship Have One ?

[cruisinditto]

I'm so excited for the piano bar! What time do they typically get started? Do you have to buy drinks in order to stick around?

[Jenhem31]

I'm so excited for the piano bar! What time do they typically get started? Do you have to buy drinks in order to stick around?

 

 

On the Breeze it was around 9. And no, you don't have to drink.

[falkcor]

I'm so excited for the piano bar! What time do they typically get started? Do you have to buy drinks in order to stick around?

 

 

Typically it will be listed from '9 til late' - late depends on the pbe - it seems 1 is the 'earliest' cutoff per their requires hrs and such, but I've been in the piano bar til 3 with a few of them

 

No you don't need to order drinks to stoke around, tipping the pbe is always appreciates though - most I've seen have a fishbowl type thing in the piano, and encourage you to toss tips in there ;which is fun itself). Ice gotten very good at tossing tips in that bowl lol

[falkcor]

So many typos above, sorry, stupid phone

[divetrash]

I'm a little late to the party here, but just an FYI on the piano bars.

 

Carnival is trying to make them a bit more similar across the fleet. To that end, they are supplying boxes of props and silly hats to the piano bars and also putting a "book" of the theoretical 100 greatest piano bar songs. I say theoretical because the list is basically just pulled from some website and has very little to do with reality or current music. If you happen to be in one of the piano bars with this book, please know that this is NOT the entertainer's book. Most entertainers know hundreds or even thousands of songs. And sometimes the hotel directors do not allow them to distribute copies of their own list.

 

So request whatever you want, not just what is in the official book. If they don't know it they will let you know. And tip well!

 

Carnival has a pretty good crop of entertainers at the moment, many come from dueling piano bar backgrounds, lots of songs, lots of energy. My favorite of the current crop is Ben Gentry. But also, Bob Berhalter, TC, Brad Alexander, Russell Villarin are all great.

 

If you want to know more about an entertainer or the schedule, search "Piano Bar-barians" on the social media site that shall not be named.

 

Happy cruising,

 

Laura

[lifeinabooth]

We visited the piano bar on the Conquest in 2008. We were honeymooning and under the influence of some blue margs but my husband was given permission to take the mic and sing to me. Some dinner mates had joined us and we all had an amazing time singing along. I wouldn't have thought I was a piano bar kind of girl but I'll be seeking it out on our 7th anniversary trip in May on the Magic. :)

[ccruisequeen]

I went to one of the piano bars and he played well but had a horrible voice!

 

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

[ronrythm]

We stop by usually on the second night. If it is crowded, we know he is good. Only takes the first night to make or break the place.

On some of the ships (fantasy class comes to mind) the design of the ship makes it so unless you are looking for the piano bar, you probably aren't going to come across it, so the place is rarely full. Other times it's been a dead cruise for some reason, even thought the performer was great. Everybody went to bed at 8? Shrug. Don't judge the performer by the crowd.

Enjoy

Ron

Edited April 21, 2015 by ronrythm
sp

[MarcelLucSell]

Prior to our cruise, we got to know alot of other future cruisers on another social site, and we used the Piano Bar as our night cap meeting spot.

 

We got to know Piano-Man Bob and he got to know us.

 

One of the couples got engaged during the cruise and we had champagne toasts one night.

 

It was a great place to pop in for our final martinis of the evening before bed.

[LucyR.]

I used to have lots of fun on the Carnival Splendor because the piano player was really fun to talk with and sing along with him.

 

But this past December I was on the Carnival Imagination and the piano player had a great singing voice. I walked into the room approx. 9;30 p.m.

and I noticed that there was a family with two young girls who were 12yrs old.

The girl couldn't really sing and the piano guy would ask her to sing over and over. Then I noticed people started to leave the room and I was bored too and left the room.

It seemed to me like he was killing time by letting the girl sing every other song that he played.

Of course the family was in hog heaven having his kid sing a lot. I see that happen a lot in Karaoke too. There is a time set for families but sometimes

the families don't leave and their young kids keep singing off key over and over and the whole family is laughing and having fun. I just walk out.

[w8ing2cruz]

We visited the piano bar on the Conquest in 2008. We were honeymooning and under the influence of some blue margs but my husband was given permission to take the mic and sing to me. Some dinner mates had joined us and we all had an amazing time singing along. I wouldn't have thought I was a piano bar kind of girl but I'll be seeking it out on our 7th anniversary trip in May on the Magic. :)

 

This is a GREAT share!!!

[momof3cruisers]

On our Freedom cruise, we somehow didn't ever make it into the piano bar. Then a month later, I did go to the Piano Bar on the Imagination. That guy seemed to often be more into having fans than working with the crowd. Lots of "inside jokes" types of things and not all that much singing. Is that typical?

[Crusin Hogs]

Ben Gentry is the best piano player I have seen on a Carnival ship , Keeps the audience involved , From I need a barrrrr tender to Olay Olay Olay , The glasses and hats for everyone .

[thomarvin]

Piano bar cant be explained. It has to be experienced LOL:D

[happy cruzin]

I'm a little late to the party here, but just an FYI on the piano bars.

 

Carnival is trying to make them a bit more similar across the fleet. To that end, they are supplying boxes of props and silly hats to the piano bars and also putting a "book" of the theoretical 100 greatest piano bar songs. I say theoretical because the list is basically just pulled from some website and has very little to do with reality or current music. If you happen to be in one of the piano bars with this book, please know that this is NOT the entertainer's book. Most entertainers know hundreds or even thousands of songs. And sometimes the hotel directors do not allow them to distribute copies of their own list.

 

So request whatever you want, not just what is in the official book. If they don't know it they will let you know. And tip well!

 

Carnival has a pretty good crop of entertainers at the moment, many come from dueling piano bar backgrounds, lots of songs, lots of energy. My favorite of the current crop is Ben Gentry. But also, Bob Berhalter, TC, Brad Alexander, Russell Villarin are all great.

 

If you want to know more about an entertainer or the schedule, search "Piano Bar-barians" on the social media site that shall not be named.

 

Happy cruising,

 

Laura

 

That's really sad to me.

 

One of the best parts of the PBE's - for us - has been getting to know them - each one had their own little "schtick"/songs/props which made it fun and different from the last ship! :o