Entertainment on Viking Homelands Cruise

[Dee2226]

New to Viking, and looking at booking the Homelands cruise for 2020 and I am a bit confused with the entertainment (or lack of) on offer. I have read on forums and reviews that there are some shows (not big productions like on other lines, which is fine), and some singers/musicians in bars in the evening.  I just spoke to a Viking representative with some other questions,  who indicated the theatre was purely for 'enrichment'and destination talks, otherwise the entertainment on offer was classical music.  Has anyone recently done this cruise that would be able to clarify for me?  While we don't want to party into the wee hours, we really enjoy having a drink listening to some music and vocalists but think 14 nights of just classical might just be a deal breaker for what otherwise is just the perfect trip for us.

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by Dee2226

[molymoo]

No worries, Dee2226, there will be plenty of entertainment aboard ... much of which will be of the "non-classical" variety.  We just finished Into the Midnight Sun but we did the Homelands in 2016 and found that the entertainment schedules do not vary that much from ship to ship.

 

We were aboard 14 nights and after a quick look at our Viking Dailies I tallies 6 productions by the onboard entertainers ... including one featuring the music of ABBA, one featuring the music of the Beatles, one pop piano concert, a "variety" show, a comedy,dance, music production , a show featuring music of several decades (50's, 60's, etc).

In addition to these there was a "destination" performance one night featuring music of Norway with a visiting artist, 

a special concert by a "famous" tenor, a showing of a performance from the Metropolitan Opera; Aida, and another pianist with a concert of dance music classics (tango, etc).  

 

There was also a night of Dancing "Under the Midnight Sun" (we saw few stars on this trip) on the pool deck which I hear was great fun (past my bedtime that night!).  

 

There was music in the lounges throughout the late afternoon and evening which was lovely but generally more of a background/ambiance thing rather than a specific performance.  There were some wonderful educational/enrichment lectures throughout the cruise which can be seen in person or they can be watched from your cabin later ... we often watched these early in the morning ... we are insomniacs at times!

 

As I said ... no worries about keeping entertained.  It may not be Broadway caliber performances but they are talented people and they put on a nice show!

 

[knoxclone]

Just returned from Viking Homelands in June   - there were stage productions with music of ABBA,   Beatles, a magician and several nights of "local music", along with nightly performances with the band  in Torshaven.   The classical music was normally in the lounge areas during afternoon and early evening. 

[seveneleven]

21 hours ago, Dee2226 said:

New to Viking, and looking at booking the Homelands cruise for 2020 and I am a bit confused with the entertainment (or lack of) on offer. I have read on forums and reviews that there are some shows (not big productions like on other lines, which is fine), and some singers/musicians in bars in the evening.  I just spoke to a Viking representative with some other questions,  who indicated the theatre was purely for 'enrichment'and destination talks, otherwise the entertainment on offer was classical music.  Has anyone recently done this cruise that would be able to clarify for me?  While we don't want to party into the wee hours, we really enjoy having a drink listening to some music and vocalists but think 14 nights of just classical might just be a deal breaker for what otherwise is just the perfect trip for us.

 

Just finished a Viking Homelands and there was enjoyable shows, an evening of opera, magic and tribute to Abba.  Realize there is only 900 passengers, some who retire early and others who enjoy the lounge atmosphere.  I thin you will find the Viking experience relaxing, entertaining, education and satisfying. 

[Dee2226]

Thanks for your responses....much appreciated.  Has reassured me there will be something to do! I am surprised at how the Viking consultant talked it down!

[Peregrina651]

On 7/17/2019 at 2:45 AM, Dee2226 said:

I just spoke to a Viking representative with some other questions,  who indicated the theatre was purely for 'enrichment'and destination talks, otherwise the entertainment on offer was classical music.

 

The reps for the most part have never been on a Viking cruise.  They don't see the dailies, so they have no feel for what is happening on board and they don't have a handle on the finer details. Some people relate instrumental music with classical, even if it is popular tunes that are being played.

 

As for the rep talking down the entertainment, that is a rep who needs some more  training -- or a new job.

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by Peregrina651

[Dauntless]

21 hours ago, Dee2226 said:

Thanks for your responses....much appreciated.  Has reassured me there will be something to do! I am surprised at how the Viking consultant talked it down!

 

I did this cruise in 2016 and the production company for Viking has changed since then.  We did MO last year and this company seems to have a better understanding of how to do this type of entertainment.  It's more night club shows that extravaganzas which other ships do do the rep might have been trying to inform you of that by not expanding on that area.  As has been stated, the agents usually have not been on the cruises.  If Daniel is your guitar player you are in for a treat.  Much more passenger involved than our first  great musician.  Our second piano was more current focused than classical.  They bring on entertainment that performs in the main theater that is not destination focused.  We had one on the cruise you are going on but 2 on the shorter MO cruise.  They all did two different shows while on board on different nights.  For destination focused entertainment they brought on opera singers in SP.  Their choice for English selection, I felt was  a little strange.  The sang from Gershwin's  "Porgy and Bess".  Somehow, white singers from Russia trying to take on dialect of blacks on the Mississippi at that time seemed to be inconsistent with the content.   I have the same problem with "Hamilton" in rap music.  The costumes and the music don't seem to go together.  It works better in his first musical, as far as consistency is concerned  but I didn't enjoy that either.  I loved both these cruises though and I'm somewhat involved  with entertaining.  Just as long as your expectations are in line with what is being offered.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, Dauntless said:

The sang from Gershwin's  "Porgy and Bess".

 

Not much opera in English that enough people are familiar with, I guess.