Entertainment on board

[Carol28]

We loved HAL, but left when the entertainment changed.  They changed the singer/dancer shows to only dancer shows. They have fewer live shows.  The dueling pianos players weren't dueling, but taking turns and often did not get along. The B.B. King area got boring after a while. There was more classical music instead of having it just before dinner.

Has anything changed?

 

[SueMo]

Nope

[VMax1700]

The ' dueling pianos' were never billed as 'duelling pianos'  AFAIK.

Classical music "just before dinner" - really??  It can be enjoyed morning, afternoon and evening, just like a good cocktail. 🥂  and all night long, if you feel inclined.

Thankfully, very little has changed recently.

[rsldonk]

The changes you list seem to be the stuff most people actually seem to enjoy, so I doubt they'll change them 

[Cruising-along]

As VMax said, they were never called "duelling pianos", I think that's something posters here on CC have been calling it (incorrectly).  I've never noticed that they didn't get along. Our cruises have all had live shows, that may depend on the length of cruise though.  I can't imagine BB King ever getting boring, even after 65 days onboard...

 

In general, no, nothing has changed.  It sounds like it isn't to your liking though.

[KAKcruiser]

There can be a big difference in the Billboard Onboard experience depending on the piano players.  Two times we have had great singers and piano players and they provided very enjoyable entertainment and two other times they were not so great and it was a totally different experience and not as much fun.

[Brentt_M]

8 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

There can be a big difference in the Billboard Onboard experience depending on the piano players.  Two times we have had great singers and piano players and they provided very enjoyable entertainment and two other times they were not so great and it was a totally different experience and not as much fun.

I couldn't agree more. It is my favorite venue onboard, but on my last cruise I only went to a couple sessions as I felt the 2 performers just didn't mesh well and I found it more awkward than enjoyable.

[Mary229]

perhaps the demographic is changing.  I was never a fan of dance routines but this past week have enjoyed a comedian in BB Kings, two outstanding classical solo artists on stage but also lecturers, some better than others but still professionally presented. There is a dance company tonight, I will not go.

 

  If you sail for entertainment I agree, HAL may not be your best choice. 

[albingirl]

My husband loves the classical music done in the Lincoln Center, but it usually makes me sleepy.  I see guys in there snoring. BB King is good but I can't do that every night. When I was younger and we sailed with Carnival I loved the Karaoke sometimes....people usually were really funny and kooky.  Last time we sailed with them, I saw a lady light up a cigarette during the show and get thrown out.  She came back in and did that again.  We never went back to Carnival after that.

[albingirl]

By the way, I loved the Ocean bar at 4pm when they had a three piece band back in the day.  Brought you hot snacks during the happy hour.  We enjoyed seeing people dance and the happy mood back then.

[rkacruiser]

On 4/23/2022 at 3:06 PM, albingirl said:

By the way, I loved the Ocean bar at 4pm when they had a three piece band back in the day.  Brought you hot snacks during the happy hour.  We enjoyed seeing people dance and the happy mood back then.

 

A vote for a return to those days of yore!  I will add that I enjoyed such an experience in the Crow's Nest at that same time as well.  Maybe not a band, but, a solo guitarist/vocalist?  On the Noordam, I had that experience once and my traveling companion and I enjoyed that.  

 

On 4/22/2022 at 11:54 PM, KAKcruiser said:

There can be a big difference in the Billboard Onboard experience depending on the piano players.  Two times we have had great singers and piano players and they provided very enjoyable entertainment and two other times they were not so great and it was a totally different experience and not as much fun.

 

My experience as well.  When both are good performers, it's an enjoyable entertainment experience.  Allowing guests to provide suggestions for songs to be played/sung/and for singalongs adds to the experience.  Not all seem to be willing (or able?) to do this.  

 

From a musical entertainment perspective, the one that I have most recently really found to be "HAL Different" was the Rolling Stone Rock Room on the Nieuw Statendam.  The group was very good; guests were dancing; the vibe was "HAL Different".  One downside, however, the group's play list was limited.  Night after night, we heard many of the same songs.  Now, I like hearing and singing to Rolling on the River.  But, I think the music catalog for songs of that type is a just a bit larger than this one (as well as others that I heard frequently during that cruise).  

[zgscl]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:33 AM, Carol28 said:

We loved HAL, but left when the entertainment changed.  They changed the singer/dancer shows to only dancer shows. They have fewer live shows.  The dueling pianos players weren't dueling, but taking turns and often did not get along. The B.B. King area got boring after a while. There was more classical music instead of having it just before dinner.

Has anything changed?

 

I don’t think things are drastically different from when you last cruised. I love the BB kings performances and the Rolling Stone Rock Room on the pinnacle class ships. On most cruises they have EXC talks which are very well done. Typically they have a comedian also who does a nightly 30 minute set in BBs but this varies some from ship to ship. 
 

The primary main stage entertainment is still Step One Dance Company which I don’t care for at all. They usually do a nature documentary with live classical music playing over it and call that a main stage show at least one time on a cruise. On a late port call you may have just a movie playing. 
 

If you do a longer cruise (not several back to backs) you may have another performance group doing main stage shows. I’m currently on Zuiderdam and we had two performances from the Jersey Tenors who do sort of a live singing type thing. They were already onboard for the previous 10 day Mexico cruise and had done some performances there also. No clue if they are staying or going after this cruise. 
 

If having more of the live singing and dancing type main stage shows is critical to your enjoying a cruise I could not recommend HAL in good faith. There are lots of different things particularly on their three newest ships. But you mentioned that you are tired of BB Kings and that is pretty much your main alternative to the main stage on most ships. 
 

Classical music is Live from Lincoln Center. They do a couple shows a day usually. I think they are integrated into one of the step one dance company shows and they also play during the nature documentaries. If you don’t want to listen to them you absolutely don’t have to. I have not heard any classical music on any of my last 3 cruises. 

[Wakepatrol]

Earl Higgins plays the spoons in the Atrium nightly and they have an accordion player at the pool all day

[rkacruiser]

41 minutes ago, Wakepatrol said:

Earl Higgins plays the spoons in the Atrium nightly and they have an accordion player at the pool all day

 

Don't give the Seattle entertainment guru any ideas!  

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

The primary main stage entertainment is still Step One Dance Company which I don’t care for at all. 

 

Agree.  

 

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

we had two performances from the Jersey Tenors who do sort of a live singing type thing. 

 

These types of performances do appeal to me.  Cantare is another group that first appeared on the Nieuw Amsterdam when she entered service and has re-appeared since on other HAL ships.  These groups are entertaining for this cruiser.

 

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

BB Kings

 

...is the best that one is going to enjoy with regard to music of that type on the ships that lack the Rolling Stone Rock Room.  The BB Kings groups often perform music like what I have heard from the group in Rolling Stone Rock Room.

 

What I would like to see are some really funny comedians.  Patrick Murray and Matilda!  Where are you?  Probably enjoying your retirement.  

[KAKcruiser]

I love Patrick and Matilda.  So funny.

[zgscl]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

These types of performances do appeal to me.  Cantare is another group that first appeared on the Nieuw Amsterdam when she entered service and has re-appeared since on other HAL ships.  These groups are entertaining for this cruiser.

I really enjoy having something different onboard. I’ve read about Cantare on here many times but have not yet seen them. Hopefully I get lucky some time. Last summer they had a magician (or magical commedian) on Nieuw Amsterdam who I didn’t see but those shows are usually good too. Haven’t seen anything like that since. 
 

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

is the best that one is going to enjoy with regard to music of that type on the ships that lack the Rolling Stone Rock Room.  The BB Kings groups often perform music like what I have heard from the group in Rolling Stone Rock Room.

 

What I would like to see are some really funny comedians.  Patrick Murray and Matilda!  Where are you?  Probably enjoying your retirement.  

Completely agree. I’ve heard some overlap from BB’s and RSRR on the Koningsdam. I generally find the BB kings group to be increasingly engaging and lively and good at getting people up and dancing. 
 

AJ Jamal was hysterical on Koningsdam but unfortunately I only saw one show. Hopefully I’ll get him on another ship. This cruise they have Jill Kimmel who was funny also. The comedians can be very hit or miss. It’s all subjective though. 

[sandiego1]

Just off the Zuiderdam. I loved the Step One Dance company shows. I thought they were the best dancers I’ve seen on a HAL ship. I went to all 3 of their shows. So unique and different . I also liked that they used more contemporary music for a change. All of the older shows used old music. Time for HAL to get into the 2000s!
 

I thought the Jersey Tenors were mediocre. There were a few good songs but others were just awful and off key. It was funny listening to their fake NJ accents (I’m from NYC so I know a Jersey accent 😀). Saw 2 of the guys in the Lido at lunch one day. One has a British or Australian accent. I could over head bits and pieces of their conversation but didn’t want to eavesdrop to determine where he was from.

[KAKcruiser]

I saw Cantare on both the Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam recently.  They were great.

[sandiego1]

I saw Cantare about 6 or 7 years ago. It was a great show!! Haven’t seen it since 

[Carol28]

Thanks, everybody for the responses. I'm glad many of you are enjoying the current entertainment. HAL did well for us for many, many cruises, and are happy with our memories. On to other cruise lines!

[Megamixer]

On 4/27/2022 at 4:40 AM, Carol28 said:

Thanks, everybody for the responses. I'm glad many of you are enjoying the current entertainment. HAL did well for us for many, many cruises, and are happy with our memories. On to other cruise lines!

I just now read this thread and I agree with everything you've said.  The entertainment on HAL has hit bottom.  I'll agree, the dancers were great, fabulous...the first show.  After that, meh.  We had a great comedian, but unfortunately it was in the BB King lounge and was difficult to hear or enjoy.  One night the "entertainment of the evening" was a movie on the history of the Holland America cruise line.  This would have been a nice addition for an afternoon showing on a sea day, but for the main entertainment?  I felt like I was watching an Infomercial.  I've never been a fan of the "music walk" concept because it seems to me the sound bleed over is bad.  After being away from RCL for a few years we cruised twice with them this year and the better entertainment (and food) was very noticeable. 

[scubacruiserx2]

We have never booked HAL for entertainment but more so for the ships and cruise itinerary . We did our 10 th cruise with them in April from Port Everglades thru the Panama Canal to San Diego on the Nieuw Amsterdam . While we don't book cruises for the entertainment we were pleasantly surprised on this trip . Robert Neary appeared several times at the Neil Diamond Experience , this time singing Sweet Caroline .

 

 

 

A couple of nights later he channeled Elvis .

 

 

 

And the BeeGees

 

 

 

They also had the Jukebox Rogues who took us back to the West End for a version of the Jersey Boys show that we saw In London years ago .

 

 

 

 

They also sang and danced some Motown , and performed Singing in Rain and Queen's , Bohemian Rhapsody on a different night .

 

 

 

We enjoyed the entertainment on this cruise as much as any that we have seen on Princess , Celebrity , Royal Caribbean or Carnival .