Is the style of entertainment on Viking Ocean changing somewhat?

[KBs mum]

By set lists I meant the songs/pieces of music that could be included in a set, as in the musician may submit a list of, say,  30 pieces with 10 being required per set. Whoever has hired them then checks the list for legal or PR snags, before approving the final list that can be selected from. 

Not Viking giving the performer a list of songs to perform in a set

[KBs mum]

34 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

I wonder what they see as the difference.

No dancing presumably? 

[KBs mum]

22 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

As i said, can't be Sofia. She's too well polished for anyone to accuse her of being even at a mediocre level, since she's so far above that. Are you sure it wasn't some passenger who slipped in there unbidden and decided to share some degree of talent!

 

 

I have no idea who Sophia is, but it was a bloke. Not a passenger, and definitely not sharing a degree of talent

[Mrs Miggins]

My good friend boards Viking in Barcelona for the transatlantic on Tuesday. I wished her Bon Voyage today

and she said “I hope they are not still doing those Abba and Beatles shows”. It is her sixth Viking Ocean.

She is not on cruise critic and had no idea about this thread.

Looks like many agree it’s time for some change.

[uktog]

Funny this highlights the issue cruise lines have balancing frequent cruisers wishes to “annual or less” travelers. With only one Viking cruise to date but really counting down to our next one we are so looking forward to the Abba and Beatles nights. We enjoyed them last time but were tired from long days out so didn’t fully appreciate everything. 
Compare to Azamara where we are at 40+ now don’t even go to White Night (combination of less good food experiences on some trips, being cold or wet and same old same old playlist BUT it works for others). Rarely go to cruise director shows because they never change. 
It’s the over familiarity with the entertainment rather than its content that rightly puts people off. I do think cruise directors and guest entertainers who come on regularly should have “2023” “2024” versions of their shows and playlists at parties likewise. 
As they say familiarity breeds contempt. 

[OnTheJourney]

On 3/10/2023 at 10:45 AM, wine-wine-wine said:

I'm so sorry I offended you so deeply.

No offense taken whatsoever!! So very sorry if it came across that way. 

Edited March 17, 2023 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

On 3/9/2023 at 11:52 PM, Twitchly said:

As for music played in the public spaces, I don’t really enjoy pop music (of any era) being played as background. It’s too distracting to me

I consider what Viking plays in the background in the public / dining areas to be more mellow new age than pop. Very nice stuff, I think. Jazz is an acquired taste and probably more of a niche audience, if you will (albeit a large one for sure), than for pop/rock. 

[OnTheJourney]

On 3/10/2023 at 3:29 AM, Mrs Miggins said:

Does no one go to Torshaven ? 

Never been in there other than the last cruise when there was supposed to be a non-denominational Sunday morning religious service. The schedule got messed up on that one. For that matter, have hardly spent much time in any cruise ship lounge other than during some sort of special event. Being a musician, probably seems weird to not spending some time doing that in the evenings and listening to music, but just not all that interested. I hardly ever listen to my own recordings for that matter. I've talked with or read about other musicians who feel the same way, which is probably a somewhat interesting topic in and of itself. 

Edited March 17, 2023 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

On 3/11/2023 at 4:30 AM, uktog said:

As they say familiarity breeds contempt. 

Hmmmm....yes and no. Generally speaking, I think it's fair to say that many people like what they're familiar with, be it art / music pieces or events / situations / routines that fall within their comfort zone. 

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

On 3/9/2023 at 12:15 PM, OnTheJourney said:

There was a different pianist who did songs from musicals. Loudly, badly, played off tempo and flat.

I understand the playing off tempo thing, but how does one play the piano 
"flat"? I've heard my share of singers who are flat and that's awful, but unless the piano is not tuned correctly, it's beyond me as a piano teacher how a person can play a piano flat. 

[Hobson1754]

On 3/10/2023 at 8:29 AM, Mrs Miggins said:

Does no one go to Torshaven ? 

 

I must say reading this thread the job of Cruise Director is impossible.  There seems to be very little joy around.  

I am old !  I love most music from the 50's (Elvis of course)  until now (Ed Sheeran - Louis Capaldi - George Ezra  (except perhaps rap) and of course some of the wonderful US artists.  I also love musical theatre, classical plus my all time favourite,  Opera.  Jonas Kaufmann is unlikely to be performing.

 

The world is full of wonderful music.  Do I expect my personal favourites to be on the Viking playlist - No.

 

We have been on a variety of large cruise lines and have never really enjoyed the entertainment or music lounges much & tended to avoid them. Our first Viking last year and we went to Torshavn most nights. Think it was because it’s quite small & intimate - also in our opinion the Singer/Guitarist as well as the ships band were good. Really looking forward to our next one in September & hoping that it’s as good as the last.🤞

[OnTheJourney]

3 hours ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

I understand the playing off tempo thing, but how does one play the piano 
"flat"? I've heard my share of singers who are flat and that's awful, but unless the piano is not tuned correctly, it's beyond me as a piano teacher how a person can play a piano flat. 

I did not post the quote that you're referring to. KB'smum posted that (#51 on the previous page). Somehow you must have quoted one of my replies that included that quote? Not sure. Weird how stuff like that happens sometimes.

 

As you say, however, unless the piano is out of tune, suggesting that the piano playing was "flat" doesn't make much sense from a pitch perspective, but I seem to recall, from the discussion, that the reference was to the music not being very spirited. 

Edited March 17, 2023 by OnTheJourney

[OneSixtyToOne]

47 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

I did not post the quote that you're referring to. KB'smum posted that (#51 on the previous page). Somehow you must have quoted one of my replies that included that quote? Not sure. Weird how stuff like that happens sometimes.

 

As you say, however, unless the piano is out of tune, suggesting that the piano playing was "flat" doesn't make much sense from a pitch perspective, but I seem to recall, from the discussion, that the reference was to the music not being very spirited. 

Every profession talks in its own language. To a musician “flat” means something specific, to the rest of us, it’s derived from the idiom “falling flat” to indicate the performer missed the mark and underwhelmed the audience.

[Twitchly]

8 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I consider what Viking plays in the background in the public / dining areas to be more mellow new age than pop. Very nice stuff, I think. Jazz is an acquired taste and probably more of a niche audience, if you will (albeit a large one for sure), than for pop/rock. 

The piped-in background music on our last cruise was more “new age,” and I enjoyed it. The live background music was a mixed bag. 
 

There’s difficult jazz and there’s easy, more accessible jazz. (Think of all those “smooth jazz” FM radio stations.) I think the latter can work well in public spaces, especially restaurants and lounges. Think Diana Krall or Kenny G rather than John Coltrane or Wayne Shorter.

[KBs mum]

10 hours ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

I understand the playing off tempo thing, but how does one play the piano 
"flat"? I've heard my share of singers who are flat and that's awful, but unless the piano is not tuned correctly, it's beyond me as a piano teacher how a person can play a piano flat. 

I didn't know it was possible until I heard it, the piano needed to be tuned but the classical duo pianist managed to get it to sound reasonable. 

The showtunes bloke played everything at top volume and at the same tempo, he added bits to fill gaps where vocals or pauses would usually happen, the same few notes everytime, not matching the score in any way. 

 

[claranda]

We find the noise pollution on all cruise ships to be annoying and intrusive, and few provide a comfortable ‘quiet area’ to which those of us who cannot tolerate piped ‘musak’ may retire. On Viking we would have liked to lunch at Mamsens and spend the odd morning reading The Times up in the Explorer Lounge, but were driven out by the inane and irritating noise. 

[photopro2]

2 hours ago, claranda said:

On Viking we would have liked to lunch at Mamsens and spend the odd morning reading The Times up in the Explorer Lounge, but were driven out by the inane and irritating noise. 

I have sympathy for your sensitivity though I'm fortunate in that I don't suffer in that way. 

 

I've spent many hours in the area of Mamsens and The Explorers Lounge but, try as I might, I really can't recall what background music was being played. I am sure there was background music but, in contrast to your strong reaction, it did not register with me in the slightest.

 

In the same way, I don't remember if there was normally background music in The Wintergarden, however that might make a good location for the sort of quiet area you suggest? 

 

At least Viking is generally free of tannoy announcements and the sound of screaming children 😱

[OnTheJourney]

10 hours ago, Twitchly said:

I think the latter can work well in public spaces, especially restaurants and lounges. Think Diana Krall or Kenny G rather than John Coltrane or Wayne Shorter.

Yeah, I think that would probably be well received. What I hear Viking playing, though, is a bit more low-key and mellow than something like Kenny G, etc., which I feel demands a bit more from the listener (sure would for me anyway rather than it simply being 'background' music). Problem for me...and likely many other musicians...is that I don't simply 'hear' music, I wind up listening to it and thus a bit of distraction (not meant in any negative or demeaning sense however) compared perhaps to others who are able to hear music playing and yet not really focus on it. Going one step further, my near-perfect-pitch (not quite as accurate as in my undergrad music major days) winds up signaling a part of my brain to analyze what chords / melodies I'm hearing. I've heard it said that high level of pitch consciousness can be both a blessing and a curse. I can vouch for both. 

 

36 minutes ago, photopro2 said:

I'm fortunate in that I don't suffer in that way. 

As I said, some people can be in the presence of any sort of music - probably even at a higher volume level - and yet be able to concentrate on a conversation, etc. and not feel it intrusive, same as if there was no music playing! 

 

36 minutes ago, photopro2 said:

At least Viking is generally free of tannoy announcements and the sound of screaming children 😱

Absolutely! Two of the things that I truly love about Viking. 

 

36 minutes ago, photopro2 said:

I don't remember if there was normally background music in The Wintergarden,

Never heard any music playing in there other than during tea.

 

8 hours ago, KBs mum said:

the piano needed to be tuned but the classical duo pianist managed to get it to sound reasonable. 

the only way this is achievable is if the player quickly determines which keys are less out of tune then others, e.g. let's say many, or at least some, of the black keys are way off compared to the white, and so then one would tend to stick to songs in the key of C, F G - the latter two of which only utilize either one sharp or one flat, not accounting though for whatever chromaticisms occur in the melody or harmonies. Now, this also likely requires an ability to transpose on the fly without having it written out in the new key signature. Or, possibly higher or lower portions of the keyboard are better than others and thus could focus on whichever ones are the least "out of tune".

 

A musician who has higher improvisational skills will be far more successful with all the aforementioned techniques rather than someone who does not possess much skill beyond playing right from the music and not being able to go much beyond that. Sometimes if the melody requires the use of a whole bunch of C#s, for instance, and yet a whole bunch of C#s are out of tune, then you gotta find a way to alter the melody a bit so as to avoid using that pitch.

 

A unique problem the piano has compared to, say, a wind instrument or guitar, is having 3 strings  (I think?) for most pitches and so if just one of them is out, it can range from barely noticeable (again, depending on one's pitch awareness) all the way to grossly offensive. Wind players, of course, can physically "tune" any note by adjusting the air flow or, in the case of an open hole flute, manually control the pitch to some extent. I would NOT want to be a piano tuner. It'd drive me crazy. I've listened to them being tuned (not by choice) during my public school music teaching and can't stand it. It's a painstaking process to say the least. 

 

I played a wedding for my nephew a good many years ago - was planning on doing it all on organ - but when the day came the church lost power due to a snow storm and thus had to do everything on piano  (despite hours of practice on the church's organ...the life of a musician). As I went along, I quickly ascertained which songs to do in which manner so as to avoid as many of the out-of-tune keys (meaning not just piano but also musical keys) as possible. I was sort of cringing the entire time, but the family was happy with it so....it was what it was. 

Edited March 18, 2023 by OnTheJourney

[claranda]

31 minutes ago, photopro2 said:

I have sympathy for your sensitivity though I'm fortunate in that I don't suffer in that way. 

 

Thanks! It’s usually the volume that matters; above a certain level the music draws your attention away from your reading or your conversation, and we couldn’t get the volume adjusted on our first Viking cruise, even when we were the only people there - which in itself makes for more volume. But you’re right, there are silent spaces on Viking, though they tend to be out of the way and less desirable. 
 

Go on a cruise line with tannoy and children!? Never, my dear!!

[OnTheJourney]

10 hours ago, Twitchly said:

was more “new age,” and I enjoyed it.

One of my favorite genres going back to the early Windham Hill days in the early 80s. My own compositions are recordings are very much influenced by that style and have been produced and labeled as such. Guitarist Will Ackerman, in particular, has had a profound effect on my playing and compositional style. On the piano end of things, I love the stuff by Stanton Lanier and, of course, George Winston - who relies heavily on overdubs. I was in the jazz band in college, but never really did much with jazz after that. Loved playing it at the time, but hardly listened to much after that. Some folks, however, (and rightly so depending on the specific musical pieces) feel that new age music tends to have a repetitious nature to it - often characterized by repeated chordal patterns, over and over, with varying melodic or other sorts of improvisations stacked over the top. That doesn't bother me if it's all done well, which was a hallmark of Windham Hill productions. And so, however, the use of significant improvisation within the new age realm IS why it's often classified as falling under the jazz category. Kind of like trying to pin down a blob of mercury. Can't really codify some music under one specific category. 

[OnTheJourney]

11 minutes ago, claranda said:

tannoy

LOL  sort of like the difference between waiting at noisy airport gates compared to business class lounges....

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, KBs mum said:

the same few notes everytime,

uh-huh...and probably those were the most out of tune on the entire piano 😆  Gotta find a way to make it work as best as possible. The worst are the piano keys (and there often are a few on in-bad-shape instruments that are near totally malfunctional where the hammer barely even strikes the strings anymore often resulting in some sort of resounding THUNK! Ok...have to stay away from those!!!  Or, well, could use it as a percussive technique I suppose... "la da da daaaa THUNK....la la laaaa. THUNK".  Worse piano incident I've ever heard of was what happened on the Sky during the 3/23/19 incident. I didn't see it happen, but at some point during the ravages of the storm the piano in the Explorer's lounge actually detached itself from the floor and likely suffered significant damage. At least didn't wind up going crashing through the windows. NOW, I noticed, the piano legs are all encased in some sort of rigid enclosure that is likely securely attached to the floor in the event of another bomb cyclone. Imagine being ashore during that sort of event and seeing some freakin' piano come crashing through the forward windows of the ship's lounge and right in the drink!!!  😳 The lovely ship models in those glass cases in the upper level of the lounge didn't fare well either. They all crashed to the floor. Must have been literally millions of tiny glass splinters to clean up. As I've posted on CC before, the final musical selection heard that near fateful Saturday afternoon was the guitarist doing "My Heart Will Go On"! Enough said I suppose....

Edited March 18, 2023 by OnTheJourney

[longterm]

On 3/9/2023 at 8:35 AM, bookbabe said:

Even playing other genres of music, we just can’t do the strings duo.  Pull out that bow and we’ll flee in the opposite direction.  Just us maybe, but not something that’s going to change no matter how talented the musician or how beautiful or “popular” the selection.  (Ashley MacIsaac possibly being one of the only exceptions.)  Classical piano is something else we just aren’t fans of, regardless of the talent.  We are only moderate “pop” fans in any case, and realize that we are unlikely to find our preferred genres of music on any cruises other than charters.  We accept that, but still wouldn’t have minded a bit more diversity in entertainment offerings.

 

I’ve seen a number of complaints about Viking moving away from its original demographic in terms of entertainment choices, but I personally think that’s a smart business move on their part.  They won’t be able to survive forever on the current 60-70+ crowd, and future 60-70+ cruisers won’t have grown up in the same decades.  Maybe The Beatles will get replaced by Rolling Stones cover bands at some point?

 

Just curious: what kind of music DO you like?

 

You don't really care for pop; you loathe classical music. I suspect you are repulsed by jazz, and of course rock too... so I suppose that leaves--bluegrass? Country? Rap? Hip-hop (hah!)? 

Having been in the music business since I first played a restaurant gig when I was 15, I've played thousands of gigs in my lifetime, although never on a cruise ship. I have lots of friends who did stints on cruise ships; it's a fairly low-paying job with extremely limited freedom--musicians aren't allowed to get off the ship anytime they want, pay is meager, room and board much smaller and restrictive. 

 

It's every musician's dream to move to the next level: playing with famous artists, recording in the studio with world-class talent. Playing on a cruise ship isn't the dream of a working musician.

So, the musicians who sign on to cruises aren't exactly at the top of the musical pyramid (by any means); they commit to x months, and in the case of river cruises (and ocean too I'm sure), they do one cruise after another for perhaps 6 months. Having played lounges when I was young, I remember how boring it got to be when I played a club for months at a time. I was lucky to have left that lifestyle behind when I was less than 30, and feel for those I see on the ships, making a living, ignoring the disdain of some of the strolling passengers.

 

I'll admit that I'm a bit of a musical snob; as one of my music professors told me years ago, "I only have so many years on this earth, so when I want to listen to music, I'm picky about what I spend my time listening to." I usually don't care for the musicians on cruises, with a couple of notable exceptions (a guitarist on an cruise, a duet on a river cruise), but they're just trying to make a living, doing what they've been hired to do, playing what they've been instructed to play. 

 

Judging by the passengers I've met on cruises, I'd guess that the music that Viking provides is about right--not overly offensive, certainly not awe-inspiring.

[photopro2]

49 minutes ago, claranda said:

It’s usually the volume that matters; above a certain level the music draws your attention away from your reading or your conversation

It was only after posting that it occurred to me that I do have a parallel but, in my case, I find I am more easily distracted by what I can see than by what I hear. This is most likely related to my career in the visual arts. I could say how I feel about what some people wear around the ship, but that would be a whole other thread........ 😁

 

[bookbabe]

49 minutes ago, longterm said:

Just curious: what kind of music DO you like?

 

You don't really care for pop; you loathe classical music. I suspect you are repulsed by jazz, and of course rock too... so I suppose that leaves--bluegrass? Country? Rap? Hip-hop (hah!)? 

Some pop I don’t mind, I’m just not a fan of current pop aka the Bieber and Beyoncé years.  Not repulsed by jazz, but have to be in the mood for it.  Country I’m fine with, both traditional and new.  Old school rap is okay but the newer “just swearing” stuff is not my thing at all.  I do like Abba and the Beatles, we just didn’t get to those shows.  Pure traditional classical and opera grate on my ears, but I have no problem with folk traditional and broadway.  My go-to is 70’s and 80’s rock, especially hair bands and hard rock.  Did the KISS Kruise charter in October, that was fun.  But I definitely don’t expect the Viking band to be doing Bon Jovi, Styx or Rush covers anytime soon.  🙂

 

Part of the reason why we avoid lounges with music and such is that DH has a hearing quirk where he can’t tune out background noise.  If there’s music, even at a low volume, he’ll have trouble hearing conversations.  Large crowds are also a challenge, where multiple people are talking at once, he’ll end up lip reading to try to follow what I’m saying.  So, unless the music is something we want to sit and listen to, we won’t go into venues with music playing if we have a choice.  Just the way we’ve gotten used to doing things.  
 

The entertainment selections on Viking aren’t a big deal, it’s not like we went and canceled our upcoming cruises or anything.  That’s not why we cruise, so it’s not a make or break for us.  (The food on the other hand, that’s got us worried about longer cruises, but that’s a whole different thread.)