No more classical music?!

[cruisemom42]

19 minutes ago, Storylady said:

We were on the Oosterdam for the Transatlantic crossing. Lincoln Center is on the main stage with better times for their performances. They did several shows including one afternoon program. Also due to the sea days, we had two excellent speakers, plus an excellent CD with Port Talks and other travel subjects, So if Lincoln Center wasn’t on your ship yet, they will be making the rounds of the fleet. 

 

That's good news of a sort.

 

But -- how will we know?  If I only take one or two cruises a year, do I just smack my head when I get aboard and no LCS music?

[sailingdutchy]

While on the Oosterdam we had the "New" form of the Lincoln Center a travelling quintet going from ship to ship, ( piano , cello , violin , classic and electric guitar  and flute / clarinet / sax player )  that performed  for us on the main stage for a couple of nights and because  we had rough weather and missed some ports they also treated us to 3 afternoon performances in the usual Lincoln Center corner , on deck 2 with 2 or 3 of these 5 players. 

 

They played new programs specially arranged and adapted for these 5 instruments , they were excellent and received standing ovations from a full house .  We were told that 34 different compositions from the old classical pieces up to the more modern compositions have been studied in so far for these special HAL Lincoln Center concerts .

 

We hope that there are a number of these groups doing the rounds on the 9 HAL ships so we finally get some more impressive entertainment at night !

 

Tony😄

 

 

 

[foodsvcmgr]

They should promote which sailings will offer classical music.

That way those interested understand their options and it’s not a hit or miss guessing game.

[oaktreerb]

14 hours ago, sailingdutchy said:

While on the Oosterdam we had the "New" form of the Lincoln Center a travelling quintet going from ship to ship, ( piano , cello , violin , classic and electric guitar  and flute / clarinet / sax player )  that performed  for us on the main stage for a couple of nights and because  we had rough weather and missed some ports they also treated us to 3 afternoon performances in the usual Lincoln Center corner , on deck 2 with 2 or 3 of these 5 players. 

 

They played new programs specially arranged and adapted for these 5 instruments , they were excellent and received standing ovations from a full house .  We were told that 34 different compositions from the old classical pieces up to the more modern compositions have been studied in so far for these special HAL Lincoln Center concerts .

 

We hope that there are a number of these groups doing the rounds on the 9 HAL ships so we finally get some more impressive entertainment at night !

 

Tony😄

 

 

 

The CD on the K described the above musical group as replacing the Lincoln Center Stage classical musicians.  I hope each ship will eventually host these musical groups onboard, not just on a rotating basis.

[JAVERZ]

Maybe there's some hope they will bring back some classical music although the "old" Lincoln Center will be missed.  It's good to hear they are working on the entertainment overall -- but I think it's time for Step One to go away.  The same old shows are getting old.

[Storylady]

23 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

That's good news of a sort.

 

But -- how will we know?  If I only take one or two cruises a year, do I just smack my head when I get aboard and no LCS music?

Good question. All I know is that they are treating Lincoln Center like a group booking. I will try to find out on our next cruise. https://www.cruisehive.com/holland-america-line-makes-major-entertainment-changes/92269

[jljcruise]

4 hours ago, JAVERZ said:

Maybe there's some hope they will bring back some classical music although the "old" Lincoln Center will be missed.  It's good to hear they are working on the entertainment overall -- but I think it's time for Step One to go away.  The same old shows are getting old.

We just got off the Oosterdam from Athens to Ft Lauderdale. The new Lincoln Center programs were wonderful (as mentioned above). Step One also did a debut of their new show and the CD said one of the old shows was being dropped (don't remember which one was named). Third Avenue West was very good too, they play at the Ocean Bar.

Edited November 18, 2023 by jljcruise
Add 3rd Ave West.

[foodsvcmgr]

Good to hear, but there needs to be some way to know what will be featured on any particular sailing in advance of booking.

I certainly am not booking only for music, but let’s say I was equally interested in two cruises, one offering classical, one not, I would gravitate to the one that did.

[Hilltopper_2]

I read the cruise hive article and we are on the Rotterdam right now and no classical music of any kind is playing. If you are not into constant rock music playing around the ship then it is hard to find a quiet place to read other than the library which has 6 seats or your cabin. There’s no BBC offerings either. So much for the new programming coming in the summer of 2023.

[sambamama]

Its especially important if you are going on a special cruise. For instance, I am doing a 14 day Asia cruise Singapore to Hong Kong. It is alot harder to get to Singapore than Fort Lauderdale, and I paid in full in December 2019! So classical music is much more important on this cruise! I'm crossing my fingers!!

[Ladybentley]

Since booking our first cruise in some years because of Covid, we're very dismayed to read about all the cutbacks including the loss of classical music. That combined with shows no longer being given every night make us think we could be looking at very boring evenings. We booked for the itinerary but are already starting to think this may be our last HAL cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 11/16/2023 at 9:27 AM, Hilltopper_2 said:

I’m on Panama Canal cruise on Rotterdam and vented to the Entertainment Director about how HAL has gutted all the intellectually stimulating programs. He claims that HAL is working on restoring the preLC structure to have classical music again. He says that LC could not provide musicians for all the HAL ships. He said that they had numerous complaints about Microsoft classes being too advanced and that HAL is offering Tech for Travelers. I took a class and a HAL employee read from a script on taking pictures with your smartphone. I was embarrassed for the poor man. Supposedly HAL is working on Farm to table cooking classes since ATK didn’t tailor its classes to the locale of the cruise. I hope he is right since we have 3 generations going next Nov on  a 44 day cruise ultimate Atlantic and Mediterranean cruise and keeping 2 young teens entertained for the Atlantic passages both ways will be a challenge.

 

 

On 11/16/2023 at 9:38 AM, taxmantoo said:

Do you mean ATK's world renowned classes in how to boil an egg or how to bake a potato ???  🤣 I attended both those classes and can guarantee that those are two certificates that will never make it onto my resume!!!

 

I liked the Microsoft classes because they taught techniques you might not pick up on your own. I've been to too many computer classes that start with a basic refresher (this is the monitor, this is the keyboard...) that insults people's intelligence. Kind of like an hour to learn how to boil an egg...

 

Handing someone a script and saying "teach this class" is a joke. HAL is doing that with lots of programs. No more "experts." Port lectures are pictures and someone reading a script cold. The lecturer doesn't know anything about the port and can't answer questions that aren't in the script. Even the canal transits feature the ED reading from a script. 

 

 

[ExArkie]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

 

 

I liked the Microsoft classes because they taught techniques you might not pick up on your own. I've been to too many computer classes that start with a basic refresher (this is the monitor, this is the keyboard...) that insults people's intelligence. Kind of like an hour to learn how to boil an egg...

 

Handing someone a script and saying "teach this class" is a joke. HAL is doing that with lots of programs. No more "experts." Port lectures are pictures and someone reading a script cold. The lecturer doesn't know anything about the port and can't answer questions that aren't in the script. Even the canal transits feature the ED reading from a script. 

 

 

Perhaps customers with special expertise in an area - computers, professional services, hobbies, experience in the upcoming port, whatever - should be allowed to volunteer to do lectures. It'd be a throwback to the "golden" days of transatlantic journeys where there was no programmed entertainment and passengers just fended for themselves.

 

 

[foodsvcmgr]

In todays litigious and politically correct society I’m sure any presenters would need to be fully vetted in advance of being handed a mic.

[OlsSalt]

3 hours ago, ExArkie said:

Perhaps customers with special expertise in an area - computers, professional services, hobbies, experience in the upcoming port, whatever - should be allowed to volunteer to do lectures. It'd be a throwback to the "golden" days of transatlantic journeys where there was no programmed entertainment and passengers just fended for themselves.

 

 

 

Passenger talent nights were also part of the fun.

 

One of the funnier informal events was also a last day souvenir exchange, when passengers had second thoughts about what they had purchased, or wondered how on earth were they going to fit it in their suitcases. This was on a cruise to Egypt, when those cute leather stuffed camels already were starting to smell funny. 

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Passenger talent nights were also part of the fun.

 

One of the funnier informal events was also a last day souvenir exchange, when passengers had second thoughts about what they had purchased, or wondered how on earth were they going to fit it in their suitcases. This was on a cruise to Egypt, when those cute leather stuffed camels already were starting to smell funny. 

On Sitmar these were referred to as “white elephant” sales.

 

Please let us not regress to those days of entertainment!

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

On Sitmar these were referred to as “white elephant” sales.

 

Please let us not regress to those days of entertainment!

We know you are too young to remember Sitmar 🙂

[syesmar]

9 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Passenger talent nights were also part of the fun.…

We’ve had some good laughs at the Marriage Game and other games shows for passengers, Dancing with the Stars, the singing competitions,  etc. It was usually in the Queen’s Lounge after the 8pm show, around 9-9:30pm, and sometimes in the afternoon on Sea Days. One cruise director, Eric, had several game shows featuring his hilarious alter-ego character, Dale. Another CD, Drew, regularly hosted several game shows during the cruise with various members of the staff (we had him twice).

 

Are any of these type of shows/games done nowadays?

Edited November 23, 2023 by syesmar

[cruisemom42]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We know you are too young to remember Sitmar 🙂

 

I was a child cruiser, lol. But thanks. 😁

[D&RLovetoTravel]

I am now on the Eurodam for 21 days. I was so looking forward to LC every afternoon. Spoke to the hotel manager and was told that they were not interested in the classical crowd. Princes please take note for here I come. 

[foodsvcmgr]

Even if that is the tone of meetings in Seattle I am extremely surprised that anyone in an official capacity would say that to a guest inquiry!

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, D&RLovetoTravel said:

I am now on the Eurodam for 21 days. I was so looking forward to LC every afternoon. Spoke to the hotel manager and was told that they were not interested in the classical crowd. Princes please take note for here I come. 

 

Wow, what a dismissive comment. How does anyone get to be the hotel manager with so little concern for a passenger's POV????

 

I wonder if he/she thought the "classical crowd" meant old fogeys? Well, take a look at the performers. They aren't on their last legs, so why should anyone assume their audience is?

Edited January 6 by 3rdGenCunarder

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, D&RLovetoTravel said:

I am now on the Eurodam for 21 days. I was so looking forward to LC every afternoon. Spoke to the hotel manager and was told that they were not interested in the classical crowd. Princes please take note for here I come. 

Goodness! 
 

15 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Even if that is the tone of meetings in Seattle I am extremely surprised that anyone in an official capacity would say that to a guest inquiry!

 

I hope it reflects the passenger’s interpretation rather than the verbatim comments. Still, this seems bone-headed on HAL’s part on so many levels….