It's official. Production shows are back!!

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

Not to watch but to participate. I think because it had cash prizes.   From what I could figure out it is done in partnership with the casino   

Probably like Princess is doing Deal or No Deal. Anyone can watch, but you pay to get a chance at the prizes

[Shmoo here]

7 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

followed by the Rotterdam, the Zuiderdam and the Nieuw Statendam by the end of June,

Yay!! just in time for my cruise.

[simplyrubies]

Sad to see we won't be seeing a production show on our Koningsdam cruise but I'm happy to see they're being brought back!

 

Though, a downside is a little more schedule juggling since we often structure our evening schedule around getting a good seat at a production show (unless there's something we'd much rather be doing in port). Depending on the individual entertainers' talents we may or may not go to the same effort. Comedy in particular, isn't a favourite of ours. 

[RuthC]

A step in the right direction! The former production shows were so much better than the One Step Dance Company that replaced them. 

Now, if HAL can only return classical music and bring back Piano Bars! That would be wonderful. 

[Menocchio]

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Sorry, I have no idea what you’re referring to. But then I’m in my early 70s which should explain a lot! 😂

"All That" was a sketch comedy show on Nickelodeon in the 1990's. It was basically Saturday Night Live for ten-year olds. Which means if you were the target audience when it aired, you now have back pain. It's most famous cast member was probably Keenan Thompson, who would go on to become the longest-running performer on the actual SNL. 

 

There was also a recent documentary about how awful things were behind the scenes at that and related shows on the network. Shows that starred child actors.

 

Since the premise of HAL's show almost seems like it could be about the Nickelodeon All That, and given the show's darker recent reputation... Well, I wonder if that title's going to stick around.

[Nattyg1723]

Class Act and All That sound really good!

[Ken the cruiser]

9 minutes ago, Menocchio said:

"All That" was a sketch comedy show on Nickelodeon in the 1990's. It was basically Saturday Night Live for ten-year olds. Which means if you were the target audience when it aired, you now have back pain. It's most famous cast member was probably Keenan Thompson, who would go on to become the longest-running performer on the actual SNL. 

 

There was also a recent documentary about how awful things were behind the scenes at that and related shows on the network. Shows that starred child actors.

 

Since the premise of HAL's show almost seems like it could be about the Nickelodeon All That, and given the show's darker recent reputation... Well, I wonder if that title's going to stick around.

Thanks for explaining the back story you were relating to! Hopefully, it will be a lot more light-hearted and focused on simply making the audience laugh, using skits focused on variety shows from way back when. I guess time will tell. In our case we won’t be on the Eurodam until March 2025, which should give them plenty of time to perfect the delivery.

 

[oakridger]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

They had the game shows on my last cruise. I did not attend but friends enjoyed it immensely. To be a participant you had to buy a ticket but they said there were prizes worth the cost 

 

From reading recent "Live From" posts on Carnival Cruises (and Princess) they are already having these ticketed game shows there. The two lines seem to be getting more similar as time goes on..................

 

~Nancy 

Edited April 12 by oakridger

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, oakridger said:

 

From reading recent "Live From" posts on Carnival Cruises they are already having these ticketed game show there. The two lines seem to be getting more similar as time goes on..................

 

~Nancyy 

I don’t know if it is a downward spiral  as the event was held twice maybe 3 times and people loved it.  My friends took off one day to get in line to get tickets!  It was SRO. I think it is the spread of a popular event, like trivia, rather than a negative.   There are just trends that catch on and spread.  I often say I have never understood the dance shows, people love them and they are on any cruise line that is large enough to afford them.  I will refrain from saying what I think of them but it is sort of the same as you feel about this game show idea 😂

[POA1]

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

and bring back Piano Bars! That would be wonderful. 

The reimagined Billboard space on the Rotterdam was much more like the piano bar concept of yore. The pianist, Derek, would have fit right in to the former concept. I'm not sure if you'd be wild about the room, because it is larger, open, and faces the Rolling Stone Lounge.

 

However, the piano performance was a whole lot more like the former piano bars.

[RuthC]

7 minutes ago, POA1 said:

However, the piano performance was a whole lot more like the former piano bars.

That's good to hear. However, I am willing to bet that the revamped Billboard Onboard is still doing only sets, with breaks the length of sets in Rolling Stone Rock Room, and that those sets are mainly comprised of songs approved by Seattle. 
That's still not a Piano Bar. 

I would love for HAL to return to those intimate rooms of yore, where the musician took his cues from the passengers who were there all night, every night. 

 

[bajae]

There is a bit more information at this site,  https://www.cruisehive.com/holland-america-line-unveils-new-entertainment-offerings/128483

[REOVA]

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

That's good to hear. However, I am willing to bet that the revamped Billboard Onboard is still doing only sets, with breaks the length of sets in Rolling Stone Rock Room, and that those sets are mainly comprised of songs approved by Seattle. 
That's still not a Piano Bar. 

I would love for HAL to return to those intimate rooms of yore, where the musician took his cues from the passengers who were there all night, every night. 

 

I thought someone posted recently a solo piano player did a few sets and the last set was audience choice. 2 years ago on VoV there was only 1 pianist and when she got sick, Glenn Michael (who used to be a pianist on ships) sat in and did sing alongs and audience selections. But that was Zaandam and a unique situation. 

[oakridger]

3 hours ago, Mary229 said:

the event was held twice maybe 3 times and people loved it.  My friends took off one day to get in line to get tickets!  It was SRO.

 

If people really like the game shows, then I'm glad for them having fun!  I don't have to go to any event that doesn't appeal to me.  If the entertainment on HAL eventually doesn't offer some of what I enjoy, then I'll just travel elsewhere.  For now, I'm happy to see them trying new things and adding more live music options. 

 

Next, what I'm hoping for is more quality lectures and enrichment programs!

 

~Nancy

[TRLD]

7 hours ago, RuthC said:

A step in the right direction! The former production shows were so much better than the One Step Dance Company that replaced them. 

Now, if HAL can only return classical music and bring back Piano Bars! That would be wonderful. 

There are only so many cabins for entertainers. They did away with production shows when they increased the musicians for music walk  They cutback on some of the music walk positions (Lincoln Center and went from 2 piano to one). Not sure how many slots the new production shows will use compared to 1 step. might be other changes as they go away from the branded acts on the music walk.

[Kay S]

Anybody have a favorite from the old productions shows?  Will some return?  Guess we'll find out eventually.

[Overhead Fred]

I went to "All That" last night on the Nieuw Statendam and thought it was OK. Three singers and five dancers. The singers were good IMHO. I am not a big fan of dance numbers, but they were enjoyable too. All the numbers were song & dance but a couple were somewhat comedy sketch-like. 

 

Seemed like an overall improvement to me.

[3rdGenCunarder]

7 hours ago, TRLD said:

There are only so many cabins for entertainers. They did away with production shows when they increased the musicians for music walk  They cutback on some of the music walk positions (Lincoln Center and went from 2 piano to one). Not sure how many slots the new production shows will use compared to 1 step. might be other changes as they go away from the branded acts on the music walk.

 

I think you mean Billboard went from 2 pianos to one. Lincoln center never had two. They started out as a quintet. But within a year they were down to one violin, not two, so a quartet. The duos are good, but there isn't the variety of sounds/arrangements with two instead of 4 or 5. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

7 hours ago, Kay S said:

Anybody have a favorite from the old productions shows?  Will some return?  Guess we'll find out eventually.

 

It depends on the production company they're using and who owns the show design. If they've gone back to a previous contact, old shows might be used again. 

[TRLD]

Just now, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think you mean Billboard went from 2 pianos to one. Lincoln center never had two. They started out as a quintet. But within a year they were down to one violin, not two, so a quartet. The duos are good, but there isn't the variety of sounds/arrangements with two instead of 4 or 5. 

I meant what I said they did away with Lincoln Center (as in all.4 of those slots) and they went from 2 pianos to 1 (I did not say where on the ship that reduction was made) freeing up another slot for a total of 5. Never Said LC was where the second piano was. You are correct it was in Bill Board.

[bajae]

3 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think you mean Billboard went from 2 pianos to one. Lincoln center never had two. They started out as a quintet. But within a year they were down to one violin, not two, so a quartet. The duos are good, but there isn't the variety of sounds/arrangements with two instead of 4 or 5. 

I read that as two different cutbacks, the Lincoln Center was one and the 2 pianos to one was another. 

[mcrcruiser]

As far as we are concerned the Rolling Rock is so loud  & it is not music we appreciate . Further  it at times  it is so loud you can hear it at the BBKing Lounge  .Certainly it impacts Billboard onBoard pianos music   . imo ,it be far better to replace Rolling Rock with Classical &  some sane music from the past  .The Classical music could be played  during the day & contemporary  music ay night not those loud abusive  tones 

[mcrcruiser]

Since the prices have increased so much HAL could afford better music entertainment imo

[Mary229]

16 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Since the prices have increased so much HAL could afford better music entertainment imo

I don’t see huge price increases. I booked some travel back in 2021 and 2022 and I have my invoices and the fares simply have not increased that much when compared with sailings for this year and next.  

[Vict0riann]

Like Overhead Fred, I went to “All That” last night on the NS. It was okay, I wasn’t overly impressed.  Lots of costume changes, a few songs I recognized, seemed to me just a new iteration of the One Step group.  The dancers were 4 women, one man, which seemed a bit lopsided.  The singers (2men, one woman) were okay.  Canned music…