Programs at Show Time

[Krazy Kruizers]

A couple of years ago HAL stopped passing out programs at the production shows. The programs listed the various songs and who would be singing them. The programs also listed all the singers and dancers and gave you some background on them. We loved them and I always kept mine.

Would you like to see HAL do them again?

[WindyCity]

If it means an increase in the cost of the cruise, then no. It sounds nice to have, but does not impact my enjoyment of the cruise.

[RustaRoo]

I have been cruising HAL since 1993 and have never seen these programs at any of the shows - I guess I won't miss them:D

[Odd Ball]

I don't recall ever seeing them but I think it would be a nice touch.

[Copper10-8]

Yonnie is 100% correct; they did provide them in the past. They made for interesting reading plus gave you some background on the performers. I also noticed that they're doing away with the staff photo gallery (on the "S" and "R" class on the wall in between the Front Office and Show Lounge) It gave you an idea of "who is who" as well as a face with a name

[RuthC]

I also noticed that they're doing away with the staff photo gallery

NOOO!!!!! :eek: That's a shame. I love checking out the photos to see if there's anyone I recognize from a prior cruise.

Those photos can't cost that much. Can they? :confused:

Yes, I miss the programs, too. I don't remember when I last saw them, but have noticed they aren't given out anymore. :(

[kryos]

A couple of years ago HAL stopped passing out programs at the production shows. The programs listed the various songs and who would be singing them. The programs also listed all the singers and dancers and gave you some background on them. We loved them and I always kept mine.

Would you like to see HAL do them again?

I don't care about programs for the specific shows, but I wish HAL would either do a "spotlight" on the ship cast in one of the dailies, or have a special handout at the entrance to the show lounge which has a listing of the cast members names, and a short bio. It's nice to have the names so that when they eventually make it big, you can remember that "hey, I saw him when I was on a cruise!"

 

On my last cruise I knew the names of several of the cast members ... but that was only because I went skydiving in Oahu with a bunch of them. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Love Cruises]

I noticed on the last three cruises I have been on since last summer that they no longer post pictures of the cruise staff, dancers/singers like they used to do outside the main lounge. With the dancers/singers pictures, they would list there names and a short bio. I miss that. I always likes to see where the performers were from and the work they have done. I wish they would bring that back.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Since the SOE has been done on the ships we know of only one ship that still has the gallery of photos on the Amsterdam!! We loved looking at the pictures on the first day and being able to put names with those people that we would be meeting in the next few days.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree - they can include tons of junk advertising with the daily programs. Why not include a profile of the cast???

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you John.

 

I knew someone would remember them.

[Copper10-8]

Just a head up, if you are interested in the cast members, check out

 

http://www.stilettoentertainment.com/cruiseship_entertainment/monthly.htm

 

They used to have bio's of the cast members with the pics when they did a ship's changeover but haven't seen them for a while either

[Copper10-8]

NOOO!!!!! :eek: That's a shame. I love checking out the photos to see if there's anyone I recognize from a prior cruise.

Those photos can't cost that much. Can they? :confused:

 

Yes, I miss the programs, too. I don't remember when I last saw them, but have noticed they aren't given out anymore. :(

 

The Vista's never had them, Ruth but on the New Year's cruise on the Zaandam last year, noticed that the staff's pics weren't displayed anymore on that ship. You're right, those pics are taken by the ship's photographer and can't cost much if anything. I don't think that they're charging the captain, chief engineer, etc. $15 for an 5x7 glossy like they do us pax;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

From what I have been told - don't know if this is true - but most of the photographers are using digital cameras which means they can just clean the chips - no film worries.

[Tonklily]

I agree that programs should be distributed listing the cast members names and bio's. Other cruise lines have done this and it is a way to connect with the cast. The cost would be nominal, how much can a one sheet program cost to xerox? When we were on the Coral Princess, programs were distributed, and we noticed that one of the cast members was a WMU graduate which is where my daughter graduated from in 2004. That tidbit of information gave us the opportunity to talk with several of the cast members and it brought back very fond memories for the male lead singer as he reminisced about his college days. The production casts are very talented individuals and get very little recognition. It's the least that each cruise line can do for them! :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Maybe we should all write on our comment cards that we would like some kind of a program for the production shows???

[kryos]

Just a head up, if you are interested in the cast members, check out

Thanks, Copper!

 

I found the photo of the Amsterdam folks on one of the pages.

 

I also spent some time reading the site. Sounds like those kids don't have too shaby a life. They make a pretty decent wage considering all their onboard living expenses are covered ... and it sounds like they can have a downright fun time too. Not like so many other shipboard positions where they kept those poor folks running 10 to 14 hours a day. At least the cast members have lots of downtime too. And, on some ships they even get a cabin to themselves. Not bad.

 

Ahhhhhh ... if only I were younger ... I'd love to work on a cruise ship ... but in a position where I could have a bit of fun too.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we were on the Volendam last winter (2005) they had a meet and behind the show one afternoon where we got to actually talk with a couple of the cast members and of course see back stage. Several of the cast had signed on for 6 months and were going to leave as soon as their contracts were up. They were just out of high school and thought that all they would be doing was a couple of shows each cruise. They never thought that they would be assigned to other duties and in some places have to go on tours.

[Tonklily]

Yes, it is very important to fill out the comment cards with not only negative comments, but postive ones as well. If you do have a suggestion, be sure to write it in the comment section. On our last two HAL cruises, I wrote that "Programs" should be included, particularly for the Production Shows. With regard to the Stiletto website, unfortunately they are a bit slow in updating their cast changeovers. I am still waiting to see bio's and pictures of the Amsterdam cast changeover from April 6th. As a Mom of the female lead singer, along with her husband, the male lead singer on the Amsterdam, currently, I can tell you that it is not a glamourous life. Yes, they do get to see many new places and are doing what they love to do, but they are away from their families for 7 to 8 months at a time, including rehearsals in LA. Yes, some of them may have their own rooms, but have you ever seen them, they are extremely small and they never get away from their work environment. All in all, though, they wouldn't do it if the negatives outweighed the positives. This is their second contract with HAL. :)

[Copper10-8]

I'm pretty sure they still have library duties also although the Oosterdam had a full-time librarian

[kryos]

When we were on the Volendam last winter (2005) they had a meet and behind the show one afternoon where we got to actually talk with a couple of the cast members and of course see back stage. Several of the cast had signed on for 6 months and were going to leave as soon as their contracts were up. They were just out of high school and thought that all they would be doing was a couple of shows each cruise. They never thought that they would be assigned to other duties and in some places have to go on tours.

The website claims that the cast on HAL doesn't get any other responsibilities except maybe hosting a dance class or some activity like that, and manning the library. On the Amsterdam, I never saw any of them in the library with the exception of the DJ (who had hurt his knee and couldn't perform his normal work temporarily. They were training him as librarian.). I never saw a cast member along on any of our HAL tours.

 

Apparently, though, on other lines they have far more duties, including helping out the cruise director's staff.

 

I realize those folks work hard, but let's face it ... on a 30-day cruise, they only had to do I think six shows. Even allowing generous amounts of time for rehearsal, that's not an awful lot of work. They must have had whole days at a time to themselves ... and that's wonderful!

 

Personally, I think most of the musicians and the cast members have it great. They're not worked to the bone like so many other service people on the ship, and they really get ample opportunity to see the various ports we visit and have time to just relax and enjoy the life at sea. I only wish when I was younger I could have availed myself of such an opportunity. Sure, being on a cruise ship would probably get old after a year or two ... but still, what a nice way to spend one's youth!

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[the2ofus]

I remember the show programs also. I think 1995 may have been the last time I saw one. It seems such a little thing, but having the bios and even thumbnail prints in the daily program would be enjoyable and interesting to many pax. Since their contracts last quite a while, it would seem quite simple to just run the info once during each cruise. As others have said, there is so much other junk inserted in the daily program, it would be nice to have something really interesting to read.

 

HAL does get kudos for it's recycling program though. On our RCCL cruise we got even more 'junk mail', but no recycling basket was provided in the cabin.

[Love Cruises]

We were on the Noordam in March and the Statendam in May. Both ships now have a librarian. The cruise staff on the Statendam told us that the singers/dancers no longer have to do other duties (like librarian, accompanyment on tours) on HAL ships. With this new plan, the asst. cruise directors have 10 more hours of work. The dancers did conduct a dance class though and did participate in manning stations in the lifeboat drill. I liked when they worked in the Library. You got a chance to talk to them individually. Although, I must say that on the STATENDAM, Amy the Librarian was wonderful. What a personality she has!

[5 in OK]

I would have loved to have had programs. I wondered as I was watching what each person's story was - were they a student? how many years at sea? ect... What great scrapbook material as well! I say bring them back and get rid of some of that junk mail delivered to my room each day to compensate for the printing. :)