What do You Think of This Idea???

[hammybee]

Okay.....

 

So, how about we dump the tv's.

 

How about we have a pub atmosphere with Karaoke some nights, irish sing-a-longs, country western...... Keep the music; dump the tv's.

 

But I still want the pub food offerings and good selection of beer and ale

 

 

Toss in a microbrewery and I suspect my DH would close the place, every night.

 

The Piano Bar is a hit or miss. It depends on the talent and who else is onboard. Perry Grant is well known in cruise ship piano bar circles. He can usually fill a room beyond SRO. And yet, we have seen him all alone on most evenings, on a few cruises because his type of entertainment did not appeal to the masses, on that sail.

[hammybee]

:D Perry Grant........ Is he still wearing only white suits? Does he have a small spot light directed at him while he plays? I remember him well. :)

 

Yes indeed and then some. Did you ever get a chance to see his cape?

[KLLund]

Well, all I can say is it's darned lucky RuthC isn't here! She'd be climbing the walls about now since her absolute favorite hangout is the Piano Bar.

 

That was my first thought too .. but I figured if they served Chocolate Pretzels and played darts while allowing the Eurodam Children to act as targets .. she might go along !!

[HeatherInFlorida]

.................Such a venue on a cruise ship could offer a venue for Quiz's and games, live music and provide a location to enjoy fine wines and beers -thus fulfilling many roles.

 

I don't see why this can't be done in the Piano Bar

 

The friendships from the Piano Bar last long after the cruise. The fellowship of the Piano Bar, AS IT IS NOW, is so special. Why in the world would anyone want to ruin that with a pub atmosphere? A pub is fine for those who want it, but why would you want to take the Piano Bar away from those of us who so look forward to it? It is a much-loved part of being on a cruise.

 

Exactly. And it's more of a late night venue. We would stop at the Piano Bar from time to time before dinner for a drink and people were just beginning to meander in. But it was later at night, after second sitting, when the Piano Bar would really get going on our cruises.

 

Clearly many people posting here love it. And to me it's part of the old style of cruising which seems to be slowing dying. HAL was one of the last, but sadly I guess they have to keep up with the Joneses and become more ........ better I leave the word out;) .

[mamaofami]

That was my first thought too .. but I figured if they served Chocolate Pretzels and played darts while allowing the Eurodam Children to act as targets .. she might go along !!

 

 

LOL :D :D

[mamaofami]

How about a second venue. Keep the piano bar as is for those who like it, and add a pub bar somewhere else. There are enough other rooms and bars on board to convert something into this new venue.

[Bramcruiser]

I just got back from vacation so had no time to read other people's responses so if I am repetitive.....sorry!

 

The idea already exists on Cunard with the "Golden Lion Pubs". They serve traditional pub lunches (everything from Steak & Kidney Pie to Fish and Chips) at the traditional lunch times with drinks served troughout the day with lunch and evening entertainment as well - usually jazz bands. However, Cunard still has the piano bar on the QE2 in addition to the Golden Lion.

 

Personally I wouldn't have a problem with this idea on HAL as I think the concept would work. The menu items might be different but the idea is more favourable to me than getting rid of formal nights.:D

 

David

 

The Cunard variation does not have sports TV (I recall HAL already having a sports bar - at least on the Vista ships) and you can drink anything if you are not a beer drinker (which I am not - just call me a wino LOL!)

[Sir PMP]

Why does this not surprise me. :D :D

 

Okay........

 

Thanks for your kind and gentle way of telling me you think it's a bad idea. :D

 

 

All ears for your ideas for additions? What do you suggest?

 

 

Bringing a band back to the Crow's nest, now we have a big dance floor with a single piano player that plays in front of robots on the pc's and in an awful Starbucks smell...as it is right now they might as well close the crow's nest bar...

[Cruiser809e8r09]

Wife and I would prefer a pub to a piano bar.

 

But we do enjoy live music, just that piano music in particular isn't terribly appealing. Why not bring in other types that might appeal to a broader audience? Reggae on a Carib cruise? Irish band on a Euro cruise? Flamenco guitar (and perhaps dancer(s)?) on a South American cruise... the band could be enjoyed as well as in keeping with the "flavour" of the cruise destination. Or not... anything played well tends to be magical. If the piano bar is small, all the better in my opinion. More intimate with the players. I would enjoy learning about and hearing the music of the area being visited.

[Sailor Gal]

Pub sounds like a fun idea with wings, etc. and larger beer selection - if you didn't include the sports on TV part. Aren't there already sports bars for that venue? The new Eurodam has a sports bar and RCCL has them. I also don't like to watch sports or TV onboard. The huge outdoor movie screen on Princess around the pool during the day drove me nuts. Made the atmosphere seem so artificial and commercial. Liked the movies under the stars at night though. It would be great to have the pub scene with wings, etc., good beer selection and some upbeat music - even if was not live.

[sail7seas]

You're right. No tv's. While the "S" and "R" class ships don't have a dedicated Sports Bar, the Casino Bar right next to Piano Bar has tv's that show sports events.

 

Stick with the concept of Pub with pub style snacks/food and good selection of beer and ales. Music in one form or another would work best.

 

[ala-kat]

But yes have some different type of foods like a sports bar do, wings, fingers, pizza and other types of finger foods. Even offer sliders:D I got bets the place would be packed.

 

Bars and pubs are two different atmospheres. Even the pubs in my un-enlightened neck of the woods serve some of the better food around, at a better price. I know we had sliders, some yummy eggrolls (I think). They had a good variety of appetizer foods at a good price. Would also be nice if there was an outside seating area as well. I can wish.

[Bill S]

I think the attendance, or lack thereof, in the piano bars is directly proportional to the energy/personality/talent of the piano person. I have been on some cruises where the piano bar was consistently empty and on others where there were always quite a few guests present.

Specifically, Perry Grant and Randall Powell seemed to draw a decent crowd every night. On our Eurodam Prelude and Inaugural cruises, Jimmy Maddox packed them in every night--standing room only most nights. He is very entertaining, IMO.

 

For us, a pub-type environment would not have any appeal whatsoever. So, while I agree that piano bars, may be a hit-or-miss proposition, I would vote to retain them. However, adding a pub-style bar, in addition to the piano bar, would be a good idea. :)

[Copper10-8]

Who's the big guy (piano player) with the variety of costumes (Ali Baba including Fez plus the curled shoes come to mind)? We had him a couple of years ago on Prinsendam - Is that Randall Powers, Bill?

 

Btw, I have no opinion on this since we almost never hang out in the Piano Bar. When walking by it, usually from the dinig room, we've seen it packed on some ships and completely dead on others.

[jeffs55]

On our most recent HAL (Jan 2007) we loved Randall Powell at the piano bar on Noordam (In spite of the crappy electronic piano). The one thing (and it's big for me) that makes me like NCL better than HAL is the variety of entertainment options.

Jeff

[Sailorgirlseattle]

We used to follow a singer who played in Put-in-Bay, Ohio in the summers, and Sloppy Joe's in Key West in the winter. He had a lot of songs like that -- and the audience interacted and enjoyed each other and his music as well.

 

Pat Daily!! Yea! Let's get him on a ship, singin' in the new pub!!! :D

[camrosegirl]

Hi all,

 

Just got off the Volendam where Randall Powell was in the Piano Bar--they had to set up chairs in the hallway he was so popular. That being said, I noticed a lot of people were not drinking, just enjoying the show. People tend to go to a Pub to drink so perhaps a Pub would bring in more revenue. I like the Piano Bar but would also be happy with a Pub as long as I am on a HAL ship!!!

[bepsf]

I'd rather that HAL insist on having excellent entertainers in the Piano Bar (like Randall and Cory) who know and can play something besides Billy Joel and Elton John tunes.

 

The "Pub" atmosphere with various draft beers ought to be fulfilled by the Sports Bars - which currently seems to be more of generic Casino Bar.

[bepsf]

Bringing a band back to the Crow's nest, now we have a big dance floor with a single piano player that plays in front of robots on the pc's and in an awful Starbucks smell...as it is right now they might as well close the crow's nest bar...

 

Frankly, I prefer the quiet Piano music in the re-formatted Crow's Nest (aboard the Vistas-post-refit and Eurodam)

 

The Queen's Room has always been a much more appropriate venue for cabaret entertainment.

[simplelife]

Yet another venue where they can upcharge us? :mad: No thanks!

[sail7seas]

The more 'voluntary' upcharging, the better chance cruise fares don't raise too much. No one HAS to spend huge amounts of additional funds while aboard. It each person's choice. It isn't our style, but I know some folks leave the ship with a bill of less than $100. They manage to not spend on much of anything.

 

 

[GmaPajama]

... I know some folks leave the ship with a bill of less than $100.

 

Big grin here. We're among those folks who end up with a small amount due on our shipboard account. We start out with the $300 credit from Amex Platinum, plus the amounts applicable from whatever future cruise credits we're using. DH doesn't drink at all and I get giddy after 2 glasses of wine, so those charges are minimal. We prepay any shore excursions and if I do the spa, it's only once (for the novelty, since I don't do that at home). We take cash for the extra tips and anything we wish to donate in the casino. The only thing that might raise our total is interent fees. Love arriving home to almost no bills. :)

[satchiesmom]

Pat Daily!! Yea! Let's get him on a ship, singin' in the new pub!!! :D

 

Love Pat Daily!!! I think I'm his oldest fan, at least in age if not longevity.

I would hate to see the Piano Bars go, but the addition of a pub would be wonderful. Both DH and I enjoy microbrews (espcially those brewed locally by the Great Lakes Brewing Company) and would enjoy a game of darts on occasion. Why can't we have both?

 

Susan

[sail7seas]

Where would you put the pub on an "S" or "R" class ship? Where is there room for it?

 

[gizmo]

Okay.....

 

So, how about we dump the tv's.

 

How about we have a pub atmosphere with Karaoke some nights, irish sing-a-longs, country western...... Keep the music; dump the tv's.

 

But I still want the pub food offerings and good selection of beer and ale

 

 

 

Irish Sing-a-longs !!!! LOL:D I thought you would have had enough after that one cruise that had all the Irish singers.

 

Where would you put the pub on an "S" or "R" class ship? Where is there room for it?

 

 

The Hudson Room and Half Moon Room could be considered since they are seldom used.