Piano bar vs. Mix?

[elycelynne]

I've been in the piano bars on the Westerdam and the Eurodam, and I assume that other ships with dedicated piano bars provide more or less the same type of experience.

I'm wondering about those ships that have "Mix". From the pictures that I've seen, it seems like it's a larger area with a piano in the middle of the three different bars. So is there still audience participation and interaction like in the regular piano bars, or is the piano player more like a performer providing music for the drinking passengers?

[Krazy Kruizers]

the piano on the rydam is not in the middle section of the mix -- it is at the far end bear the champagne bar as you are walking towards the stern of the ship

most nights not many people there -- too open an area -- not much interaction

[elycelynne]

the piano on the rydam is not in the middle section of the mix -- it is at the far end bear the champagne bar as you are walking towards the stern of the ship

most nights not many people there -- too open an area -- not much interaction

Sorry to hear that.

Is Mix only on the S class ships, or are they on the R class as well? (I would hope they wouldn't go messing with the Vistas.)

[mamaofami]

I'm sorry to hear that too. The piano bar on the Maasdam had a wonderful player and going there every night and singing along with Mark Farris was one of the highlights of our cruise. I did think that opening the bar up would make it lose the intimacy.

[CtheW0rld]

the whole thing is non-smoking, now. it should be packed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

right now the mix is on the veendam, ryndam, statendam and soon the maasadm when she comes out of dry dock

only one r class ship has the mix -- rotterdam

[Krazy Kruizers]

the whole thing is non-smoking, now. it should be packed.


not when we were on the ryndam for 14 days

[elycelynne]

the whole thing is non-smoking, now. it should be packed.

And most of the bars on HAL have been non-smoking for quite some time now. What's your point, other than trying to turn this into a "smoking" thread? :confused::confused::confused:

Thanks to those so far who've contributed relevant feedback.:cool:

[CtheW0rld]

And most of the bars on HAL have been non-smoking for quite some time now. What's your point, other than trying to turn this into a "smoking" thread? :confused::confused::confused:

Thanks to those so far who've contributed relevant feedback.:cool:

my point was, you can't please some people. too open, too closed, too smokey, no smoking...

as far as relevant, missy, you take your chances posting on a public board.

[elycelynne]

right now the mix is on the veendam, ryndam, statendam and soon the maasadm when she comes out of dry dock

only one r class ship has the mix -- rotterdam

And it looks like the Amsterdam has neither Mix nor a piano bar. What's up with that?

[bepsf]

And it looks like the Amsterdam has neither Mix nor a piano bar. What's up with that?

Amsterdam has a Piano Bar - It's called the Rembrandt Lounge.

[elycelynne]

as far as relevant, missy, you take your chances posting on a public board.

I'll see your "missy" and raise you a "sonny". :D

[mamaofami]

deleted

[whogo]

I'm wondering about those ships that have "Mix". From the pictures that I've seen, it seems like it's a larger area with a piano in the middle of the three different bars. So is there still audience participation and interaction like in the regular piano bars, or is the piano player more like a performer providing music for the drinking passengers?

As Krazy Kruizers said, the piano bar is at the aft end of the Mix, separated from the rest by the Martini Bar. The piano is ringed with stools and is visible on the deck plans. Some of the surrounding seating is comfortable, some is too low and some is too high. The straight back chairs were odd and the green and purple velour must have been inspired by a bordello. View the deck plan for the Upper Promenade and click the camera in the Mix for a 360 degree view here: http://www.hollandamerica.com/main/DeckPlansFull.action?ship=ve&deck=m

Romeo was the best piano bar singer/player I have seen. His audience varied widely. He had one name that tune contest that had only two teams with three people total. Other times he had a full house. Romeo hosted sing-a-longs, played requests, and offered a mike for soloists. I did not hang out there.

[BarryFromBoston]

I've been in the piano bars on the Westerdam and the Eurodam, and I assume that other ships with dedicated piano bars provide more or less the same type of experience.

I'm wondering about those ships that have "Mix". From the pictures that I've seen, it seems like it's a larger area with a piano in the middle of the three different bars. So is there still audience participation and interaction like in the regular piano bars, or is the piano player more like a performer providing music for the drinking passengers?

As the Ryndam is now, the virtual 360 tour online gives the appearance that the Champagne Bar and Martini Bar are quite far apart. But, the space is actually still quite intimate. The MIX has two sections, one "Spirits and Ales" bar which features the guitarist on one stage, 5pm - 9pm, and the other Martini/Champagne/Piano Bar, 9pm onward.

Currently, there is a 9pm themed cabaret show nightly (Broadway, Elton John, Neil Diamond, etc), then open requests for the remainder of the evening, on the "piano side" of the MIX. Chairs are set up for a larger crowd at 9pm with the tallest chairs and stools placed so seeing the performer is easy. Then the stools go back around the piano thereafter. At the heart of any piano bar are the folks on the stools around the piano, asking for favorites and singing along. Rest assured, that is still very much present with the new MIX lounges. Of course, audiences vary. Some cruises see the crowd dwindling by 11:30. On other cruises in the past month, the piano bar has been in action as late as 2:15am! Performers vary too, but that's the current state of affairs in the Ryndam MIX.

[Harry1954]

Amsterdam has a Piano Bar - It's called the Rembrandt Lounge.
indeed it does and on the current world cruise it is quite full every night both 7-8 and 9-11 with DIanne Fast who was great!
harry

[Krazy Kruizers]

sadly the guitarist that was on our ryndam cruise was way tooooooo loud -- you could hear him in the atrium

[elycelynne]

I'm glad to hear that it's still basically a piano bar format even if the layout is a bit different.

[RetiredMustang]

Elyce,

I was on Ryndam last month, and mamaofami asked me about the piano bar area in the Mix. To answer her, I took some photos, and posted links in a live-blog I did while on board. The post is #106 in the blog, on page 6: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1353835&page=6

Also, there was a single guitar player/singer there most early evenings, and the place never had more than a few people. One reason, I think is that the singer was good, but generally too loud for me, and may have been for others. And, the Ocean Bar and Crows Nest bar were doing two-for-one happy hour drinks, so most (including us) gravitated to those two bars instead of MIX. Being early risers, we are also early to bedders, so I don't know if it got busier later in the evening, or what it was like when there was a piano player instead of solo guitarist.

Dave

[elycelynne]

Thanks for directing me to the pictures, Dave!

[mamaofami]

Elyce,

I was on Ryndam last month, and mamaofami asked me about the piano bar area in the Mix. To answer her, I took some photos, and posted links in a live-blog I did while on board. The post is #106 in the blog, on page 6: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1353835&page=6

Also, there was a single guitar player/singer there most early evenings, and the place never had more than a few people. One reason, I think is that the singer was good, but generally too loud for me, and may have been for others. And, the Ocean Bar and Crows Nest bar were doing two-for-one happy hour drinks, so most (including us) gravitated to those two bars instead of MIX. Being early risers, we are also early to bedders, so I don't know if it got busier later in the evening, or what it was like when there was a piano player instead of solo guitarist.

Dave

Dave, thank you so much for answering me. I never saw your response on the other thread so I do appreciate that you directed us here to your pictures. Those green backed chairs do look a bit unusual, but as long as the piano bar is still there and being utilized, that's good enough for me. We had the most wonderful piano player who did great sing alongs on the Maasdam so the piano bar was full every night we were on board and it was something we looked forward to doing every night. Thanks again, Dave.

[Tampa Girl]

We just got off the Ryndam. Loved the ship, the food, the staff, etc., etc. But the piano bar was a big disappointment. As noted by the other posters, it is not an enclosed, distinct area as previously situated. The "bar" is actually much smaller, and I never saw any interaction between the pianist and the audience. Everyone was just sitting around being an audience. We used to spend a lot of time after dinner in the piano bar - a lot of singing, trivia games, and just overall fun. The new Mix isn't as conducive to such entertainment. But maybe we just didn't stay up late enough!

[innlady1]

We just got off the Ryndam. Loved the ship, the food, the staff, etc., etc. But the piano bar was a big disappointment. As noted by the other posters, it is not an enclosed, distinct area as previously situated. The "bar" is actually much smaller, and I never saw any interaction between the pianist and the audience. Everyone was just sitting around being an audience. We used to spend a lot of time after dinner in the piano bar - a lot of singing, trivia games, and just overall fun. The new Mix isn't as conducive to such entertainment. But maybe we just didn't stay up late enough!

That's a shame. We had such great "piano man" on the Maasdam in January that, like Carol, we looked forward to going there every evening at 9! In fact, we'd get there shortly after 8 just to ensure we had a seat at the piano. The Piano Bar, as it is now on the Maasdam, is an intimate setting and perhaps that's why it has a different feel. Not out in the open which I would think could be distracting.

Of course, it all depends upon who the pianist is, too. Two years ago, on the Noordam, the pianist was dreadful. We went the first night for 10 minutes (of a 20 day cruise!) and never went back.

[elycelynne]

We just got off the Ryndam. Loved the ship, the food, the staff, etc., etc. But the piano bar was a big disappointment. As noted by the other posters, it is not an enclosed, distinct area as previously situated. The "bar" is actually much smaller, and I never saw any interaction between the pianist and the audience. Everyone was just sitting around being an audience. We used to spend a lot of time after dinner in the piano bar - a lot of singing, trivia games, and just overall fun. The new Mix isn't as conducive to such entertainment. But maybe we just didn't stay up late enough!

This is exactly what I was wondering about. It's just not quite the same when a "piano bar" turns into a "lounge that features a piano player".

That's a shame. We had such great "piano man" on the Maasdam in January that, like Carol, we looked forward to going there every evening at 9! In fact, we'd get there shortly after 8 just to ensure we had a seat at the piano. The Piano Bar, as it is now on the Maasdam, is an intimate setting and perhaps that's why it has a different feel. Not out in the open which I would think could be distracting.

Of course, it all depends upon who the pianist is, too. Two years ago, on the Noordam, the pianist was dreadful. We went the first night for 10 minutes (of a 20 day cruise!) and never went back.

Ouch! That would be a big disappointment for me, since the piano bar is where I like to go after I've seen the Mainstage show.

Although I was a little disappointed with the pianist on the Eurodam this February, but that was because he apparently felt that the music trivia contests (which I happen to like) were beneath him. I also wasn't a big fan of the pre-programmed synthesizer music that he incorporated with his piano playing. To his credit though, he did play straight through from 9:00 until approximately midnight without taking a break.