HAL to Disband HAL Dancers and Singers

 

 

 

Just because YOU don’t watch them doesn’t mean others don’t. The ratings of those shows indicates they’re quite popular. I don’t care for them myself, but I would love something that would involve some friends I was vacationing with. I like karaoke and this is fun.

 

 

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I'm aware that those programs are popular. I was just stating my opinion, which you and everyone else here are welcome to do also.

My point was why not get some professional entertainment such as other lines have. On a recent Celebrity cruise we were blown away by the talent of Lou Gazzara (who happened to get his start on The Voice). ;) To each their own, karaoke is fine in one of the lounges, but IMO not as main stage entertainment.

 

We enjoy Adagio and BB King, but understand not everyone does.

I can only comment that indeed on WC2018 there were very few singers/dancer performances - to the extent that we really noticed it. Further, the show is 45 minutes.

 

So many of the individual acts are boring IMHO and hence we either go for a few minutes and leave or just skip it. We are seriously contemplating returning to either Regent or Crystal. We left them because we were getting better value for the dollar with HAL from 2006-2015 ... since then it seems they are slipping into mediocrity.

harry

 

My impression is that the World cruise is not a good example of what is happening. Most cruise lines have a fairly small set of shows that the cast does. I was on the Crystal World Cruise this year and they handled things a bit differently, putting on pretty much the same 5 or so shows on every segment, perhaps 5 or 6 times each. My HAL segment was in 2014 and the cast put on only 1 it 2 shows and my guess is that over the 120 days of the full cruise they do each cruise once or twice, making their appearances fairly rare. On a 2-week cruise they would probably do pretty much the same shows they do in 4 months of a world cruise.

 

Roy

Cruised the Med early this month and were advised by several staff that HAL intend to phase out having its own dancers and singers for live shows.

Instead the emphasis will be on having "competitions" such as The Voice using passengers as the entertainment.:mad::mad::mad:

Would be a great shame as these young people have wonderful talent and provide great entertainment.

They would all be out of a job.:mad::mad:

Anyone else heard that this is happening?

 

After my last couple HAL cruises, I thought they already did disband them.

While I have not heard that HAL plans to stop having its own singers and dancers, the cruise director made a comment on the last cruise that the contract that the singers and dancers work under prohibit the ship from using the entertainers in any other capacity on the ship.

 

This meant that on a long cruise with a limited number of production shows , other than rehearsals, the entertainment staff had no duties on the ship.

 

The cruise director commented that he would like to see the entertainment staff available to the cruise director to supplement his staff for activities or other duties.

 

Maybe (pure speculation on my part) the contract with the supplying agency is up for negotiation?

 

Yeah, as a performer myself, let me say that we don't train our whole lives as musicians, dancers, and actors so that we can be passing out bingo cards. Furthermore, there is a good deal of rehearsal that goes on to maintain these shows, so it's not like the entertainers are only working 6 hours per week.

Or rethink doing live shows, if that isn't what passengers want any longer.

 

It would be idiocy for a company to compete against its own premium offering.

 

The differences are substantial already due to size and included offerings. The two cruise lines work together in other ways. Idiocy is a strange word to use here, HAL can make an effort to improve and we did see a HAL entertainer on a Seabourn ship...same person, same routine (same booking agency???).

On another line that does have excellent live shows, the only complaint is that there are not enough seats in the theater, and one has to get there early or miss out.

 

In no way am I going to think that vacationers do not want/enjoy decent live entertainment.

Don't even get where that thought might be coming from.

 

And, Dallas, yes, I totally agree with you!!!!!

On the other cruise line, the performers do two, sometimes three shows a day/night.

Good gracious, isn't that obviously demanding enough?

Although I won’t say the OP of this thread is incorrect, maybe a new initiative may be released by HAL in the near future but I can only hope that we are not mistaken everything with the new EXC In-Dept Voyages concept that will be launched on Maasdam, starting after her dock period in September.

 

As per official Carnival/HAL press release dated February 15th this year I can quote;

 

Since EXC In-Depth Voyages are designed with added emphasis on the destination and onboard learning, evening entertainment will reflect the local culture instead of mainstage production shows. America's Test Kitchen is being replaced with local chefs, locally sourced ingredients and local traditions to enhance the culinary offerings appreciated by Holland America Line guests. Junior cruisers are welcome, but Club HAL kids' activities will not be offered on EXC In-Depth Voyages.

 

It would strike me as odd, as the change of one ships mainstage production show would be highlighted in a press release and on the other hand they would do the same on the other ships, in other words, why emphasize a difference if there will not be one??

 

The official press release can be found here;

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2332848

The differences are substantial already due to size and included offerings.

The point of having a premium offering is to offer a premium experience: Better itineraries, better service, better food, better entertainment. Not just one or two aspects better - because you want the premium entertainment on the non-premium brand.

 

Idiocy is a strange word to use here

Not at all. It's a business-oriented version of an old adage: "Cutting off the nose to spite the face." That's literally idiocy.

 

we did see a HAL entertainer on a Seabourn ship...same person, same routine (same booking agency???).

Do you actually think that that refutes all the complaints in this thread from all those posters who said that they found the entertainment on Holland America lacking? The fact that one random person on the Internet saw one entertainer that did the same routine on both cruise lines does not mean that entertainment on Holland America is as good as on Seabourn. When people are talking about the entertainment on Holland America, they are referring to the overall. It should be expected that, overall, the entertainment on Seabourn will be superior to that on Holland America, along with the food, service, etc. There should be no expectation that Holland America will offer entertainment, overall, as good as on Seabourn.

Too bad if true; but I have got tired of these shows. Maybe I can get to sleep by 8 now :D. I guess expense of new venues such as BB's has impacted overall entertainment on HAL.

 

We just got back from a 11 day Caribbean cruise on Celebrity. Two production shows, one tribute band to Beatles and 8 different professional entertainers on other 8 nites; that's right, no repeaters !

 

We just got back from a 12 day European cruise on the Koningsdam where, IMO, they had an excellent BB Kings Band, a Billboards piano duo that didn't appeal to me at all and 3 decent at best production shows in the Main Stage. My gripe is the specialty entertainment - not really entertaining at all.

 

For a very port intensive cruise where we were up early to sight-see almost all day every day (only 2 sea days) the lack of quality entertainment isn't a big deal. But, we are beginning to think about a Caribbean cruise for the winter. We are 3 star and as much as we liked the Koningsdam (its a beautiful, well-run ship), we have decided that we won't be sailing HAL in the Caribbean. We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam this past February and the entertainment was very "weak." And, as an example, there was one late night in a port. So what did they show in the theater? The movie "Marshall." A good movie but not appropriate entertainment on a Caribbean cruise. We won't be taking a chance with our vacation again.

 

HAL take notice. You're not keeping up with the other mainstream competition.

Or rethink doing live shows, if that isn't what passengers want any longer.

 

It would be idiocy for a company to compete against its own premium offering.

 

 

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Why is it idiocy for a company to offer similar attractions under different brands? All GM brands share certain options. It would be simple common sense to offer what seems to attract customers.

Why is it idiocy for a company to offer similar attractions under different brands? All GM brands share certain options. It would be simple common sense to offer what seems to attract customers.

 

Agreed. Entertainment is a cruise line staple. It's a bit of a head scratcher to think decent entertainment would equate to competing against their own brands.

Just returned from a 14-day cruise on the Prinsendam (smallest ship, smallest stage in the fleet). There was an 8 person Singer/Dancer Cast on board that did five different shows. To clarify my opinion at the start, I usually have thought very about the quality of HAL's "production" shows. Each one seemed the same and the overall quality of the performers was average at best. BUT!!!

 

Recently (don't know how long ago) HAL switched from a US/L.A. based company (Stiletto) that put together the shows, to a new company out of Europe. The brought all new shows, concepts and costumes. Auditions were conducted in Europe and, interestingly enough, when the eight cast members were introduced during the Backstage Tour, none were from the U.S. Now before you jump on me about employing U.S. entertainers (I have been involved in Theatre and production for over 40 years and support our talent) I have to say that to a person, the Pdam cast was of a much higher caliber. In the past, the previous production company shipped the sets and all costumes to the ship and their they stayed for the duration of the run of the show (usually three years). The ship's tailors would fit (sometimes stretched) the costumes to the new cast members when they started their contract. Not so the case with the new company. Per the Pdam Cast, they were all fitted with new costumes by the company during their rehearsal period, and they were brought on to the ship when they boarded. They actually fit nicely. While the format of the production shows are still were just musical "reviews", with individual songs strung together rather than a Broadway type musical (with a story line), in my opinion, each show was presented at a much higher level. While not a fan of this format, I actually stayed to the end of each of the Cast shows and thought they were darn good. By the way, four of the five Cast shows included live music!

 

As previous posters on this thread have said, a rumor from one poster seems to be considered "fact". There was no mention of elimination of the Hal Singers and Dancers in the future. The thought goes thru my mind, Why would HAL have gone to the expense to pay a new company to develop new shows if they were planning on phasing out the Cast shows at any time in the reasonable future? Just wondering.

I started this post, purely in concern for the musicians and performers, whilst you may refer it as rumours, it was key personal onboard that raised the issue with us.

We are just cruisers who enjoy attending the theatre in the evening to see and enjoy productions by these performers.

I just wondered if others were aware of any changes being considered by HAL.

If this forum only commented on fact we would always be behind the ball!

Why is it idiocy for a company to offer similar attractions under different brands?

I didn't say it was. I said it would be idiocy for a company to compete against its own premium offering.

 

All GM brands share certain options.

But the mainstream brands do not offer the superior appointments that distinguish the luxury brands from the mainstream brands.

 

It would be simple common sense to offer what seems to attract customers.

Many consumers, naive to the running of conglomerate businesses, think so but they are wrong. When your enterprise is a portfolio of companies it is *idiocy* to suboptimize your portfolio by allowing one business in your portfolio to undercut the premium another business in your portfolio leverages as a fundamental part of the enterprise's overall profit model.

 

Why spend extra to cruise on Seabourn if you get practically the same experience on Holland America or Carnival? I know it upsets fans of Holland America that it is a mainstream brand and not the premium brand that they want it to be (but without having to pay that premium themselves), but that is a consumerist-blinded view.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

If this forum only commented on fact we would always be behind the ball!

I suppose, and I also suspect that anyone who really gives you abuse for going beyond fact probably does so themselves when it suits their argument, whether it is projecting their impression that the cruise line is going downhill or opining that the specialty restaurant is fantastic.

 

 

 

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If today's big rumor is true, this will come up again ... with regard to building big ships like the ms Nieuw Statendam and selling the ms Prinsendam to Phoenix Reisen late 2019.

I missed this the first time I read it. Is this true -- is HAL selling Prinsendam?

Cruising is a dispensible income choice.............

 

 

 

The more they take away from our cruise experience, the less some of us want to cruise.

I think I may be in the Twilight Zone. During this thread, I have heard "Adagio" and "Rosario" mentioned as if they were still on board HAL ships. I thought Lincoln Center replaced them on all HAL ships.

 

I thought Lincoln Center was awesome on my last cruise . I enjoyed Billboard and spent a lot of time there.

Also enjoyed the live strings with the BBC films.

 

BB Kings was also extremely talented....I just had to leave because of the over assisted speaker volume. :(

 

I love the way HAL has arranged the timing of entertainment. You can go from aft to bow and experience each music venue set in it's entirety before moving to the next.

 

I actually can't remember anything about the dancers and singers on that cruise. I guess I was having a great time and forgot to notice. :) My apologies.

I missed this the first time I read it. Is this true -- is HAL selling Prinsendam?

The operative word there is “RUMOR”

 

There’s a separate thread about the RUMOR.

 

Roy

Cruising is a dispensible income choice.............

 

 

 

The more they take away from our cruise experience, the less some of us want to cruise.

Considering more are cruising today than anytime in history and all lines have decreased service offerings over the last decade, I think Carnival Corp and RCI know the choice fits what they’re doing.

I think I may be in the Twilight Zone. During this thread, I have heard "Adagio" and "Rosario" mentioned as if they were still on board HAL ships. I thought Lincoln Center replaced them on all HAL ships...

 

I sure hope not. Adagio was on my last cruise 7 months ago on the Veendam. They also were on a friend's cruise on the Rotterdam a few months ago...

Considering more are cruising today than anytime in history and all lines have decreased service offerings over the last decade, I think Carnival Corp and RCI know the choice fits what they’re doing.

 

 

Is that so?

 

Are there more people cuisin g C arnival Corp ships now than ever in the past?

I missed this the first time I read it. Is this true -- is HAL selling Prinsendam?

No idea. It's a rumor that comes up regularly. It came up this week on some of the online forums.

 

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Is that so?

 

Are there more people cuisin g C arnival Corp ships now than ever in the past?

Yes. Over the past decade, they've had an increase every year, growing from 7.67 million in 2007 and reaching 12.1 million in 2017. You can expect a further increase in 2018.

Cruising is a dispensible income choice.............The more they take away from our cruise experience, the less some of us want to cruise.

That is non-sequtir. There are always going to be better and lesser cruise experiences - different options at different levels for different budgets. When you talk about choice, that includes choosing to go to a different, perhaps more expensive, cruise line.

 

 

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