dueling piano players and tips

[markf]

Is it just me--or do you find it offensive that the piano players come right out and ask for tips, if you want them to play a song of your choice..

Why should they be the only person on the cruise asking for tips like this..

[mjkacmom]

Because that is the environment of a duelling piano bar? NCL is trying to capture the atmosphere of a similar venue on land.

[SissasMomE]

Is it just me--or do you find it offensive that the piano players come right out and ask for tips, if you want them to play a song of your choice..

Why should they be the only person on the cruise asking for tips like this..

 

They will play any song you ask ; however, it is customary to tip anyone in that situation who is doing something specifically for you. No, it is not offensive at all.

[triptolemus]

Overload Alert!!!

 

 

Nickel-and-dime and tipping threads combined to join forces and overtake us!

[garycarla]

I get the original question. Makes sense.

 

But, every dueling piano bar I have ever been at... this is the norm. Almost part of the act.

[mizLORInj]

I get the OP's question as I had not ever seen dueling pianists before the Breakaway cruise. But they were very entertaining and I suppose if I had a request it would come with some $. I have seen tip jars onother pianos too.

I like when they say "$5 will get me to STOP playing this song".

Edited March 27, 2014 by mizlorinj

[pmang]

Is it just me--or do you find it offensive that the piano players come right out and ask for tips, if you want them to play a song of your choice..

 

Why should they be the only person on the cruise asking for tips like this..

 

 

It's absolutely part of the show... In no brochure for any cruise line does it say you get to pick the performers set list... If you want to make a request, tip... If not, sit back and enjoy the show...

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

Is it just me--or do you find it offensive that the piano players come right out and ask for tips, if you want them to play a song of your choice..

Why should they be the only person on the cruise asking for tips like this..

You need to visit a Howl at the Moon on land. It's the same thing.

[Quincella]

As others have said, it's just what they do and how they work, whether on land or at sea.

 

I actually get offended when people ask ANY musician to play a specific song and then don't tip. Most working musicians in bands/duos, especially those that play clubs and bars, aren't raking in the big bucks. If you enjoy the entertainment, and most especially if you request a song, you should tip them. No question about it.

[vacation luvver]

They will play any song you ask

This is SO not true. I was on the March 16 Breakaway sailing, and people offered Howl at the Moon $20 to play a song, but if someone else then offered $25 not to play the song, the song wasn't played.

 

I didn't know this was the norm for dueling pianos. But I didn't give them any money, because I didn't want to waste it in case someone else offered them more money not to play the song I wanted to hear.

 

NCL emailed me a questionnaire about the cruise. I told them I found Howl at the Moon offensive, as they spent more time asking for money than they did playing the pianos. That's because I didn't know that things were supposed to be like that.

[raventhebouv]

Overload Alert!!!

 

 

Nickel-and-dime and tipping threads combined to join forces and overtake us!

 

Made me smile! The chronic complainers will most likely complain about everything on any type of vacation they take, so to them I say...wah, wah, wah go away!:)

[che5904]

Well I would never ask a musician for a specific song, since I figure most already have their sets in place. Therefore, I would not be "offended" by this request. But I certainly would be shocked.

 

I often have seen tip jars on piano's, so that itself would not surprise me, but asking for one? IMO that's just plain tacky.

 

I've never been to howl at the moon on land or at sea, I've never even heard of dueling piano bars. (sheltered life, I guess). So I'm actually happy this thread came up, at least now I'm forewarned about what I could expect.

 

Love CC, learn something new every day.

[SissasMomE]

This is SO not true. I was on the March 16 Breakaway sailing, and people offered Howl at the Moon $20 to play a song, but if someone else then offered $25 not to play the song, the song wasn't played.

 

I didn't know this was the norm for dueling pianos. But I didn't give them any money, because I didn't want to waste it in case someone else offered them more money not to play the song I wanted to hear.

 

NCL emailed me a questionnaire about the cruise. I told them I found Howl at the Moon offensive, as they spent more time asking for money than they did playing the pianos. That's because I didn't know that things were supposed to be like that.

 

Yeah - it's part of the show. I do agree with you though - if you give money to hear a song, they should play the song.

[meatball_nyc]

Che, me too.

Never seen or heard of Howl at the Moon before researching NCL.

 

Should be fun but I don't think I will be paying anyone $20 to play a song.

 

Cheers!

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Edited March 27, 2014 by meatball_nyc

[pmang]

Yeah - it's part of the show. I do agree with you though - if you give money to hear a song, they should play the song.

 

 

In "most" cases, stoping the song is done more for a comedic effect. Say if someone requests a "joke" tune like a guy singing Miley Cyrus or Celine Dion... Another example would be "fight song battles" = College fight songs or New York vs Boston songs... Highest tip "wins" and stops the other.. It is part of the show.

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

In "most" cases, stoping the song is done more for a comedic effect. Say if someone requests a "joke" tune like a guy singing Miley Cyrus or Celine Dion... Another example would be "fight song battles" = College fight songs or New York vs Boston songs... Highest tip "wins" and stops the other.. It is part of the show.

At our Indianapolis Howl At The Moon, I've seen the piano players make over $500 in tips in about 5 minutes having a duel between the Indiana University and Purdue University fight songs. Ha!

 

People need to realize that the whole idea behind this is group participation and involvement. If people think they are going to sit and listen to someone play the piano for them, they might want to check out a different venue. This assumes they resemble the land based H at the M locations, which from all I've seen/read, is true. Go to Youtube and search for Howl at The Moon.

[laurabegorrah]

Howl at the Moon was the highlight to our BA cruise in Jan. The tipping aspect was actually a huge part of the entertainment. I never felt pressured to tip, or uncomfortable that I didn't.

[che5904]

At our Indianapolis Howl At The Moon, I've seen the piano players make over $500 in tips in about 5 minutes having a duel between the Indiana University and Purdue University fight songs. Ha!

 

People need to realize that the whole idea behind this is group participation and involvement. If people think they are going to sit and listen to someone play the piano for them, they might want to check out a different venue. This assumes they resemble the land based H at the M locations, which from all I've seen/read, is true. Go to Youtube and search for Howl at The Moon.

 

Very well said. There is only one problem with that idea. Obviously not everyone that attends this is aware of this. If I go on a cruise, I don't look up the entertainment before my cruises, I read my daily and if there seems to be something I think I may be interested in, I go. Never attending anything like this before, I can see how "piano players making over $500 in tips in about 5 minutes" would shock me.

[che5904]

Howl at the Moon was the highlight to our BA cruise in Jan. The tipping aspect was actually a huge part of the entertainment. I never felt pressured to tip, or uncomfortable that I didn't.

 

This is contradicting to what others have said is normal practice in this show.

 

The OP is stating that if they requested a song, they got asked for tips, I'm not sure how that isn't feeling pressured to give.

 

On the other hand if you didn't request any, then there would not be a feeling of pressured. Which is not what the OP is talking about.

[pmang]

This is contradicting to what others have said is normal practice in this show.

 

 

 

The OP is stating that if they requested a song, they got asked for tips, I'm not sure how that isn't feeling pressured to give.

 

 

 

On the other hand if you didn't request any, then there would not be a feeling of pressured. Which is not what the OP is talking about.

 

 

So you think it's ok to request a bunch of songs with no tip? That's not how it works... Songs without a tip will be placed to the side and maybe they'll get played if they fit in the show... A request with a tip will be given priority and played much sooner.... A big tip will probably be played right away...

 

Why is this a big deal?

 

 

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Edited March 27, 2014 by pmang

[vacation luvver]

People need to realize that the whole idea behind this is group participation and involvement. If people think they are going to sit and listen to someone play the piano for them, they might want to check out a different venue. This assumes they resemble the land based H at the M locations, which from all I've seen/read, is true. Go to Youtube and search for Howl at The Moon.

I had never heard of Howl at the Moon before. I thought it was something specific to the Breakaway, or maybe to NCL, and it never occurred to me to google it or check it out at youtube. I really and truly thought that I was going to listen to two pianists play songs. Yes, I also listened to the piano player on the ship play songs and sing.

 

I don't know how many people on the cruise thought the way I did, that Howl at the Moon was entertainment, just like the jazz band or the guitar player or the party band, where you sit and listen to the music, not where the musicians spend more time trying to get money out of people than actually making music.

[pmang]

I had never heard of Howl at the Moon before. I thought it was something specific to the Breakaway, or maybe to NCL, and it never occurred to me to google it or check it out at youtube. I really and truly thought that I was going to listen to two pianists play songs. Yes, I also listened to the piano player on the ship play songs and sing.

 

I don't know how many people on the cruise thought the way I did, that Howl at the Moon was entertainment, just like the jazz band or the guitar player or the party band, where you sit and listen to the music, not where the musicians spend more time trying to get money out of people than actually making music.

 

Who said you can't sit and listen to the music? Perfectly acceptable...

 

Think of this... If you're sitting in a bar that has a juke box, you can sit and listen to it all night long. If you want to pick the songs, you need to put some money in. Simple...

 

 

 

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[vacation luvver]

Think of this... If you're sitting in a bar that has a juke box, you can sit and listen to it all night long. If you want to pick the songs, you need to put some money in. Simple...

It's not simple at all! Howl at the Moon is nothing like putting money in a juke box. If you put money in a juke box, you get to hear the songs that you paid for. If you give the Howl at the Moon guys $20 to play your song, but someone else gives them $25 not to play it, you don't get to hear your song, and you just wasted $20. I never heard of juke box that doesn't play what you want if someone runs up to it and puts in more money than you did. Did you?

[triptolemus]

It's not simple at all! Howl at the Moon is nothing like putting money in a juke box. If you put money in a juke box, you get to hear the songs that you paid for. If you give the Howl at the Moon guys $20 to play your song, but someone else gives them $25 not to play it, you don't get to hear your song, and you just wasted $20. I never heard of juke box that doesn't play what you want if someone runs up to it and puts in more money than you did. Did you?

 

I think that you understand now how it works. I think that you fully realize you can sit and enjoy the show without spending a single dime. I think that you're kinda hung up on arguing about it now for no real purpose. It's $20 -- toss it to a musician or don't. Who cares?

 

It's almost as if you're looking for a way to feel cheated.

Edited March 27, 2014 by triptolemus

[B6ConMe]

We've been to a few Dueling Piano Bars and they're are great entertainment, IMO. For anyone cruising out of NOLA, they have one of the original DPB's in the US. It's called Pat O'Briens Bar & Grill or if close to San Antonio, there's Howl at the Moon there as well as another Pat O'Briens.

 

The tips are part of the show and while it can get a bit expensive if you get caught up in it, you can just as easily sit back and enjoy the fun, IMO. :D

Edited March 27, 2014 by B6ConMe