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Piano Bar entertainers - who is your favorite?

JPH814

By JPH814,
in Holland America Line

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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

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Just off Zaandam cruise to Antarctica - enjoyed Barry from Boston. He had many fun sing alongs!

 

While I did not particularly enjoy him on my cruise a couple of years ago, he probably was more entertaining than the gentleman who was at the keyboard on my Zaandam Christmas/New Year's Cruise this year.

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Nanner

Nanner

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Glad to see someone else enjoyed Greg Gallello. I wasn't enamored of his partner on the Koningsdam last March, but we bought one of Greg's thumb drives so we could listen at home. While I liked that Barry from Boston did more Name that Tune than some other piano entertainers, I found his voice mediocre and his attitude too self-centered.

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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

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Glad to see someone else enjoyed Greg Gallello. I wasn't enamored of his partner on the Koningsdam last March, but we bought one of Greg's thumb drives so we could listen at home. While I liked that Barry from Boston did more Name that Tune than some other piano entertainers, I found his voice mediocre and his attitude too self-centered.

 

Re: Barry from Boston:

 

Yes. I agree with you opinion.

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amias

amias

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Glad to hear that Greg Gallello is still onboard HAL ships. - we really enjoy his work. Does anyone know if he is just doing the Duelling Piano's on Koningsdam or likely to be on other ships of the line? And have passengers encountered Jim Fischer recently in the piano bar? He was another favourite of ours.

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TAD2005

TAD2005

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Joseph Hume

 

Thanks. I Googled his name and saw some of his performances. What I saw was not a contemporary piano bar entertainer (60's, 70's, Beatles, Jimmy Buffet, etc), but more like a piano to read a book by, or simply background music for the bar. Am I wrong here ? Did Joseph Hume rock the place with "Sweet Caroline" on the Rotterdam, or did he put everyone to sleep ? Is he an entertainer or is he background music ?

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veryseasonedtraveler

veryseasonedtraveler

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Just returned from the Eurodam. They had 2 young players doing the billboard songs. They packed the place every time they played and I thought they were the best entertainment on the ship

 

 

 

Agree. They enjoyed performing together and had SRO most of the time. Was so disappointed when it was dark the last night. Great duo.

 

 

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

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taxmantoo

taxmantoo

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Agree. They enjoyed performing together and had SRO most of the time. Was so disappointed when it was dark the last night. Great duo.

 

 

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

We've had that happen a few times also and have been very disappointed. I even had a discussion about it with a Cruise Director on the Oosterdam who said it was policy. He was a bit shocked and walked away when I replied that he shouldn't blame the policy making team that he was a part of! In any event, they now play two or three 45-minute sets a night and get a day off every week... quite a change from the old piano bar players who used to play from 8 or so until the wee hours of the morning and never got a night off. :mad:

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Two Adrift

Two Adrift

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In August, we were on the Oosterdam and had the pleasure of spending many evenings with Jimmy Maddox. I thought he was wonderful and could not imagine a better piano bar entertainer.

 

 

 

Until we were on the Zuiderdam in January and we met Stryker. My god, what a talent. Incredible musician, singer and entertainer.

 

 

 

So now we have another cruise booked on the Oosterdam, in February of 2017. I have no idea who it will be in the piano bar. I can only hope it will be as good as either of these two.

 

 

 

which got me to thinking...

 

 

 

Who is you favorite piano bar entertainer and why??

 

 

 

Perry Grant. He is the ultimate entertainer and can really relate to his audience. I have taken cruises because I he will be on board!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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veryseasonedtraveler

veryseasonedtraveler

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We've had that happen a few times also and have been very disappointed. I even had a discussion about it with a Cruise Director on the Oosterdam who said it was policy. He was a bit shocked and walked away when I replied that he shouldn't blame the policy making team that he was a part of! In any event, they now play two or three 45-minute sets a night and get a day off every week... quite a change from the old piano bar players who used to play from 8 or so until the wee hours of the morning and never got a night off. :mad:

 

 

 

What I really liked this cruise was the fact they started at 7:00.

 

 

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

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Perry Grant. He is the ultimate entertainer and can really relate to his audience. I have taken cruises because I he will be on board!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Perry is one of a kind. And, my comment is a positive one. I first enjoyed him on a HAL cruise--maybe 2002 Asia Pacific on the Volendam? I last enjoyed him on a Celebrity Eclipse cruise in recent years. I wonder if he is still with Celebrity?

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HokiePoq

HokiePoq

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Jeremy who was on the Veendam for Amazon Explorer is by far our favorite....but he was leaving HAL. Have also enjoyed Stryker and Barry from Boston.

Liked Jordan Peterson on another line but heard that line discontinued to piano bar singers....

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  • 3 months later...
Toofarfromthesea

Toofarfromthesea

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I can't say who is best, because we have only sailed HAL once, but we thoroughly enjoyed Mike McCabe on Zaandam's recent cruise. For me he combined virtuoso level piano playing of everything from Ragtime to Rachmaninoff, a great range of songs, excellent voice range, and a strong dose of wise-a$$ery that connected him to the audience. It was a shame that he is in such a small venue, because for my money he was the best entertainer on the ship.

 

He had us hooked so we were there every night, even changing our dining plans the last 4 nights so we wouldn't miss most of the first set. The second set was a little PG13/R, as Mike likes to slip in some lyric changes, which we loved.. And really, you haven't lived until you have heard Unchained Melody done by his special guest vocalist - Elmer Fudd.

 

A good time was had by all.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

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NEXT SHIP: ROTTERDAM

May 19 to July 18, 2018

Holland, Norway, Baltic & Xing to Boston

Come and join me!!

Stryker

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

And we should mention that Stryker will be replaced on July 18 by Barry from Boston. Barry has a habit of working on the annual Voyage of the Vikings cruise :). Personally, we are very happy to join either Stryker or Barry as they are both fun entertainers.

 

Hank

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
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Who is on the Prinsendam this September?

Thanks

 

Steve from Halifax was on last week and was a blast.

 

Not sure if he will still be on in September or back but everyone enjoyed him. He's new to the HAL ships I believe and quite talented.

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  • 2 weeks later...
oceanmom

oceanmom

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Glad to hear that Greg Gallello is still onboard HAL ships. - we really enjoy his work. Does anyone know if he is just doing the Duelling Piano's on Koningsdam or likely to be on other ships of the line? And have passengers encountered Jim Fischer recently in the piano bar? He was another favourite of ours.

 

Jim Fischer was on the Prinsendam this spring. I'll tell him his name came up next time I see him. He is doing a dueling pianos at one of our local restaurants tomorrow night. Keep hoping he can get a contract for one of our cruises some day.

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innlady1

innlady1

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Barry from Boston is not "my cup of tea". I experienced him on my VOV.

 

"Different strokes for different folks."

 

 

Nor mine. He was on our Veendam Bermuda cruise in late May.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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