Severe Anthem Entertainment Cuts

[heathermiller86nj]

Hi All,

 

Have an upcoming cruise on the Anthem and am very concerned by the ongoing cuts to entertainment. Given a longer, holiday sailing, I would've hoped for more entertainment than on a 7-night cruise, not less. Also, since we booked the cruise, there have been numerous, material changes to the cruising experience.

 

-First, we booked hoping for a dining and menu change and had been greatly looking forward to the rotating dining with varied menus with dynamic. Now we're back to traditional with the fleet-wide menus that can practically be recited after the 5+ year old food options. At least had hoped for menu changes even with the switch from dynamic to look forward to some enticing options from dynamic, but several have reported fleet-wide menus with little to no difference from other ships.

 

Aside from dining, we really were looking forward to the tribute bands at Music Hall. We know they were subtly eliminated. Now Music Hall with a house band is the same a Viking Lounge on every other ship, just a new venue. Also, it's disappointing to hear that most nights after 10pm is either Karaoke or a "silent disco". A silent disco is fun ONE night of a cruise, not multiple. Wasn't the whole point of this venue to have changing, ongoing LIVE music?

 

Finally, it's very disappointing to see the fly-on acts change and become depleted for our sailing to now:

 

Original Schedule:

AJ Jamal - Comedian

Finis Henderson - Impressionist

Ronn Lucas - Ventriloquist

Resurrection: A Journey Tribute - Tribute Act

Darrell Joyce - Comedian

Rick Novell - Juggler

 

Updated schedule:

Welcome, AJ Jamal, Comedian

Finis Henderson, Impressionist

Ronn Lucas, Ventriloquist

Stephani Parker, Female Vocalist

 

I get that "entertainment is subject to change" but I didn't think it would go from 6 acts to 4, maybe one would cancel and be substituted for another performer.

 

We've gone from 6 specialty acts to 4. We've gone from a live tribute band to a soloist. We've gone from 2 comedians to 1. I just don't get it, on every 7 night we've been on, there are at least 2 comedians. Now on a 10-night sailing we will have one comedian, fewer than planned and fewer than every other ship in the fleet?

 

What is going on? Very concerned and disappointed. Trying to keep an open mind, but when looking forward to a trip and paying holiday premiums, it's alarming to see such drastic cuts.

 

Thanks!

Edited December 2, 2016 by heathermiller86nj

[King of Cruising]

None of these things are major in my book. Just go with the flow and enjoy the cruise. Life is too short!!! :cool:

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[setsail]

Now that you have given a review for a cruise you have not been on , you could cancel and just stay home:p

[scottygirl]

Hi All,

 

Have an upcoming cruise on the Anthem and am very concerned by the ongoing cuts to entertainment. Given a longer, holiday sailing, I would've hoped for more entertainment than on a 7-night cruise, not less. Also, since we booked the cruise, there have been numerous, material changes to the cruising experience.

 

-First, we booked hoping for a dining and menu change and had been greatly looking forward to the rotating dining with varied menus with dynamic. Now we're back to traditional with the fleet-wide menus that can practically be recited after the 5+ year old food options. At least had hoped for menu changes even with the switch from dynamic to look forward to some enticing options from dynamic, but several have reported fleet-wide menus with little to no difference from other ships.

 

Aside from dining, we really were looking forward to the tribute bands at Music Hall. We know they were subtly eliminated. Now Music Hall with a house band is the same a Viking Lounge on every other ship, just a new venue. Also, it's disappointing to hear that most nights after 10pm is either Karaoke or a "silent disco". A silent disco is fun ONE night of a cruise, not multiple. Wasn't the whole point of this venue to have changing, ongoing LIVE music?

 

Finally, it's very disappointing to see the fly-on acts change and become depleted for our sailing to now:

 

Original Schedule:

AJ Jamal - Comedian

Finis Henderson - Impressionist

Ronn Lucas - Ventriloquist

Resurrection: A Journey Tribute - Tribute Act

Darrell Joyce - Comedian

Rick Novell - Juggler

 

Updated schedule:

Welcome, AJ Jamal, Comedian

Finis Henderson, Impressionist

Ronn Lucas, Ventriloquist

Stephani Parker, Female Vocalist

 

I get that "entertainment is subject to change" but I didn't think it would go from 6 acts to 4, maybe one would cancel and be substituted for another performer.

 

We've gone from 6 specialty acts to 4. We've gone from a live tribute band to a soloist. We've gone from 2 comedians to 1. I just don't get it, on every 7 night we've been on, there are at least 2 comedians. Now on a 10-night sailing we will have one comedian, fewer than planned and fewer than every other ship in the fleet?

 

What is going on? Very concerned and disappointed. Trying to keep an open mind, but when looking forward to a trip and paying holiday premiums, it's alarming to see such drastic cuts.

 

Thanks!

 

 

That's really too bad to hear. The Police Experience tribute band in the Music Hall was one of the highlights of our Anthem cruise in July. Just be prepared that you are going to get a lot of negative comments on your post because apparently even though this is "Cruise Critic" some folks don't feel you have the right to "criticize". Welcome!

[DaisyL]

Comparing our 9 day anthem cruise in May and the 7 day Thanksgiving cruise the entertainment certainly suffered. We really enjoyed the Tribute bands and live bands most nights in May to none last week.

 

Very disappointing and the guitar player in the pub was dropped too, which would have been great last week too.

 

The Viking Lounge on other ships are much better than the current Music Hall, there were no live bands after 10 pm.

 

 

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[Biker19]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchoring

[SunReader]

Comparing our 9 day anthem cruise in May and the 7 day Thanksgiving cruise the entertainment certainly suffered. We really enjoyed the Tribute bands and live bands most nights in May to none last week.

 

Very disappointing and the guitar player in the pub was dropped too, which would have been great last week too.

 

The Viking Lounge on other ships are much better than the current Music Hall, there were no live bands after 10 pm.

 

 

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Any recommendations on what to do at night after 10?. Usually have done the live music. Done Quest etc, in the past. Disappointed they aren't having the Journey tribute band. It sounds like they have geared the cruise toward senior citizens.

 

Does the Schooner bar still have a piano player?

 

I am not going to contribute extra to the casino before the holidays because they eliminated

after dinner entertainment.

[atnolan94]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

EXTREME CUTS, SEVERE CUTS, DISGUSTING, HORRIBLE....yet they still keep booking cruises:D

[cb at sea]

Could someone explain "silent" disco? I just don't get it...and haven't had one (or noticed it) on any cruise!

[KiwiGal117]

In fairness to OP, the cuts came to light after she booked. That is disappointing.

 

I am beginning to think that in order to avoid repetitiveness of menus and the like, it might be better to cast around for other cruise lines to try. I unfortunately don't get to go on cruises as often as I would like, so don't have an issue with the menus not changing in 5 years, however if you are a regular on one line, I could see this could get old fast.

[heathermiller86nj]

EXTREME CUTS, SEVERE CUTS, DISGUSTING, HORRIBLE....yet they still keep booking cruises:D

 

We continue to book based on what's advertised. We booked based on varied, rotating live music at Music Hall (extensively advertised, with more bands and live music than all other ships, not significantly less live music with just 1 house band, 1 reggae, band and 1 piano entertainer). We booked being told that a 10-night cruise would have 2-3 comedians and 6 fly-on acts, not 1 comedian and 4 acts with multiple nights on no professional entertainment. We booked for a new dining experience with dynamic, had we known it would be repetitive with traditional, we would've tried NCL for a change.

 

Music Hall was created for a live music venue, illustrating Royal Caribbean's dedication to live music per Richard Fein, not as a Kareoke venue with repetitive, nightly silent discos.

 

Not complaining, just concerned that all of these cuts have been made after booking, let alone for such an expensive holiday sailing.

[schlimazel_traveler]

I understand. It is very disappointing to have the offerings changed after you've already purchased.

[jonj]

Could it be that the acts cancelled and not changed / cancelled by the cruise line? If they cancelled last minute they may not have time to get someone else onboard with the holidays.

 

Not sure why but we all assume it is always the companies fault there could be other reasons.

[heathermiller86nj]

There are still 3 weeks. We were told the tribute bands were cut due to budgeting (upsetting to hear when these were advertised and we are paying over $6,000 for 2 people for a holiday sailing).

 

How hard can it be to find another comedian? And to cancel 2 full acts plus the tribute band, I'd understand if it was the week of, but these were eliminated over a month out. Also - the cuts in live music aren't just for our sailing, they've already been reported for the past few.

Edited December 2, 2016 by heathermiller86nj

[Ocean Boy]

Now that you have given a review for a cruise you have not been on , you could cancel and just stay home:p

 

Sometimes you are funny!:D

[alfaeric]

That's really too bad to hear. The Police Experience tribute band in the Music Hall was one of the highlights of our Anthem cruise in July. Just be prepared that you are going to get a lot of negative comments on your post because apparently even though this is "Cruise Critic" some folks don't feel you have the right to "criticize". Welcome!

 

And I too would have loved a Police tribute band. Over a Journey or Aerosmith or Bon Jovi bands that I have seen (or more accurately, not). Which is the problem with tribute bands- you are either a fan or not.

 

Everyone thinks they are so great, up until you get a band you really don't like, and are stuck with for the whole trip.

[BillNY]

And I too would have loved a Police tribute band. Over a Journey or Aerosmith or Bon Jovi bands that I have seen (or more accurately, not). Which is the problem with tribute bands- you are either a fan or not.

 

 

 

Everyone thinks they are so great, up until you get a band you really don't like, and are stuck with for the whole trip.

 

 

I agree... on our sailing in July, our tribute band was a Led Zeppelin tribute...I and my SIL enjoyed it, the rest of our group....not so much... Even while enjoying it, we only went to see them once.

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

I don't even need to read the thread to know you will get flamed endlessly for your valid concerns.

[Biker19]

Could someone explain "silent" disco? I just don't get it...and haven't had one (or noticed it) on any cruise!

You are given a set of wireless headphones with varied dance music playing on them - to the folks just watching it's a bit weird since it is silent, but for the "dancers" it's as if they are at the dance club.Usually late at night in the typical dance venue.

Edited December 3, 2016 by Biker19

[gaylemh]

From what I was told the tribute bands were a budget cut for the last quarter of 2016. They are bringing them back for 2017. So far I know of Wanted a Bon Jovi band playing for 6 nights. This was listed in Bandsintown.

 

2/26/17

4/29/17

6/3/17

8/3/17

10/7/17

[setsail]

The review seems to be incomplete. A 10 nighter with only 4 nights reviewed, what about the other 6

[robbykapnj]

Very disappointed to hear this as well. Also booked specifically for the difference in ship - ranging from food (different menus from the rest of the fleet, no mandatory formal night) to entertainment (a variety of fly-on acts for a longer cruise and emphasis on live music with tribute bands and a large number of house bands, not just 2 bands and 1 pianio player compared to the rest of the fleet with 2-3 bands and several duos and soloists).

 

From the cuts in live music to entertainment and dining, this is a compeltely different cruising experience, one not worth $10,000 for a family. Drastic cuts and changes like these should be implemented once cruisers can book the new, reduced experience. For us, this is not what we paid for.

Edited December 3, 2016 by robbykapnj

[gaylemh]

Very disappointed to hear this as well. Also booked specifically for the difference in ship - ranging from food (different menus from the rest of the fleet, no mandatory formal night) to entertainment (a variety of fly-on acts for a longer cruise and emphasis on live music with tribute bands and a large number of house bands, not just 2 bands and 1 pianio player compared to the rest of the fleet with 2-3 bands and several duos and soloists).

 

From the cuts in live music to entertainment and dining, this is a compeltely different cruising experience, one not worth $10,000 for a family. Drastic cuts and changes like these should be implemented once cruisers can book the new, reduced experience.

 

There are a lot of other things going on at night. There was a Billy Joel tribute by the cast in 270, Name that Tune with the WWRY cast, Groovy Town and Anthem Rocks in Music Hall, virtual concerts in 270, Quest in 270, Red disco in 270, there is also a Latin band in Boleros, a Rock Band in Music Hall, the pool band plays some nights in the lounges, the comedian usually does 2 shows a family and late night adult. They also had live music outside vintages, and I'm sure I'm missing a few. This was all a few weeks ago after they cut out the tribute bands. I have also requested the entertainment before hand from RCCL and found once I got on the ship there were other things added.

[mizLORInj]

Could someone explain "silent" disco? I just don't get it...and haven't had one (or noticed it) on any cruise!

It's a silent dance party (not specifically disco). As mentioned you get a headset and there are two channels you can listen to. It was interesting to watch and you could tell what songs were playing because people were singing. I think it was held twice on our 10 nighter last month.

 

The tribute bands--yes it was disappointing that due to budgets there weren't any.

 

We still had a great cruise and found plenty of other things to do--or just enjoy our balcony.

Edited December 3, 2016 by mizLORInj