Dueling pianos

[sailorgirl]

We are recently off Eurodam and our favorite entertainment was the dueling pianos on the Music Walk. We're doing a T/A on Zuiderdam in April and wondering if they have that great entertainment as well. Zuiderdam has not had dry dock improvement yet, I know that.

Edited February 15, 2017 by sailorgirl
misspelling

[sailorgirl]

We are recently off Eurodam and our favorite entertainment was the dueling pianos on the Music Walk. We're doing a T/A on Zuiderdam in April and wondering if they have that great entertainment as well. Zuiderdam has not had dry dock improvement yet, I know that.

[Btimmer]

I can't speak to the Zuiderdam, but the Koningsdam has the Dueling Pianos. They were among the most popular of the night venues on the Christening Cruise, and a senior HAL official indicated to me that it has been a ''home run" for HAL where it has been implemented.

[sailorgirl]

Anyone on Zuiderdam now and do you have dueling pianos?

[baggal]

Just returned today. No dueling pianos.

 

 

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[sailorgirl]

Oh phooey! Seems that Zuiderdam hasn't gotten any of the upgrades. Maybe they are doing it alphabetically! LOL

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I wish they were on all the ships.

[Copper10-8]

Oh phooey! Seems that Zuiderdam hasn't gotten any of the upgrades. Maybe they are doing it alphabetically! LOL

 

Zuidy is getting Dueling Pianos as part of her dry-dock upgrades this Fall (October)

[doone]

I am on the Eurodam next month and we love the piano bar, can't wait for the dueling pianos, sounds like a lot of fun....

[geoherb]

We were on the Zuiderdam this past week and a half. The captain and cruise director announced the October dry dock will include the dueling pianos. The other changes seemed primarily cosmetic, such as new bathroom vanities in the cabins.

[Copper10-8]

We were on the Zuiderdam this past week and a half. The captain and cruise director announced the October dry dock will include the dueling pianos. The other changes seemed primarily cosmetic, such as new bathroom vanities in the cabins.

 

She's scheduled to basically get the same upgrades and additions that were done to her sister Oosterdam last year, incl. Lincoln Center Stage in the Explorers Lounge; “Billboard Onboard” with Dueling pianos and a casino bar instead of the Piano Bar and part of the Casino; Gallery (Arts) Bar instead of Northern Lights; Suite upgrades and improvements incl. new furniture, modern fixtures and new carpeting; Spa and PG upgrade

[taxmantoo]

I am on the Eurodam next month and we love the piano bar, can't wait for the dueling pianos, sounds like a lot of fun....

 

Just keep in mind that the traditional "Piano Bar" and the Eurodam's new "Dueling Pianos" are very different concepts.

Additionally, the two pianos are not really dueling but basically two entertainers playing the same song. Hopefully, you will enjoy the new style as you did the previous one, but remember they are different.

[RuthC]

Additionally, the two pianos are not really dueling but basically two entertainers playing the same song.

Did they ever play counterpoint? Here's a really great opportunity for some interesting musical entertainment. Something really new on the ships.

[Btimmer]

Did they ever play counterpoint? Here's a really great opportunity for some interesting musical entertainment. Something really new on the ships.

 

 

 

We found them very engaging on the Kdam. And they were VERY popular.

 

 

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[POA1]

Did they ever play counterpoint? Here's a really great opportunity for some interesting musical entertainment. Something really new on the ships.

 

Not strictly speaking, at least when we were on the Eurodam. There were two part arrangements for some tunes that were kind of counterpoint-ish. They also did "Baby, It's Cold Outside," which is counterpoint. However, I think you're looking for something more complicated.

 

In case anyone wants more information about conterpoint, there's a good 6 1/2 minute video "explainer" on the NY Times site:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/video/arts/1247468479041/counterpoint.html

[RuthC]

Not strictly speaking, at least when we were on the Eurodam. There were two part arrangements for some tunes that were kind of counterpoint-ish. They also did "Baby, It's Cold Outside," which is counterpoint. However, I think you're looking for something more complicated.

Thanks for the answer. Not the one I was hoping for, but at least now I know. <sigh>

And thanks for the link.

[taxmantoo]

Not strictly speaking, at least when we were on the Eurodam. There were two part arrangements for some tunes that were kind of counterpoint-ish. They also did "Baby, It's Cold Outside," which is counterpoint. However, I think you're looking for something more complicated.

 

That was also our experience last September on the Oosterdam. They basically stuck to the script and arrangements provided to them by Billboard headquarters. Although both were fairly talented, it soon became repetitious and requests were pretty much ignored.

[POA1]

Our pianists were pretty good about requests and they usually did at least one all request set each night. The two limitations I noticed are that they don't have the music to every single request. The "sheet music" is on a tablet device and I believe that they need a performance license to play songs. (I could be wrong. If so, step in and correct me.) The other limitation is that people tend to request the same songs over and over. It's like when we were kids and you bought 45s. It was all you had, so you played the songs to death. Although admittedly, I did not have "Brown Eyed Girl," so I have to go on a cruise to have that one drilled into my skull.

[taxmantoo]

I had my doubts on the "requests" on the Oosterdam. They only took requests 2 nights out of 12. Every request they played was also part of their regular shows so I tested their system. I wrote down 3 very popular songs known by every piano bar entertainer in the world, one by Frank Sinatra, one by Jimmy Buffett and one by Neil Diamond (so easy probably anyone can guess the titles). Dropped the papers in the hat where there was only one other slip. Papers kept being pulled from the hat but my songs never came up :confused: Basically, they looked at the paper, read it as a request for a song THEY wanted to play...

[TAD2005]

We have experienced both the smaller, intimate piano bars with such great entertainers like Jimmy Maddox, and also the Billboard Onboard dual pianos on the Oosterdam. There is no comparison. IMHO, HAL can scrap the dueling pianos. But that will never happen, because of the obvious statement in one of the posts above: "Billboard Onboard has been a ''home run" for HAL where it has been implemented ". The key words are "for HAL". Of course it has. The seating area is twice as big as the old, smaller, intimate piano bars. More seats generate more thirsty guests in those seats, and more bar revenue generated by the new system. Plus, the area is sponsored by Billboard Magazine, which also generates more revenue. Every square meter on a ship has to carry it's own weight, financially. The smaller piano bars were not hacking it as far as bar revenue was concerned. If you have the opportunity, experience the great experience of the old style piano bars on the few ships that still have them.

Edited February 16, 2017 by TAD2005

[boze9999]

On our last sailing with dueling pianos they would not play any requests. Everything was boilerplate and pre-formated. It appeared they had no license to deviate.

[RuthC]

On our last sailing with dueling pianos they would not play any requests. Everything was boilerplate and pre-formated. It appeared they had no license to deviate.

:mad: That doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

I sure do miss the Piano Bars of old. :( There was fun, spontaneity, always a group of regulars who got to know each other and made it a party every night. We would make the silliest suggestions, and the musician would go along.

Things like this just don't happen anymore. :(

[kazu]

:mad: That doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

I sure do miss the Piano Bars of old. :( There was fun, spontaneity, always a group of regulars who got to know each other and made it a party every night. We would make the silliest suggestions, and the musician would go along.

Things like this just don't happen anymore. :(

 

I agree. The good piano men sensed the crowd and adapted.

 

 

very happy we will be having a good piano bar on our upcoming cruise. Looking forward to it :)

[Cruizer Bill]

We also prefer the smaller, more intimate piano bars. The new concept you are just a spectator in a theater.

[Sunriseatsea]

Or women! Debbie on the Amsterdam Grand World Voyage was always a big draw. So very talented, creative, and willing to entertain any requests.