Shows on the Nieuw Statendam

[cruiseguy56]

Booked for a Nov 2020 10 day Nieuw Statendam cruise and after reviewing HAL's site, it sounds like the typical crew-performed main theater shows we're accustomed to on the Vista-class boats aren't what's going to be on-board the NS. Several things NOT mentioned on HAL's site are comedy, magic, and the Indonesian culture-themed crew shows. Site seems to emphasize only classical music and ballroom dancing type shows?  Has anyone sailed her recently that could shed any light on this? I'm fine with classical music and ballroom dancing, but the DW is NOT going to be thrilled with that type of show. Need to find out, if possible, so I can plan other ways to entertain her. Thanks for any input you can offer.

[crystalspin]

Anyone who's sailed the N.Statendam has sailed her "recently", as maiden voyage was just six months ago!

 

One of these two YouTube videos talks about the shows and does mention comedians and magician. I think they both mention that the production shows are dancing (not really ballroom, more modern?) only, but there may be soloists as stand-alone performers. The Indonesian and Filipino crew shows have been LATE at night on our last few HAL cruises, after not instead of, the regular show.

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by crystalspin

[Bretty]

I was on Nieuw Statendam last month and they have Billboard Onboard (piano bar/duelling pianos) playing most nights, ranging from 60s through present day. They were excellent. Then there’s Rolling Stone Rock Room which has a rock band which again plays an eclectic selection of music from across the years. They were good but not our favourite. These two sets of performers alternate usually 45 minute sets.

 

Then there’s BB King’s Blues Club, in the next room, and they play a good mix of blues and soul music. These were excellent and the dance floor was often full.

 

Lincoln Centre Stage is the classical quintet. We only saw one performance (they were normally early evening) but they were good.

 

For my partner and I, the main stage shows were weak. They had a selection of performances from a soloist, a trio doing song and dance and a comedian on our cruise. As I say, we felt they were weaker, the performers not as polished, but there was a good selection. The main stage performers I think change more regularly; I know the singer and the comedian were both moving on to another HAL ship shortly after our cruise in May. Didn’t see a production show with dancers but my understanding is that when there is a group like that onboard, they do a dance only performance to recorded music with visual effects. I think that was the issue with what made the performances we did see in the main stage auditorium a bit weak - it’s a large auditorium with a good stage and the video screens covering a large section at the back of the stage, and during the performances we saw by the soloist, comedian and the trio, the video effects were not used. They were just on a stripped back stage and it lacked atmosphere. It was flat. Also the comedian (he was British like me) told very old jokes, some of which don’t necessarily translate well for people non-Brits!

 

Apologies for the long post, but I hope the info is useful to you. There were no Indonesian themed shows by the crew.

Cheers, JB

Edited June 18, 2019 by Bretty

[larry1763]

Do you remember the scheduled times for the main stage shows. We would like to book a specialty restaurant and don't want to conflict with the time a show.

[BSinPNS]

Just got off NS on 6/23 after a great 14-day Norway cruise which included five sea days.  We found the entertainment other than the special music venues mentioned by Bretty to be be adequate to non-existent:
- No visiting scholar presentations.  Memorized presentations by the EXC guide covered basic info with little detail.  She appeared and started talking at the start time and magically disappeared at the end. No questions unless you met with her during her desk hours.
- One dance show with a cast of eight who move from ship to ship.  It was really interesting how it used the lighting, etc. in the Main Stage.  Music is recorded.  
- Most visiting performers (singers, instrumentalists, comedian, magician, etc.) did two shows or one show along with a shared show with another guest performer.  A four piece combo (pianist, drummer and two guitarists) accompanied most musical acts.  We thought only two of the performers were very good; the other others were at best adequate.  YMMV just like with food.
- There were a few trivia and bingo games daily,
- Sea days seldom had more than one event running at a time.
- One night the main stage was dark - no movie even.  There is, however, a movie a day on the pool deck
- No Indonesian or Filipino crew shows.   
- Bring your own reading material as the library does not exist. 
Overall we thought the NS was a very nice floating hotel with a great staff and very good food.  The cruise experience pales by comparison with Celebrity or RCCL.  
 

[BSinPNS]

Following up.  Show times were at 8 and 10.

[rkacruiser]

On 6/18/2019 at 3:13 PM, Bretty said:

They were just on a stripped back stage and it lacked atmosphere. It was flat. 

 

It's a question for which I will never get an answer.  But, why was the large amount of money spent on this really high tech theater that is so underused?

[Bretty]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

It's a question for which I will never get an answer.  But, why was the large amount of money spent on this really high tech theater that is so underused?

It’s a good question, it’s such a wasted space that has such potential, and there is no reason for it to be dark on any night either. It was the one disappointment for our trip, but thankfully, everything else made up for it.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Bretty said:

It’s a good question, it’s such a wasted space that has such potential, and there is no reason for it to be dark on any night either.

 

 

When the Pinnacle Class ships were introduced, this "theater in the round" concept was touted as a significant feature/improvement over the older Class' of ships.  I simply can't understand how the change in thinking in the Entertainment Department occurred in such a relatively short period of time in how to use this Theater.  

[km3045]

Just booked this ship for the week before Thanksgiving, as a solo.   I’ve never sailed with HAL before and I ‘m excited.  After reading this thread, I’m really concerned about boredom setting in while on the ship. I’m fine doing a lot of relaxing and reading (now I know to bring my own books!), but it sounds like there’s not much else to do?  Is this true?  Do you think they may pump up the entertainment or activities that week, since it’s close to the holiday?  

[Bretty]

@km3045 There is plenty to do, and aside from the underused World Stage, the main theatre, there are several other performances each night from the other entertainers, on on my last cruise they were excellent with each having a good following. You should be fine.

[syesmar]

 

I got off the Nieuw Statendam on Sunday after a FABULOUS cruise to Norway.  Loved the itinerary and the ship.

On our 14 Night Sailing, we were given the Plan Your Voyage brochure (similar to the When and Where).  A majority of the listings by day were incorrect, I think because the StepONE Dance Company had some sort of health issue and their first two performances were not done (the CD referenced “they are all healthy now and will be able to do their show, Humanity, tomorrow night . . .”).  While the new stage and lights, screen, etc., added to the show and were entertaining, if you take those away, the dancing itself was pretty much the same as the old HAL dancers’ shows.

 

The first night of our cruise, there was no entertainment at all: no “meet the entertainers”, no movie on the World Stage, no game shows, nothing.  The EXC Guide did have a talk at 9:30pm on “Norway in a Nutshell”.  I was jetlagged so I called the front desk and they told me it would be on the tv, so I didn’t attend.  It was not on the tv at any time; however, her subsequent talks on ports (but not other Norway topics) were later broadcasted.

 

We had a male singer who did 2 shows; a guitarist who did a show, plus participated in another show with a comedian; the comedian who did 2 shows, plus participated in another show with the guitarist; a comedian/magician; a female singer; and a pianist.  The latter three did a Variety Show on our last night.  StepOne did one of their 3 planned shows.  In addition to the first night, there were two other nights with no entertainment.  One of those was the evening of the Orange Party (the original schedule had no other entertainment for that night.  No one ever really explained what the Orange Party was all about.  It might have been better to begin it prior to 9:45pm on a night with no other entertainment.  That night was also our scenic sailing by the North Cape; however, we passed it a little while before they announced we would --- glad we were on the lookout, as there were no announcements we could hear that we were going by earlier!)  So there were 3 nights total with no entertainment on the World Stage, other than EXC Talks. 

 

I thought the new plan without the HAL Singers and Dancers was to be a step up, but aside from a couple of the entertainers, did not find the entertainment to be better than before.  The new World Stage has a lot of plusses and was super nice.  We really grew to like this Theater and its style.  Its features would have been put to use more had 2 of the StepOne shows not been canceled.

 

This is the second cruise in a row where entertainment was just canceled altogether at least one night rather than substituted.  They already have game shows planned; I would think a game show or even dare I say, a movie, might be better than nothing at all.

 

There is no dedicated Movie Theater on this ship, but movies are shown at the Lido Pool on the giant screen.  I grew to like this; however, some of the movie selections were not appropriate for children.  I would think they should have chosen more family-friendly selections.

 

They did America’s Test Kitchen on the World Stage.  They didn’t have very many and on Sea Days, they were at 1pm.  Last year, on Sea Days we had 2 per day.  I understand with it being on the World Stage, others probably needed to rehearse, etc.  I just found it odd that on the newest ship, there were fewer ATK demos and they were around lunch time.

 

The BB King’s Blues Club and Lincoln Center Stage were excellent.  The Music Walk was nice and you could find live music at any time throughout the evening.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise and would sail the Nieuw Statendam again in a heartbeat!

Edited June 29, 2019 by syesmar

[rkacruiser]

On 6/27/2019 at 10:49 AM, Bretty said:

@km3045 There is plenty to do, and aside from the underused World Stage, the main theatre, there are several other performances each night from the other entertainers, on on my last cruise they were excellent with each having a good following. You should be fine.

 

Absolutely my experience as well during two January cruises on Nieuw Statendam.  Your stateroom's interactive TV will offer a wealth of programming including very good music channels that I really enjoyed for the times I was in my stateroom.

[larry1763]

I just spoke to HA and the shows on the Neuw Statendam  are on at 6 P.M. and 10 P.M.