HAL Christmas Music?

[Vemnox]

Hey all,

We are scheduled to depart on the Nieuw Statendam on Dec 15th out of Fort Lauderdale.  We were curious if anyone knew if there might be Christmas-related activities such as live Christmas music being played?  I'm not talking about the kind piped in over the speakers but live performances?

 

Thanks!

J

[Gigi1977]

No idea - which doesn’t answer your question - but we are onboard now and there is not one Christmas decoration in sight.   We have cruised the first couple of weeks in December for several years and decorations have always been up or were in the process of being put up.  But nada - ??  

[Hlitner]

Live music takes live bands :(.

 

 

[sevenseasnomad]

You probably won't hear any Christmas music from the bands.  We didn't hear any last year, and we were on the ship during Christmas week.  We attended a sing-along carols at the tree lighting, but other than that, no.

[Sir PMP]

The Amsterdam is already decked out with trees and a train, and gingerbread houses(some passengers last year on the grand Asia were eating them, so the hotel director had to send a message around that they were for decoration only) and there will be singing around the main tree, but the music is piped in, the band won't play it unless you do a special request..

[jenp123]

The koningsdam starting putting their decorations out today as I was getting off.  People were requesting some Christmas songs with billboard piano players and they did a few.  

[Vemnox]

16 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Live music takes live bands :(.

 

 

 

Forgive me but the Nieuw Statendam is advertised as being loaded with live bands?  Is that not the case?

[Vemnox]

15 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

You probably won't hear any Christmas music from the bands.  We didn't hear any last year, and we were on the ship during Christmas week.  We attended a sing-along carols at the tree lighting, but other than that, no.

 

That's unfortunate news but I sincerely appreciate the 'real world' experience!

[slidergirl]

This is the first Holiday season in 9 years that I won't be forced to listen to 8 hours of the same Christmas songs over and over for weeks on DMX!!!  My hotel lobbies always played the music.  I knew when my shift was almost over when the same song was played the 2nd time on the Direct TV music channel) has no piped-in music.    

 

If a ship didn't have Christmas music blaring over the speakers, I'd definitely book that one!!! 😉

 

The line may contract with the same people to decorate their ships at a specific port.  So, maybe they all won't be fitted out in Holiday finery at the same time.  Just a thought.   It's only the 5th of December anyway - let the turkey from the US Thanksgiving be totally digested before we decorate!

[YXU AC*SE]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

 ... let the turkey from the US Thanksgiving be totally digested before we decorate!

 

That's the America part of Holland America.   For the Holland part,  tonight is Sint-Nicolaas Eve ...   On Nieuw Statendam's inaugural we received a chocolate letter, and decorations started to go up.      

 

 

6 hours ago, Vemnox said:

 

Forgive me but the Nieuw Statendam is advertised as being loaded with live bands?  Is that not the case?

 

Lincoln Centre Stage

Billboard Onboard

Rolling Stone Rock room

BB Kings 

Ocean Bar 

 

But what is quite probable is they won't be straying too far from their set playlists -- with the exception of the pianos at Billboard and Ocean Bar. 

 

Scott.

[sevenseasnomad]

7 hours ago, YXU AC*SE said:

 

That's the America part of Holland America.   For the Holland part,  tonight is Sint-Nicolaas Eve ...   On Nieuw Statendam's inaugural we received a chocolate letter, and decorations started to go up.      

 

 

 

Lincoln Centre Stage

Billboard Onboard

Rolling Stone Rock room

BB Kings 

Ocean Bar 

 

But what is quite probable is they won't be straying too far from their set playlists -- with the exception of the pianos at Billboard and Ocean Bar. 

 

Scott.

Agree.  We've asked for Al Green songs from BB King's, and they always answer that they have a set playlist.  Last year, we asked for Allman Brothers' "One Way Out", and were told Rolling Stones Rock Room band has a "certain order of songs they must follow."  Eventually, they played an Allman Brothers' tune then proceeded to ruin it by talking through most of it.  🤣  To someone born and bred in Macon, GA., that was almost a sacrilege.  

Edited December 6, 2019 by sevenseasnomad

[YXU AC*SE]

14 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

Last year, we asked for Allman Brothers' "One Way Out", and were told Rolling Stones Rock Room band has a "certain order of songs they must follow." 

 

Most likely has to do w/ minimizing rights management costs (think ASCAP)?   A blanket license for a ship w/ 1000+ cabins is $58k  USD per year.  Cheaper most likely to manage the rights to individual songs on a bands' playlist.      Scott. 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by YXU AC*SE

[Clay Clayton]

No Christmas music or decorations on Veendam 😢

[Clay Clayton]

Decorations went up yesterday. They are a bit long in the tooth but I guess are better than nothing. There were also a couple of Christmas songs played at the piano bar yesterday.  

[Btimmer]

We're on the Volendam coming back from the Amazon and they started putting up Christmas decorations on 12/1.  The atrium tree, gingerbread village and train are now up as of a day or two ago.  Some of the crew are practicing songs for a Christmas Eve event of some type.  We're looking forward to our first Christmas and New Years on a HAL ship.  We did one once on the Celebrity Century and it was good.