1970’s vs. current cruising

[Joebucks]

Saw a Jay Leno show on Carnival in 2017. He was great!

[lenquixote66]

23 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've been cruising since the 1970s and I have NEVER been on a cruise with any "A" list or even "B" list entertainer. No names anyone would recognize except perhaps a small handful who were relatively well-known only on the cruise circuit...

 

 

How about actress,singer,comedienne Marilyn Michaels.Singer Holly Lipton and her husband comedian Vic Arnell .Jay Johnson ,comedian and ventriloquist ,just to name a few.

[lenquixote66]

22 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

BTW: I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Michael Jackson, Bette Midler, Cher,  John Wayne, Joan Rivers and the like on many cruises. 
 

 

😉

In 1970 when Bette Midler was performing at the Continental Baths my cousin Donald was her piano player. They were offered to appear on a cruise ship going from NYC to Bermuda but she turned down the opportunity.

[cruisemom42]

54 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

How about actress,singer,comedienne Marilyn Michaels.Singer Holly Lipton and her husband comedian Vic Arnell .Jay Johnson ,comedian and ventriloquist ,just to name a few.

 

I'm sorry but I don't know any of them and don't think I ever saw them on a cruise or elsewhere.

[Hlitner]

We have also been cruising since the mid 70s and have had some named entertainers.  One memorable singer was on a Med Princess cruise when we had Petula Clark who had  just finished her West End contract starring in Sunset Blvd and then flew down to the South of France and joined our cruise where she did several shows and was quite gracious when we met her in the Lido.  A friend of ours lucked out and had Tony Bennett (with his wife) on a different Princess cruise that same year.  We have also had Red Buttons (many are not old enough to remember him) and on one cruise had Anna Marie Alberghetti.  But one of the most interesting was on a cruise when we had a large troupe from the American Ballet Theater who was heading to Russia to perform for a few weeks.  Their director was Mikhail Baryshnikov who was not doing much performing (due to injuries) but he was very visible around the ship and happy to chat with just about anyone.  His troupe did several performances on the cruise which were well received.  There were other lesser known folks such as Marty Allen and Red Buttons who showed up on a few of our crusies.

 

Hank

[lenquixote66]

19 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm sorry but I don't know any of them and don't think I ever saw them on a cruise or elsewhere.

Jay Johnson was on the TV show SOAP and many other TV shows.

Marilyn Michaels has starred on Broadway in Funny Girl and other shows.She had 17 LP’s between 1957 and 2008.Appearances on hundreds of TV shows.Vic Arnell had a 60 year career in comedy .Holly Lipton had a singing career from the mid 70’s to about 5 years ago.

 

[clo]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

How about actress,singer,comedienne Marilyn Michaels.Singer Holly Lipton and her husband comedian Vic Arnell .Jay Johnson ,comedian and ventriloquist ,just to name a few.

I've never heard of any of them.

[clo]

48 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm sorry but I don't know any of them and don't think I ever saw them on a cruise or elsewhere.

Oops, I replied the same before I saw this.

[George C]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

How about actress,singer,comedienne Marilyn Michaels.Singer Holly Lipton and her husband comedian Vic Arnell .Jay Johnson ,comedian and ventriloquist ,just to name a few.

The majority of these people no one has heard of , but. I was on a cruise which a movie was filmed that had Jay Johnson as one of the performers along with Rip Taylor , Joanne Worley from laugh inn and a bunch of others this was in late 70’s movie was Don’t miss the boat, which was never released .

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Oops, I replied the same before I saw this.

 

Glad I'm not alone -- I realize I have certain blind spots when it comes to music and entertainment. As with travel, I tend to like several very narrow ranges of things and nothing in between!

 

[marco]

I do remember when the "Norway" started sailing, they did have some top name entertainment. I recall Phyllis Diller being on one and whilst we were on, Vic Damone performed. On a "QE2" sailing we were on  Bert Bachrach and Carole Bayer Sager  were the entertainment. Both were back in the 80's.  Since then I don't recall any "big name" entertainers on any cruise we've been on.

[ldubs]

On 12/2/2020 at 6:23 PM, neverbeenhere said:

Sorry... not sure Rodney Dangerfield would be my measure of great entertainment.

 

 

Poor Rodney.  He doesn't get any respect.  😀

[navybankerteacher]

The only “name” I recall on a cruise was George Takei (Star Trek) giving talks on QM2 to the Caribbean a year ago.  It was not enough to entice me to wait for a ticket or give up time better spent elsewhere.    

 

The REAL difference between mainstream cruising then and now (apart from diminished food and service quality and increased crowding) is the almost total disappearance of live music from ships, and the replacement of handsome vessels with floating buildings.

[George C]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

The only “name” I recall on a cruise was George Takei (Star Trek) giving talks on QM2 to the Caribbean a year ago.  It was not enough to entice me to wait for a ticket or give up time better spent elsewhere.    

 

The REAL difference between mainstream cruising then and now (apart from diminished food and service quality and increased crowding) is the almost total disappearance of live music from ships, and the replacement of handsome vessels with floating buildings.

Really disagree on the live music , rccl always had good live music on every cruise we have been on and even msc has good live music on our cruise a year ago. 

[SelectSys]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

The REAL difference between mainstream cruising then and now (apart from diminished food and service quality and increased crowding) is the almost total disappearance of live music from ships, and the replacement of handsome vessels with floating buildings

 

i really can't  compare as I only started cruising in 2001 I am curious as to why you believe there is no live music on board? Are you referring to the quality of the music or it's availability throughout the day? It seems on the ships that I have been on, music of several varieties is available multiple times per day.  The RCCL standard at seems to include a rock/pop band, latin band, ship's orchestra, piano player, a classical player/quartet, etc.  The headline shows may also have a singer or musician as well who might play outside their main show. 

 

You are absolutely correct about ship lines changing radically as the purpose of these vessels and passenger tastes have changed - e.g., balcony cabin.    Large cruise ships are designed more as moveable resorts as much as for transportation.  As such it really isn't surprising they look like floating resort hotels.

[cruisemom42]

9 minutes ago, George C said:

Really disagree on the live music , rccl always had good live music on every cruise we have been on and even msc has good live music on our cruise a year ago. 

 

7 minutes ago, SelectSys said:

 It seems on the ships that I have been on, music of several varieties is available multiple times per day.  The RCCL standard at seems to include a rock/pop band, latin band, ship's orchestra, piano player, a classical player/quartet, etc.  The headline shows may also have a singer or musician as well who might play outside their main show. 

 

 

I think these pronouncements depend quite a bit on the lines that posters cruise with most often. I have only sailed NCL once and never on RCCL or MSC -- I suspect they attract those for whom entertainment onboard is an important component. Thus, it doesn't surprise me much that I have not encountered any big-name entertainment through the years.

 

Some lines -- especially HAL -- seem to have cut back substantially in many areas of the "onboard experience".  They keep tinkering with their product so it's difficult to say at any given time, but they have certainly reduced both the number of staff under the Cruise Director (to program onboard activities) and also on the types of entertainment typical of cruises past -- such as the traditional production shows.  However, in HAL's defense, they HAVE introduced several new music venues on their newer ships that have been pretty popular:  the B.B. King's Blues Club, Billboard Onboard, and Lincoln Center Stage (and the Rolling Stone Rock Room.

 

 

[marco]

One thing we particularly liked about sailing on the MSC Divina.  We've taken a 10/11 day cruise in Feb  for the past 3 years now and they've had 4 live bands playing in 4 different lounges every evening.

[lenquixote66]

16 hours ago, clo said:

Oops, I replied the same before I saw this.

Try googling  them.Start with Marilyn Michaels.

[lenquixote66]

16 hours ago, George C said:

The majority of these people no one has heard of , but. I was on a cruise which a movie was filmed that had Jay Johnson as one of the performers along with Rip Taylor , Joanne Worley from laugh inn and a bunch of others this was in late 70’s movie was Don’t miss the boat, which was never released .

Marilyn Michaels has been on Broadway in many musicals .

[clo]

4 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Try googling  them.Start with Marilyn Michaels.

I didn't say that they didn't exist or perform on ships; just that I never heard of them.

[lenquixote66]

5 minutes ago, clo said:

I didn't say that they didn't exist or perform on ships; just that I never heard of them.

 

5 minutes ago, clo said:

I didn't say that they didn't exist or perform on ships; just that I never heard of them.

I am surprised that you never have since these are people who achieved fame in the arts.

[clo]

40 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

 

I am surprised that you never have since these are people who achieved fame in the arts.

https://peoplepill.com/people/marilyn-michaels/

[mom says]

2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

 

I am surprised that you never have since these are people who achieved fame in the arts.

Well, considering how many people have said that they have never heard of them (and I will include mysef),  perhaps your estimation of this "fame" is over estimated. Not everyone is a devotee of all things Broadway. Although I think I vaguely remember the ventriloquist you mentioned; but I'd hardly classify him as a big name act. More like the lead in for the headliner.

Edited December 4, 2020 by mom says

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Try googling  them.Start with Marilyn Michaels.

 

I did that before I responded the first time. 

 

As far as music and Broadway go, I only know the super stars. So for example, I would know Bette Midler, Bo Derek, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Lily Tomlin and Brooke Shields...but not someone whose professional bio includes impersonating them (Marilyn Michaels). 

 

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, clo said:

https://peoplepill.com/people/marilyn-michaels/

A very interesting site.Are you impresssed ?