NCL Reducing Entertainment Staff Across the Fleet

[LouChamp]

11 hours ago, RD64 said:

The Jean Ann Ryan shows - The JARS - simply the best cruise line entertainment at the time - and sadly never to be repeated. If you didn’t sail on The Norway in the 1980s / 90s you have no idea how much cruise ship entertainment has declined. For those that are going to refer to me as a dinosaur because I miss one of the many highlights of classic cruising - please feel free to bring it on.

Aloha.  I was thinking about the Jean Ann Ryan shows! Like you, sailing on the Norway from its inception in 1981 brings fond memories. So we are dinosaurs but that was truly cruising. People talk about some ships being small but I remember a big ship was 30k tons lol. I know those times will never be repeated but I thank you for bringing back great memories. Now I have to go put on my tuxedo 😂. All the best!

[njkate]

I looked on my Dawn cruise in March I have Elements or Soul Rocking nights, no clue on either.

I know when they start with the cruise next, not buying and politely telling them why.

 

I have an April 2004  Trans Atlantic booked and I will closely watch the reviews from people on the Fall trans Atlantics to decide if I should go ahead or cancel. Lots of sea days on trans Atlantics 

Edited January 15, 2023 by njkate

[Crazy planning mom]

First HAL reduces entertainment and now NCL.  By default, then RCL would have the best entertainment then but I am not convinced they won't reduce entertainment also.  As it is, they are no longer including Broadway shows on their new ships.

[wally4ever]

2 hours ago, njkate said:

I looked on my Dawn cruise in March I have Elements or Soul Rocking nights, no clue on either.

I know when they start with the cruise next, not buying and politely telling them why.

 

I have an April 2004  Trans Atlantic booked and I will closely watch the reviews from people on the Fall trans Atlantics to decide if I should go ahead or cancel. Lots of sea days on trans Atlantics 

Elements is a fun show.  It's hard to describe, but it reminds me of a cross between ballet and Cirque de Soleil.

[uneamie]

3 hours ago, njkate said:

I looked on my Dawn cruise in March I have Elements or Soul Rocking nights, no clue on either.

I know when they start with the cruise next, not buying and politely telling them why.

 

I have an April 2004  Trans Atlantic booked and I will closely watch the reviews from people on the Fall trans Atlantics to decide if I should go ahead or cancel. Lots of sea days on trans Atlantics 

A "Back to the Future" cruise for 2004....now that will be very entertaining! 

Edited January 15, 2023 by uneamie

[dexddd]

18 hours ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

lol right?

I would rather see other amenities  implemented over free "entertainment".  Give me FREE WIFI  

Some packages have 'free' wifi and most recent reports is like dial up as we had on Prima.

[dexddd]

17 hours ago, RD64 said:

The Jean Ann Ryan shows - The JARS - simply the best cruise line entertainment at the time - and sadly never to be repeated. If you didn’t sail on The Norway in the 1980s / 90s you have no idea how much cruise ship entertainment has declined. For those that are going to refer to me as a dinosaur because I miss one of the many highlights of classic cruising - please feel free to bring it on.

I recall the JARS.  Think those went away under Kevin.

 

We'll only call you a dinosaur if you talk about midnight buffet, ice sculptures, baked Alaska, and eel.  Wait, the eel was on Princess, too expensive for NCL even in the day.

Edited January 15, 2023 by dexddd

[njkate]

4 hours ago, uneamie said:

A "Back to the Future" cruise for 2004....now that will be very entertaining! 

Lol major typo should be 2024 lol

[Joanne G.]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

We'll only call you a dinosaur if you talk about midnight buffet, ice sculptures, baked Alaska, and eel.  

😄 Or this:

 

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, dexddd said:

I recall the JARS.  Think those went away under Kevin.

We'll only call you a dinosaur if you talk about midnight buffet, ice sculptures, baked Alaska, and eel.  Wait, the eel was on Princess, too expensive for NCL even in the day.

Hmmm, I am taking the Fifth.  Know nothing about the eel 😆 

 

On the basis of your feedback about the Prima, and more recent ones from others - we postponed her until further notice, 3 balconies released.  

Edited January 15, 2023 by mking8288

[RadioPeri]

On 1/13/2023 at 10:35 PM, iamaqt2 said:

Pretty soon the evening theater shows will be a talent competition among the room stewards for a day of shore leave or a chance to use the passenger areas after hours.

 

And there will be a surcharge for it.

.

.

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AND PEOPLE WILL PAY IT.

 

Seriously, y'all have taught the cruise lines that you're okay paying extra for things that used to be included and nominally enhanced offerings, and as long as you keep doing that, they'll keep taking things away and/or charging extra for them.

 

[wally4ever]

6 minutes ago, RadioPeri said:

 

And there will be a surcharge for it.

.

.

.

AND PEOPLE WILL PAY IT.

 

Seriously, y'all have taught the cruise lines that you're okay paying extra for things that used to be included and nominally enhanced offerings, and as long as you keep doing that, they'll keep taking things away and/or charging extra for them.

 

Alas, part of being a new cruiser is not knowing what the pre-COVID days were like.  I'd probably be more bothered by the nickel and diming if I had experience from then.  For me though, it's just... what cruising is.

[Travelling2Some]

10 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

First HAL reduces entertainment and now NCL.  By default, then RCL would have the best entertainment then but I am not convinced they won't reduce entertainment also.  As it is, they are no longer including Broadway shows on their new ships.

Our last RCI cruise was on Oasis after things normalized a bit.  We waited for the mask requirement to be dropped so it was pretty well into the re-start period.  Much of the entertainment such as the main Broadway style show (Cats) and the aqua show were canceled without warning throughout the entire cruise.  No explanations ever offered.  The rest of the entertainment in the main theater was pretty dismal and just 1 person type acts.   I think I remember that they canceled one of the ice skating shows as well.

[Travelling2Some]

11 hours ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha.  I was thinking about the Jean Ann Ryan shows! Like you, sailing on the Norway from its inception in 1981 brings fond memories. So we are dinosaurs but that was truly cruising. People talk about some ships being small but I remember a big ship was 30k tons lol. I know those times will never be repeated but I thank you for bringing back great memories. Now I have to go put on my tuxedo 😂. All the best!

My parents sailed on the Norway several times and I remember seeing them off.  In those days non-guests could come aboard and have little champagne and canape parties in the staterooms until the announcement that all those not sailing had to leave the ship. I remember some of the pictures taken of them on formal nights and probably have them still somewhere in the attic.  Hope your tuxedo still fits 🙂

[Travelling2Some]

Well, I sure know I'm not paying any surcharges for EEL, lol.  When I was a kid my grandfather used to fry eel in the kitchen.  (Much to my mortification if my friends were over.)  It smelled awful and he was fresh off the boat so I have always assumed it was one of his colorful "old country" habits.  60 years later I read here that it was some sort of luxury dish!

[Travelling2Some]

3 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Hmmm, I am taking the Fifth.  Know nothing about the eel 😆 

 

On the basis of your feedback about the Prima, and more recent ones from others - we postponed her until further notice, 3 balconies released.  

We had our booking on the Prima canceled out from under us by a charter.  Went to re-book and noticed the Viva was much less expensive so we booked that instead.  We will see.

[Travelling2Some]

On 1/14/2023 at 1:51 PM, ceilidh1 said:

Anyone know the status of Six? I've seen it twice on Bliss but last April it wasn't offered on our sailing. We are sailing her again this April and it shows on the entertainment offerings, but wasn't sure if it was running yet.

We are sailing on January 27 and Six (along with Jersey Boys) is showing in my cruise summary.

[CruisinMaterial]

Seems like FDR is turning the entire NCL fleet into what my 2021-2022 New Years cruise on Norwegian Getaway turned out to be. Burn the Floor and someone's portable speaker in Spice H2O with endless karaoke in Syd Norman's pour house. The only thing the newer ships had going for them was the multiple entertainment venues. If there's no entertainment in them, well I guess you just keep drinking and make your own? Seems like total business sense. Looking forward to FDR's next BS investor phone call.

 

Wish all the investors who are cruisers of the line would band together and oust his sorry butt and take his son, too. Prior to COVID he was already destroying the brand, now he's going to take it the way of Renaissance Cruises. Only thing he's going to make certain at this rate is MSC will continue to gain market share in the USA and eventually cannibalize this brand like they have done with Costa in Europe.

[LouChamp]

59 minutes ago, wally4ever said:

Alas, part of being a new cruiser is not knowing what the pre-COVID days were like.  I'd probably be more bothered by the nickel and diming if I had experience from then.  For me though, it's just... what cruising is.

My first cruise was in 1971 and I’ve been hooked ever since. The changes are too numerous to mention but it has been an experience to watch the progression. Some good, some not so good, etc etc. I miss portholes, a massive midnight buffet. No idea how everyone was so hungry lol. Poster mentioned skeet shooting.  Loved the creaking of the ships rocking me to sleep.  Fast forward to the newer monster ships which I love too.  Las Vegas at sea lol. Does anyone remember reserving deck chairs? No chair hogs 😊

[LouChamp]

35 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

My parents sailed on the Norway several times and I remember seeing them off.  In those days non-guests could come aboard and have little champagne and canape parties in the staterooms until the announcement that all those not sailing had to leave the ship. I remember some of the pictures taken of them on formal nights and probably have them still somewhere in the attic.  Hope your tuxedo still fits 🙂

Yes…remember visiting and all visitor ashore announcements!  I'm kinda the same weight but newer tuxedos as some older styles would be scary today. Especially the shirts 😂

[RD64]

6 hours ago, dexddd said:

I recall the JARS.  Think those went away under Kevin.

 

We'll only call you a dinosaur if you talk about midnight buffet, ice sculptures, baked Alaska, and eel.  Wait, the eel was on Princess, too expensive for NCL even in the day.

The grand chocolate buffet? I remember it well. The Norway was also the first time I had Bananas Foster - prepared table side. No lies, my first Norway cabin was N0035 - 37 cruises later I still remember that cabin - former first class, inside with upper and lower berths, no room for two people to change at the same time - but the way that ship could rock you to sleep. I would go back to that cabin in a heart beat.

[RD64]

40 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

My parents sailed on the Norway several times and I remember seeing them off.  In those days non-guests could come aboard and have little champagne and canape parties in the staterooms until the announcement that all those not sailing had to leave the ship. I remember some of the pictures taken of them on formal nights and probably have them still somewhere in the attic.  Hope your tuxedo still fits 🙂

Mine does - just bought a new one in September - I wear it every time the oppty presents itself.

[RD64]

33 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

Well, I sure know I'm not paying any surcharges for EEL, lol.  When I was a kid my grandfather used to fry eel in the kitchen.  (Much to my mortification if my friends were over.)  It smelled awful and he was fresh off the boat so I have always assumed it was one of his colorful "old country" habits.  60 years later I read here that it was some sort of luxury dish!

Eel - if barbecued properly is truly one of the best fish dishes (in my opinion). When I go to visit my relatives in Italy they know that this is one of my please - when are we going to have it. My cousin has two special eel sticks upon which to rotisserie the eel over corn cob embers. Old school at its best!

[Travelling2Some]

1 minute ago, RD64 said:

Eel - if barbecued properly is truly one of the best fish dishes (in my opinion). When I go to visit my relatives in Italy they know that this is one of my please - when are we going to have it. My cousin has two special eel sticks upon which to rotisserie the eel over corn cob embers. Old school at its best!

There may be no snakes in Ireland but, judging by my grandfather the place must have had plenty of eels.  I have/had never seen anyone this side of the pond cook eel but I believe you.  No doubt I hated the smell because I don't like any kind of seafood. 

[McFins]

21 hours ago, stefmaia said:

Looks like Noise Boys has been removed from my Feb 5 cruise on Prima.

When I inquired with NCL after no longer seeing it on a May sailing they indicated  Noise Boys was cancelled Fleetwide as of March 5….but based on your post it appears for some it will be sooner than that.   They also indicated it was not being replaced with another show. 🙁