Entertainment Cutback Concerns and Real Disappointment

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, disneylover89 said:

Syd's may be great but they only accommodate very few people.  What are the rest of the people supposed to do?  Their best entertainment is in their smallest venue.  

Get there early.  Syd's is not a venue where you will be able to show up 5 mins before showtime and expect to get a seat.

 

They do different performances (3, I think?) of all sorts of music that most of us know.

 

Worth standing in line to see.

Edited July 24, 2023 by graphicguy

[KKB]

Just now, graphicguy said:

Get there early.  

 

They do different performances (3, I think?) of all sorts of music that most of us know.

 

Worth standing in line to see.

There are 4 different shows (last one being Prom...) PLUS the Rumors album (2x in one night)

Nope...not a groupie...😎

Edited July 24, 2023 by KKB

[graphicguy]

Just now, KKB said:

There are 4 different shows (last one being Prom...) PLUS the Rumors album (2x in one night)

Nope...not a groupie...😎

You are correct. I forgot Prom!!!!!

 

That show is fun in and of itself.

Edited July 24, 2023 by graphicguy

[KKB]

7 minutes ago, disneylover89 said:

Syd's may be great but they only accommodate very few people.  What are the rest of the people supposed to do?  Their best entertainment is in their smallest venue.  

Unfortunately you aren't wrong.

Yet, a lot would be lost if they moved it to say the theatre.

[KKB]

Just now, graphicguy said:

You are correct. I forgot Prom!!!!!

 

That show is fun in and of itself.

I know EVERY song all week...tho one Police song escaped me. Probably the only song that wasn't a HIT.

I wasn't a huge FM fan...but I LOVE that performance of Rumors & I have learned to appreciate it MUCH more now.

[graphicguy]

2 minutes ago, KKB said:

Unfortunately you aren't wrong.

Yet, a lot would be lost if they moved it to say the theatre.

I don't think it would work in a larger setting.  

 

That's part of its charm...being in a smaller setting where the performers can interface with the attendees.

[graphicguy]

[graphicguy]

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Red-Sol said:

 If  at some point there could have been a trio with Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, and Steve Perry those 3 iconic singers together would have been light years beyond amazing. One of my favoritie Stevie songs:
 

 

Tom Petty was actually a member of the greatest supergroup ever, The Travelling Wilburys!

 

In alphabetical order, both by first and last names, the Wilburys:

Bob Dylan

George Harrison (the leader of the group)

Jeff Lynne

Roy Orbison

Tom Petty

 

If you do not own the CD, buy The Travelling Wilburys Volume One.

[amygutman]

3 hours ago, Red-Sol said:

 If  at some point there could have been a trio with Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, and Steve Perry those 3 iconic singers together would have been light years beyond amazing. One of my favoritie Stevie songs:
 

 

LOVE THIS!!!

Apologies for getting slightly off the "disappointing trends in NCL entertainment" OP posting...may I add Freddie Mercury to that threesome to make it a power quartet?

[AstoriaPreppy]

3 hours ago, disneylover89 said:

Syd's may be great but they only accommodate very few people.  What are the rest of the people supposed to do?  Their best entertainment is in their smallest venue.  

 

This is one of the highlights of the newer HAL ships for us: continuous live music in the evenings. They have a "music walk" on the Pinnacle Class ships that include Rolling Stone Rock Room (rock band), Billboard Onboard (dueling pianos), and BB King Blues Club (blues, and modified pop/r&b). The best part is that all of the venues are large, with full bars, plenty of seats and no queues. They even time each to perform 30 to 45 minute sets, in sequence, so you can see all of them in a night. 

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

This is one of the highlights of the newer HAL ships for us: continuous live music in the evenings. ......so you can see all of them in a night. 

Because everyone is in bed by 8:30.....

 

 

HAL knows how to rock!!!!!!

 

Sorry....couldn't resist!!!!!!!

Edited July 24, 2023 by graphicguy

[AstoriaPreppy]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Because everyone is in bed by 8:30.....

 

 

HAL knows how to rock!!!!!!

 

Sorry....couldn't resist!!!!!!!

 

Hahaha, you would be surprised! Things still wrapped up by 11:30ish most evenings, but for Holland America we were impressed! It was nothing like what we've seen on another line where I coined the term "Piazza Zombies" to describe our fellow passengers.

[Cruising Lynne]

4 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

This is one of the highlights of the newer HAL ships for us: continuous live music in the evenings. They have a "music walk" on the Pinnacle Class ships that include Rolling Stone Rock Room (rock band), Billboard Onboard (dueling pianos), and BB King Blues Club (blues, and modified pop/r&b). The best part is that all of the venues are large, with full bars, plenty of seats and no queues. They even time each to perform 30 to 45 minute sets, in sequence, so you can see all of them in a night. 

Trying my first HAL cruise in the fall, and am looking forward to checking out the music walk. Going on Rotterdam. A little nervous about trying it out since I like NCL so much, but we sprung for the Have it All package so it should be good. 

[KKB]

On 7/24/2023 at 9:22 AM, graphicguy said:

OMG MY FAV SYDS GROUP EVER!!  

(OK I've only seen 2 groups--but I really connected with this group since I saw every show for 2 weeks...Hailey (blond) & I still connect)

[graphicguy]

17 minutes ago, KKB said:

OMG MY FAV SYDS GROUP EVER!!  

(OK I've only seen 2 groups--but I really connected with this group since I saw every show for 2 weeks...Hailey (blond) & I still connect)

How cool.  She's supremely talented.  So's the rest of the group, for that matter.

[cusematt4]

Hi - we really wanted to go on NCL again but after 3/8 nights with no entertainmnet on the Getaway last year and only 1 actual full band, we don't understand how they can justify their pricing.  And on top of that they are cutting their high quality production shows.  Does anyone know what they are replacing these with?  They touted them for years and now have not even announcted what will come next after they are eliminted - what once was a selling point.  Don't want to leave NCL but curious if anyone has an update on the severe entertainment (live music, production shows and fly on acts) cutbacks.

[bkrickles1]

19 minutes ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi - we really wanted to go on NCL again but after 3/8 nights with no entertainmnet on the Getaway last year and only 1 actual full band, we don't understand how they can justify their pricing.  And on top of that they are cutting their high quality production shows.  Does anyone know what they are replacing these with?  They touted them for years and now have not even announcted what will come next after they are eliminted - what once was a selling point.  Don't want to leave NCL but curious if anyone has an update on the severe entertainment (live music, production shows and fly on acts) cutbacks.

I just got off Joy a couple of weeks ago and there was more entertainment than I could possibly go to and most of it was pretty enjoyable.

They're getting rid of Footloose soon, but I believe everything else is sticking.

 

Now, with regards to Getaway, I'm looking to book Getaway next April for 10 days and I see lots of entertainment mentioned in various posts.

There's Million Dollar Quartet, Burn the Floor, 2 comedians, 1 magician, 3 different shows in Syd Normans, Broadway unplugged and at least 3 musical acts. 

And this doesn't include the game shows, stuff in the Bliss Lounge and the parties up on deck.

It's all of this that is driving me to book Getaway for next year.

Am I missing something? Has all or most of this entertainment been cancelled?

[PATRLR]

On 7/24/2023 at 4:10 PM, graphicguy said:

Because everyone is in bed by 8:30.....

 

OMG - At the end he refers to it as a "modern spiritual" - I wonder if he had any clue what it was really about?  I guess it all depends on your version of spiritual.

[graphicguy]

3 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

I just got off Joy a couple of weeks ago and there was more entertainment than I could possibly go to and most of it was pretty enjoyable.

They're getting rid of Footloose soon, but I believe everything else is sticking.

 

Now, with regards to Getaway, I'm looking to book Getaway next April for 10 days and I see lots of entertainment mentioned in various posts.

There's Million Dollar Quartet, Burn the Floor, 2 comedians, 1 magician, 3 different shows in Syd Normans, Broadway unplugged and at least 3 musical acts. 

And this doesn't include the game shows, stuff in the Bliss Lounge and the parties up on deck.

It's all of this that is driving me to book Getaway for next year.

Am I missing something? Has all or most of this entertainment been cancelled?

It's next to impossible to take in all of the entertainment on the Breakaway and Breakaway + ships.  And, as you point out, it's all excellent.

 

Haven't sailed on the Jewel Class ships in a while, so can't comment on their entertainment, however!

[PATRLR]

44 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

It's next to impossible to take in all of the entertainment on the Breakaway and Breakaway + ships.  And, as you point out, it's all excellent.

I'm not disagreeing, but, my last two cruises were on Bliss and Encore, both had two major productions in the theatre.  That fact alone really set NCL apart.  

I'll be on Oasis in a week. Another one that seems to have more entertainment that we can take in.  It'll be interesting to compare, especially if the big production shows all disappear from NCL.

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi - we really wanted to go on NCL again but after 3/8 nights with no entertainmnet on the Getaway last year and only 1 actual full band, we don't understand how they can justify their pricing.  And on top of that they are cutting their high quality production shows.  Does anyone know what they are replacing these with?  They touted them for years and now have not even announcted what will come next after they are eliminted - what once was a selling point.  Don't want to leave NCL but curious if anyone has an update on the severe entertainment (live music, production shows and fly on acts) cutbacks.

We have been on 3 NCL cruises this year (2 more NCL trips this year) and have never lacked entertainment that interest us. Are all top quality Vegas shows, not. But we go from venue to venue at night and have had a wonderful time. 

[Liljo22]

11 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I'm not disagreeing, but, my last two cruises were on Bliss and Encore, both had two major productions in the theatre.  That fact alone really set NCL apart.  

I'll be on Oasis in a week. Another one that seems to have more entertainment that we can take in.  It'll be interesting to compare, especially if the big production shows all disappear from NCL.

Entertainment on the Oasis is ok.  They cut the house band out of the Music Hall recently and only have DJs playing there.  Cats is the stage show and a lot of people walk out which is sad because the performers are great.  Its just not a great show if you don't know the storyline going into it.  My favorite was the musician in pub.  It was a great place to finish the night.  Aqua 80 is an amazing show though.  Try to make reservations for the ones earlier in the cruise because it gets cancelled if the weather is not great so you can wait stand by later.  

Edited August 11, 2023 by Liljo22

[Smitheroo]

On 7/14/2023 at 5:30 PM, mugtech said:

Those of us who don't drink gonna get bored, watching drunks is not very entertaining.

I was on the Joy this past February, it was fairly full and I dont recall seeing anyone drinking excessively to the point of being drunk.

[UKstages]

i think the point that some may be missing in these recent posts is that it is indeed legitimate to wonder what sort of entertainment may be on your cruise in six months… or a year down the road. after all, folks who booked the joy, for instance, for a november cruise this year were expecting to see “footloose.” and that won’t be happening. while entertainment - like ports -  is not guaranteed, there is an expectation that if something is eliminated, it will be replaced with comparable entertainment. that no longer seems to be the case.

 

most folks here have shared recent experiences with a fully booked entertainment schedule which still represents the old NCL; the phase out of some of the larger stage shows has only just begun. what we’re promised in the future is fewer large scale stage shows, fewer broadway-style presentations… and lots of solo performers, with duos and trios in the lounges. it would not surprise me one bit to find a literal one-man band onboard, using synthesizers and supplemented by additional recorded vocal and music tracks. hell, maybe they could buy a bunch of animatronics from chuck-e-cheese and not have any human performers at all.

 

14 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

I was on the Joy this past February, it was fairly full and I dont recall seeing anyone drinking excessively to the point of being drunk.

 

what time do you go to bed?

 

most of the outlandish behavior - and the yelling and screaming and puking and fighting and the running through the halls naked - occurs from 10 pm or so till about 4 in the morning.
 

it would seem that many go on cruises primarily to drink and these folks far exceed the amount of liquor they normally consume on land… every day of the cruise… presumably because it’s “free” and they’re on vacation and they paid a lot of money for their fare and, gosh darn it, they’re gonna drink as much as they can to get their money’s worth.

 

i always see excessive drinking onboard.