I Love Holland America but...

[MarylandBob]

Just returned from a 10-day Caribbean voyage (third on the Noordam) and now have over 120 days with HAL. I love the service, ambience, food and overall experience sailing on this line. But, I do have one concern.

 

Entertainment programming needs to improve. I realize that HAL appeals to an older clientele, (I'm eligible for an AARP card myself) but why does every lounge and entertainment venue have to focus on the same musical genre? Even the Northern Lights disco routinely held "sock hops" and "dancing through the decades" programs (music from the current decade must have been played after 2:00 a.m.

 

At some point HAL will need to change its entertainment or I fear its ships will be left to the ghost and Mrs. Muir.

[MadManOfBethesda]

I agree completely. And unless they revamp the entertainment program, I probably won't be booking another cruise on HAL until I'm eligible for Medicare, unless there is a particular itinerary that I am interested in. (I would have said Social Security, but I'll never be eligible for that and I do plan on sailing on HAL again in the future.)

[hammybee]

How does a cruise line please everyone's taste in music/entertainment ?

 

The Big Box ships tend to have better and more varied entertainment because there are more venues and the costs are amortized over 1000+ more passngers.

 

Having said this, I have been on a HAL cruise where the music in the NL Disco was club/house music that appealed to a substantially younger audiance than I. No doubt it pleased some passengers, some of the time.

 

Cruising, like life, is all about compromise.

[pipedreams62]

[babyher]

 

 

Ana one ana two

 

And now heres Myron and da boys with "I Can't get No Satisfaction"

 

Play that funky music white boys :)

[hammybee]

 

Ana one ana two :)

 

Here's the Bubbles in the Wine:

 

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Lawrence_Welk_Show_-_Bubbles_In_The_Wine_(The).html

[hammybee]

GAWD.....I used to think of him as an old geezer.

 

Now he looks pretty good. :D

[pipedreams62]

Here's the Bubbles in the Wine:

 

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Lawrence_Welk_Show_-_Bubbles_In_The_Wine_(The).html

 

 

 

:D

[bepsf]

I cannot agree more - With few exceptions, the entertainment on HAL is about the worst ever.

 

However, I disagree w/ Hammy that they cannot earn enough money and do not have enough venues to support a wider variety and greater quality of entertainment: How often do we walk past the Queen's Room on the Vistas and it's dark and deserted in the evenings? How often do we walk past Piano Bars that are half-empty because the entertainer stinks? How often are we driven out of the Lido or the Crow's Nest because (Blank) and the HAL Cats are ridiculously overamplified? How often do we skip "Papparazzi" in the Vista Lounge because we already know it's crap?

 

Book better entertainers and put more venues to use, and they could have people prowling the decks going from one party to the next - purchasing drinks and spending money. Why, they could even have "Twilight Trivia" in the Crow's Nest, "Starlight Lounge" cabaret shows in the Lido followed by "Midnight Madness" sales in the shops onboard!

 

HAL already make a to-do about certain chefs who are aboard certain sailings for their cooking demonstrations: Why can't they do the same with entertainers such as Paula West, Natalie Cole, Rita Moreno, Michael Buble, Oleta Adams & Tim Hockenberry who might do one or two performances on a 7 or 10 day cruise?

 

(I'll tell you why: Bill Prince doesn't know entertainment from a hole in his you-know-what)

 

When the entertainment is lacking, so is the onboard spending - We all might as well just go to bed.

[GmaPajama]

Maybe I'm in the minority here on this board, but I do love those sock hops and dancing through the decades sets. It's the music I grew up with and it's one of the reasons I so enjoy sailing HAL.

 

BTW, I'm not yet on medicare - so I guess even us "youngsters" like the music. :)

[sail7seas]

There are so many complaints about the entertainment on HAL ships in recent months, not everyone of these folks can be wrong. Perhaps they have a point?! We rarely go to the shows so can't comment but we can comment about music in the lounges and we like it less and less. We have not enjoyed some of the most recent musicians the way we used to enjoy music in the lounges.

 

And I positively cannot stand the screaming HAL Cat singer on whichever 'dam' ship. They are so 'dam' loud, it is unbearable when they blast their noise at Lido Pool. I have to take my drink and leave. If we're having lunch, we have to lift our plates and go inside Lido to run away from it. Not that we don't like music....we just don't like screaming noise. If the HAL Cats are blasting, we are fleeing and that means we are not buying a drink or drinks. Revenue lost!

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

GAWD.....I used to think of him as an old geezer.

 

Now he looks pretty good. :D

 

You Madam, have issues:eek:

I agree with Bob on that Sock Hop stuff. They're still doing the Elvis impersonation and the hoola hoop contest in the Crow's Nest. The contestants are in their eighties. How 'bout some 'Gangsta Rap':rolleyes:?

[babyher]

GAWD.....I used to think of him as an old geezer.

 

Now he looks pretty good. :D

 

 

I think after he died they had him stuffed and mounted to look like that.

 

Oh wait, I'm sorry I was thinking of Trigger:)

[sail7seas]

I think after he died they had him stuffed and mounted to look like that.

 

Oh wait, I'm sorry I was thinking of Trigger:)

 

 

:D :D

 

Who was "Happy Trails to You?" Was that Roy Rogers?

[babyher]

:D :D

 

Who was "Happy Trails to You?" Was that Roy Rogers?

 

 

Yep, That was him. :)

[chloes nana]

You Madam, have issues:eek:

 

I agree with Bob on that Sock Hop stuff. They're still doing the Elvis impersonation and the hoola hoop contest in the Crow's Nest. The contestants are in their eighties. How 'bout some 'Gangsta Rap':rolleyes:?

you need to get out of LA...:p

[WillK]

As someone who can't stand Las Vegas/Broadway musical type shows, my consolation has, until recently, been that I could count on seeing a movie in the Queen's Lounge at 8:00pm. However, on my last 2 Vista ship cruises, the HalCats have been booked in this venue and the 8:00pm movie has been nixed.:mad: I know that I'm in the minority and that's my problem, but I'd love it, if, as Brian suggests, there were more evening alternatives like midnight trivia. I love attending lectures, regardless of the subject matter, and wish there were more offered on the 7-10 day cruises.

[lazey1]

Maybe I'm in the minority here on this board, but I do love those sock hops and dancing through the decades sets. It's the music I grew up with and it's one of the reasons I so enjoy sailing HAL.

 

We agree. We also love the cast production shows and the crew shows. Can not stand Rap or high pitched screamers. Love contemporary country/western music.

 

Isn't it a good thing that all of are different:)

[Bramcruiser]

Well I can't say that I book or cancel a cruise strictly based on the entertainment. For me its all about food, service and sleeping accomodations.

 

That being said though, of the three lines I have so far travelled on HAL does indeed have the poorest entertainment. Still I wouldn't go as far as to say its bad! Call me the youngest old person (only in my 40s) but we usually go for late dining and then retire early prefering to rise first thing in the morning. We hardly are late night people and might be lucky to see two shows out of a seven day cruise. :o

 

Stil, if I had to stay up and drink in the bars I rather hear the old classics (fifties through seventies/eighties) than much of the "modern" stuff. Yes, I turned into my parents and grandparents and do not usually get into what the kids listen to today.

 

In the end, I guess HAL does need an upgrade to its entertainment to please a wider variety but its not the most important issue for me.

 

David

[luvtravel38]

do they have any broadway type shows or comedians during the week?

[Lurker1]

Yep, That was him. :)

 

There's a nasty rumor that they also stuffed the jeep . . . I think it's name was "Nellie Bell" :D:D

[Spender Nui]

I cannot agree more - With few exceptions, the entertainment on HAL is about the worst ever.

 

However, I disagree w/ Hammy that they cannot earn enough money and do not have enough venues to support a wider variety and greater quality of entertainment: How often do we walk past the Queen's Room on the Vistas and it's dark and deserted in the evenings? How often do we walk past Piano Bars that are half-empty because the entertainer stinks? How often are we driven out of the Lido or the Crow's Nest because (Blank) and the HAL Cats are ridiculously overamplified? How often do we skip "Papparazzi" in the Vista Lounge because we already know it's crap?

 

Book better entertainers and put more venues to use, and they could have people prowling the decks going from one party to the next - purchasing drinks and spending money. Why, they could even have "Twilight Trivia" in the Crow's Nest, "Starlight Lounge" cabaret shows in the Lido followed by "Midnight Madness" sales in the shops onboard!

 

HAL already make a to-do about certain chefs who are aboard certain sailings for their cooking demonstrations: Why can't they do the same with entertainers such as Paula West, Natalie Cole, Rita Moreno, Michael Buble, Oleta Adams & Tim Hockenberry who might do one or two performances on a 7 or 10 day cruise?

 

(I'll tell you why: Bill Prince doesn't know entertainment from a hole in his you-know-what)

 

When the entertainment is lacking, so is the onboard spending - We all might as well just go to bed.

 

As a matter of fact I did sail with Rita Moreno on a HAL cruise. She did 2 shows, worked out in the gym on her own time and we actually shared a cab with her on an island. A very pleasant person.

 

 

That said I agree the entertainment has declined over the years.

 

They did have a singer who we thought was excellent by the name of Christopher Dillon. Saw him several times and always enjoyed his talent. Can't help but wonder what happened to him.

[babyher]

There's a nasty rumor that they also stuffed the jeep . . . I think it's name was "Nellie Bell" :D:D

 

 

Kind of makes you wonder what they did with Roy and Dale when their time came. :)

 

All I know is I stopped going to their fast food restaurant around that time *LOL*

[moonmist]

You Madam, have issues:eek:

 

I agree with Bob on that Sock Hop stuff. They're still doing the Elvis impersonation and the hoola hoop contest in the Crow's Nest. The contestants are in their eighties. How 'bout some 'Gangsta Rap':rolleyes:?

 

Hello! This is not an age thing , it's a mind set thing. If you are stuck in any decade and can not see bckwards of forward, then you "Can't Get No Satisfaction."

[Copper10-8]

Hello! This is not an age thing , it's a mind set thing. If you are stuck in any decade and can not see bckwards of forward, then you "Can't Get No Satisfaction."

 

The Stones - 1965!;)