Entertainment and Activities on the MSC Lirica

Imagine the tune for the trumpet call that ends with a shout of “Charge!”. Now replace the trumpet part with “bah, bah, bah, bah, bah, bah”. Don’t say “charge”, but say “It’s showtime.” Although we got tired of this same old routine, other passengers enjoyed the regular announcement by the cruise director, Mario. His command of many languages is impressive, but that is about the only thing that impressed us. I really haven’t figured out the role of the cruise director. In general, they have obnoxious personalities and seem only interested in making announcements about bingo and shopping.
I wonder if the cruise activities could function without at cruise director. Maybe they could let passengers make announcements about bingo.

The Shows
The opening show was enough to keep us from returning to any of the remaining shows by that particular group. We did enjoy musical shows by the Caffee Concerto Strauss. We especially liked Sr. Glissando, the pianist. I don’t recall his real name, but he sure loves his glissandos. The other group that we especially enjoyed was the Trios Paraguayos who played traditional tunes, mostly from South America and Mexico. Both of these groups performed in the lounges, but also had shows in the Lirica Lounge. Unfortunately, their time on stage was far too short for our tastes. One of their shows lasted just 30 minutes.

Mr. and Ms. Lirica
Fortunately, we did not attend this show, but saw it on the cruise video that played daily on the TV. If you have ever seen Quest, you might notice some similarities. Compared to what we saw of these contests, Quest is a kids game. I will admit to being a prude, so found Ms. Lirica vulgar, raunchy and disgusting. It reminded me of a Benny Hill show gone way too far. Stupid me, I at first thought this was like HAL’s Mr. and Mrs. HAL or whatever they call it.
We heard that the guy selling the cruise videos, which cost $40 told Ms. Lirica that thanks to her the sales of the DVD were brisk. I don’t need to say that many people enjoy these types of shows and would gladly part with their hard earned money to see such debauchery. We respect that anyone has the choice to attend or participate in this type of entertainment. We chose not to; and in no way did that diminish our enjoyment of the cruise.

Caberet Sketches was another equally offensive show. This too was on the cruise video. This show was demeaning, yet some found it humorous. My life isn’t that pathetic yet. The Lirica folks could at least note that these programs contain adult content as nothing in the titles of these events gives any clue to what a passenger might expect.

The Activities
We didn’t participate in any activities, although there were plenty offered. Italian lessons(we took Italian in college and it’s his native language), crafts, trivia and more were offered. There was plenty to do to keep busy throughout the day. We watched one game at the pool, which was supposedly an adult game, but several children were playing along. What’s with that?

There were several games just before late seating, usually a name that performer game. The Entertainers as they are called, dressed in costumes to resemble Elton John, The Beatles, Michael Jackson or whatever artist was featured that night. I never warmed up to the Entertainers or the cruise director. One female Entertainer had such an annoying, grating voice that I tried to be as far away from her unpleasant voice as possible.

The Worst “Musicians” Ever
In the Beverly Hills Lounge, the usual entertainment was a lifeless trio of zombies that used computers to accompany their phantom performance. The one guy faked playing his guitar while the lone female sat on a stool seemingly experiencing flashbacks from her groupie days. She may have been the singer as she had no instrument other than a computer. Next to her was a guy at the piano. On top of the piano was his computer. How these people got a job is the big question. We heard that they remain because they are Italians. We also heard that they were paid in Euros rather than in dollars. They give Garage Band a really bad name. Mario needed to liven them up.

Next Time: A final word on the MSC Lirica

Sail Away