Is this the end for karaoke on cruise ships?

[mercedes]

Norwegian Cruise Line's much-discussed new mega-ship, the Norwegian Epic, is chock full of just about every type of amusement ever conceived for an ocean-going vessel, from a spa to a rock climbing wall. It offers 20 eateries, 20 bars, multiple showrooms and three of the biggest water slides at sea.

 

But there's at least one traditional element of big, mass-market cruise ships that the largest Norwegian vessel ever built is missing: A karaoke bar.

 

A mainstay of the 10 other Norwegian ships sailing from the Caribbean to Europe, karaoke won't have a big presence -- if any -- on the line's new, 4,100-passenger flagship, say Norwegian staffers (unlike on the line's Jewel Class ships, where passengers' karaoke crooning wafts into a main thoroughfare almost nightly from a prominently-placed lounge). Karaoke is, they hint, no longer the hot commodity it used to be.

 

A Norwegian spokeswoman said passengers looking for an impromptu, karaoke-bar-type musical vibe on Epic have Headliners, a lively club on Norwegian Epic that is home to a Howl at the Moon dueling piano.

 

Bigger than all but a handful of Royal Caribbean ships, Epic is scheduled to be christened Friday in New York City by country music's Reba McEntire before heading to Miami to operate seven-night Caribbean cruises.

 

[TheSkipper]

Interesting. They may be right.

[jobowl]

Seems like a different thought.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I am not a fan of karaoke, but most other folks seem to enjoy it. I am frequentl puzzled by the venues. Several times we have seen karaoke held in the larger show bar with only a small crowd, whereas the larger crowd who wants to dance is crammed into one of the smaller bars.

[ametrinel]

A lot of people will miss the karaoke.