I knew that Lincoln Center Stage was going away before it was announced publicly. As I was waiting at Holland America’s beloved classical music venue on the Noordam for a performance (what would turn out to be one of the very last) to begin, a fellow passenger announced it to the gathered crowd. He’d heard it from a friend of his at HAL corporate and confirmed it privately with the musicians who stated they were leaving the ship after our sailing and would not be replaced.
And for the past few weeks, I’ve been going through the 5 stages of grief:
- Denial: I refused to believe this was anything more than unsubstantiated rumor until it was officially confirmed by Holland America.
- Anger: Sadly, a week later, it was (although, with some caveats – I’ll get to those in a minute) and anger set in.
- Bargaining: I composed a pleading letter to Gustavo Antorcha (he goes by Gus, but I used his full name like a scolding mother to convey my intense displeasure), President of Holland America and a second letter to Stein Kruse, CEO.
- Depression: I did what I always do when depressed – booked a bunch of cruises from my bed (none on HOLLAND AMERICA, I might add) while mainlining Kit Kats and Cheetos.
- Acceptance: Once I started to hear from those aboard Holland America ships where a revamped traveling ensemble had begun performing classical concerts on the World Stage, I started to accept it as inevitable. Sigh. But maybe I’ll even like the new format? I dunno – we’ll see.
While the jury is still out for us Lincoln Center Stage fans, there’s one group of cruisers who’s VERY happy to see it gone. Who, you ask? Youth cruisers (my kid among them) whose parents drag them to performances for “cultural exposure” and swear they’ll like it once they stop snoring or complaining for long enough to give it a real chance. Grab a soft serve (or ten) to celebrate its demise on your way back to the pool, kids! And with that…
Class Dismissed.
Homework (10 points): How do you feel about the changes to Lincoln Center Stage? Share your thoughts to the comments. And if you enjoy cruise satire, see my article: New Therapy Practice Targets Disgruntled Cruisers.
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