CRUISE
SHIPS
CRUISE
SHIPS
ADVANTAGES
Whether in a landlocked lounge or a seafaring showroom, welcoming personalities, sterling musical
performances and stellar showmanship are all key ingredients to Van & Cristina's success.
Recognizing that, on ships, contact with the guests often occurs while
off-stage, Van & Cristina always display their natural, genuine gregariousness
throughout the day and in their off-time. They readily give time and
personal attention to each guest they meet. Enhancing the guests'
experience, as Van & Cristina do, makes for high guest satisfaction ratings and return
cruisers.
Van & Cristina have performed their dueling pianos show for Disney Cruise Line,
on The Disney Magic and The Disney Wonder, for Carnival Cruise
Lines, on The Imagination and, most recently (July 2003), they debuted
the dueling pianos concept for Royal Caribbean Cruises on The Monarch of the
Seas.
Berthing: Van & Cristina, a married couple, will happily share one, inside, double occupancy cabin.
DUELING PIANOS ON CRUISES
In 1998, Gary Raffanelli and Van (d.b.a. Counterpoint Consulting) were the first to
introduce the dueling pianos concept to cruise ship entertaining, debuting their
two-piano shows on six Carnival Cruise Lines ships sailing Caribbean cruises out
of Florida and San Juan, PR. For the next 12 months, Counterpoint provided
on-going dueling pianos talent recruitment, training and booking services to the
Carnival line, with Van regularly sailing inspection/training cruises and
performing on the ships to oversee the program.
Van & Cristina's first sailing together as performers took place in the summer
of 2000, when Disney's Talent Casting at Pleasure Island, Orlando and
Disney
Cruise Line selected them to entertain on the Disney Magic's inaugural
seven-night, Eastern Caribbean cruise.
That honor was soon followed by an appointment (made by the company's President,
himself) to have Van reinvent the dueling pianos program on both of the Disney
ships. His charge was to format shows that were more suitable to the
Disney company's image and to its guests. To that end, Van developed
several new shows; including Family Pianos - fun and lively dueling pianos for
all ages with emphasis on families; Eighties Extravaganza - a music trivia, audience participation
game; a Rock-and-Roll Request Hour - adults trying to "stump the
piano players";
Rising Stars - the ship's talent show; and the Teen Dueling Pianos Challenge - a "Name That Tune"-type contest
for teenagers on the ship.
PRESENT CRUISE SHIP VENTURES
In July of 2003, Counterpoint Consulting launched dueling pianos entertainment
for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines on its Monarch of the Seas, sailing out
of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera. Van & Cristina were the debut
performers. Other, top duelers booked by Counterpoint are presently
dueling on the Monarch of the Seas. Royal Caribbean has plans to
introduce dueling pianos to several other ships in their fleet in the near
future.
In addition, Counterpoint Consulting provides production services, talent management, specialty pianos (Slam Grand Pianos) and the world's top piano bar entertainers to Holland America/Westours Cruises worldwide. for example, we have Slam Grands and pianists on a new, Holland America ship sailing out of London on July 25.
THEMED SHOWS
So that guests may be treated to a different entertainment sensation each night
of their cruise, Van & Cristina have developed a number of themed shows,
including:
Blame Liberace - Flashy Classical Piano Pieces
It Takes Two - Tribute to the World's Greatest
Duets
The Universal Language - International
Favorites
Eighties Extravaganza - Rad Music from the 80's
Goodness Gracious - A Rockin' Piano Show
UK meets USA - British vs. American Artists
Play Me - The Music of Neil Diamond
Direct from Las Vegas - The Great Singers and
Showmen of Vegas
A Little Late-night Mischief - Bawdy Tavern
Songs
Pianos Romanticos - Spanish Love Songs
The Piano Man - The Music of Billy Joel
While the length of each themed show is completely adjustable up to a maximum of
75 minutes, we've found that the most desirable length for most circumstances is
between 45 and 55 minutes.
HOME
CORPORATE EVENTS
WEDDINGS
NIGHTCLUBS
Key Appearances
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (July
2003)
Monarch of
the Seas - Three- and four-night sailings to the Mexican Riviera out of Los
Angeles.
Disney Cruise Line (2000 - 2003)
Disney Magic - Seven-night cruises to the Western and
Eastern Caribbean out of Pt. Canaveral, FL.
Disney Wonder -
Three- and four-night sailings to The Bahamas out of Port Canaveral, Florida.
Carnival Cruise Lines (1998)
Various,
Caribbean-bound ships including The Imagination, The Ecstasy and
The Inspiration.
Holland America Cruise Lines (Pending in 2004)
References
Disney Cruise Line
Robert Sigler, President, Hire Notes, Inc.
- Talent provider
for Disney Cruise Line
HireNotes@aol.com Office:
702-255-2087
Holland America/Westours Cruise Lines
Jerry Quesada,
Music Department Manager
JQuesada@halw.com Office:
206-2983852
Slam Grand Piano Company - Manufactures pianos for
cruise lines
Gary
Raffanelli, President and Chief Piano Builder
Gary@slamgrand.com Office:
775-356-7399
Pricing & Booking Information
Premium, "fly-on" rates and privileges apply, plus
coach airfare from Las Vegas to port of embarkation and returning to Las Vegas
from port of disembarkation. On-ship accommodations: one, double-occupancy
passenger cabin (inside berth is okay).
Van & Cristina's cruise bookings are arranged through
Gary Raffanelli, Counterpoint Entertainment:
Office: 775-356-7399 Cell: 775-771-7532