Royal Caribbean added many new things it's never had on its cruise ships, including a dueling piano bar.
I'm someone that is very loyal to its English pub because I prefer bar songs that are typical of the '80s and '90s, but it's not exactly a place I can enjoy with my kids.
Children are allowed in any Royal Caribbean bar, but my kids simply don't care for this sort of music. Plus, depending on the guitarist, it can be very un-interactive.
With Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean added a brand new concept that they never had on a ship before with Dueling Pianos.
It's located on the Royal Promenade, and I wanted to give it a few tries to see what it's all about.
How dueling pianos work
The idea is pretty easy to figure out. There are two pianists performing, and each plays off each other.
Unlike the Schooner Bar or pub where you yell out requests, guests fill out small slips of paper with their song request.
The song request has your name, song you're requesting, and any special occasion.
It's a way to let them know any significance of a song or why you're requesting it. It feeds into the schtick of the show.
It's a very interactive show, the each pianist taking turns playing to the bar. Each side of the bar is divided up into one section for each player, and it's a bit of competition.
Another major difference from other cruise bars is the fact guests get called up a lot.
Someone might be needed to explain a dance, start a conga line, or perform a function like yelling out unofficial lyrics to a song.
Introverts might not love hearing this, but if you sit far enough back, the chances being picked on are quite slim.
Tipping gets your song heard first
Depending on your perspective, the role tips play is either a great idea or not.
The pianists give preference to anyone that tips with their song request. The more you tip, the better chance your song gets played.
Most tips are about $5-10 per request. If you move up to $20 or more, you're going to get their attention real fast.
A $50 or $100 tip is essentially like a turbo option, where you could literally stop them mid-song with a request.
The benefit of this system is if you have money to throw around, you can quickly get your songs played. But of course, the "pay to play" system puts other requests towards the back of the queue.
To be fair, the pianists do a great job of balancing paid and free requests. They're not only talented players, but they can read the room quite well.
I love how interactive the shows become
One thing that drew me back to Dueling Pianos was how fun the pianists made the whole show.
On our cruise, we had Sarah Angel and Roel, and they had a great relationship trying to one up each other.
Being a family cruise line, they also welcomed the kids into it all too.
Unofficially, they keep it PG-13 until 11pm. The jokes are tamer and the music more varied.
After 11, they turn it more adult-focused with "dirty" drink cheersing and songs that might involve profanity.
Like any bar, it's going to be more adult focused than not, but I do appreciate it's inviting to all passengers.
It's really hard to get a seat most shows
If there's proof how popular Dueling Pianos is, it's in the fact seats go very, very quickly.
If you don't show up to the bar at least 30 minutes before the performance begins, you probably aren't getting a seat.
On this cruise, I knew to show up early, but this isn't the bar to walk by and stop in for a couple songs.
Unlike the pub or Schooner Bar, not only does it make sense to plan around the show times, but it helps to be there at the start of the performance so you get in on the schtick and jokes.
Each show is unique, and the pianists play off the audience's energy.
I've added Dueling Pianos to my must-do list
If I'm sailing on Icon of the Seas (or the upcoming Star of the Seas), there's a good chance I'll be at Dueling Pianos in the evening.
While I still prefer the pub as my go-to spot, Dueling Pianos is a fun experience for groups. I'd love to go here with friends and grab a table for us all to enjoy the show.
There's a good mix of energy, talent, and showmanship that goes into this concept, and I'm glad Royal Caribbean has added it to the mix.
