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What can you expect from the entertainment onboard a cruise ship these days? It’s changed a lot since the ‘Love Boat’-style cabaret shows of old, in fact you could say there’s been a cruise ship entertainment revolution! Now there are multimedia extravaganzas, Broadway hits and even popular reality TV shows where guests compete for top honours!
P&O is one of the latest cruise lines to relaunch it’s entertainment offering. Today in Sydney, Australia, they premiered their new dance spectacular Twice Upon A Time. Two years in the making the production is a highly choreographed, rich multimedia extravaganza that takes guests on a journey through a post-apocalyptic world to ultimate renewal. It features an entirely original score and interactive multimedia visuals. The production is brave and innovate, pushing of the boundaries of cruise ship entertainment.
Cruise ship guest have come to expect a lot from their entertainment at sea and Crystal Cruises signature show iLuminate: The Tourist is another groundbreaker that’s wowing audiences. The show is performed in a pitch-black auditorium – even the cocktail table laps are turned off – to give full effect to the dancers who wear electronically illuminated body suits. Various parts of the suits light up in alternating shapes and colours, timed to the music of Michael Jackson and other pop greats. It’s a visual explosion the likes of which you won’t even see on land!
Princess Cruises boast The Voice Of The Ocean show. It’s billed as being everything you love about the popular TV show The Voice, only at sea. As we’ve reported, The Voice Of The Ocean pits cruises guests against each other in a sing-off voted for by the shows audience. It’s great fun and even features the famous big red chairs!
Princess Cruises have also partnered with Stephen Schwartz, the Academy Award winning writer of Godspell, Pippin and Wicked, to produce four stunning new shows for the line.
The largest theatrical producer in the world, Cirque du Soleil, have announced a partnership with MCS Cruises to produce an entirely exclusive show for the line. The world first will feature a purpose-built 10,700 sq. ft entertainment lounge designed to enhance what promises to be a stunning entertainment experience. The show will premier onboard the next-generation ship, MSC Meraviglia, in 2017.
Huge West End and Broadway hits are now commonplace on the high seas too. Norwegian have recently premiered the smash hit West End musical Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert on their flagship Norwegian Epic. The seven-time Tony Award-nominated Legally Blonde is currently playing on Norwegian Getaway and the Queen inspired hit Rock of Ages can be seen on Norwegian Breakaway. Other shows playing on the Norwegian fleet include Burn the Floor and Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy. Over on Royal Caribbean they’ve staged productions of Chicago, Cats and even the ABBA favourite Mamma Mia! Each of these shows is a full-length adaptation of the land-based production with costumes, sets and all the songs you know and love.
There truly has been cruise ship entertainment revolution. Each night onboard now offers cruise guests a fantastic array of top-notch entertainment options on many of the best cruise lines. When you consider what a night a the theatre would usually cost, it makes today’s entertainment-inclusive cruise vacations even more attractive.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
