Major entertainment brands, such as Cirque du Soleil, are present on the stages of cruise ships.
Article from CruisesNews magazine, issue 48 – March 2019
The perception of cruise ships as floating resorts where leisure and fun never end has led to a sophistication of the technical and human resources available on board for this purpose.
Megaships not only offer immense theaters, open-air amphitheaters or cabarets worthy of the West End, the Gran Vía or Broadway, but also increasingly professional casts of actors and artists.
Theater Design
: Onboard theater design was revolutionized in 2017 when the AidaDiva, instead of a traditional theater, combined the main performance venue and atrium into a three-deck-high glass-enclosed hall called the Theatrium, which had a total area of 3,000 m² and a stage at the aft end of the lower deck. The stage can be moved and reconfigured as needed for different performances.
The language barrier should not be an obstacle to enjoying leisure time on a cruise.
The concept for the main theater on the new Celebrity Edge represents a further step forward from the traditional design of these spaces as they were known on cruise ships, with an arched proscenium and separate areas for performers and audience. In fact, many cruise lines advertise their theaters as if they were on Broadway in New York or in London's West End. However, the Celebrity Edge's theater departs from the Broadway standard. The performers are surrounded 270 degrees by the audience seating, with three distinct viewing angles. The fourth side is the backdrop, which, instead of scenery, features an LED projection screen rather than a traditional stage box with sets, backdrops, rigging, and so on.
This arrangement isn't new. Perhaps the first ship to offer it was Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas, whose Two70 Lounge theater is very similar. As these kinds of coincidences are rarely accidental, both ships were designed by the same architect, Scott Butler, of the interior design firm Wilson Butler Architects.
The Celebrity Edge's theater also bears a certain resemblance to the World Stage, the groundbreaking theater design with which Holland America Line, a ship with a reputation for conservatism, surprised everyone in 2016 with the delivery of the Koningsdam. This design was repeated on the Nieuw Statendam (see CN 27). The World Stage also projects the stage towards the audience and makes use of large LED video screens to envelop the theater in images.
The increasing sophistication of LED screens and video projection mapping, now a reality powered by computers and dedicated software, is revolutionizing theatrical performance at sea. Immersive visuals, already captivating and engaging in themselves, also solve the problem of where to store the sets on board, where every space is precious. And this is no small matter, because each week-long cruise typically involves six or seven different shows.
Diversifying Entertainment Venues
But it's more than just a technical issue. Royal Caribbean International has long sought to utilize spaces other than the main theater to provide entertainment for its passengers. In particular, it was the first to utilize the atriums on older ships for acrobats and other performers. However, the Royal Promenade, present on all Royal Caribbean International ships since the Voyager of the Seas was delivered in 1999, is clearly the flagship space for providing entertainment outside the theater. Thus, performers regularly appear on the Royal Promenade on ships that are not part of the Oasis class.
More and more shipowners are opting for LED screens to replace classic sets in onboard theaters.
The AquaTheater, located aft on deck 6, was a major new addition to these ships and has become one of their biggest attractions. It's an open-air theater with a narrow but very deep pool equipped with hydraulic platforms, a small diving platform behind the pool that can be raised and lowered as needed, and hundreds of amphitheater-style seats. The 30-minute shows combine acrobatics from the diving platform with divers performing aerial acrobatics, defying the wind and the ship's own movement. Each Oasis-class ship offers two unique shows. Other cruise lines, such as Disney and NCL, offer fireworks and outdoor parties.
And the aft pool of the MSC Cruises Seaside series ships is ready to be transformed into a nightclub at night and provide a wide range of nighttime entertainment.
Carnival Cruise Line is also spreading entertainment across its ships. It uses various public spaces for its Seuss-A-Palooza children's parade. And its theaters, on the newer ships, have been transformed into flexible Liquid Lounges, with traditional stages, but not always dedicated to theatrical performances.
The Carousel Lounge on MSC Cruises' Meraviglia-class ships is built exclusively for Cirque du Soleil. It's also circular in shape, with spectacular lighting, but without LED screens. Cirque du Soleil artists fly, appear, and disappear while passengers enjoy a delicious dinner during a six-night, week-long cruise.
Therefore, although the main attraction for nightlife on board is Broadway-style shows, offering titles that have been performed in the best theaters of the West End and the Gran Vía, the prevailing trend is to achieve new, more flexible spaces, and new ways of presenting shows at sea.
Trends in Onboard Entertainment:
Celebrities on Board. Cruise lines are increasingly hiring top-tier artists to perform on their ships. Singers, actors, celebrities, and more are becoming regulars onboard stages, and not just during christenings. The pioneering cruise line was Carnival Cruise Line, which in 2014 announced it was introducing famous musical groups like Chicago and solo artists like Lady Antebellum and Jennifer Hudson.
And if the stars don't sail, their imitators do: Madonna, Elvis, Michael Jackson and Tina Turner are usually the most common.
The use of spaces other than the main theater for entertainment is an unstoppable trend.
NCL offers the Grammy Experience aboard its Breakaway-class ships, complete with a Grammy Museum. NCL launched this offering in 2014 on the Norwegian Getaway. The first artist featured was jazz flautist Nestor Torres. The second was Sammy Figueroa, known for his versatility across all genres. In addition to his three albums, including two Grammy nominations for Best Latin Jazz Album, he has shared the stage with artists such as Mariah Carey and David Bowie. He was twice named Percussionist of the Year.
Broadway Musicals on Board. The selection of full-length musicals aboard cruise ships is constantly growing. NCL and Royal Caribbean have presented shows like Chicago, Cats, Mamma Mia!, and others in their theaters. Disney presented the musical Aladdin in 2012 when it launched the Disney Magic.
But cruise lines are also increasingly offering shorter shows, allowing passengers to see more entertainment without spending an entire afternoon in the theater. The most famous are those offered by Carnival Cruise Lines, which, in partnership with Play List Productions, presents thirty-minute shows performed several times during the cruise. Crystal and Cunard also offer this type of performance. Bringing land-based television talent shows on board is another prevailing trend. For example, Crystal Cruises presents performances by artists from America's Got Talent in its theaters. Cunard, with its association with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, can also enter this market.
Another option is a cruise line partnering with a prestigious cultural institution. For example, Celebrity Cruises has brought the American Ballet Theatre to sea through an alliance that will offer world-class classical dance performances. This year, they will offer a joint program featuring twelve guest artist performances, with more planned for 2020, on select cruises. This partnership will also allow them to offer enrichment activities such as seminars, ballet barre classes, and dance classes for children.
Segmentation of leisure is another of the most fashionable trends: shows for families; shows for those over 21 years old (adults only), etc.
The Circus and Cruise Ships
: Once again, the November 2014 delivery of the Quantum of the Seas, with its Two70 Lounge theater, introduced the possibility of offering shows in which acrobats appeared from the ceiling or emerged from the stage. Its sister ship, the Anthem of the Seas, also replicated the Two70 concept. This unique space combines robotic technology, 12k HD projection screens, classic cocktails, casual dining, and talented singers and dancers, all set against the incredible backdrop of the ship's wake. Located on decks 5 and 6, aft, Two70 is a dynamic venue that serves as a lounge during the day and transforms into a high-energy, high-tech epicenter at night: Spectra's Cabaret. It's a blend of music, dance, spectacular displays, and more, making it a highlight of the cruise experience. The design of Two70 allows for a highly dynamic and immersive show. The artists soar on stages outside the ring, perform acrobatics suspended from the ceiling, and do their work among the audience, allowing you to get up close and even interact personally with the artists.
The spread of leisure activities throughout the ship, with parades, flash mobs, etc., is an increasingly popular trend.
NCL has its own version of this type of show in Cirque Dreams & Dinner, which was offered on the Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, and Norwegian Epic in Europe in 2017. The revised version included new menus and was presented by Broadway director and Cirque Dreams founder Neil Goldberg. The performers rotate throughout the year so that returning guests can have a new experience each time they sail with NCL.
However, Cirque du Soleil is the most powerful show on board a cruise ship, offered on only two MSC Cruises ships, as described in the article about the MSC Bellissima in this same issue of CruisesNews.
New leisure options.
In an industry as competitive as cruises, shipping companies struggle desperately to differentiate themselves, to offer something their competitors cannot. If you're a newcomer to this market, the challenge is even greater.
This is the case with Virgin Voyages. To begin with, its ships will only admit adults, so its promoters wanted to provide passengers with an alternative perspective on leisure. Thus, Virgin said that its passengers (or its sailors, according to its own jargon) wouldn't just sit and watch shows, but would also participate with the cast. This cruise line won't have a traditional cruise director on board, but rather a dynamic group of people dedicated to making the "events around the ship completely epic.".
From modern retellings of classic stories to interactive dances and participatory acts, these experiences will attempt to break the boundaries of traditional theatrical performances. Virgin Voyages has created The Red Room, capable of transforming into a seascape, offering four different configurations, including the traditional proscenium stage, the catwalk stage used in fashion shows, a flat dance floor configuration, and finally, an inverted stage configuration.
Virgin's first ship, the Scarlet Lady, will feature six original productions. These include a collection of micro-performances played throughout the ship, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and disappearing just as quickly, created by PigPen Theatre Co. The use of digital projection interwoven with live performances will be part of the entertainment offerings on these ships.
The variety of onboard entertainment and leisure activities has changed significantly. Passengers have much greater access to quality leisure on land, so expectations have risen regarding what should be offered onboard. Cruise lines need to be aware of what is happening in the leisure industry. Changes in dining options, for example, have influenced a shift in entertainment; more flexible dining times mean that the theater is no longer always the primary choice for passengers, so cruise lines have to offer other options in various locations simultaneously. This approach is much more important than it was before when planning the program, and cruise vacations are much more affordable now, so cruise lines need to be able to react quickly to passengers' preferences.
There are companies specializing in onboard leisure activities to which shipping companies can subcontract this service.
Passengers expect the same quality of entertainment they've seen back home, so an onboard theater isn't necessarily different from any other theater. Furthermore, passengers expect the same range of choices they have in their own cities, and even to enjoy new and exciting shows. One factor to consider is the passengers' nationality. There are often differences between cruise lines with international passengers and those with passengers of a single nationality. Language barriers shouldn't be an obstacle to enjoying cruise entertainment, so offering shows in multiple languages is usually a guarantee of success for an onboard performer.
It is very important for a cruise line to ensure it offers a balanced program so passengers have a wide selection. With several venues on each ship, all with different capacities and technical capabilities, the cruise director plans each show and then schedules them daily and weekly so passengers can see all the performances during their cruise. These range from stand-up comedy routines, which are usually solo acts, to Broadway-style productions that can have a cast of more than 21 people.
Partner Companies:
Shipping companies can choose to offer onboard leisure and entertainment directly, or do so by contracting specialized subcontractors. These subcontractors offer all kinds of shows, from large-scale productions to solo performances.
One of the most important is Proship. This company began supplying musicians to the cruise industry in 1987. Since then, it has secured over 20,000 contracts for leisure and entertainment events worldwide.
Another very important company is Creativiva, based in Toronto, specializing in large Broadway-style shows on cruise ships, although it also offers classical theater, magicians, circus, etc.
This company has spent over ten years creating high-quality stage shows. All of their productions are created from scratch in their facilities and then presented wherever possible. Creativiva designs customized entertainment solutions, but also offers pre-designed programs ready for immediate use.
Another company offering this service is Flagship Entertainment, founded in 2014 in California by Jesse Yoder. In just a few years, it has become a leading agency, capable of providing any type of onboard entertainment.
Cruise lines strive, whenever possible, to meet directly with artists and their agencies to establish strong working relationships. Shipowners' artistic teams regularly attend auditions and live performances to identify emerging trends and new artists. They also attend industry events such as PLASA (Professional Lighting and Sound Association) and Leisure Industry Week, and organize auditions and ship visits with potential suppliers. The industry moves quickly, so keeping the entertainment offerings up-to-date is a vital part of any shipowner's artistic direction. This involves attending premieres in London or New York, or visiting smaller venues to see everything useful onboard, from lighting design and choreography to comedy and stand-up.
