Carnival really needs to update the shows and dump Motown.

[ETHS1965]

ÎI am disappointed when the Motown revue is not performed on the cruise! I might be old but I have a young soul.

 

The worst entertainment we ever had on a cruise was on Norwegian. The high point, honestly, was a hand shadow show. It went downhill from there. We still laugh about that.

[Tatka]

NCL also offers different shows. On newer ships it is more like Broadway shows, on Jewel class it is Vegas style production shows which are more to our liking. Usually entertainment is very good.

[richfret]

I've been on 4 carnival cruises over the past 8 years or so. I've seen the Motown show, umm, 4 times. My teens didn't know the songs and thought the show was good for "wasting some time". I can't imagine the singer/dancers still enjoy all this old stuff. Why doesn't Carnival update shows ever? Is it just certain ships. Heck even the background music before and after shows and throughout the ship is old Motown stuff. This music is like 40 years old. They aren't winning over young cruisers this way.

 

This is a tough one to answer because like quality of food on the ship, you will start a civil war with the replies. I have been on 20 cruises and all were with Carnival. I LIKE CARNIVAL! I agree, however, that the shows are certainly not what they use to be. Back in the olden days (like my first cruise in 1995), when the show was over, the audience would stand and applaud for several minutes while the performers would take bow after bow. Now, you get the 30 second polite applause and then every one runs to the Casino. It certainly is not the performers fault since they are working as hard as ever. It's the new gimmicks.

 

First of all the sound is so loud (I mean crazy loud). I guess that is to get your attention. Then their are the flashing lights. They are blinding and you need to turn your head or close your eyes. Again, to get your attention. The costumes are boring. Jeans and jumpsuits. More jeans and jumpsuits. And then jeans and jump suits. No real orchestra. Fewer and fewer performers each cruise. Repeating shows from one ship to another and not twice but several times.

 

Now in all fairness to Carnival, Carnival does this to reduce costs. If I go back several years and review cruise pricing I find that my next 2018 and 2019 cruises are actually lower in price. That is quite a feat. As a result, we have not as good shows and only OK food but still fun cruises.

 

So in the end, I still plan to continue cruising. I will go to each show but recognize that it is not the same and probably never will be again. I will watch the computerized characters dancing their hearts out on the back and side walls of the stage. I doubt, however, that I will give them the standing ovation.

[sfaaa]

If music is the issue, a few live bands on Carnival ships can rock you with some pretty good music from 60's up to current hits including some Bruno Mars tunes.