Have the older ships theatres been re-fitted with big screens

[Interestedcruisefan]

A big part of the Headliners shows on Arvia and Iona are the video scenes and images happening on the big screens behind the cast

 

Have all the P and O ships had these screens fitted as well now?

Edited May 27, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

11 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

A big part of the Headliners shows on Arvia and Iona are the video scenes and images happening on the big screens behind the cast

 

Have all the P and O ships had these screens fitted as well now! 

No, they'd be completely out of place on some of them as well.  There is a limited screen effect on one or two shows on Britannia with the Headliners.  The types of acts on the remainder of the fleet would not benefit from electronic screens.

 

I would guess retrofitting items such as this would spend money better used upgrading more essential things.

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

No, they'd be completely out of place on some of them as well.  There is a limited screen effect on one or two shows on Britannia with the Headliners.  The types of acts on the remainder of the fleet would not benefit from electronic screens.

 

I would guess retrofitting items such as this would spend money better used upgrading more essential things.

 

Thanks MB. 

 

For our next cruise (hopefully in September) we may be looking at a smaller ship as the bigger ones don't fit our schedules for work etc. And I wasn't sure what the theatres would be like in comparison now

 

Our last cruise on Britannia was a short staycation. I couldn't remember the exact  set up. Wasn't impressed by the theatre cast for that at all but I put a lot of that down to lack of auditions/rehearsals/preparation due to the pandemic

Edited May 27, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

No, they'd be completely out of place on some of them as well.  There is a limited screen effect on one or two shows on Britannia with the Headliners.  The types of acts on the remainder of the fleet would not benefit from electronic screens.

 

I would guess retrofitting items such as this would spend money better used upgrading more essential things.

 

Do the smaller ships not have their own theatre cast?

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Do the smaller ships not have their own theatre cast?

They have their own cast but the shows are smaller productions.  I cannot recall when the new shows were introduced but think it was just before the pandemic on Britannia the more "modern" ones started.  None of them are huge impressive jobs like on here.

 

The shows haven't changed for a number of years, they do cost a lot to stage.  I often by pass them now as I've seen them so often - but then the Arvia/Iona ones will obviously not change a lot either because the cost for any of these shows is large.

 

You will as an RC customer in the past know that their theatre shows have not changed for years either. The cost for the cruise lines is massive.

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

They have their own cast but the shows are smaller productions.  I cannot recall when the new shows were introduced but think it was just before the pandemic on Britannia the more "modern" ones started.  None of them are huge impressive jobs like on here.

 

The shows haven't changed for a number of years, they do cost a lot to stage.  I often by pass them now as I've seen them so often - but then the Arvia/Iona ones will obviously not change a lot either because the cost for any of these shows is large.

 

You will as an RC customer in the past know that their theatre shows have not changed for years either. The cost for the cruise lines is massive.

Interesting on Iona that alongside the cast they had a choreography manager, a voice coach and a costume manager plus props manager (I think that was his job) with them throughout the cruise. 

 

They were all sat next to us together in the Quays one night between shows and we started chatting with them. 

 

I kind of assumed the cast rehearsed and were on their own once the cruise started. But it's definitely a big operation and very professional. And  constantly looking to improve despite 7 weeks rehearsals together before they even start their stints

[Interestedcruisefan]

9 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

They have their own cast but the shows are smaller productions.  I cannot recall when the new shows were introduced but think it was just before the pandemic on Britannia the more "modern" ones started.  None of them are huge impressive jobs like on here.

 

The shows haven't changed for a number of years, they do cost a lot to stage.  I often by pass them now as I've seen them so often - but then the Arvia/Iona ones will obviously not change a lot either because the cost for any of these shows is large.

 

You will as an RC customer in the past know that their theatre shows have not changed for years either. The cost for the cruise lines is massive.

It's a while since we went on RCL now to see any changes

 

Will only use them now when P and O doesn't have the itinerary for the places they visit 

 

Purely  due to the extra cost. Ive enjoyed all our cruises 

 

 

[Megabear2]

20 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

It's a while since we went on RCL now to see any changes

 

Will only use them now when P and O doesn't have the itinerary for the places they visit 

 

Purely  due to the extra cost. Ive enjoyed all our cruises 

 

 

I doubt I'll be using RC either to be honest.  I normally used them for transatlantic repositioning cruises or out of Fort Lauderdale, never sailed ex UK with them.  Just too formulaic for me nowadays, very little variety.  I loved Splendour of the Seas (now Marella Explorer I think) when I sailed.the Dubai, Oman and Abu Dhabi.cruise on her but the Allure and her sisters don't appeal so much now.  I'm getting picky in my old age! Whereas once any cruise.at a cheap.price would do - it's a cruise after all - now I want to relax more and pick more varied itineraries.  P&O and Cunard have always been my go to lines but the itineraries are offering very little variety into 2024 and 2025.  I'm having to rethink everything.  If I've got to fly cruise I've decided that Queen Victoria is a better choice than Azura (the latter is a personal favourite as well) for the food and service but realistically I'm looking at more Celebrity and Princess itineraries as the variety is there because they have more ships.

 

So really for me with P&O it's Britannia for the Caribbean and odd ex UK one offs and Aurora for the longer more varied itineraries.  Overall less cruises paying more to get the variety.

[molecrochip]

Britannia was first to have electronic screens. I though Azura and Ventura had been retrofitted.

 

Iona and Arvia have the next level of screens.

 

Aurora and Arvia have a more traditional theatre setup.

[jaydee6969]

9 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Britannia was first to have electronic screens. I though Azura and Ventura had been retrofitted.

 

Iona and Arvia have the next level of screens.

 

Aurora and Arvia have a more traditional theatre setup.

 

Yes Azura and Ventura have large screens on the stage, Astonishing wouldn't work without them.

 

But as you note, not on the same level of quality as Iona and Arvia.

[Interestedcruisefan]

16 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Britannia was first to have electronic screens. I though Azura and Ventura had been retrofitted.

 

Iona and Arvia have the next level of screens.

 

Aurora and Arvia have a more traditional theatre setup.

I assume your second mention of Arvia meant aracadia

[molecrochip]

42 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I assume your second mention of Arvia meant aracadia

Yes

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Britannia was first to have electronic screens. I though Azura and Ventura had been retrofitted.

 

Iona and Arvia have the next level of screens.

 

Aurora and Arvia have a more traditional theatre setup.

The screens on Britannia are very good but I was assuming ICF was referring to the set ups on Arvia and Iona.  They are a very long way apart, even cynic me found Arvia's theatre offerings extremely upmarket.  

 

As a matter of interest regarding Limelight Club, on here it does indeed turn into a club venue after the dining/cabaret experience.  Although advertised as such on Britannia I have never seen it do anything other than close immediately after the show.  The turning into a venuevfor all on here has been very popular.  Why did the Britannia Limelight never, as far as I know, get used for this purpose?

 

[molecrochip]

The Limelight Club debuted on Britannia. The idea was post act, the bar would open to all. I believe that’s still the case but in practice people don’t use it. It’s a shame as in the early days the act would often hang around at the bar.

 

It was reimagined for Iona onwards with the addition of the all female Limelight’s - being almost the opposite to the all male 710 acoustic band.

 

On the busier cruises it does fill up, but the venue remains adults only which is useless to many family groups.

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The Limelight Club debuted on Britannia. The idea was post act, the bar would open to all. I believe that’s still the case but in practice people don’t use it. It’s a shame as in the early days the act would often hang around at the bar.

 

It was reimagined for Iona onwards with the addition of the all female Limelight’s - being almost the opposite to the all male 710 acoustic band.

 

On the busier cruises it does fill up, but the venue remains adults only which is useless to many family groups.

Thanks.  I've never seen Britannia's bar opened after the show do was intrigued.  Actually on here this week.the show was far shorter than the act before and again the bar closed as the act finished. It was three quarters of an hour until the Limelighters were due on, however because the house lights came on everyone got up and left.  The week before with the other act he played longer, the bar stayed open and everyone stayed for the rest of the night.

 

It was a good alternative for anyone not wanting to wander too far as the Atrium bar was rammed to the rafters.

 

[happy v]

Mb thank you for reporting on your cruise. I realise it wasn't entirely the experience you wanted. At least you haven't been put off and managed to book even more cruises.

[Britboys]

I may be getting confused with another ship but iirc, Aurora does now have some sort of facility for using projection onto the back of the stage area. It won't be anywhere near the sort of thing that is on the two new ships but it has certainly updated the theatre to how it was before the pandemic shut-down.

Carmen's show lounge also features a clever little bit of technology in the new show that plays there. That show also features much more recent music than the more traditional Headliners theatre shows.

[happy v]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

I may be getting confused with another ship but iirc, Aurora does now have some sort of facility for using projection onto the back of the stage area. It won't be anywhere near the sort of thing that is on the two new ships but it has certainly updated the theatre to how it was before the pandemic shut-down.

Carmen's show lounge also features a clever little bit of technology in the new show that plays there. That show also features much more recent music than the more traditional Headliners theatre shows.

 What! No Vera Lynn?😂

[Britboys]

14 hours ago, happy v said:

 What! No Vera Lynn?😂

Thankfully not... Adele, Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi amongst others!

[Francisdrake]

On 5/28/2023 at 12:46 PM, Britboys said:

Thankfully not... Adele, Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi amongst others!

Think i'd prefer Vera 😂

[Britboys]

6 minutes ago, Francisdrake said:

Think i'd prefer Vera 😂

Best try Fred Olsen or Saga then... 😂