Entertainment - what actually happened

[Oceansaway17]

On 6/23/2024 at 6:37 AM, shof515 said:

production shows is being replaced with game shows like price is right, wheel of fortune and other revenue generated shows

and believe me some of these can actually be quite entertaining too.

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, samiam0403 said:

Just off of an Oceania cruise, and a senior member of the staff (who was previously with NCL for years) told us that they are doing away with the Broadway shows not because of lack of attendance or changing tastes, but because the companies that they have to pay to have the shows on board have raised the licensing costs to an exorbitant rate. He said the cost to keep the shows was way more than NCL wanted to pay, which is why they are developing their own shows in house for the future. 

and Royal Caribbean is starting to do this as well.

No Broadway shows on the current and next to last Oasis class ships.

But the ICON has a salute to the Wizard of OZ which I saw and is very well done.

 

too bad budgets for shows are always the first to go.

[Crazy planning mom]

20 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

and Royal Caribbean is starting to do this as well.

No Broadway shows on the current and next to last Oasis class ships.

But the ICON has a salute to the Wizard of OZ which I saw and is very well done.

 

too bad budgets for shows are always the first to go.

Yes, this explanation makes more sense.  Royal is creating their own shows for their new ships rather than paying licensing fees.   If the quality is there, then that is fine.

However, for the most part, so far they have not dropped the current Broadway style shows on already existing ships unlike NCL.

[JamesIowa]

One of my favorite things on a cruise are the nights I can do early dinner / show in theater / drinks / casino / late night room service or hitting the local. I can sub some of the theater shows with Beatles at the cc, or live music at Q, etc but WoF/TPiR just doesn’t satisfy. I’m sad to see the big shows go, and I have always felt/heard that was just going to be the way it is going fwd. it still didn’t stop me from booking future cruises and buying cn,cf certs but I just wasn’t as pumped for future bookings. I am glad to hear they’re working on something to fill that void. Even if it’s not in time for my next sailing (joy, 30 Nov 24…anybody heard anything re: auditions, rumors?) I think that’ll be good enough to keep me around. 

Edited Tuesday at 07:31 PM by JamesIowa
Spelling

[PhillyTravelBug]

6 hours ago, samiam0403 said:

Just off of an Oceania cruise, and a senior member of the staff (who was previously with NCL for years) told us that they are doing away with the Broadway shows not because of lack of attendance or changing tastes, but because the companies that they have to pay to have the shows on board have raised the licensing costs to an exorbitant rate. He said the cost to keep the shows was way more than NCL wanted to pay, which is why they are developing their own shows in house for the future. 

I definitely side with NCL on this then. The broadway style shows are enjoyable during a cruise, but not a make or break for me.

[ggTexasGal]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

Maybe they could bring back that couple that was always on the Dawn from Boston to Bermuda.  They seemed to be popular based on folks here asking about them.  We even sailed with them and they were pretty good and probably low cost.  Plus they probably shared a room.

Do you mean Jose and Patti?

 

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

Maybe they could bring back that couple that was always on the Dawn from Boston to Bermuda.  They seemed to be popular based on folks here asking about them.  We even sailed with them and they were pretty good and probably low cost.  Plus they probably shared a room.

You must be referring to Jose and Patti.  They always put on a great show and attract a large and enthusiastic audience.

[DrUrsula]

On 6/23/2024 at 12:05 PM, dpepper64 said:

I wish they would just put on Choir of man for all their ships

 

Best show ever at sea.

(and not just because they dragged this old broad onto the stage to be serenaded!! I even danced with them!🤣🤣)

[ColdCruise]

8 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Yes, this explanation makes more sense.  Royal is creating their own shows for their new ships rather than paying licensing fees.   If the quality is there, then that is fine.

However, for the most part, so far they have not dropped the current Broadway style shows on already existing ships unlike NCL.

Not quite true - some if the ships have lost their Broadway style shows months ago. The Sky did not have any on a 2 week Caribbean cruise in Feb/Mar, or the 2-3 iterations before we boarded her. During the behind the scenes Platinum+ tour, the theater manager or tour guide stated we were lucky as they had multiple guest performers but that shorter cruises might only get 1 guest performer, the two in house made up musical competition & Icon shows and game shows as fillers.

 

on Star next month, waiting to see what the entertainment is - app lists 2 game shows (deal & wheel), “Band on the Run” (seems like a 70s-era music variety show) and something called “Paradis” (no “e”) about “Bohemian Parisian culture”.  Anyone seen those last two?

[Asawi]

3 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

 

 

on Star next month, waiting to see what the entertainment is - app lists 2 game shows (deal & wheel), “Band on the Run” (seems like a 70s-era music variety show) and something called “Paradis” (no “e”) about “Bohemian Parisian culture”.  Anyone seen those last two?

I have seen and like the both of those. They kind of have the same theme,  both being the names of  clubs, if I recall correctly. (Paradis being french for Paradise)

[Crazy planning mom]

5 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

Not quite true - some if the ships have lost their Broadway style shows months ago. The Sky did not have any on a 2 week Caribbean cruise in Feb/Mar, or the 2-3 iterations before we boarded her. During the behind the scenes Platinum+ tour, the theater manager or tour guide stated we were lucky as they had multiple guest performers but that shorter cruises might only get 1 guest performer, the two in house made up musical competition & Icon shows and game shows as fillers.

 

on Star next month, waiting to see what the entertainment is - app lists 2 game shows (deal & wheel), “Band on the Run” (seems like a 70s-era music variety show) and something called “Paradis” (no “e”) about “Bohemian Parisian culture”.  Anyone seen those last two?

Yes, NCL dropped Six, Footloose, Priscilla, Burn the Floor, and others but not all entertainment.  Royal hasnt dropped any big shows other than Mamma Mia on short sailings that I am aware.

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

Do you mean Jose and Patti?

 

That is them. 

[TheBeardedCruiser]

2 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Yes, NCL dropped Six, Footloose, Priscilla, Burn the Floor, and others but not all entertainment.  Royal hasnt dropped any big shows other than Mamma Mia on short sailings that I am aware.

I'll miss Footloose! That was the best show that I've ever seen on a cruise ship, in my opinion. 🥹😢😭

[Oakman58]

3 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Yes, NCL dropped Six, Footloose, Priscilla, Burn the Floor, and others but not all entertainment.  Royal hasnt dropped any big shows other than Mamma Mia on short sailings that I am aware.

 

I was looking forward to booking a cruise on the ship with Kinky Boots but that show disappeared before I had the chance.

[TxTeach79]

Stardust Entertainment recap from the Pearl 10 Day i just disembarked:

 

Legends in Concert

Vinyl Jukebox

Ukranian Acrobat brothers - 2 nights

Violinist - 2 nights

Escape Artist - 2 nights

Vocalist - 2 nights

 

Wheel of Fortune ran once, Deal or no Deal 3-4 times.

 

Music around the ship:

 

Solo Guitar Player

Main showband

Reggae/Party Band

Male/Female Duo

Solo piano player

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

I'll miss Footloose! That was the best show that I've ever seen on a cruise ship, in my opinion. 🥹😢😭

Better than Million Dollar Quartet???  We may have to agree to disagree on this one.  Footloose rates a solid "meh" from me.  Loved the movie, but the musical, not so much.

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Oakman58 said:

 

I was looking forward to booking a cruise on the ship with Kinky Boots but that show disappeared before I had the chance.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Kinky Boots.  Likewise with Priscilla.  Never judge a book by its cover, I suppose.

[TheBeardedCruiser]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

Better than Million Dollar Quartet???  We may have to agree to disagree on this one.  Footloose rates a solid "meh" from me.  Loved the movie, but the musical, not so much.

I never saw Million Dollar Quartet 😢 I've heard that it was fabulous, but we missed it due to other "obligations" the nights that it was playing.

We will have to agree to disagree on Footloose though! I stand by my original statement; I loved it! 😀

[The Traveling Man]

30 minutes ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

I never saw Million Dollar Quartet 😢 I've heard that it was fabulous, but we missed it due to other "obligations" the nights that it was playing.

We will have to agree to disagree on Footloose though! I stand by my original statement; I loved it! 😀

Glad to hear you enjoyed it.  As for me, not so much.  As Bob Denver used to say frequently when he played Maynard G. Krebs on the Dobie Gillis TV show, "Moo." 

 

(Mater Of Opinion)

[Oceansaway17]

23 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Yes, this explanation makes more sense.  Royal is creating their own shows for their new ships rather than paying licensing fees.   If the quality is there, then that is fine.

However, for the most part, so far they have not dropped the current Broadway style shows on already existing ships unlike NCL.

Yes except Kinky Boots also closed on Broadway.  Sorry I did not get to see it 

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

(Mater Of Opinion)

Sorry for the typo - obviously should have been "Matter Of Opinion."

[Chocolate Teapot]

11 hours ago, Asawi said:

I have seen and like the both of those. They kind of have the same theme,  both being the names of  clubs, if I recall correctly. (Paradis being french for Paradise)

 I think I might have been part of the first batch of Star passengers to see Paradis and Band on the Run, since the performers had only just boarded the ship.

 

I thought both shows were good, but perhaps not something I would have chosen to see on dry land. The other nights there was a stand-up comedian, a couple of tribute singers and a pair of aerial artists, who were amazing.

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Yes except Kinky Boots also closed on Broadway.  Sorry I did not get to see it 

We did get to see Kinky Boots on Broadway and was worthwhile. I believe they also made it inot a movie.

[stinkyharriet]

12 hours ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

I'll miss Footloose! That was the best show that I've ever seen on a cruise ship, in my opinion. 🥹😢😭

I wasn’t a fan when I saw it on the Joy in 2022.  I was back on the Joy last month and finally saw Elements, which I missed in 2022.  Elements was fantastic!

[JShades]

Just got off the Breakaway and Syd Normans made the cruise. We went every night they played  and were happy to wait an hour for a good seat given the quality of the entertainment.  Burn the Floor started with one good number "reinventing ballroom dancing" and then did average ballroom dancing for 45 minutes; not my cup of tea, and not the headliner show they make it to be.  The Spiegel tent 80's Broadway show was sold out so no chance to give it a try. Deal or No deal and Wheel of Fortune are audience participation games, and focus on moneymakers for them rather than real entertainment. Check out other posts on what the prizes actually are.

Sorry didn't mean this to be a bad review, but in my opinion the entertainment fell far short of the other 9 cruises I've been on. I can't say enough good things about Syd Normans though.  We had a great cruise and were entertained - entirely due to this group of entertainers.