Cruise line with best entertainment?

[VoodooDali]

I've only cruised with NCL. I really like NCL and have cruised with them multiple times. The free-style thing appeals to me a lot. But, I'm getting a little tired of the same restaurants on every ship, and the same itineraries. It's time for a change.

 

I don't think I could stand to watch the Jean Ann Ryan dancers again. The dancers try hard, but Jean Ann's show ideas and choreography just sucks. It reminds me of Red White & Blaine (Waiting for Guffman). Maybe it would impress someone who had never seen that kind of show before, but it certainly doesn't deserve to serve the NYC area where people are much more theater savvy.

 

I also find the cruise directors to be really corny, just painful to watch. Some people love them, I don't.

Never really got to catch a comedian on a ship, so I don't have much to say there, but I've heard good things usually.

Best entertainment I had was a piano player at the piano bar, and that was not just because of him, but the fact that a NYC cabaret performer happened to be cruising and often volunteered to sing.

 

 

SO---

Which cruise line in your opinion has the best "vegas" style show?

The best lounge show (piano bar/cabaret/jazz band, etc)?

Or best other entertainment (comedians, etc)?

Lectures that go beyond cooking/floral arrangement/ice carving demo's would be interesting to me as well.

 

Are there any cruise lines that meet the above? Or am I dreaming the impossible dream? :)

 

Thanks!

[Ski_Bum]

Probably not Royal Carribean - my wife and I were recently on Rhapsody of the Seas

 

The majority of the shows were geared to a much older audience - my wife and I are in our 20's.

 

The shows reminded me of a High School Talent show, but with more Jerry Lewis (telthon guy?) thrown in. The illusionist seemed to have purchased his 'illusions" recently at a magic shop; wow, he was pathetic.

 

However, there was an excellent lounge singer. An Asian Shania Twain:)

 

This was our first cruise, so we don't have a lot to compare it to. Regardless, these shows aren't Broadway, or even off-Broadway quality.

[melika091900]

we have always enjoyed the entertainment on celebrity and carnival.

the big plus on carnival was the midnight R rated comedy shows.. whoo hooo i cant wait,,

 

 

 

in my opinion most of the lines are the same kind of shows, we enjoyed celebrity more , as far as the dancers .. and then carnival;

[eandj]

It's tough to make everyone happy on ANY ship. Their job is to find a middle of the road type entertainment. When we cruise we don't count on being entertained every night. We pick and choose what we want to see/hear or do. On one of our cruises there was a very good pianist. I enjoyed it for about 15 min and then got bored. Others were giving standing ovations after almost every piece and begged for more. Another night there was a comedian that we found hysterical. But because there was references to current culture and a couple "suggestive" jokes, some people said they didn't get his jokes.

SO.....how can we tell you what is the BEST? My best might be a total disaster to you. Just pick and choose what you want to go to and sit in the back row so you can walk out if you don't like something.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Hubby and I have been very impressed with the ice skating shows on Royal Caribbean. I also think the colorful parades they have on the Prominade of Royal Caribbean Voyager and Freedom Class ships are really cool.

 

Royal Caribbean's Flow Rider wouldn't be considered as traditional entertainment, but I think it is great fun to sit on the bleachers and watch person after person taking tumbles in the Flow Rider. That is entertainment for me.

 

The Las Vegas stage shows on Freedom Class ships are awesome because the stage is so large and it is set up with very special lighting effect and sets. I don't see how any other cruiseship can compete with RCI's stage shows on Freedom Class ships, at least until they build ships as big as Freedom Class.

[martinimadam]

Which cruise line in your opinion has the best "vegas" style show? Crystal, though they don't change the shows too frequently.

The best lounge show (piano bar/cabaret/jazz band, etc)? Crystal has wonderful piano bars and also a lovely dance orchestra.

Or best other entertainment (comedians, etc)? Don't know about this one.

Lectures that go beyond cooking/floral arrangement/ice carving demo's would be interesting to me as well. Crystal is the answer here. World renowned lecturers. At least two a day on sea days.

 

Are there any cruise lines that meet the above? Or am I dreaming the impossible dream? :) I think you know my answer!

[lawyerrose]

I've traveled on Costa, Carnival, RCCL, NCL, HAL, and Princess. So far, I've been most impressed with Princess. Just my personal opinion. Worst, sorry to say b/c I really like their line, was HAL.

[isujim]

I guess by now you realize you will get 100 different subjective answers:rolleyes: So let me throw mine in.........have sailed RC, Celebrity and princess.

 

RC is the best IMO........but slipping.........and I mean that as a constructive criticism........still very good but not like it used to be.

[cruzeluver]

To the OP, I know what you mean. Unfortunately, IMO NCL's entertainment has been the best, with RCCL a close second and Canival a distant third.

[MonaCK]

I do like how RCCL has headline entertainment that is actually folks you recognize. I can remember once dancing with Mary Wilson from the Supremes, and one year we had The Platters.

[kitty9]

I concur about Crystal. They by far have the best entertainment of any line I've been on, and I've been on all of them. They not only have wonderful original shows, but they bring on some of the best in guest entertainers that I've ever seen. While their guest entertainers tend towards more classical and Broadway, they also bring on some great comedians. Their guest lecturers are fantastic. I've seen ambassadors, famous news reporters, authors, TV and movie producers, athletes and musicians. Crystal also has their Creative Learning Institute where you can learn to play piano, bridge, take computer lessons, speak a foreign language, and cook. They also offer wine tastings that are taught by some well known wine professionals. Plus, unlike most cruise lines, all those classes, including the wine tastings, are free.

[Sandytoes]

Princess - dancing, singing, variety of production shows are quite entertaining. They really work their butt off.

 

RC - Worst - sing off key...:rolleyes: Costumes just ok. Music nothing to write home about. Basic!

[RMVET]

We like to sail Cunard for the level of entertainment and the speakers and educational programs. For example, the last trip we took we got to see the Planetarium at sea, which was breathtaking, fantastic dancers/singers, took a course on astromony from a professor from Oxford University, heard several good authors speak about their books, heard great lounge singers in an English pub setting, terrific jazz, and a stage performance by actors from the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts (a comedy). On another voyage, one speaker was Princess Diana's former butler, the editor of People Magazine, and John Cleese (From a Fish Called Wanda). Uma Thurman must have agreed because I saw her walking through the cafeteria carrying her lunch tray!