CRUISES are filled with indulgent food and drinks, top-notch service, and an endless list of engaging activities.
But one element of cruising should never be overlooked when booking your trip: the world-class entertainment.
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Cruise ship entertainers hail from around the world, as most crew members do, to provide an array of musical offerings for guests.
A ship’s theater and lounges become home to highly trained and specialized performers – many of whom endure a rigorous audition process to land a role in a show or as an entertainer.
In fact, many Broadway performers either got their start on ships or work on cruises later in their careers.
For many, it’s a lucrative way to hone a craft while traveling the world and gaining life experience.
Personally, my ship contracts gave me a zest for adventure that fully changed my life.
As a singer and dancer, I spent my days exploring new parts of the world, and my nights taking on the responsibility of delivering a top-notch performance to bring joy to guests.
On top of that, I refined my customer service abilities, picked up several new hobbies and skills, and made lifelong friends from around the world – all while sharing my love of music and performance.
From piano players to the deck bands to the lounge singers and beyond – not to mention the technical crews running the behind-the-scenes action to ensure smooth performances – passengers are treated to first-rate entertainment whether they realize it or not.
So it’s important when booking your cruise holiday to investigate all of the shows and performers on offer and make sure they’re right for your preferences.
With the right choices, you could be watching top-quality shows that would cost hundreds on dry land.
BROADWAY-STYLE MUSICALS
Depending on a ship’s capacity and clientele, some guests will be delighted to discover that their ship features Broadway-style musicals.
Royal Caribbean and Disney are among the individual cruise lines that produce these types of shows for guests.
Some of the big musicals that have been featured on various Royal Caribbean ships over the years include “Grease,” “Cats,” and “Saturday Night Fever.”
Disney is known to adapt its biggest animated films into stage musicals, including “Aladdin” and “Frozen,” both of which are currently featured on ships across the fleet.
These bigger productions might seem geared toward kids, but promise to entertain the entire family.
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ENTERTAINERS
In addition to the larger theaters, many ships have several quieter bars and lounges.
Before and after dinner, these lounges tend to be musical hotspots, with individual musicians entertaining the crowds on piano, guitar, and/or vocals.
Some ships even have duos and trios to provide soothing melodies throughout the voyage.
Deck parties are another event where an individual or band might appear to help set the mood or pump up the atmosphere.
In all these instances, guests are being treated to world-class performances that they might not see elsewhere – or may not have been exposed to back home.
BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND
On my recent cruise, the ship’s entertainment had a prominent Beatles theme.
One of the lounges was called the Cavern Club, and many of the individual entertainers sang The Beatles tunes during their sets.
Among the big featured entertainers was a group called the Epic Beatles.
The tribute band performed nearly every night of the cruise in full costume (wigs included) and with harmonies nailed down perfectly.
Each show was centered around a different Beatles album, allowing guests to relive certain eras of the band’s glory.
One night, they performed an Abbey Road show and had audience members singing along.
This particular ship also had a dueling pianos bar that was packed from open until close.
Three musicians would rotate on piano and vocals, even adding in harmonies and layering on drums and guitar for some songs.
The crowd was fully engaged and hanging on every note – a prime example of the power of music and the caliber of the entertainers that await on your next cruise.
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