This is the last planned post of the USA and Canada trip 2024, but a few people have asked what the shows were and what they were like, for the entertainment aspect on the Royal Caribbean cruise. Each day there was an entire programme of entertainment and in the evening, it was similar. Most evenings, there was a pub quiz in the British pub, a main show in the stage area, a secondary show on called Spectre's Cabaret and then a live band on in the Ballroom area. I did the main show and the live band most nights, going to Spectre's Cabaret just the once.
The first show produced by the cruise team was a strange one. Whilst the actual show had great acts, fantastic singing, incredible stage production and entertaining dance sequences, the actual storyline was a unique and confusing one. The first time I watched it was terrible, the second time I started to understand it a little more, but still, it wasn't the best writing. It told the story of a man who had 2 children and had sadly lost his wife. He ends up dreaming that she's back alive but that's as far as I could follow. Where the dragon came in, I have no idea. It was meant to be a fairytale because it also had a red apple, evil witch and dwarves.
Some of the acts were supported by the orchestra band. The first was a comedian. I hadn't heard of him before but he was quite funny. I went to the "family" show which still had some adult humour but I think it would have been better had I have gone to the later one.
The next act was another entertainer. He was best known for his juggling skills, but he was also a comedian and I actually found him quite funny, albeit he knew he was funny and therefore he was quite cocky. His juggling skills were impressive, but he also through in some other circus tricks as well.
The first act I really didn't like was yet another entertainer who was a singer, guitarist and comedian. Whilst I did appreciate his skill and persona, he wasn't my sort of entertainment as he was very much an old school, older music type. I didn't know the majority of the songs.
Luckily, that same night was my booking for Spectra's Cabaret. This was a much more younger person type show and it was great. It was fun, energetic and exciting. They had live music, singers, dancers and digital inclusions as well. Whilst it was amazing, it was also very busy and chaotic at times. There was so much going on, in so many different areas around the theatre, it was difficult to be able to watch it all and take it in. I wish I had been able to go again to watch different parts. Also, I do think the singings was a little poor at times, however I appreciate the songs were really difficult to sing, so having to do that twice a day every day, must be hard.
Another entertainer, again a comedian, but more predominantly, an impressionist. He was very clever and actually really impressive as an impressionist. There were times they were really fast paced and cleverly put together, but then others that were so long winded it became quite boring. There were also sections that sadly I couldn't enjoy as I didn't recognise them, with the acts being very much based on shows and characters in America.
I think I've already briefly spoken about the Hawaiian show and expressed my disappointment. The show was the cultural Hawaiian show and the cruise had organised for an external group of locals to come in and do the entertainment which sounded amazing. I was so excited and so happy when I got a front row seat! The show was interesting to say the least but so incredibly unrehearsed, poorly executed and severely lacking. They were lovely people but it felt like a show I could have done myself. There was a leader of the group who would interrupt, correct and give constructive criticism to the other performers throughout the show which was just quite odd. It was a nice story, especially as they were all family, from grandma to great grand daughter, but it should have been so much better, especially being in Hawaii.
The one show I was most excited for was the Nashville Tenors, a country acoustic band. I thought this sounded like right up my alley, being a huge fan of both country music and acoustic music. Unfortunately, I was again disappointed. One of the singers in the trio had a very high voice which just didn't suit my ears, and the other over sang every single word completely unnecessarily. He was very talented but it just ruined the music. The third I really liked (the guy playing the guitar), but his lead songs were quite depressing and he was very quiet, so the others in the trio often drained him out, so I would have loved to have hear more from him.
The final show of the cruise, was the second produced by the actual crew and it was incredible. Whether it was because of the previous shows being a little lacklustre and therefore my expectations being low, or the fact that it really was incredible, this show blew me away! It was a burlesque like show, with lots of individual songs and dances. It features a huge cast of show stopping individuals, amazing production and beautiful voices. The sequences varied from upbeat, to sexy, to slow acoustics. I loved the variety, with each being clean and polished. If it hadn't have been the last night, where I needed to pack, I would have loved to have seen this show again at the later showing.
Overall, I was quite disappointed in the evening entertainment. I had expected it to be of the same calibre I had come to expect at other all inclusive hotels and resorts but that defintely wasn't the case. The shows were mediocre at best, often lacking execution and delivery.
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