Norwegian Cruise Line is bringing shorter and sharper shows to its cruises in response to passenger demand.
Cruise line reps aboard the newest ship, Norwegian Aqua, say travellers want shows with less complex stories, songs they know and love and they have to be visually spectacular. Around an hour, Revolution: A Celebration of Prince, debuted on Aqua during its inaugural cruise from Lisbon to Southampton and the ship’s cruise director Marzena Slodyczka says it was about packing more into a shorter time.
The show in the Aqua Theater featured Prince’s biggest hits and high energy dancing with plenty of opportunity to get involved and dance alongside performers on the lowest level. Think more boogie and less Broadway. ‘’We are always the first one to try something new and try to make the entertainment very immersive when it comes to the guest experience; with Revolution we are literally making guests part of the show,’’ says Slodyczka. But if you’re not keen on hitting the dance floor there’s plenty of room to sit and watch in the theatre, a multi-function venue that can be fully transformed into a nightclub in 18 minutes. She says what passengers want most is choice, and Slodyczka and her staff start planning shows and attractions years out from inaugural voyages. The headline grabber aboard the new $2.27b ship is the Aqua Slide Coaster, a hybrid roller coaster and water slide where riders can slide around the ship’s funnel. It’s a good example of the multi-generational options on board.
. . . The Variety
The daily schedule for the cruise offers close to 40 different activities from painting classes to trivia quizzes and from the Prince show to line dance classes. Slodyczka says agents need to recognise which cruise companies offered most variety. When there were children travelling this was particularly important and NCL was a leader in keeping the kids active and happy, she added. Parents were also combining leisure and their jobs during ‘workations’ so Aqua has plenty of fully connected work space (and excellent wifi) on level seven of the atrium. You can work but still enjoy views of the ocean in a busy, buzzy space. Solo travel is growing and driving demand for a greater variety of rooms (more with balconies are being fitted throughout the NCL fleet) and also specially tailored activities where those alone can mix and mingle with fellow travellers. Born and raised in Zakopane, Poland, Slodyczka has a master’s degree in physical education and child behavioral rehabilitation and she represented the country in Biathlon which encompasses cross country skiing and shooting.
