Queen of the Night

Just found this on Bloomberg News. The article is called “ Entertainment on Cruise Ships is Finally Earning Respect - and Serious Cash” and is pretty interesting.

...When the 2,908-passenger Celebrity Edge is launched next year, it will feature an interactive spectacle created with producers of off-Broadway's experiential Queen of the Night dinner theater. The restaurant where it will be performed nightly has been designed to evoke the Garden of Eden, and when diners enter, actors called “Edenists” will whisper mysterious, scene-setting phrases into their ears before vocalists, acrobats, and dancers take the stage.

As ever-bigger cruise ships mean that a more diverse crowd is lining up to be entertained, the world of cruise-ship performing arts is evolving. Turns out entertainment can be a key factor when it comes to acquiring and retaining customers among the competitive cruise-line set—and people love to be surprised. In the expanding industry, executives are also betting passengers will even be willing to pay for premium shows, like the Eden event, unlocking a potential new revenue stream...

...And then there’s Edge, which hopes to push the boundaries further when it is launched in December 2018. With interactive elements reminiscent of the immersive theater phenomenon Sleep No More, the show will be different each time guests go. That’s an industry first, according to Becky Thomson-Foley, Celebrity's associate vice president of entertainment. People might go several times during a trip...

We are booked on EDGE and looking forward to a new ship.( esp at our booking price) .BUT we will certainly be skipping this venue! There will no doubt be other areas to enjoy , esp for the " non cutting Edge" guests like us...and hope they are revealed soon.

Celeb previousy made several tries at interactive events with entertainers..Among the worst were the wierd characters in the "rag and bed decorated" nightclub upstairs on Summit yrs ago. The characters approached folks to engage,,.it was downright CREEPY!

Memory is hazy in this but I recall they had a similar concept elsewhere a few yrs later, it was a costly event, not popular, so became free..,then no more!

Hopefully many guests will like the new stuff, freeing up more space at other venues,

I was not familar with the " Sleep No More" reference so I googled and looked up a review,,,,,.here's a link

http://www.vulture.com/2011/04/theater_review_the_freakily_im.html

Hope X comes up with something better!

Both look horrid! :eek: DH and I would certainly not pay for either type show.

PS - I don't like it when someone whispers in my ear...especially a stranger! Lol

That sounds

a) Creepy

b) Far more interesting than the crap that currently passes for entertainment on most cruise ships

Could be horrible, could be fantastic. I'll reserve my judgement.

.... executives are also betting passengers will even be willing to pay for premium shows, like the Eden event, unlocking a potential new revenue stream...

Yep, further deterioration of the cruise experience. First it was extra fare specialty restaurants, then exclusive areas for extra fare suite guests, and now extra fare shows. What next - free rides to shore on the tender, but extra fare for the return? Extra fare for two room cleanings per day? Extra fare for use of the fitness equipment. Extra fare for more than one piece of luggage per person? Extra fare for towels at the pool?

Every time I read what new feature the "executives" are dreaming up, I feel my wallet shrink in fear.

....People might go several times during a trip...

Or not - because of the ever increasing nickle and diming that Celebrity seems to be doing these days.

Okay, this is just, plain creepy! So, yet another "venue" we won't be utilizing. Might walk thru when we board but that might be about it. I am now convinced that this cruise and our Silhouette right after will be our last Celebrity experience after sailing with them since 1992. Still going to give it a chance but this is just going way too far. So many complained loudly about the Cirque experience on the M class ships. What the heck do they think this is going to do with strangers walking around possibly interrupting conversations? Too much intrusion. If I want this I will sail RCI or other ships with more open entertainment. So, LLP, wake up before it's too late. The millenials won't have your back in a few years. Life catches up with the free spending ideology. You might just miss us "loyal oldies" in the end.

Yep, further deterioration of the cruise experience. First it was extra fare specialty restaurants, then exclusive areas for extra fare suite guests, and now extra fare shows. What next - free rides to shore on the tender, but extra fare for the return? Extra fare for two room cleanings per day? Extra fare for use of the fitness equipment. Extra fare for more than one piece of luggage per person? Extra fare for towels at the pool?

 

Every time I read what new feature the "executives" are dreaming up, I feel my wallet shrink in fear.

 

 

 

Or not - because of the ever increasing nickle and diming that Celebrity seems to be doing these days.

Eden will be a specialty restaurant at night for an extra fee like every other specialty restaurant. That's what you will pay for - not the added interactive entertainment. It is meant to be a new experience. Nickel and Dime-ing would be the case where they charge for something already offered previously for free.

I think the creepy stuff will be confined to paying guests of the Eden restaurant... something like a late night XXX show.

Curious how many land based people who enjoy that out there stuff also enjoy cruising. If it flops like past effiorts along similar lines it might revert to a more healthy Eden restaurant...think salad and apples!

The Eden atrium space itself may be be a nice indoor park like setting...for coffee, reading and the like...time will tell the story.

Eden will be a specialty restaurant at night for an extra fee like every other specialty restaurant. That's what you will pay for - not the added interactive entertainment. It is meant to be a new experience. Nickel and Dime-ing would be the case where they charge for something already offered previously for free.

The press release says there will be a cost for the "premium entertainment", not for the restaurant. My take on that description is that while there may be the usual additional cost to dine in the specialty restaurant, the cost will be even higher if the entertainment is happening at the same time. I do not get the feeling that the entertainment will be for free, especially since it states that they are hoping that people will be willing to pay for premium shows.

Having to pay for entertainment on a cruise is indeed "nickle and diming", and not what I am interested in.

It was not a Celebrity press release. Just an article in an online news piece. Celebrity has not officially released anything more on Eden. Lets just wait and see.

Yep, further deterioration of the cruise experience. First it was extra fare specialty restaurants, then exclusive areas for extra fare suite guests, and now extra fare shows. What next - free rides to shore on the tender, but extra fare for the return? Extra fare for two room cleanings per day? Extra fare for use of the fitness equipment. Extra fare for more than one piece of luggage per person? Extra fare for towels at the pool?

 

Every time I read what new feature the "executives" are dreaming up, I feel my wallet shrink in fear.

 

 

 

Or not - because of the ever increasing nickle and diming that Celebrity seems to be doing these days.

There is a very simple solution to this: you can choose to not cruise Celebrity. The truth is, the cruise industry is changing. I've been cruising for over 30 years and seen many fads come and go. Things change, when they change to much for you,stop going and find another cruise line. The celebrity execs moved your cheese, go find new cheese.

New direction is definitely cheesy...

There is a very simple solution to this: you can choose to not cruise Celebrity. The truth is, the cruise industry is changing. I've been cruising for over 30 years and seen many fads come and go. Things change, when they change to much for you,stop going and find another cruise line. The celebrity execs moved your cheese, go find new cheese.

Thank you!

I am booked on the Edge for Feb 2019 and am excited about it. Will I do everything? Probably not. But I'm excited about being able to have the chance to experience it - AND especially that there are solo balcony cabins rather than sticking solos in the coffins another line has.

BUT most of the time when I come here - other than the pictures thread, and even that one gets iffy sometimes - I feel stupider and stupider for being excited because of all the pooh-poohing going on. No one is making you cruise - or cruise on the Edge. If you don't like it, move your money elsewhere. There are plenty of options out there!

That sounds

 

a) Creepy

b) Far more interesting than the crap that currently passes for entertainment on most cruise ships

 

Could be horrible, could be fantastic. I'll reserve my judgement.

Too right! I’m with you. I’ll reserve judgment until I have a chance to experience it for myself on the Edge TA. And if I don’t like it, I’ve certainly no objection to others enjoying either the venue or the concept. I’m certain I would be able to find other venues to enjoy instead.