Bar at The Edge of the Earth

To Constellation passengers from December onward:

Soooooooo, how did everyone like the Cirque du Soleil "experience"? I am very familar with C de S and the promo info on this show, and was not expecting acrobats, etc -- just Cirque-style "atmosphere" and characters. That would make me a strong candidate to appreciate the show, right? Sadly, I found myself like most other patrons in the room holding my breath in the hope that the guy wearing the lit-up lampshade would not stop at my table... Of the five characters, only the round one with the green bauble lights and the lid-type hat was entertaining. ("Experience" or not, this is supposed to be entertainment, right?) Also, thank goodness the room's designers saw fit to install lights UNDER the table-tops, so I could actually read the drink menu!

Hi Lowkey:) when did you sail?

Most of us from the December sailings have given their opinions......I would say the majority of folks did not find it fun...or enlightening or enjoyable.....yes, there were a few people who were happy with it......I cannot recall everyone who replied but I remember seeing some folks who did like it.

I think we need to find out from cruisers now...for example from February on....what they have done now on the ship.......and if the % of folks are enjoying it more now........

Good post though...maybe we will get some replies from folks coming back home soon.

We were on the Constellation on 12-4-04. First week of Cirque du Soleil. Too bad Celebrity is in a long term contract with Cirque. Not sure it works on a ship.We will return on 12-10-05 and wondering if Cirque will still be around.

To Constellation passengers from December onward:

 

Soooooooo, how did everyone like the Cirque du Soleil "experience"? I am very familar with C de S and the promo info on this show, and was not expecting acrobats, etc -- just Cirque-style "atmosphere" and characters. That would make me a strong candidate to appreciate the show, right? Sadly, I found myself like most other patrons in the room holding my breath in the hope that the guy wearing the lit-up lampshade would not stop at my table... Of the five characters, only the round one with the green bauble lights and the lid-type hat was entertaining. ("Experience" or not, this is supposed to be entertainment, right?) Also, thank goodness the room's designers saw fit to install lights UNDER the table-tops, so I could actually read the drink menu!

Feb 5-12; the Masquerade Ball is now "White Night" (Sunday) and the admission fee is you have to wear a mask ($30 cover charge is gone). By Thursday night (the final night of the Cirque "act") when I poked my head in around 11 pm, I counted perhaps 20 patrons. They held focus groups re the Cirque event on our cruise, my wife was invited to attend one of them, and the highlight of the session was the fellow who declared: "It's a mess. You have to fix it!" Our feeliong is this type of entertainment and bar decor might work in a fancy bar in New York or San Francisco, but not on a cruise ship.

Lowkey...Oh...I didn't realize you just returned home! I hope other than that, you had a great time...she is a beautiful ship:)

Fabulous. OK, so it was our first cruise, so we have no point of comparison. But we have travelled extensively and done the resort thing many times as well, and this ship is as classy a venue as we've seen. To us it was the subtle stuff like the signage (esp the Martini Bar) and the lack of neon (which I hear is a staple on many lesser vessels). Servivce was excellent, although by Frday it was getting a little too intense, with the gratuity deadline looming. But I really don't mean to be cynical, the ship's crew/staff are a fine bunch, very well trained, from diverse global backgrouns -- and most important they seemed to be extremely nice, cheerful individuals.

Fabulous. OK, so it was our first cruise, so we have no point of comparison.

Glad to hear that, overall, it met or exceeded your expectations.

Our feeliong is this type of entertainment and bar decor might work in a fancy bar in New York or San Francisco, but not on a cruise ship.

It is amazing that CdS hasn't gone out of their way to entertain. It's what they normally do, and do very well indeed. One wonders whether someone at Celebrity or CdS has been left in charge of determining what kind of "show" (and yes, I use the word loosely) / content is to be put on every night.

If the ship's guests aren't being amused by the single strain of humor that is normally part of every CdS show, we know right away that an easy element to produce has been neglected. CdS audiences begin to relate to the "clown" in a CdS performance as a character who will repeatedly appear, trying to solve the same silly dilemma or dealing with the same silly circumstances. It's interesting -- that's the one character in the typical CdS show whose motives are clear enough such that the audience can relate to the character. I wonder if they realize the importance of this facet of their regular show productions and what it might bring to a more intimate environment?

There's no reason that this same concept, even perhaps amplified, couldn't be carried through not just the course of an evening, but over a series of nights on a voyage. One could actually expect an audience to look forward to the poor soul making some progress each night, bringing that audience back for the next installment of the series. On the last night of the cruise, the best impression would be left by some heroic resolution. And then we shoot the first person that blows the ending here on the message boards!

The lead vocals in a CdS performance, even those in complete jibberish, are often quite good. Yet I've heard nothing in the reports to date that indicate that these are being used either to create an atmosphere or to entertain. Why not? It's a unique style.

There are a great many aspects of what makes CdS what is is that really could be replicated in the 10 Forward environment. The possibilities are endless. Wonder if I'll be invited to join one of their 'focus groups'?

While reading Lowkey's comments it seems X has not been listening to there guests. The show/experience seems to be the same thing we saw on the 12/4 sailing. Nothing has changed and people are leaving there scratching there heads wondering if they missed something. Has anyone figured out why you need the mask. We are on the 4/11 Summit and we will not waste one night sitting through that unexplained so called experience again. Wake up Celebrity and end this bad experiment.

Canderson, your concept makes sense to me.......you are sort of telling a story.....how the idea could be worked out........but...they are choosing NOT to do it that way.

Duke.......I am back on the Constellation in December......unless something is greatly improved ove this year I won't be attending it again either. Unless I just pop in to take a peek......but I won't be spending 30.00 on a mask.

Lois R We had a aft cabin booked on 12/10 but canceled it after we heard about the trouble this past Dec. Will be sailing on 12/4 on the Star Princess instead.

We leave on Summit on March 11th. From what I've read on these boards some changes have already been made since the December sailings. But not enough to have me attend. I'm not spending any money on a mask, etc. I would be curious to know where this is going with Celebrity. It seems they totally misjudged what their customers would like and that isn't like Celebrity.

My parents were on the constellation end of Jan beginning of Feb and they went prepared to dislike the CdS. They said it was PACKED at the white ball and that they found it "interesting". They are rather conservative people - and they said that the characters were interacting with people. They mentioned something about dancers, a lantern lighter who was making people laugh. Overall they were surprised by it. They are NOT CdS people - they saw O in Vegas and didn't really care for it (if this helps). When they left there were quite a number of people there - in fact they mentioned being afraid to get up to dance as they might lose their seats.

They said you MUST have a mask to enter BUT that MANY people had MADE their own mask out of paper and were allowed in with that. Also that the dance floor was completely packed while that night.

They were not crazy about how they decorated the "bar at the end of the earth though" they are elite CC btw.

Re:

"The lead vocals in a CdS performance, even those in complete jibberish, are often quite good. Yet I've heard nothing in the reports to date that indicate that these are being used either to create an atmosphere or to entertain."

I should clarify that there was the trademark jibberish, and people did laugh from time to time. The issue here is that many people think of C de S as ONLY being about acrobatics and simply "don't get " the rest of it.

Also, although we did not attend White Night (ex-Masquerade Ball), it appears that event was somewhat different from the subsequent nights. Another point worth raising is that, even if the show did prove more popular, there is other stuff to do. The night we were there, the competition was a Caribbean theme dance party and buffet in the pool area. And it's hard to beat a late-evening mojito at the aft-deck bar under the stars...

What do these masks look like? Are they white? How much do they cost?

I'll be traveling on the Summit in April and I'm really curious about CdS.

Thank you.

We didn't buy them and didn't go. They are around $20 each, sold at the CdeC boutique in the shopping area on board. We watched one very creative woman spend hoius making masks for she and her husband on the deck of the Seaside Cafe bar. Materials appeared to be miscelleous magazine pages pasted onto the Celebrity wooden swizel sticks that come with drinks on board. The $20 seems more palatable. Or just skip the White Night and attend without a mask on a later night.

Hi, I went into the Boutique to check out the masks too....they seemed to range in price from 20.00 all the way to the extravagent.....in the low 100.00's....

Some were painted.....with feathers.....just depends on the price range as to how ornate the mask is........I don't remember seeing a "just white mask"....but I didn't look really closely......I didn't plan on buying one.

The closest thing I can tell you, "Think Mardi Gras"...those type of masks.

Thank you for your replys.

You can buy a feathered mask in New Orleans or at any local party store for a few dollars...My question is :while this freak show is taking place is there another spot where the party band plays for those who just like rock & roll or oldies to dance to...? We enjoyed Summit & Constellation in '04 --pre Cirque but will be back soon--hope it resolves That's the only evening lounge other than Michaels & the same act plays there every night/no dancing....Wonder who thought up this great idea???

the masks are like the papier mache masks you see in venice or something. the mask i got in new orleans was made of cardboard paper and was decorated with sparkles and feathers. it was kind of cheap...these masks are hard and white with painted features. they are kind of cool and a cute souvenier, sort of wish i had gotten one. i managed to get into the bar without buying one. my cruise there was a girl at the door of the bar with a white face crayon and she "painted a mask" onto my friend and me before we were allowed into the ball...

Thank you for more information.

I was thinking of making an hand held mask. What do you think?

I figure it could serve the purpose of having a mask and be inexpensive.

Thanks.

Feb 5-12; the Masquerade Ball is now "White Night" (Sunday) and the admission fee is you have to wear a mask ($30 cover charge is gone). By Thursday night (the final night of the Cirque "act") when I poked my head in around 11 pm, I counted perhaps 20 patrons. They held focus groups re the Cirque event on our cruise, my wife was invited to attend one of them, and the highlight of the session was the fellow who declared: "It's a mess. You have to fix it!" Our feeliong is this type of entertainment and bar decor might work in a fancy bar in New York or San Francisco, but not on a cruise ship.

No longer charging the $30 fee?? What about those like me that have paid in advance (Summit 6/24/05)? Should I request a refund (if they would even give me one). After reading the posts of those that have already attended, I could probably "take it or leave it" as a evening of entertainment. I'd be satisified with just getting my money back, and take my chances on missing it. Any suggestions??

Based on some of these messages I was browseing through the net for masks. Don't see much below $20, and most is much more.

Hi:) you can get a refund. If you want to do it ahead of time, go ahead. If you want to think about and wait till you board, they will still refund you.

They actually credited my account (I was on the 12-11-04 cruise).

From what I have been reading, they are no longer charging but instead, want people to buy a mask.

You asked for suggestions, tell them to credit the 30.00 back.

Great marketing--don't charge for the event but sell the mask...so what is the show or call like--is there any entertinment or just a parade of the figures...is there live music or is it pre-recorded?