cruise ship entertainment

[granni10]

Hello, can any recent carnival ship cruisers tell me which class of the carnival line may have the best entertainment in your opinion. Planning on a late November or early December cruise and enjoy good shows. Thanks so much for any input.

[kelkel2]

I don't know what you do in the evening for entertainment, but I would say I would go with a Dream Class ship. I think the Dream Class ships have the largest available options, specifically the Breeze because it has thrill theater, the comedy shows, the Movies under the stars, the production shows, so much more.

[love my grandkids]

Dream still has the old production style shows much better than the new playlist production shows.

 

All have comedy club, piano bar etc.

[k2excursion]

Most Carnival ships now have Playlist Productions. If you enjoy good shows, DO NOT sail on a ship with Playlist Productions. You would probably be more entertained watching TV than going to those shows. Breeze has those shows. Dream does not. Dream is easily the best Carnival ship for the production shows, 2 of the old production shows plus Dancing in the Streets. Splendor & Triumph have also been great ships for the shows. Magic still has the old shows, but I know that Magic & Splendor have drydocks coming up, so I'm worried that they'll lose the good shows then.

[ready2cruzagain]

Most Carnival ships now have Playlist Productions. If you enjoy good shows, DO NOT sail on a ship with Playlist Productions. You would probably be more entertained watching TV than going to those shows. Breeze has those shows. Dream does not. Dream is easily the best Carnival ship for the production shows, 2 of the old production shows plus Dancing in the Streets. Splendor & Triumph have also been great ships for the shows. Magic still has the old shows, but I know that Magic & Splendor have drydocks coming up, so I'm worried that they'll lose the good shows then.

I agree with you. The new Playlist Productions really IMHO are bad. Seen each one once and never again. Use to be able to watch the old show over and over.

 

Hate it that on the ships with 2.0 they use the Hasbro game show for main entertainment. Bad enough have to have it one night but on the Conquest last time, a 7 night cruise, Hasbro game show was the main entertainment on 2 different nights. I blame the CD for this.

[love my grandkids]

I agree with you. The new Playlist Productions really IMHO are bad. Seen each one once and never again. Use to be able to watch the old show over and over.

 

Hate it that on the ships with 2.0 they use the Hasbro game show for main entertainment. Bad enough have to have it one night but on the Conquest last time, a 7 night cruise, Hasbro game show was the main entertainment on 2 different nights. I blame the CD for this.

 

We were on the Conquest earlier this year and terrible to have Hasbro as entertainment on one night let alone two. Not exalt entertainment for anyone over say 10.

 

Would be enough to go on other ships instead.

[Crusin Hogs]

Dream Class has the best , The Dream ,The Magic , The Breeze

[SkyMaster]

I too, as a frequent cruiser, agree that "Dream" has excellent entertainment, and shows. They also have one of my favorite bands aboard. "BlackJack" band is outstanding, and you won't find nicer people who are more talented, and can entertain you for hours on end. GREAT entertainment!

 

"SKY"

[love my grandkids]

I too, as a frequent cruiser, agree that "Dream" has excellent entertainment, and shows. They also have one of my favorite bands aboard. "BlackJack" band is outstanding, and you won't find nicer people who are more talented, and can entertain you for hours on end. GREAT entertainment!

 

"SKY"

 

Wish they would move Dream back to Florida, easier for us to get too.

[SkyMaster]

Wish they would move Dream back to Florida, easier for us to get too.

 

ME TOO! I really hated when they moved "Dream" away from us. I normally don't like the bigger ships, but "Dream" was the exception to that rule. GREAT SHIP with FANTASTIC shows and entertainment!

 

"SKY"

[richfret]

Have to agree with most of these reviews that the Production Shows on the Breeze are not that good. If you want extremely loud music (to the point of silly) and then have flashing laser beams blinding you every 20 seconds, then you will enjoy the shows. The costumes are very bland. In the background will be large movie like TV screens showing dancers dancing to make up for the several dancers that have been removed from the set. The shows are similar and only the songs change.

 

In the 'Olden" days, the Production Shows were fantastic and the people would stand and applaud for several minutes. You knew they had a great time. Now they clamp for several seconds and head for the Casino. I know I am being ruthless but this message needs to be heard by Carnival. By the way, I do not blame the dancers and singers. They are really trying but the production cuts and automation are taking their toll. Bring back the theater the way it use to be with real dancers and real singers and real performers and shut off the large TV's.

 

I always wanted to be a Theater Critic!

[luv2trvlnow]

In the 'Olden" days, the Production Shows were fantastic and the people would stand and applaud for several minutes. You knew they had a great time. Now they clamp for several seconds and head for the Casino. I know I am being ruthless but this message needs to be heard by Carnival. By the way, I do not blame the dancers and singers. They are really trying but the production cuts and automation are taking their toll. Bring back the theater the way it use to be with real dancers and real singers and real performers and shut off the large TV's.

 

I always wanted to be a Theater Critic!

And bring back the live music in the theater. The Playlist Productions have prerecorded music - no band.

[love my grandkids]

ME TOO! I really hated when they moved "Dream" away from us. I normally don't like the bigger ships, but "Dream" was the exception to that rule. GREAT SHIP with FANTASTIC shows and entertainment!

 

"SKY"

 

Wonder how long it will be before the Dream gets the new shows.

 

We were on the Miracle just before it got playlist and quite a few members of entertaiment staff were not happy about it.

[ABQrobin]

Well, we happen to LOVE the Playlist Productions.

Yes, it is prerecorded background music, but it is higher tech and more "young", upbeat, and fun. We liked that. The older style shows are more like a Vegas show, with one male singer and one female singer who do every song, while the others onstage are just background dancers. The Playlist shows feature every one of the people on stage as singers and dancers, with solos and leads alternating according to style featured in the song.

[luv2trvlnow]

Well, we happen to LOVE the Playlist Productions.

Yes, it is prerecorded background music, but it is higher tech and more "young", upbeat, and fun. We liked that. The older style shows are more like a Vegas show, with one male singer and one female singer who do every song, while the others onstage are just background dancers. The Playlist shows feature every one of the people on stage as singers and dancers, with solos and leads alternating according to style featured in the song.

I wouldn't necessarily call it more "young", I have a younger son and he doesn't care for the Playlist Production shows but prefers the Production shows with the live music. I think it is a personal preference not always age related.

[ABQrobin]

I wouldn't necessarily call it more "young", I have a younger son and he doesn't care for the Playlist Production shows but prefers the Production shows with the live music. I think it is a personal preference not always age related.

 

by "young" I was referring to the more high tech, digital displays and moving screens with video on them.

[Towel Critter]

I have to agree with the majority here. The "Playlist" shows are far inferior to the older shows, which had real stage props, real music, and two good singers (I'd rather hear two good singers than six or eight average singers). I was usually genuinely entertained by the older shows. I can't say that for the new shows I've seen. I'm a big Carnival fan, but I'd be less than honest if I didn't say that entertainment, more so than anything else, has declined in the eleven years I've been cruising with Carnival. True, the new virtual shows can be changed more often, and no doubt more inexpensively, but personally, I'd rather watch the same good show two or three times in two years, or whatever the schedule used to be, than watch new, inferior quality shows, each time I cruise.

[simplelife]

We are just off the Victory (Destiny Class) and I thought the entertainment was good, plenty of options. The shows were traditional productions; these talented young singers and dancers worked very hard to produce a quality show. We went to several of the comedy shows in the Punchliner (both family and adult) and thoroughly enjoyed them all, ALL of the bands on the ship were good, particularly the Latin Band and the R&B band, and they played throughout the night mostly on the promenade/casino deck. We spent quite a bit of time in the piano bar with Roddy, who played a variety of tunes new and old. We did not do the karaoke, deck party, or movies on the pool deck - these sounded like fun, but we preferred other opttions. I hope the entertainment is as good on our next cruise, which will be on he Valor (Conquest class)

[vwrestler171]

I watched one show on the Breeze and liked it, never a big fan of the shows in general. To each their own though. My wife like playlist productions.

[DocF]

Since Carnival has gone to the comedy club thing, the rest of the entertainment has been downgraded consistently. The problem with this is that the comedians are. as a group really lousy. If they can't drop f bombs, they have no act. The Playlist productions also suffer from lack of talent in the performers. Only a very few of the current singers can sing and even fewer of the dancers can dance. Costumes come from Walmart.

 

These cuts are deep enough to keep me from booking with Carnival in the future.

 

Doc:(

[jimbo5544]

Most Carnival ships now have Playlist Productions. If you enjoy good shows, DO NOT sail on a ship with Playlist Productions. You would probably be more entertained watching TV than going to those shows. Breeze has those shows. Dream does not. Dream is easily the best Carnival ship for the production shows, 2 of the old production shows plus Dancing in the Streets. Splendor & Triumph have also been great ships for the shows. Magic still has the old shows, but I know that Magic & Splendor have drydocks coming up, so I'm worried that they'll lose the good shows then.

 

LOL, maybe over the top? :rolleyes:

[emmak8]

Entertainment has gone downhill. New shows are seriously needed.

[NCTribeFan]

I have absolutely NO problem with the current production (Playlist) shows. And I'm 62.

 

I don't want or need live music. IMO, the actual PERFORMERS are much better than they were about 5 years ago. In fact, I'd stopped going to the shows after about 4 cruises because I was tired of hearing off-key singing. But that has never stopped the masses from clamoring to have the live poolside bands back (and they were all so bad I thought my ears were going to bleed).

 

I only started going again when I saw Ticket to Ride and thought it was very good. I now try to see at least one show per sailing.

 

I rarely go to the comedy shows. My usual evening entertainment (I typically have late dinner) is a couple of hours in the casino.

 

No one can tell you which ship has The Best Anything. It's ALL personal preference and highly subjective. People's experiences and impressions will differ even when on the same sailing.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

Food, entertainment, shore excursions, and many other things are a matter of personal preference. I always find it entertaining when people ask for other's opinions on these things. It would be interesting to really find out what their opinions were when they finally experienced it for themselves. Then again, if they only ate or did things that more people gave good reviews to than bad reviews, how would they know about the things they didn't eat or go to. You either like something or you don't. Try everything and then only do the things you like. Remember, you cannot show someone a handful of good, or bad. Those words are adjectives only. They describe what you think about something. However, that does not make someones opinion right or wrong, just an opinion or assessment. I sure don't chose what to do by other peoples opinions.

[jcearth]

I don't think you can make a bad choice as far as the overall entertainment on the ship goes. Carnival (and most cruise line for that matter) has moved away from the traditional dinner and a show concept for each night. They have shortened the length of the shows, but have added in a lot of other areas. On most of my recent cruises, I have caught only one show in the theater, which is enough for me. We are going on the Breeze next month, and I will try to see 88 Keys.

 

Carnival has invested a lot into their Punchliner comedy brand. On a typical week long sailing, there may be as many as 4 comedians doing up to 20 shows. Some have complained that the shows are tough to get a seat at, and you must line up early. My personal tip is to catch the "family friendly" PG rated shows. They are not as usually well-attended, and do not contain the language that many find offensive.

 

In addition, the piano bar is a great place to spend some time, if you like to sing along to your favorites. There will also be a party band, guitar soloists, and latin duo or trio on most ships playing in different venues. Karaoke is offered most nights. There will be 2 deck parties on a week long cruise, as well as movies on the big screen every night (Fantasy class ships do not have the big screens). You can also try your luck in the casino.