Encore: Ncl replacing canceled production show with game show

[graphicguy]

42 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Can't speak for NCL but on Cunard they cost millions of dollars to put a show on which is way they last for years.

Same for NCL.  If you do a b behind the scenes tour, you'll see the elaborate costuming and sets.  The only one that didn't have an elaborate set and costumes was Blue Man Group.

 

Rock of Ages was a show I think ran the longest, or maybe Burn the Floor.  Burn the Floor is still playing.  I've seen it 3 times and have enjoyed it every time.

 

Six?  I can take or leave.  Not my Fave.  Neither was Priscilla nor Kinky Boots.  I understand why they were not renewed.

 

Getting ready to see Donna on the Prima.  Never seen the game shows, so have heard some good things about them.  Will try to get into one of them.

 

My faves are the shows in Syd Norman's though.  As good as anything I've seen on any cruise ship.  They're just a whole lot of fun.

[ace2542]

12 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Same for NCL.  If you do a b behind the scenes tour, you'll see the elaborate costuming and sets.  The only one that didn't have an elaborate set and costumes was Blue Man Group.

 

Rock of Ages was a show I think ran the longest, or maybe Burn the Floor.  Burn the Floor is still playing.  I've seen it 3 times and have enjoyed it every time.

 

Six?  I can take or leave.  Not my Fave.  Neither was Priscilla nor Kinky Boots.  I understand why they were not renewed.

 

Getting ready to see Donna on the Prima.  Never seen the game shows, so have heard some good things about them.  Will try to get into one of them.

 

My faves are the shows in Syd Norman's though.  As good as anything I've seen on any cruise ship.  They're just a whole lot of fun.

I have just booked on the bliss westbound T/A for next feb. I noticed as you are all saying 6 has been replaced by game show. I am dissapointed. I suppose it also means they get to employ less people as well. Bad that.

[JamieLogical]

On 1/21/2024 at 11:46 AM, Asawi said:

Maybe I should add that I'm talking about the younger segment of millenials, under 30's in my above post. 

 

Not many millennials under 30 these days... the last birth year for "millennials" was 1996.

[graphicguy]

12 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

I have just booked on the bliss westbound T/A for next feb. I noticed as you are all saying 6 has been replaced by game show. I am dissapointed. I suppose it also means they get to employ less people as well. Bad that.

Mentioned before, was only able to sit through Six with a steady supply of cocktails during the show.  

[ace2542]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Mentioned before, was only able to sit through Six with a steady supply of cocktails during the show.  

The one on the bliss was ok wouldn't go mad for it but it is dissapointing there is only one show jersey boys for me. Although I suppose they could put another one between now and feb 25 I can but hope.

[cruiseny4life]

8 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Not many millennials under 30 these days... the last birth year for "millennials" was 1996.

My husband reminds me often that he's still a Millennial under 30 when I have my breakdowns. He's at the young end of our generation and I'm at the uhhh...older end. Dang under 30's! 

[graphicguy]

36 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Not many millennials under 30 these days... the last birth year for "millennials" was 1996.

Hey Jamie...how are you?  We've missed you!

[JamieLogical]

24 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Hey Jamie...how are you?  We've missed you!

 

I'm a full-time MSC cruiser at the moment, so have been hanging out on those boards. Sailing on the Divina in 17 days!

[complawyer]

i thought "SIX" was amazing!  Saw it on the bliss in 2022.

it played again in los angeles, and we saw it again. got tickets for my grandson (24) and his girlfriend, and they both loved it.

 

give the girls their proper props. non-stop energy. great music, what more could anyone ask for/

 

once again, "to each his own" i guess

[G-DawgMN]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Six?  I can take or leave.  Not my Fave.  Neither was Priscilla nor Kinky Boots.  I understand why they were not renewed.

 

 

 

 Everyone's tastes are different, but while I loved Priscilla, I feel it was a bit controversial for some of NCL's demographics. I really was amused when people would get up after a few minutes in a huff and walk out.

 

 

[complawyer]

so yvrteacher, do you use any other criteria when booking? are you claiming that if the shows offered are not to your liking/tastes, you wont book the cruise.

 

i concede that everyone has different tastes, but personally, i prefer booking based on ports of call, and price. Sometimes i  never even get to the shows, and even if it's a show i want to see, oftentimes, we never get around to seeing it. 

 

in 25 cruises, some shows i never bothered with seeing, some were good, some were just ok, and some were merely meh!  none of them (imho) ever reached the level of sensational, although i thought six came really close.

 

we walked out  of jersey boys, even though im a died in the wool 4 seasons fan. Frankie Valli he aint, and it just seemed tp follow the movie.

 

that being said, however, if we're ever on the same ship at the same time in the stardust theater, allow me to buy you a drink

[UKstages]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

was only able to sit through Six with a steady supply of cocktails during the show.  

 

steady supply?

 

the show, with its lengthy reprise at the end, is only 70 minutes!

 

how many drinks are we talking about?

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

 

steady supply?

 

the show, with its lengthy reprise at the end, is only 70 minutes!

 

how many drinks are we talking about?

Many!!!!!!

[eroller]

15 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Also NCL's new theaters seem to very traditional with be lower tech and lower technology.  The new Celebrity ship and along with RCCL's new theaters are so high tech with audiences that surround the stage. I know the Prima class has removable seats that turn it into a nightclub.  I am talking about the theatrics and tech of the stage area.  Other lines have completely changed their main stage with the highest technology. 

 

 

I have to say I was beyond impressed with the transformative theater space on PRIMA and VIVA.  Very often these spaces are ill-conceived and end up being crappy show lounges and nightclubs.  Such is the case on Carnival.  Not the case on NCL's Prima Class.  I've experienced the venue in all three adaptations and it worked remarkably well.  The floor seating was cleared out for the Luis Fonsi concert after the christening and I felt like I was at a concert hall and stood for the entire concert.  Then later it transformed into a nightclub with really incredible sound and lighting including that amazing centerpiece light that drops down.  Very Studio 54.  The next day I watched Beatlejuice in a true theater setting and it was impressive.  On PRIMA they performed Noise Boys which I really enjoyed, and the theater was sort of a hybrid.  The stage jetted into the audience.   Pretty cool stuff.

 

The "theater in the round" is making a comeback, and as you mention we are seeing it on the new Celebrity ships as well as the new Holland America ships.  The brand new SUN PRINCESS will also feature this style theater.  The big drawback is that productions can't really have any elaborate sets, which leaves out Broadway style productions.  There is no curtain so that leaves out the possibility of backstage set changes while another performer takes the spotlight, and there is no true backstage in the same respect as a traditional theater. The backdrop for all these round stages is a large video screen.  So any backdrops have to be digitally created, and yes they can create some amazing images but it's not the same as actual sets.  They do work great for performance art with the aerialists and acrobats but honestly that style show gets old after a while, as it's generally the same thing over and over again with different music and theme.   

 

So I suppose there are pros and cons with both style theaters ... but I think the limitations of the theater in the round can come back and bite you especially years down the road as preferences change in regards to onboard entertainment. 

[BrianLo]

Take it with a grain of salt, but I asked the Spirit stage manager about this who said there are more original productions in the works to replace the shows that will likely roll our this year. More on a priority basis to the Breakaway vessels and onward.

 

While it makes sense for NCL to not license shows. It doesn't really make sense to have their full production casts sitting around doing very little on 10-14 day cruises. They can be utilized for more entertainment.

 

 

The strangest cut of the lot to me was Noise Boys. It didn't even last a year on Prima. Was it expensive or just didn't rate well with guests?

[Jordan61]

15 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Mentioned before, was only able to sit through Six with a steady supply of cocktails during the show.  

 

Six is actually playing at a local theater here this week. I wasn't interested in seeing it on the Bliss last year, so I definitely wasn't interested in PAYING to see it. But my friend bought me a ticket to Saturday's show and only told me afterwards, so I guess I'm going after all.

[graphicguy]

8 hours ago, BrianLo said:

Take it with a grain of salt, but I asked the Spirit stage manager about this who said there are more original productions in the works to replace the shows that will likely roll our this year. More on a priority basis to the Breakaway vessels and onward.

 

While it makes sense for NCL to not license shows. It doesn't really make sense to have their full production casts sitting around doing very little on 10-14 day cruises. They can be utilized for more entertainment.

 

 

The strangest cut of the lot to me was Noise Boys. It didn't even last a year on Prima. Was it expensive or just didn't rate well with guests?

Stage Manager during the Behind the Scenes tour stated the same to me...that they had shows in rehearsal in FL to replace the ones whose contract was ending. I would imagine those are staggered depending on the length of time the shows were contracted for and their production start dates.

 

Same regarding the Breakaway (+) and Prima classes getting the first shows because they have bigger stages and more theater staging capabilities.

 

I tried to get her to give me a "hint" as what they might be.  She said she was forbidden to say as until they are announced, they're considered trade secrets.

[eroller]

Good to hear about new shows in the works.  Makes sense as NCLH has an extensive entertainment training studio outside Tampa to rehearse for these amazing shows.  Surely it’s not there just for game shows.  Also NCL has been known for amazing entertainment since the days of s/s NORWAY back in the 80’s (Jean Ann Ryan Productions).  I think we are just seeing an interim period between productions that perhaps caught NCL off guard?  
 

http://nclhcreativestudios.com/

[UKstages]

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Stage Manager during the Behind the Scenes tour stated the same to me...that they had shows in rehearsal in FL to replace the ones whose contract was ending.

 

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

I tried to get her to give me a "hint" as what they might be.  She said she was forbidden to say as until they are announced, they're considered trade secrets.

 

"the price is right" rehearsed in florida. just sayin'.

 

don't get your hopes up. if there were a mainstream broadway musical in the works, there would have been a press release prior to the start of rehearsals.

 

if these new "shows" are something other than elaborately produced game shows, expect an in-house production with singing and dancing, maybe a violinist or an acrobat and more solo singing spots. at the top end of this is something fully produced like "elements." at the bottom end of this is something like a "broadway cabaret." at the rock bottom end of this would be a variety show featuring a singer, a comic and a juggler... an open end format that would allow them to job in solo acts and slot them in for individual cruises. 

 

remember, if they produce their own shows with large casts (like "elements"), they're only saving royalty fees for the rights holders ("footloose," "six," "jersey boys," etc.) if they downscale the productions (game shows, solo variety acts), they save on talent costs, too. 

 

 

[graphicguy]

The Behind the scenes set ups I saw were way more elaborate than a game show.  Again, they wouldn’t share what they were with us!

[eroller]

Cost cutting has to be a balance.  You can’t just cut staple elements of a product that took years to cultivate and expect to maintain the integrity of the product (or the premium per diems for that matter). I think NCL is smarter than that.  They may not license hit broadway shows, but they are likely to produce their own elaborate productions which honestly is what most lines do, including Royal and Disney.  Royal does license a few Broadway productions but the majority of their shows, including the ice and diving shows, are all produced in-house.   I just don’t see NCL offering nothing but game shows as headliner evening entertainment.  In that case they might as well close their elaborate state of the art production facility shoreside.  Cost millions to build.  

Edited January 26 by eroller

[memphocruiser]

On 1/17/2024 at 5:16 PM, fstuff1 said:

I'm currently on Encore and they replaced kinky boots with Wheel of Fortune.

And I was told you have to pay to be a contestant. 

(When I was on Prima in 2022, Price is right was free to be a contestant.)

 

Wonder what will replace Six on both Breakaway and Bliss?

 

Edit:

And on some Jewel class ships, they went from 3 production shows to 2. 

What's going to replace it?

And what are the production cast assigned to do on their new off day? Or will they just be paid 1/3 less? 

 

We walked out in Kinky Boots.  It was bad

 

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, eroller said:

Cost cutting has to be a balance.  You can’t just cut staple elements of a product that took years to cultivate and expect to maintain the integrity of the product (or the premium per diems for that matter). I think NCL is smarter than that.  They may not license hit broadway shows, but they are likely to produce their own elaborate productions which honestly is what most lines do, including Royal and Disney.  Royal does license a few Broadway productions but the majority of their shows, including the ice and diving shows, are all produced in-house.   I just don’t see NCL offering nothing but game shows as headliner evening entertainment.  In that case they might as well close their elaborate state of the art production facility shoreside.  Cost millions to build.  

Agree!

[sprint180]

The big shows like Kinky Boots and choir of Man are the reason I love NCL.  If those are all leaving I see no reason to stay with NCL.  I'm not saying that as a threat just an observation.  I will be sad if all the lines head that way.

[eroller]

44 minutes ago, sprint180 said:

The big shows like Kinky Boots and choir of Man are the reason I love NCL.  If those are all leaving I see no reason to stay with NCL.  I'm not saying that as a threat just an observation.  I will be sad if all the lines head that way.

 

They won’t, and I don’t think NCL will either.