What Alaska cruise line offers the most Shows?

[Wlcreations]

Hi, I'm looking to book an Alaska cruise with my mom who is a senior. She really likes the Broadway-like shows onboard. Years ago, NCL offered shows every night but seemed to have much less now and some cruise lines started hosting TV games like "make a deal/wheel of fortune" to replace the singing/dancing productions we enjoy much more. Does anyone know which cruise lines still offer the Broadway-like shows every night on their Alaska cruises?

[karatemom2]

Princess offers production shows that are more akin to elaborate variety shows then Broadway productions, but they are good and entertaining. Lots of singing and dancing. Generally there are at least two or three different shows during a cruise. Also, they generally have a comedian and at least one show featuring an individual singer.

 

Typically, the only two lines that offered more Broadway style shows were NCL with Six, Jersey Boys, and I heard they were bringing Beetlejuice. I think RCI has some Broadway style shows and perhaps Disney.

 

But, I certainly wouldn't pick an Alaska cruise based on the shows. Princess does a great job on the Alaska cruise portion and certainly offers production shows that your mom would likely enjoy.

 

And to your questions about the regularity - I am not familiar with any cruise I have ever taken on any line that offered production shows every night - usually it's a few nights with other entertainment mixed in.

[Paula_MacFan]

3 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

But, I certainly wouldn't pick an Alaska cruise based on the shows. Princess does a great job on the Alaska cruise portion and certainly offers production shows that your mom would likely enjoy.

 

I agree with this and just wanted to chime in that all Princess shows are only 45 minutes.  Just for full disclosure and the OP's mom isn't disappointed 🙂  A few years ago Princess moved pretty much all their entertainment options to 45 minute blocks.  I can't answer for any of the other cruise lines.  

[Coral]

This may not be what your Mom is looking for but my guess is Disney has the most professional shows. Technically, some are Broadway like - Beauty and the Beast, etc...

[Northern Aurora]

While I also would not select a cruise to Alaska based on evening shows I can understand that an elderly woman may place more importance on them than I do.

 

Celebrity would be a consideration.  On a seven night Celebrity cruise expect three production shows using their in-house production cast with the remaining four nights shows featuring guest entertainers.

[Aquahound]

For Alaska, it would be Royal Caribbean Quantum Class ships.  Broadway style shows are put on in the main theater and in the aft show lounge called Two70.  This is one of the Two70 shows, which isn't even the ship's primary show lounge...

[sherryf]

But Royal Caribbean does not go to Glacier Bay.  For me, glaciers are more important than shows.  YMMV

[Coral]

1 hour ago, sherryf said:

But Royal Caribbean does not go to Glacier Bay.  For me, glaciers are more important than shows.  YMMV

It goes to Endicott Arm which is the weakest glacier visit IMO.

[Aquahound]

1 hour ago, sherryf said:

But Royal Caribbean does not go to Glacier Bay.  For me, glaciers are more important than shows.  YMMV

 

I agree, but that wasn't the OP's question.  

[sherryf]

3 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

I agree, but that wasn't the OP's question.  

True, but the OP might want to consider both shows and glaciers and find a happy medium.  You can enjoy good shows on a cruise that goes to Glacier Bay.

[MississippiMom]

On 4/9/2024 at 1:30 PM, Wlcreations said:

Hi, I'm looking to book an Alaska cruise with my mom who is a senior. She really likes the Broadway-like shows onboard. Years ago, NCL offered shows every night but seemed to have much less now and some cruise lines started hosting TV games like "make a deal/wheel of fortune" to replace the singing/dancing productions we enjoy much more. Does anyone know which cruise lines still offer the Broadway-like shows every night on their Alaska cruises?

The many opinions on this Alaska board can get overwhelming.  I read and read and read, then had to step away (due to a family member's health issues), which was great for me, because I had time to think about what WE needed and not what everyone on the board needed out of a cruise to Alaska.

 

My elderly parents LOVE musicals, so I get it.  For my father, who refuses to wear his hearing aid, the musicals are loud enough to enjoy the show.  They also need the safety features of a handicap cabin and we have learned that those are not all created equal on ships.  RCCL's was LOVELY, midship, with plenty of space for the one scooter.  CCL's available option was too forward on the ship and really too small.  Neither needed a scooter, when we traveled NCL, so I have no comments about their handicapped cabins. 

 

I would encourage you to spend some time on the various cruise line websites, as well as look at some YouTube reviews (pick shorter ones, because some can drag on), and see what different types of entertainment are available.  For example, my elderly parents LOVED the ice show on RCCL and would have gone every day, if it had been offered.  (My brother picked the ship.)

 

Best of luck.  There is so much to consider.

[Wlcreations]

Thank you so much everyone for all the wonderful info and sharing your valuable expereiences!

 

I'm especialy thankful for the kind consideration of seniors and their needs vs ours as well as the balance between what can be seen with bigger vs smaller ships which is something I didn't realize.

 

All of these insights are really helpful. Royal Carribean seems to be a great choice but I should be careful on where they stop for glacers to make sure we wouldn't be missing out on an important highlight. Princess and Celebrity are also good alternatives to consider. 

[jeromep]

I think the strongest and most well rounded of the cruise lines in terms of their overall Alaska offering are Princess and Holland America.  Both have permits to access Glacier Bay.  Both have good on board entertainment and production shows.  Between the two, I think that Princess has the edge in terms of production show quality and complexity.

 

On Princess they do two shows per evening in the theater.  They interleave different shows through the cruise.  So, if you want to eat early and see the late show, you have the opportunity to see all that is offered on board... and vice versa.  The theater schedule toward the beginning of a cruise leans toward the production musicals and toward the end of the cruise is a mix of production shows and comedians, vocalists and musical groups.  I don't have an old Patter in front of me to reference, but that is how I recall it working out.

 

And the above isn't a 100% or totally accurate representation of how they schedule shows, but a pretty good representation.  Shows sometimes get canceled or changed depending on cast availability, availability of other entertainers, etc.

 

Additional shows will be put on in different lounges.  Most Princess ships have an aft show lounge, the Vista Lounge.  A much smaller space than the theater, but everything is loud enough, and there is a bar in the lounge.  Some princess ships have a midships show lounge, Explorer's Lounge, with similar capabilities as the Vista Lounge.  These spaces usually host bands and vocalists, and during the day game shows and presentations.  Some ships have the Princess Live space, which effectively replaced the Explorer's Lounge, different concept, think TV studio with live audience.  Most of the "game shows" are held in Princess Live or Explorer's Lounge.  Game show style of entertainment is a rather small part of what is on board.  Most ships have a Crooner's Lounge, which is a piano bar and is very popular with Princess cruisers.  They dispensed with it on some ships, like the Majestic Princess, which is sad, but other lounges and bars have filled the gap.

 

I hope you enjoy Alaska.  It is a great place to visit.

[Wlcreations]

Thank you so much @jeromep for such a great indepth review of Princess! This really makes a difference.

 

Sorry, I have a side question, we like the "freestyle" dining at NCL where we don't have arranged seating with others. But I heard that that is not unique to NCL and that it works the same way with other cruise lines too. How does dining work at Princess, Holland America or other cruises you've experenced? Is it you can go whenever with whoever you want (unless the resturant is booked and if so there is a wait) or is there a set schedule that needs to be followed with assigned seating?

Edited April 11 by Wlcreations

[Mbcruiser704]

43 minutes ago, Wlcreations said:

Thank you so much @jeromep for such a great indepth review of Princess! This really makes a difference.

 

Sorry, I have a side question, we like the "freestyle" dining at NCL where we don't have arranged seating with others. But I heard that that is not unique to NCL and that it works the same way with other cruise lines too. How does dining work at Princess, Holland America or other cruises you've experenced? Is it you can go whenever with whoever you want (unless the resturant is booked and if so there is a wait) or is there a set schedule that needs to be followed with assigned seating?

This is definitely available on Princess and Holland America, as well as other lines like Carnival.  Sometimes, the name differs but these all have a “dine at your time” option.  I’ve done both assigned and dine your time and never sat with strangers.  Not my thing, thanks (though I appreciate others may enjoy that).

[Coral]

How mobile are your parents? That would make a big difference on size of ship and the Quantum class.

 

Princess has flexible dining - you do not need to eat with others. You can make reservations or walk up. I prefer to make reservations.

 

I personally would choose a ship that goes to Glacier Bay.

Edited April 12 by Coral

[oaktreerb]

Holland America is going through a transition in the entertainment offerings.  Princess would be a good choice for a ship that can access Glacier Bay and also provide entertainment in the evenings.  Holland is generally a good choice for seniors and will probably have fewer children, we’re not sure what the entertainment style will be and it may differ from ship to ship. 

Edited April 12 by oaktreerb

[Aquahound]

On 4/11/2024 at 8:51 AM, MississippiMom said:

The many opinions on this Alaska board can get overwhelming.  I read and read and read, then had to step away (due to a family member's health issues), which was great for me, because I had time to think about what WE needed and not what everyone on the board needed out of a cruise to Alaska.

 

And that, right there, is what is important.  🙂

[Wlcreations]

On 4/11/2024 at 9:43 PM, Coral said:

How mobile are your parents? That would make a big difference on size of ship and the Quantum class.

 

Princess has flexible dining - you do not need to eat with others. You can make reservations or walk up. I prefer to make reservations.

 

I personally would choose a ship that goes to Glacier Bay.

My mom plan to bring a mobile scooter to get around better. The bigger ships sound like there will be more to explore onboard (we may not be able to participate in everything but being able to look around and have more eating options is helpful). But if the bigger ships can't get to Glacier Bay then it might be an issue because it will be our first time there.

[Coral]

1 minute ago, Wlcreations said:

My mom plan to bring a mobile scooter to get around better. The bigger ships sound like there will be more to explore onboard (we may not be able to participate in everything but being able to look around and have more eating options is helpful). But if the bigger ships can't get to Glacier Bay then it might be an issue because it will be our first time there.

Large ships can get to Glacier Bay. Large ships can not sail the inside passage.

 

RCCL and Celebrity do not go to Glacier Bay.

 

There is plenty to explore on most ships.

Edited April 13 by Coral

[Wlcreations]

Thank you Mbcruiser704! Knowing we can dine at our own time is very helpful. I like to meet people but prefer to do that more naturally and at our own pace.

[Wlcreations]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

Large ships can get to Glacier Bay. Large ships can not sail the inside passage.

 

RCCL and Celebrity do not go to Glacier Bay.

 

There is plenty to explore on most ships.

Ah, got it. Thank you, Coral! That is very good to know.

[Northern Aurora]

On 4/12/2024 at 6:46 AM, Wlcreations said:

 

Sorry, I have a side question, we like the "freestyle" dining at NCL where we don't have arranged seating with others. But I heard that that is not unique to NCL and that it works the same way with other cruise lines too.  …..

Anytime dining certainly is available on Celebrity and Silverseas.  While there may be some cruise line which still only offers traditional fixed seating I do not know which one that would be.

[wolfie11]

6 hours ago, Wlcreations said:

My mom plan to bring a mobile scooter to get around better. The bigger ships sound like there will be more to explore onboard (we may not be able to participate in everything but being able to look around and have more eating options is helpful). But if the bigger ships can't get to Glacier Bay then it might be an issue because it will be our first time there.

One thing to think about with scooters is the ability to get around with a scooter on a large crowded ship.  Ships are sailing full and venues are packed.  Lots of kids onboard, long waits for elevators, inability to see events  while sitting on a scooter because of large crowds in the atrium, etc. Not a dealbreaker, but I think people underestimate how “busy” a full ship can be.