BlissAndConversation.com

by Laura Hitchcock  

        “Royal Caribbean International Lines is Number One for entertainment,” says Mary Ann Delaney, their Director of Entertainment, proudly.  It’s been 15 years since Delaney joined the Line, back when they had only five ships.  Now the number has leapt to 21 and Royal Caribbean Productions is a little kingdom unto itself.

          Based in Hollywood, Florida, the immense facility currently has eight shows in rehearsal, Scenic Designers exclusive to Royal Caribbean and the huge challenge of costume designing for casts which change every six months. 

And what casts!  The technically trained singers and dancers, many fresh from Broadway productions, must be qualified to perform all styles of dance.  The skaters in the 11 ice shows must be regional or national champions.  The same level of talent will be sought for the gymnasts, synchronized swimmers and high divers for the new Oasis of the Seas Aqua Theatre.

          Cast members also teach dancing and singing to the kids in Adventure Ocean and a beginner piano class in their Explorers Academy program.

          Shows range from “Tango Buenos Aires” to “Invitation to the Dance” and include jugglers, comedians and flying shows.

Focus groups are held aboard to ascertain what the audience is looking for in a production.  Talent tops the list, with costumes, scenery and familiar music right behind. The number of shows you can expect to see depends on your itinerary:  seven days or under, two shows; eight-to-ten day cruises, three shows; ten or more days, four different shows.

          Production of a new show begins one year prior to installation by reviewing presentations of new concepts from the in-house creative team Wilson-Dow and outside production companies, as well as interested individuals who have new creative ideas.  The on-site team choose the best concept based on itinerary, age demographic, guests’ country of origin and creativity.  Then a creative team is selected including Producer, Director, Choreographer, Music Arranger for a nine-piece band, Vocal Arranger, Music Director, Costume Designer and Costume Builder.

          If a storm comes up, the cast is prepared.  Women may remove their high heels, acrobatics may be cut.  If the weather’s really bad, a quieter form of entertainment may be substituted but that rarely happens.  Mary Ann Delaney stresses that the safest place to be in a hurricane is at sea where ships can sail around the storm

          In addition to being the biggest, Royal Carribbean International is unique in another respect.  “It’s the only cruise line in the industry that has developed a career path for their singers and dancers,” says Delaney.  Performers can move from on stage to coaching, directing or teaching and even into administration.  “My staff has a total of 136 years of experience with the Royal Caribbean International, not counting their previous entertainment backgrounds,” she laughs.

          With the constantly expanding world of visual effects, professionals from the entertainment industry are continually recruited to make your cruise experience more than just a place to stand by the rail gazing dreamily over the moonlight on the waters.