Nothing But a Good Time ...

If you saw my last webisode, “All About the Breakaway” I was busy fawning over the most recent announcements from Norwegian Cruise Lines and reminding everyone that the next big one comes very soon, well just last Thursday we finally got to learn about the entertainment. If you haven’t seen the webisode, take 2 minutes to watch it and get caught up. The big question is after the massive success of the Entertainment onboard the Norwegian Epic, how could Norwegian top it? By bringing not one, not two, but 3 Broadway caliber shows to the Breakaway.

I have to say, I’m pretty impressed, and I’ve seen it all when it comes to cruise ship entertainment. It’s usually always good, you can rely on talented singers and dancers, enjoyable concepts, for the most part, and all in bite size portions that are designed to get guests back out and having fun around the ship. Well the Breakaway is going all out and practically making the entertainment the reason to cruise, not just an enjoyable afterthought. The Breakaway will take cruise ship entertainment to a whole new level, read on as I break it down and weigh in:

If your totally unfamiliar with the subject matter, follow this link and get caught up on the Breakaway press releases then read on to see my thoughts on the matter:

http://breakaway.ncl.com/latest/press-releases/

Rock of Ages – This is by far the biggest get for Norwegian since the Blue Man Group. If you haven’t seen it, Rock of Ages is awesome. I haven’t seen the movie and it’s not getting the best reviews, but I have seen the play and I loved it. It’s got classic 80’s songs, amazing talent, hilarious jokes, a great story and all around it’s a huge party. This is not your typical Broadway show; it’s more like a rock concert. The big question is will it work on a cruise ship? I think it will. The show is a two act show and it will have to become a “Vegas Version” which means it has to be under 90 minutes and there will have to be some content altered to cater to the youngsters in the crowd, the original show is a strong PG-13, but I can see it being easily adapted without watering it down too much. I do feel it will be a big hit and become the lines highest rated show. It’s very current and I think it will have a very broad appeal. I’m also excited to see how they cast the show and the talent that will get on-board. I expect it will be done right and delivered properly. Norwegian is really good about their casting, and they pay their talent well, so I suspect it will be impressive.

Burn the Floor – In my opinion this is a great second show. Logistically it makes a lot of sense, since there is very little set and the performers can also do spotlight shows in the Manhattan Room dining venue very easily. Ballroom Dancing is only getting hotter and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. I think this will be a big hit as well, and even the non-ballroom fans will enjoy the show.

Cirque Dreams and Dinner – Jungle Fantasy – I have to say I’m a little disappointed Cirque Dreams, the company who creates the shows on Epic and Breakaway, isn’t developing an entirely original show for the Breakaway, however the performers they get to work in these shows are so unbelievable, it doesn’t really matter what the “concept” is, it’s still going to blow everyone away. Cirque Dreams and Dinner on the Epic is currently the cruise lines highest rated show, and it’s the only show you have to pay to see. That says a lot about the talent of the performers, it will be impressive.

The Second City – I personally love the Second City, it’s always hilarious to me. With that said, I often found that many guests didn’t’ feel the same way. I would receive a lot of mixed reviews. However, there is no denying that The Second City has the talent and if they make all new original content, not recycle the same show, which is what has unfortunately been done over the years on many ships on Norwegian, they have the chance to really deliver. The humor is sharp and can be very current, funny and enjoyable. I’ll be watching closely and waiting to hear, but I’m putting my friends at The Second City and Norwegian on Alert, and warning them, that they must create all new shows this time or the guests will revolt and there will be empty seats to fill in the Headliners club.

Howl and The Moon – Definitely a great idea to bring the Dueling Pianos concept back from the Epic. Howl at the Moon is hilarious, tons of fun and a big party, perfect for a night out on the town or ship; this will be a big hit again.

Slam Allen Blues Band – A natural, I know Slam very well and he is one of the nicest and most talented performers I know. He truly gives it his all every night and the guests know it. He has ardent fans and they will follow him to the Breakaway, and if you haven’t experienced it, make a point to reserve at least one night of your cruise to visit Slam and the Band, and with a Broadway show like Rock of Ages, in residence, you never know who will be rocking out in the Fat Cats, this place will be jumping on the Breakaway.

Well there’s my two cents regarding the Breakaway entertainment. Last I saw Norwegian CEO Kevin Sheehan, he promised me they were going to do everything right on the Breakaway and so far he and his team are living up to the promise. The Breakaway is shaping up to be a real game changer. I can’t wait to see what get’s announced next, till then look for a good deal and book, because this ship is going to rock, literally!

Till next time,

Keep it on Cruise Control.

Andy Steinhauser

Readers what do you think about the Breakaway announcements, are you excited or disappointed? Let me know