Cruise Ships Offer Broadway Musicals Oceans Away from Manhattan

In this week’s Travel With Val, NY1’s Valarie D’Elia takes a look at Broadway-style musicals on the high seas.

The concept of off-Broadway theatre is experiencing a sea-change of locations. Many of the Great White Way’s musicals are navigating their way onboard cruise ships. Performances before captive audiences in the never-ending quest to add more razzle-dazzle to onboard offerings.

For instance, Disney Cruise Line has been showcasing its own version of “Aladdin” on board Disney Fantasy, well before its current opening on Broadway. So passengers paying their cruise fare can get a bite of a Broadway style show for free, that would otherwise cost upwards of $150 on land.

Onboard the Disney Magic, a customized show called Disney Dreams, has performers developing their sea legs.

“There are definitely some nights where you have to widen your stance a little bit, so that way you know you don’t rock too much back and forth so the audience doesn’t notice,” said performer Summerisa Stevens.

Besides Disney, Royal Caribbean has a floating marquis of Broadway shows. In addition to the multiple Tony-award winning “Hairspray” dancing up a storm on Oasis of the Seas, “Chicago” performs on Allure of the Seas while “Saturday Night Fever” heats things up on board Liberty of the Seas. This fall, Royal adds the dancing queens of “Mamma Mia” to its newest ship Quantum of the Seas.

Norwegian Cruise Line is rocking their boats with “Rock of Ages” on board the Breakaway out of New York City, “Legally Blonde” puts Elle Woods on their newest ship Getaway based in Miami and Blue Man Group is on the Epic, sailing the Mediterranean.

So now it’s more possible than ever to give your regards to Broadway oceans away from Manhattan.