With the massive scale of Carnival’s newest and largest “Fun Ship,” the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream combined with technological advancements, the line’s entertainment team hopes to have created the most spectacular shows at sea.
In addition to three production revues that will feature elaborate sets and costumes, state-of-the-art video technology and sophisticated special effects, Carnival Dream will offer everything from solo singers, comedians, and live bands, to “Fun Force,” the line’s high-energy acrobatic team, which will perform in different areas throughout the ship.
“The increased size of the Carnival Dream provides us with an expansive canvas to create some truly unique and innovative entertainment options that are sure to leave audiences amazed,” said Roger Blum, Carnival’s vice president of cruise programming who serves as producer for the line’s shows. “‘Fun Ship’ cruising is all about creating a lifetime of wonderful memories for our guests and we can’t wait to show off the wide range of captivating shows and other forms of entertainment aboard this spectacular ship,” he added.
The first production show, titled Dancin’ in the Street, is a dramatic departure for the line, combining a gritty, urban feel with the latest in special effects, including groundbreaking neon lighting and video projection technology. The show makes maximum use of the Carnival Dream’s cast — particularly the “Fun Force” team, which takes center stage in the show and entertains guests with break-dancing numbers, acrobatic Chinese pole routines and even a high-flying trampoline segment.
Realistic sets with city scenes — exposed brick walls, street lights, and more — along with recognizable songs that run the gamut from pop and R&B to hip-hop and hard rock, make Dancin’ in the Street a one-of-a-kind show.
The second show, Get Ready, takes a musical look at various professions through a variety of styles and genres, from classic tunes of the Motown era to recognizable R&B hits and songs from some of the greatest vocal artists of all time, with elaborate production numbers themed to different occupations. The 50-minute show hopes to have audiences singing and dancing in the aisles.
In Get Ready, legendary hits such as Midnight Train to Georgia and Mustang Sally are playfully employed to highlight transportation workers, while crowd-pleasing songs like Please Mr. Postman and Signed Sealed and Delivered offer a unique homage to mail carriers. Popular contemporary tunes including Sledgehammer and Work to Do are featured in the construction segment while Rescue Me and Hold On, I’m Coming round out a high-energy number focusing on rescue workers.
Like the name implies, the third show, Xtreme Country, is a salute to country and western music with a unique Carnival twist. The show opens, appropriately enough, with a visit to a rodeo with singers and dancers donning 10-gallon hats for a clap-along line-dancing number, followed by a stop at a ranch and a raucous saloon, with authentic western-themed sets and costumes. The show culminates in a memorable finale showcasing the U.S.’s familiar red, white and blue, ending with a magnificent fireworks flash.
In addition to these three lavish revues, Carnival Dream will offer a diversity of entertainment venues to suit every mood or taste. These include the new Ocean Plaza which will not only offer a unique venue place for guests to relax and unwind but will also feature a wide variety of different entertainment options that will vary throughout the day and night.
Also offered on the Carnival Dream will be the line’s legendary comedy revues with comedians who have appeared on network talk shows and comedy clubs across the country. Carnival Dream will also feature Carnival’s Seaside Theatre, a massive LED screen on Lido Deck that will display movies, concerts, sporting events and other programming.
Other options include solo singers along the Dream Street promenade, a dedicated karaoke lounge, rollicking sing-a-longs in Sam’s piano bar, steel drum and Calypso bands on Lido Deck and live bands playing everything from rock to country to disco.
Carnival Dream is slated to debut Sept. 21, 2009, with the first of three 12-day Grand Mediterranean cruises operating round-trip from Rome, followed by a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Rome (Civitavecchia) to New York Oct. 27 – Nov. 12, 2009.
From New York, Carnival Dream will operate two eight-day Bahamas/Florida cruises departing Nov. 15 and 23, 2009, then reposition to Port Canaveral, Fla., for a special one-time nine-day Caribbean cruise departing Dec. 3, 2009. Carnival Dream will then launch year-round seven-day service from Port Canaveral, Dec. 12, 2009, offering weeklong voyages to the eastern and western Caribbean.
Reservations are currently being accepted for the Carnival Dream’s various European and Caribbean departures.
