Cruise Talk: Why Cirque du Soleil failed on Celebrity.

Cruise Talk

Cruise News

Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.

>>> Reader Reviews
>>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery
>>> Join Our Cruise Club.

Latest News...Cunard’s newest ship Queen Anne set sail for her homeport of Southampton after officially joining the luxury cruise line’s iconic fleet. Cunard took ownership of their stunning 3,000-guest ship during a traditional handover ceremony at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice on Friday (19 April). Crowds joined together at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard to wave an emotional goodbye...

Latest News...Carnival Cruise Line solidified its position as the leading cruise line in California on Wednesday as it christened its newest ship, Carnival Firenze, at its new home, the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. Hollywood actor Jonathan Bennett served as the ship's godfather, and he and Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy celebrated all things Italian with the help...

Latest News...Royal Caribbean Group last week reported first quarter Earnings per Share ("EPS") of $1.35 and Adjusted EPS of $1.77. These results were better than the company's guidance due to stronger pricing on close-in demand, strength in onboard revenue and favorable timing of expenses. As a result of an exceptional WAVE season and continued strength in demand, Royal Caribbean Group said that it is...

More Cruise News...

my profile | register | search | faq | forum home

»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Lines » Why Cirque du Soleil failed on Celebrity.

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Why Cirque du Soleil failed on Celebrity.

NWLB
First Class Passenger
Member # 1987

posted 02-04-2007 06:03 PM

Witness the Cirque du Soleil pre-game show prior to the Superbowl.

Not everything Cirque du Soleil does, translates well into where and what they are involved in.

Right now, there are half a billion guys, swilling beer, and saying "That was weird." Or, "Dude, I liked Alegria better."

Posts: 329 | From: Bowling Green, Ohio | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

Maasdam
First Class Passenger
Member # 3858

posted 02-04-2007 07:35 PM

Yes and why they failed a/b RCL you don't tell........

Greetings Ben.

Posts: 4695 | From: Rotterdam home of the tss. Rotterdam. | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 02-04-2007 10:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by NWLB:
Witness the Cirque du Soleil pre-game show prior to the Superbowl.
Not everything Cirque du Soleil does, translates well into where and what they are involved in.
Right now, there are half a billion guys, swilling beer, and saying "That was weird." Or, "Dude, I liked Alegria better."

I agree. It looked like they hired ex-college cheerleaders (both male and female) and dressed them like they were going to play a pick-up basketball game in the park. Everytime they tried to show the dramatic jumps through the air they cut away from the shot. Very poor performance...

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 02-04-2007 11:00 PM

It was indeed somehow strange. On the other hand - it was in line with the halvetime show....

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 02-04-2007 11:31 PM

Cirque du Soleil ain't what it use to be! I saw the last show here in L.A. several months ago and most of our group wanted to leave after 30 minutes. We all felt that the last several shows (to pretentious, artsy and not enough acrobats) did not compare to the originals and of course having the shows in a huge complex such as the Staples Center in Downtown L.A. was another mistake. The tent on the beach here in Santa Monica, California was far more intimate and you almost became part of the show.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

sealeg claude
First Class Passenger
Member # 5565

posted 02-08-2007 01:02 AM

Good evening,
Simply put, IMO, a '' Cirque du Soleil''-type entertainment simply does not go hand in hand with a cruise ship, be it a ''Carnival''-type or a ''Celebrity''-type.
=X= tried it....( all the more credit to them) and it failed !!! Now, let's rid the deck#11 observation lounges on board GTS SUMMIT & CONSTELLATION of whatever traces are left from that doomed experiment.
Cheers
Claude

Posts: 173 | From: vancouver, b.c. Canada | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-08-2007 05:30 AM

I think many people are of the opinion that the Traditional ‘flesh & feathers’ (Broadway) type shows are old hat. Don’t get me wrong, they can be great, RCI and QM2 have excellent production shows. NCL’s can be very good too, in a traditional way. However this does seem to be a 'genre' that is aimed and popular with older passengers while the cruise demographics are getting younger.

I appreciate that the 'Cirque du Soleil' shows did not work onboard ship, but I do think it was a very brave idea. I don’t know why it failed? I never saw one. I certainly think the stage show part should have been great. Maybe lack of space and technical factors created limitations?

There does seem to be a lack of original entertainment onboard many ships, with a few exceptions. Is it Ocean Village that offers some sort of show featuring Rap and BMX bikes? That’s different! RCI’s Ice Shows are excellent.

[ 02-08-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 02-08-2007 10:39 AM

But initially that was the whole probelm, the pax did not get a Cirque show in the show lounge, they got a a lounge with weird people walking round with lamps on their heads.

Had they just gone the show route IT MAY WELL HAVE WORKED, OF COURSE WITH cIRQUE THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO BUILD IT INTO THE SHIP FROM NEW.

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-08-2007 01:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mike sa:
But initially that was the whole probelm, the pax did not get a Cirque show in the show lounge, they got a a lounge with weird people walking round with lamps on their heads.

Oh, I though that they got both! The 'Bar at the end of the Earth' is a great name and a very stupid idea.

Bars can contain weirdo's anyway, without paying people to walk around in silly costumes. It would put me right off my pint.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 02-08-2007 02:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mike sa:
But initially that was the whole probelm, the pax did not get a Cirque show in the show lounge, they got a a lounge with weird people walking round with lamps on their heads.

That was part of my original post that Cirque has 'Jumped the Shark' w/all that silly pretentious stuff. People want to see a show and not a bunch of strange looking people walking around w/funny costumes and hats.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-10-2007 01:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
People want to see a show and not a bunch of strange looking people walking around w/funny costumes and hats.

Absolutely, Click Here!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 02-13-2007 03:10 PM

They MUST BE, (must have been) kidding!

I want to sip my martini in a bar and chat with my fellow passengers. To have one of those creeps insert himself/herself/itself into what was developing into a civilized dialogue on arts, letters, and philosophy, would have been too much!

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-13-2007 03:45 PM

Obviouslt potential passengers were not saying: "Let's book Celebrity and meet Pez Erizo and the Abyss Gardener".

Thery are hardly Micky Mouse, are they?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 02-13-2007 03:57 PM

Perhaps a little ahead of it's time, but an interesting idea. Hats off to Celebrity for trying something new and creative.

Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-14-2007 07:19 AM

quote:
Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
People want to see a show and not a bunch of strange looking people walking around w/funny costumes and hats.

I think Celebrity even introduced a charge to use the Bar for a while. I bet it was empty!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 02-15-2007 10:37 PM

Hey! They are now available. I'll bet Princess could use them in their commercializing romance program. I'm not sure how, and I am not sure I would want to know.

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

Ultimate Bulletin Board^TM 6.1.0.3

VACATION & CRUISE SPECIALS

Check out these great deals from CruisePage.com

Royal Caribbean - Bahamas Getaway from $129 per person

Description: Experience the beautiful ports of Nassau and Royal Caribbean's private island - CocoCay on a 3-night Weekend Getaway to the Bahamas. Absorb everything island life has to offer as you snorkel with the stingrays, parasail above the serene blue waters and walk the endless white sand beaches. From Miami.

Carnival - 4-Day Bahamas from $229 per person

Description: Enjoy a wonderful 3 Day cruise to the fun-loving playground of Nassau, Bahamas. Discover Nassau, the capital city as well as the cultural, commercial and financial heart of the Bahamas. Meet the Atlantic Southern Stingrays, the guardians of Blackbeard's treasure.

NCL - Bermuda - 7 Day from $499 per person

Description: What a charming little chain of islands. Walk on pink sand beaches. Swim and snorkel in turquoise seas. Take in the historical sights. They're stoically British and very quaint. Or explore the coral reefs. You can get to them by boat or propelled by fins. You pick. Freestyle Cruising doesn't tell you where to go or what to do. Sure, you can plan ahead, or decide once onboard. After all, it's your vacation. There are no deadlines or must do's.

Holland America - Eastern Caribbean from From $599 per person

Description: White sand, black sand, talcum soft or shell strewn, the beaches of the Eastern Caribbean invite you to swim, snorkel or simply relax. For shoppers, there's duty-free St. Thomas, the Straw Market in Nassau, French perfume and Dutch chocolates on St. Maarten. For history buffs, the fascinating fusion of Caribbean, Latin and European cultures. For everyone, a day spent on HAL's award winning private island Half Moon Cay.

Celebrity - 7-Night Western Mediterranean from $549 per person

Description: For centuries people have traveled to Europe to see magnificent ruins, art treasures and natural wonders. And the best way to do so is by cruise ship. Think of it - you pack and unpack only once. No wasted time searching for hotels and negotiating train stations. Instead, you arrive at romantic ports of call relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Holland America - Alaska from From $499 per person

Description: Sail between Vancouver and Seward, departing Sundays on the ms Statendam or ms Volendam and enjoy towering mountains, actively calving glaciers and pristine wildlife habitat. Glacier Bay and College Fjord offer two completely different glacier-viewing experiences.

More Vacation & Cruise Specials...