Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, is enhancing the cruise holiday experience as its nine cruise line brands expand partnerships with some of the best-known names in entertainment. 

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New and expanded partnerships with top entertainment brands continue to treat guests to innovative and engaging entertainment, with options that range from live performances and interactive engagement to compelling speakers, unique recreational activities for people of all ages, and personal enrichment.

Carnival Dream’s soaring 11-deck-high atrium

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The offerings build on the company’s already dynamic line-up of partnerships, on-board performance competitions, show productions, live concerts, comedians, magicians and exclusive experiences that keep guests entertained as they travel to more than 700 global destinations.

“Bringing special partnerships and popular entertainment experiences to the sea is another way our brands continue to surprise and delight our guests – whether they are first-time or seasoned cruisers,” said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation.

“Our collective goal is to consistently exceed guest expectations by providing an extraordinary vacation, and the wide selection of  entertainment options built into the on-board and onshore experiences offered across our cruise line brands are one of the many reasons our guests enjoy going on a cruise vacation again and again.”

Family Fun

When Carnival Cruise Line’s new ship, Carnival Panorama debuts in 2019, it will introduce the first-ever indoor trampoline park and challenge zone at sea, in partnership with industry leader Sky Zone.

The expansive two-deck-high facility encompasses more than 3,000 square feet, providing high-flying fun for guests of all ages across a 12-lane trampoline court.

In another cruise industry first, Carnival Cruise Line also announced that Mardi Gras, its newest and most innovative ship coming in 2020, will feature the first-ever roller coaster at sea.

Taking cruise industry innovation to new heights, BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster is an all-electric roller coaster that allows two riders in a motorcycle-like vehicle to race along a nearly 800-foot-long track 187 feet above sea level, enabling guests to experience the sea in an exciting new way with breath-taking 360-degree views.

BOLT will take passengers along an 800-foot roller coaster track above Mardi Gras

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Princess Cruises is celebrating its fourth year of an exclusive partnership with Discovery Inc, offering immersive Discovery at SEA experiences, including newly branded Camp Discovery Youth & Teen Centres, Discovery Family shore excursions and many educational and interactive activities.

Since 2014, more than 1,000 Discovery, Animal Planet and Discovery Family shore excursions in worldwide ports have been added, including approximately 300 exclusive tours that can only be experienced with Princess Cruises.

In addition, on-board programming such as Stargazing at Sea offers guests the chance to gaze at billions of stars and learn the wonders of the night sky.

Costa Cruises, the corporation’s Italy-based brand and the leading cruise line in Europe, welcomes children enjoying a vacation on board its fleet of ships with areas completely dedicated to Peppa Pig, the UK-based animated character created by E-One and broadcasted to over 180 countries and territories around the world.

After boarding, all kids are personally invited to meet the famous pig, and on every cruise, an entire day will be dedicated to Peppa Pig-themed fun with activities such as colouring, puzzles, treasure hunts, workshops and more.

Beach Club aboard AIDAnova

Live Entertainment

AIDA Cruises, Germany’s leading cruise line, in December 2018 celebrated the premiere of its new show, “Show me YELLO!,” on board AIDAnova – a new music show developed over two years in cooperation with the famous pop duo YELLO from Switzerland, featuring light and shadow effects, LED technology and breath-taking acrobatics.

The new show is part of the brand’s “Stars Shine Brighter at Sea” project, where over the last month seven ships have been equipped with new show concepts and formats to provide even more on-board entertainment variety.

P&O Cruises (UK) recently celebrated the premiere of “Astonishing,” a revolutionary magic and illusion show produced for the brand by BAFTA-winning presenter and entertainer Stephen Mulhern and performer Jonny Wilkes.

A brand-new show for P&O Cruises, Astonishing combines the production talents of Mulhem and Wilkes with the spectacular dance moves of leading choreographer Paul Domaine and the mind-blowing trickery of master illusionist Guy Barrett, creating a multisensory show that wows audiences night after night.

P&O Cruises has an exclusive partnership with Strictly Come Dancing in the UK market

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The brand also plays host to four dedicated Strictly Come Dancing cruises during 2019 in partnership with BBC Worldwide. Guests can get closer to Strictly Come Dancing 2019 with P&O Cruises offering private one-on-one dance lessons with professional dancers from the show, and an exclusive dinner hosted by the show’s well-known dancers.

Holland America Line recently introduced Rolling Stone Rock Room, a new classic rock club developed in partnership with Rolling Stone, the world’s leading authority in music, that lets cruisers step into a unique experience as a live band chronicles rock history while performing iconic hits.

Rolling Stone Rock Room debuted as part of the innovative Music Walk area on Holland America Line’s newest ship, Nieuw Statendam, when it joined the fleet in December 2018 and on Koningsdam that same month.

The innovative Music Walk on Holland America Line ships offers a variety of musical experiences across multiple genres to create a live experience unlike any other at sea. In addition to Rolling Stone Rock Room, venues in Music Walk include Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King’s Blues Club.

P&O Cruises (Australia) recently announced new 1980s Tribute Cruises and the line’s first Country Music Festival at Sea as part of the brand’s new 2020 program.

The dedicated 1980s three-night Tribute Cruises will celebrate the best of the MTV-generation’s music from pop, hip-hop, metal and rock, with guests enjoying performances from authentic 1980s bands, tribute acts and original pop stars from the decade.

The brand’s new Country Music Festival at Sea will celebrate all genres of country music from rockabilly and country rock to folk and bluegrass with unique performances from respected artists.

Expanding Horizons

Building on the success of the exclusive partnership started in 2017, Holland America Line and O, The Oprah Magazine continue to work together to create experiences inspired by content in the magazine, celebrating the power of travel and the goal of helping people expand their horizons and live their best life.

Guests on Holland America Line cruises can take part in a variety of engaging programming developed with the magazine’s editors including: O’s Reading Room, ‘Just Breathe’ morning meditation and movement, inspirational O content on stateroom TVs and select items from “Oprah’s Favourite Things” featured in the retail shops on board.

Seabourn, Carnival Corporation’s ultra-luxury brand, also continues its mission to inspire and enlighten guests with its Seabourn Conversations program.

The popular on-board enrichment program hosts distinguished speakers and personalities from a variety of fields including space exploration, mountaineering, television production, culinary, history, politics and the arts.

Seabourn’s popular on-board enrichment program hosts distinguished speakers and personalities from a variety of fields

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During the 2018-19 cruise season, the line-up of Seabourn Conversationalists features first-time and returning speakers, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, American astronaut Captain Scott Kelly and seasoned climber Paul Deegan.

On every voyage on Cunard – Carnival Corporation’s luxury cruise line renowned for its White Star Service and regularly scheduled service between New York and London – guests have the opportunity to hear and learn from the best with the brand’s renowned Insights program, which presents workshops, speakers, runway shows and Q&As with some of the world’s most accomplished experts from a variety of industries.

Cunard will host an array of Insights speakers on its schedule of upcoming special event cruises, including Transatlantic Fashion Week, Literature Festival at Sea, World Space Week, Voyage du Vin and Dance the Atlantic.

As part of Princess Cruises’ Come Back New Promise, the cruise line started a multiyear collaboration with Oscar, Tony and Grammy award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz to oversee the creative development of a total of four new musicals to debut across the fleet over the next several years.

To date, the line’s partnership with Schwartz has brought three exclusive production shows to Princess Cruises’ guests including “Magic To Do,” “Born To Dance” and “The Secret Silk.”