Carnival Cruise Line has released a sneak peek at the entertainment lineup onboard its newest ship, the upcoming Vista-class Carnival Horizon.
Developed by the cruise line’s in-house entertainment team in partnership with leading creative directors from Broadway, Los Angeles and London’s West End, the three new shows are part of Carnival’s Playlist Productions revues. They will aim to make maximum use of the ship’s interactive LED screens, Carnival said.
Three new shows – Soulbound, Celestial Strings and Vintage Pop – will debut on Carnival Horizon when it enters service this April. A fourth show, Amor Cubano: A Caribbean Dance Romance, has been brought to Carnival Horizon following its debut on the Carnival Vista last year.
The Playlist Productions shows on Carnival Horizon include:
- Soulbound: Hosted by Carnival Horizon’s very own “soul catcher,” this fun, high-energy show offers a gothic-inspired journey through New Orleans with stops at recognizable Crescent City landmarks like a haunted paddlewheel ship, an apothecary shop and cemetery highlighted by levitating chairs and other spooky illusions. As spirits are playfully captured and brought back to life through dazzling special effects, cast members belt out R&B favorites like Superstitious, Soul Man and Born Under a Bad Sign.
- Celestial Strings: Celestial Strings merges the beauty of classical music with modern pop beats that takes place in an elegant and enchanted garden that seamlessly transforms from season to season, with visual imagery, 3D cast interactions and aroma-infused sets to bring the garden to life. The production will be the first Playlist Productions show with a live string trio.
- Vintage Pop: Taking viewers back to the Great Gatsby and Cotton Club era with contemporary songs like All About that Bass, That’s What I Like and Work transformed into classic jazz interpretations, Vintage Pop features a toe-tapping six-piece live band performing in a modern-day speakeasy. Highlighted by a burlesque number, Vintage Pop ends with an after party in the atrium where guests can dance and interact with the flapper- and zoot suit-outfitted cast members.
- Amor Cubano: A Caribbean Dance Romance: This show blends classic Latin songs with today’s hits and includes an authentic reproduction of Carnival Horizon’s Havana Bar. The show is highlighted by a seven-piece Cuban-inspired band that performs songs by Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz and others amid a tropical, multi-hued backdrop of Cuba and Miami, the latter of which will be the ship’s eventual year-round homeport.
The new shows complement Carnival Horizon’s array of entertainment offerings, which include family-friendly and adults-only performances at the Punchliner Comedy Club and the family-favorite Hasbro, The Game Show, a live action game show incorporating larger-than-life adaptations of popular Hasbro games, along with an IMAX Theatre showcasing first-run blockbusters, documentaries and family favorites, and the multi-sensory Thrill Theater, the latter of which are part of the Carnival Multiplex entertainment concept.
At night, Serenity, the ship’s outdoor adults-only retreat, is transformed into a South Beach-style club under the stars complete with lighting effects and a mix of popular music spun by one of Carnival’s professional DJ’s. Live bands along the promenade, solo artists in the new Smokehouse Brewhouse BBQ restaurant and brewery and the line’s deck parties will also be offered.
Carnival Horizon is set to debut April 2, 2018, with a 13-day Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona – the first of four round-trip departures from that port – then reposition to the U.S. with a 14-day transatlantic crossing from Barcelona to New York May 9-23, 2018.
Following its summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean departures from the Big Apple, Carnival Horizon will shift to Miami and kick off a year-round schedule of six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises beginning Sept. 22, 2018. Carnival Horizon will also offer a special two-day cruise to Nassau from Miami Sept. 20-22, 2018.
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