Is Norwegian’s New Entertainment Lineup Enough?

March 5, 2025 Randy Young

Norwegian Cruise Line used to be at the forefront of cruise ship entertainment, offering Broadway shows and impressive productions. Recently, though, due to budget cuts, they’ve been canceling all Broadway shows and replacing live entertainment with live game shows like Wheel of Fortune Live. Apparently, guests are noticing and Norwegian decided they’re going to add some new entertainment across nine ships this year.

New Main Theater Productions

“Red, White, & British”

Developed in collaboration with Burn the Floor, “Red, White, & British” is a tribute to iconic British musical performers and artists who have made a significant impact on US airwaves. The show features a high-energy mix of British hits, a glam rock section honoring artists like David Bowie and Queen, and eye-catching costumes.

“Red, White, & British” will debut on Norwegian Breakaway on March 14, 2025, as it finishes its dry dock. It’ll be by Norwegian Epic on May 14, 2025, and Norwegian Prima on August 24, 2025.

“Bring Back the 90s”

“Bring Back the 90s” is a nostalgic journey through the iconic moments of the 1990s, featuring songs by Alanis Morissette, Salt-N-Pepa, and Destiny’s Child. Norwegian describes the 50-minute show as an “Alice in Wonderland” inspired journey. The performance will have 90s-themed mashups from DJ duo, The Hood Internet.

“Bring Back the 90s” will premiere on Norwegian Getaway on March 2, 2025, and on Norwegian Joy on July 7, 2025.

“ICONS: The Bands”

“ICONS: The Bands” will celebrate the hits of legendary bands with powerful anthems and soaring harmonies. It’s a spin-off of the “Icons” show on the Viva, featuring solo Icons like Cher and Ricky Martin. The show will feature the nine-person cast of Choir of Man (which will still play on the ship). Norwegian touts that this staffing is to ensure “great quality and energy.” In reality, it’s a cost-cutting measure, having the same cast work both shows. It also explains why they had to switch the show to “Bands” instead of single Icons, as that show was half-women.

The show will debut on the Norwegian Encore on March 30, 2025, and will premiere on the Norwegian Escape on May 25, 2025.

“Ignite the Night”

“Ignite the Night” is a high-energy production that promises a blend of “dance, style, and red-carpet glamour.”

It will debut on Norwegian Jewel on March 30, 2025. The show will also come to the Norwegian Gem starting September 5, 2025 (replacing the Broadway show Million Dollar Quartet, which Norwegian has canceled).

Expanding Entertainment Beyond the Main Theater

NCL’s new strategy includes expanding entertainment offerings outside the main theater with live music and cast interactions throughout the ship.

The cruise line also has a “Mini Moments of More” initiative across the fleet, which just reeks of corporate speak. These entertainment pop-ups include flash mob-style shows and interactive experiences in unexpected places.

Are These Shows Enough to Improve Ship Entertainment?

Entertainment is a big part of a cruise; there’s nothing worse than sitting on a ship at 9 PM and finding nothing interesting to do. Will these changes be enough to keep up with competition? Only time will tell if these new shows can bring NCL’s entertainment back to the spotlight or if they’ll leave guests wanting more.

On my 10-day Mediterranean sailing on the Viva last year, which was amazing overall, I was shocked at how the entertainment was so far behind other cruise lines like Carnival, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean. This was their newest ship, and their offerings were really sub-par (except for Beetlejuice), with the theater even dark some nights and little live music across the ship. Since it was a port-heavy itinerary, I didn’t mind, but it made me think twice about booking a Caribbean vacation where you’re on the ship much more.