Cruise ships are best thought of as floating cities filled with hundreds of exciting entertainment options to explore. At the heart of these entertainment offerings is a dedicated team of technical experts called the Entertainment Technical Team. As a Technical Director or Project Manager, assembling the right team is crucial for success. This series of posts will explore all the entertainment technical related aspects of a modern-day 5000 passengers cruise ship.
Cruise Ships come in many different sizes, ranging from small explorer ships of 400-800 passengers, all the way to floating behemoths, carrying as many as 6,500 passengers. The smaller cruise liners (such as the Celebrity Xpedition) have vastly different entertainment focuses, often catering to older demographics, cozier atmospheres, and a smaller passenger:crew ratio. Those who choose to sail on larger ships (like Royal Caribbean’s ICON of the Seas) may appreciate the wide array of family-focused, show-stopping, exclusive venues that are challenging to replicate across a fleet. For this particular article I am going to reference a 1000 ft / 5000 passenger cruise ship to examine the variety of venues found onboard and what all their technical needs are.
Read how I build my perfect Entertainment Technical Team here in a related post.
Different Type of Venues Onboard
Main Theater / Show Room
Cruise ship entertainment programs are generally centered around this venue, showcasing Broadway-style musicals, special guest entertainers and variety production shows. This venue will likely have the most tech heavy requirements, the most amount of moving parts, and largest portion of your crew. This venue will be used daily, from morning shore excursion dispatch to afternoon matinees and evening shows, and finally scenic set changes into the early morning hours. These theaters seat anywhere from 800 to 1500 people.
What happens in this venue:
- Large scale broadway production shows
- Variety musical performances
- Guest entertainer group performances
- Comedian or solo performance shows
- Daytime matinee game shows and movies
- Morning shore excursion dispatch and safety drill
Technical needs:
- AUDIO – Orchestra bands, 20+ wireless microphones, FOH and IEM mixing. Audio 1 & 2 roles.
- LIGHTING – 100+ Intelligent robotic and static fixtures + show programming.
- VIDEO – Large format projection, LED video walls and live-camera feed display.
- AUTOMATION – Stage, scenic and lift movement operation and programming. Aerial flying.
- STAGE – Backstage operations and management during shows. Set and strike of scenic & prop pieces.
- STAGE MANAGER – Complete management of entire venue, call shows and manage venue crews.
2nd Performance Venue / Ice Skating Ring / Supper Club
Any cruise ship with 5000 guest will most likely have multiple production shows happening at the same time. This is where the secondary “theater” comes in. This venue is usually more intimate, seating anywhere from 200-400 guests, and can sometimes include a dinner along with a show style! Some cruise lines have one fully installed production show running every night such as a circus tent or an ice-rink, while others may use this flex space to showcase specialty guest entertainers or comedy shows.
What happens in this venue:
- Smaller Specialized Production Shows
- Small Variety musical performances
- Comedian or solo performance shows
- Daytime matinee game shows and movies
- Morning shore excursion dispatch and safety drill
Technical needs:
- AUDIO – Small bands, 10+ wireless microphones, FOH mixing. Audio 1
- LIGHTING – 75+ Intelligent robotic and static fixtures + show programming.
- VIDEO – Timecode enabled video playback throughout the venue
- AUTOMATION – Stage, scenic and lift movement operation and programming. Aerial flying.
- STAGE – Backstage operations and management during shows. Set and strike of scenic & prop pieces.
- STAGE MANAGER – Complete management of entire venue, call shows and manage venue crews.
Lounge Venues located throughout the ship
Most large cruise ships will have 10 to 15 of these venues spread thought the ship. They can include lobby band stands, piano bars, or DJ booths for poolside music, just to name a few. If in larger guest common areas, they will usually be open and operating all throughout the day. These venues often do not require extensive technical expertise, but must still have the necessary equipment to quickly shift from set to set.
What happens in this venue:
- Live musicians & Tribute bands
- Bingo, Quiz games & Dance classes
- Karaoke (unfortunately)
- Large pool deck themed parties
- Comedians or Dueling Piano
- Any activity that requires an announcement
Technical needs:
- AUDIO – Small bands, 4+ wireless microphones, FOH mixing
- LIGHTING – 25+ Intelligent robotic and static fixtures
- AV – Basic control of videos screens and projectors
Related to this article:
Read how I build my perfect Entertainment Technical Team here in a related post.