Rocking The
By Dana Rebmann
C
oncerts and cruise ships.
There was a time when they
had nothing in common.
No more. Thanks to some
creative composing and
logistical maneuvering of the
floating variety, Carnival Cruises
has brought the seas alive with the
sound of music. A first-of-its-kind
in the competitive industry, the
Carnival Live Concert Series offers
music loving guests the chance to
spend sun filled hours in popular
ports before ending their day on a
high note with a star-studded show.
The vacation concert combination
makes sense. So much so, you wonder
why somebody didn’t think of it
sooner. All of the not so fun parts
of seeing your favorite act sink and
disappear at sea. No driving, parking
and fighting crowds in theaters and
stadiums. Just sitting in the sun, and
strolling to the show with optional
umbrella topped drink in hand. After
the final encore, it’s a short walk
back to your cabin, or to one of many
bars for another colorful drink.
Artists don’t sail on the cruise;
they fly into ports of call to meet
ships when they dock. But all
performances take place onboard.
Smaller theaters that range from
900 to 1,300 seats deliver intimate
performances to music lovers in
vacation mode. Think of shows
where you can watch changing
facial expressions and see guitar
picks flying through the air. The
theater set ups allow performers
to interact with the audience in
ways not possible in traditional
concert settings. During a Styx
Concert aboard Carnival Breeze in
Cozumel, Mexico some lucky concert
goers in the first row got to reach
out and pluck a few guitar strings.
Moments later Lawrence Gowan
borrowed a nearby fan’s iPad and
took some on stage Styx selfies.
With the exception of the first
handful of rows, all concert seats
are general admission. They’re also
pretty cushy and a whole heck of
a lot more comfortable than typical
stadium seats. Doors typically open
an hour before the show. Some
dedicated fans will line-up before
show time to get the best seat, but
we’re only talking about a couple
hours, because these music lovers
have other important vacation
must-dos like spend the day in
Cozumel snorkeling or soaking up
some sun on the beach. Zip lining
is a popular way to spend a preconcert day on Catalina Island.
It’s not a bad way to get your
adrenaline flowing either.
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One of the biggest critiques of
cruising is that there’s not enough
time to explore destinations beyond
the often touristy port areas.
Carnival Live ships enjoy an extended
day in port - to the tune of
sometimes 15 or more hours. Folks
taking in a concert have more than
enough time to explore, come back
aboard to shower and catch the show.
In some ports, there’s even enough
time to head back onshore for one
last call before the ship sets sail.