Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to plan cruise entertainment and shows
Cruise entertainment and shows cover the main-stage productions, live music, comedy, game shows and open-deck films on board a cruise ship, and the mix depends on the line: Celebrity Cruises builds its programme around main-stage productions such as Feel the Funk and On Broadway, while Princess Cruises lists Broadway-style musicals, The Piazza, Movies Under the Stars and game shows. [5] [6]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Both lines put large production shows at the centre of their evenings: Celebrity Cruises names Feel the Funk and On Broadway among its main-stage shows, and Princess Cruises lists Broadway-style musicals including Rock Opera, Bravo and The Secret Silk. [5] [6]
- Some acts are not on every sailing: Princess Cruises marks its comedy sets and Spellbound by Magic Castle as being on select cruises. [6]
- Game-show play can carry a charge: Celebrity Cruises' Deal or No Deal has game fees and taxes, needs an established folio account, and is limited to guests aged 21 or over. [5]
What kinds of shows are on a cruise ship?
Celebrity Cruises describes main-stage productions that it says leave guests talking after the final bow, citing Feel the Funk, a funky, nostalgic show given a modern twist, and On Broadway, a musical production built from Broadway classics. [5] Princess Cruises stages Broadway-style musicals performed by singers and dancers in its main entertainment venues, with stage sets, costumes and music. [6]
The named Princess productions differ sharply in style: Rock Opera is sung in English, Spanish, Latin and American Sign Language and spans classic rock, opera and musical theatre [6]; Bravo sets light opera against pop, with a soprano backed by a 13-piece orchestra [6]; The Secret Silk uses life-size puppetry from Jim Henson's Creature Shop [6]; and Fantastic Journey combines rock-concert energy with aerial performances, 270-degree 3D-mapped imagery and choreographed drones [6]. Princess says the composer Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics for Wicked, has partnered with the line on four exclusive musicals. [6]
What live music and lounge entertainment can you expect?
Princess Cruises says live vocal performances run from contemporary hits to classic favourites throughout a voyage. [6] Its venues each have a style: an Irish band plays at O'Malley's Irish Pub and a piano-bar sing-along runs at Crooners, while the line's wider live-music bill includes reggae, pop, mariachi, cover bands, torch singers and string quartets. [6] The Piazza, described as the heart of the ship, hosts new performances every day, from live music and dancing to acrobats, jugglers and a champagne waterfall. [6] Celebrity Cruises says its live music performances are designed to complement the ships' spaces, alongside events and parties. [5]
Are there films, comedy and game shows on board?
Princess Cruises runs Movies Under the Stars on a 300-square-foot poolside screen with a 69,000-watt sound system, showing feature films, concerts and sporting events including live NFL football, by day or night, with further viewing areas elsewhere on the ship. [6] Its game shows range from trivia and bingo to TV-inspired quiz games, and in The Voice of the Ocean guests can sing in a live competition or watch and vote, with the audience choosing the winner. [6] Comedy sets from acclaimed comedians play in an intimate onboard theatre on select cruises, and magicians and illusionists appear in Spellbound by Magic Castle, also on select cruises. [6] Celebrity Cruises fills its days with hundreds of activities, and its Camp at Sea programme for younger guests is built around four interest categories — Art, Recreation, Culinary and S.T.E.M. — with more than 500 activities designed across the programme and daily schedules set by Youth Counsellors for each sailing. [5]
How does Deal or No Deal work on Celebrity Cruises?
Celebrity Cruises runs Deal or No Deal as a live game show in which everyone in the audience plays along and could win up to $1,000. [5] Playing involves game fees, and taxes apply. [5]
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Who can play | Guests aged 21 or over with an established folio account [5] |
| Buying early | Entry cards bought before the cruise get 20% off [5] |
| Number of cards | No limit on how many cards a guest buys [5] |
| Card validity | Cards work only on the sailing they were bought for [5] |
| Winning | Players must be present to win [5] |
| Merchandise prizes | Not transferable, no cash value, not usable as credit on the onboard account, no substitution, and they expire when the voyage ends [5] |
| Cash and free play | Cash prizes are applied automatically to the onboard account; free-play prizes are redeemed at the casino cage [5] |
| Refunds | Any refund or voided sale must be made before the sailing [5] |
Princess Cruises runs a game show of the same name, where briefcase contents range from a penny to $1,000 and audience members can play along to win as much cash, or even a free cruise. [6]
When does the line-up change by ship or sailing?
- By ship. Celebrity Cruises states that features vary by ship, and that ship features, experiences and itineraries are subject to change without notice. [5]
- By sailing. Princess Cruises labels some experiences as being on select cruises rather than on every departure, including its comedy sets and Spellbound by Magic Castle. [6]
- By day. Celebrity's Camp at Sea schedule changes on every sailing and is built around the interests of the younger guests on board. [5]
- Changing terms. Celebrity reserves the right to change the Deal or No Deal terms at any time without previous notice. [5]
- Scope. Only Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises are covered; line-ups vary by ship and sailing, so check the programme for the ship you have booked. [5] [6]
Frequently asked questions
Can you win money on a cruise game show?
Yes. On Celebrity Cruises, audience members at Deal or No Deal could win up to $1,000, though game fees and taxes apply. [5] On Princess Cruises, briefcase contents run from a penny to $1,000 and the audience can play along for the same cash, or a free cruise. [6]
Is comedy on every Princess Cruises sailing?
No. Princess describes its comedy shows in an intimate onboard theatre as being on select cruises. [6]
What do you need to play Deal or No Deal on Celebrity Cruises?
You must be at least 21, hold an established folio account, and be present to win. [5]
Does the entertainment change from ship to ship?
Celebrity Cruises says features vary by ship and can change without notice. [5]
Sources
This page covers Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises only. Other lines, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, are not covered here.
- Celebrity Cruises onboard entertainment, checked 18 October 2026
- Princess Cruises onboard entertainment, checked 18 October 2026