After our disappointment at the lack of good entertainment during our cruise in January on the Magic (due to COVID and staffing issues), we hoped things would have improved on the Mardi Gras. We weren’t disappointed. In fact, our expectations were pretty much blown away – and we never saw a production in the main theater during our two weeks on board!
VERY PHOTO INTENSIVE POST
The Center Stage
This was our main source of entertainment. Located on deck 6, where we initially entered from the terminal, this deck also housed the Java Blue Cafe, the Punchliner Comedy Club, some of the shopping, and much more. We spent a lot of time on this level.
A wall of windows was turned into an amazing projection of backdrops nightly…
Center Stage: Yes, a wall of windows! But if you look carefully, you can see the stacked panel that will be dropped for the backdrop projections.
Center Stage from one deck above. There were three levels to view the stage. You can see the backdrop now.
The booth one deck up where the lights/sound were located.
Our first night we arrived late for the show but enjoyed what we saw. We had no idea what the next two weeks held for us. I have too many photos to share, all taken with my iPhone 13 from both deck 6 and deck 7. The backdrop lighting made it difficult to get really good pictures due to the illumination lighting, both from the backdrop and on the actors.
Each night there were multiple shows ranging from the Center Stage performers (our personal favorite – both the singers and the band), to comedians, to the Production Players (main theater cast), to magicians, as well as musical shows featuring a combination of the above and amazing performances from our cruise director, Chris Williams (The Flying Scotsman). Here are a few of the shots – you can see all the photos in our Smug Mug album.
The three Center Stage performers – Brian, Sophia, Nick
Nick, Sophia, Brian in another show. I think this was the Vegas Show.
Our cruise director performing with Marcus Anthony, one of the singers on board. GREAT show!
actual crew members holding flags from various countries.
Sophia is front center stage. This production featured multiple countries with quick costume changes by the three Center Stage singers as well as the Center Stage dancers. It was amazing to watch.
More of the One World show
More One World…
More One World…
Sophia’s performance representing Italy.
It’s time to mention Sophia. We knew her! She was the lead singer for the band we friended on our cruise to the Panama Canal on the Carnival Glory in January 2020 (our last pre-pandemic cruise). We were so impressed with her then and became Facebook friends. Imagine our surprise and joy finding her performing on the Mardi Gras. We got to chat several times and loved telling her how proud we were of her accomplishments. Oh, did we mention that she’s a classically trained opera singer? Enjoy this performance from that first cruise…
Okay, back to the Mardi Gras…
A musical number by the Production Players (main theater performers)
From the Las Vegas show
More from the Vegas show…
Lots of aerial work in the Vegas show
And more Vegas aerial…
The Center Stage musicians – they were great!
Center Stage performers in Voodoo Nights (Brian, Sophia, Nick)
Sophia in Voodoo Nights
Can you say WOW? But we’re not done yet…I think the name of this show was Celestial Strings and it included the violinist trio and the production singers and dancers. The backlight scenes were beautiful.
We did visit the Punchliner Comedy Club once – most nights the lines were too long or the club was already full when we arrived. Percy Crews – he was raunchy and hysterically funny. I laughed until my belly hurt!
There were two soloists that performed in various bar/eating areas and we enjoying both of them in passing. We never took time to really sit and listen, but they were good. The band that was in the Pig & Anchor was very MEH. It’s not that their music was bad, but that the individuals had no chemistry and they seemed to be bored. We listed for about thirty minutes and that was enough. The only other MEH performer was the magician. He wasn’t all that impressive, at least when we saw him on the Center Stage.
Of course, no Carnival cruise would be complete in the area of entertainment if not for our towel animals from our room steward, Nyoman (neuman) and his assistant, Tono. They were so great to work with, not that we asked for much or left them a mess to clean up. That’s just us.
The casino on the Mardi Gras has two sections, one for smokers and one for non-smokers. We rarely visit, mostly due to cigarette smoke but also, we just don’t gamble a lot. Due to the COVID restrictions, as Platinum loyalty members we got $25 each in free fun play. The first week Stu played both his and mine. His won about $127. Mine, zero. The second week, he played both and at the end of the week we each had under $15 each. The cash-out line was long so we decided to just play out the balance. He played his, zero. I played mine (the first time every I played), I won $66. Yup, I stood in the cash-out line!
And last, but not least, remember my door decor? Well, for week two I added a little more to the left side and entered one of the Facebook group door decoration contest. We always carry our custom duck and stick him on the main door more as a cabin identifier than decoration. After doing the main door this time, I had extra signs so I added them to the left. Oh, and all the Mardi Gras decor was gifted to another couple who were staying on board for their B2B.
I was surprised to find out I won the BEST VISUAL APPEAL door!
That’s our entertainment wrap-up. Oh wait…here’s our cruise director who was an amazing singer/performer himself. Rock, country, soul, and more – he could do it all.
Getting Started ~ Our Cabin ~ Entertainment ~ Food ~ Final Impressions
See All Cruise Photos in our SmugMug Album
