Ticketed Cruise Entertainment Is Having a Moment

Published on Sep 23, 2025, 7:59 pm CDT

7 min read

Cover charges for entertainment at sea remain rare, but a new tier of ticketed cruise entertainment is gaining traction. Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean International, Cunard, Princess Cruises, and MSC Cruises now sell limited-capacity shows that bundle dinner, drinks, or both with live performance. Executives say the curated, small-venue format appeals to adults and frequent cruisers seeking something new, while prices undercut comparable land-based experiences. Crystal offers a supper club without an upcharge, preserving its all-inclusive positioning. Taken together, the model signals a cautious, revenue-aware expansion of premium nightlife at sea.

Key Points

Why it matters: Ticketed cruise entertainment is expanding, adding paid supper clubs and immersive shows to otherwise inclusive lineups.
Travel impact: Expect reservations, dynamic pricing, and limited seats, often with included cocktails or set menus.
What's next: More concepts are likely on upcoming ships, and existing venues may adjust prices or formats as demand evolves.
Cunard now charges for select Queen Anne cabaret shows, with cocktails included.
Royal Caribbean's supper clubs pair multicourse menus with live music on Icon and Star of the Seas.
Princess has multiple immersive options, from 360 to a reimagined Spellbound.

Snapshot

Most cruise entertainment remains included, but lines are piloting intimate, paid experiences that blend dining and performance. Cunard's Queen Anne stages the Bright Lights Society program, where "Bittersweet Symphony" includes three cocktails with the $46 entry. Royal Caribbean's eight-course Empire Supper Club on Icon of the Seas, and the Chicago-themed Lincoln Park Supper Club on Star of the Seas, sell as ticketed dinners with beverage pairings. Virgin Voyages runs drink-inclusive supper club concepts such as Another Rose and the new Up With a Twist on Brilliant Lady. MSC Cruises offers $12, cocktail-included Carousel Lounge shows when booked in advance. Princess prices 360 at $149 per person, and a new Spellbound format on Star Princess is listed at $45 with two cocktails. Crystal's formal-night Supper Club remains included.

Background

Large-scale production shows, comedy, live music, and game shows have long been included in cruise fares, a competitive advantage over land vacations. Circulation patterns changed as lines added specialty dining, private island cabanas, and chef's tables, creating a playbook for paid, high-touch add-ons with finite seats. Supper club concepts apply the same lens to nightlife, favoring cabaret-sized rooms, strict timing, and bundled menus or cocktails that simplify service and encourage advance purchase. The target guest is an adult traveler who values exclusivity and storytelling, especially on short sailings and newbuilds. Virgin Voyages has leaned into immersive formats and headline moments, including Brilliant Lady's New York debut and themed voyages like its True Crime sailing, which show how entertainment can anchor demand outside of traditional theater shows. Royal Caribbean and Princess are building similar, food-forward experiences around brand iconography and venue design.

Latest Developments

Cunard formalizes a paid cabaret tier on Queen Anne

Cunard introduced cover charges for select Bright Lights Society shows on Queen Anne in late spring 2025, adding beverages to the ticket as a differentiator. The flagship "Bittersweet Symphony" is priced at $46 per guest and includes three cocktails, while other performances list lower fees that include champagne and a souvenir program. Capacity is constrained and reservations are encouraged via the My Voyage app or onboard. The move reframes a portion of evening entertainment as a premium add-on, while mainstage shows remain included across the fleet. Cunard's venue positioning emphasizes intimacy, cabaret pacing, and service synchronized to performance cues, which helps justify the fee while managing the beverage experience and no-shows. Pricing may flex as guest feedback and load factors evolve on future sailings.

Royal Caribbean expands its supper clubs on Icon and Star

Royal Caribbean launched its dinner-and-a-show model with Empire Supper Club on Icon of the Seas in January 2024, then followed with the Chicago-inspired Lincoln Park Supper Club on Star of the Seas. The company cites guest feedback that food, beverages, and entertainment drive brand choice, positioning the ticket as an elevated, intimate pairing of multicourse menus, cocktails, and live music. Published materials note surcharges for these venues outside select suite-tier benefits. The line is also scaling immersive dining such as Royal Railway, a five-course, train-car experience on Utopia of the Seas, listed with a supplemental fee when purchased without a dining package. Together, these concepts mark a deliberate expansion from included theater toward reservation-based culinary entertainment with clear, paid value propositions.

Virgin Voyages leans into drink-inclusive cabaret

Virgin's supper clubs emphasize nightlife and inclusions. Another Rose on Resilient Lady positions some guests at communal dinner tables connected to the stage, while Brilliant Lady debuts Up With a Twist with a drink-inclusive ticket structure. The brand frames these as sophisticated, participatory shows that cost less than comparable land nights, a pitch reinforced by the line's entertainment leadership. Virgin's wider programming supports the strategy, from splashy arrival moments to themed voyages, keeping adults-only energy consistent across ships and seasons. As the fleet stabilizes, expect more ticketed formats with bundled cocktails, small-plate menus, or both, tailored to venue scale and itinerary vibe. Inventory typically opens in the app and via pre-cruise planners, with pricing and inclusions visible before sailing.

Analysis

Ticketed cruise entertainment sits at the intersection of revenue management and experience design. Small venues produce high satisfaction scores, but they cap throughput, so bundling food and drinks into a fixed-price ticket helps lines recover costs, simplify staffing, and smooth bar volumes. For guests, the value story is straightforward, you trade a complimentary main theater show for a limited-seat evening that feels like a night out in a city, complete with timing, table service, and craft cocktails. On three- and four-night sailings, especially, that specificity drives purchases and social sharing, which can convert fence-sitters on future voyages.

The risk is perception. Cruising built its reputation on included entertainment, so cover charges must be framed as optional, additive experiences, not a retreat from value. Lines are responding with inclusive components, like three cocktails at Cunard's Bittersweet Symphony, a welcome drink at Royal Railway, or full pairing menus at Royal Caribbean's supper clubs. Princess shows how formats can flex, with 360 positioned as a premium splurge while a newly streamlined Spellbound offers a lower-priced, cocktails-included variant on Star Princess. Crystal, conversely, uses an included Supper Club to reinforce its luxury promise.

For advisors and travelers, the playbook is to book early, verify inclusions, and compare to specialty-dining alternatives. If a couple would buy two cocktails each and a cover in port, the onboard ticket often pencils out, particularly when paired with an eight-course menu or a themed venue that you cannot replicate ashore.

Final Thoughts

Ticketed cruise entertainment is not replacing big-room shows, it is creating a parallel lane for curated, adults-forward evenings where culinary theater and cocktails are part of the act. Expect modest surcharges, tight seating, and clear inclusions that mirror city supper clubs. For travelers who already budget for specialty dining or craft bars, the numbers can work, especially on short sailings or new ships where venues are attractions unto themselves. Watch for additional concepts as brands iterate, and reserve early to lock preferred dates. The result is a more layered nightlife where your itinerary can include one memorable night of ticketed cruise entertainment.

Related reading on Adept: Virgin's programming push shows up beyond the main stage, see Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady sings into New York ahead of MerMaiden and the themed Virgin Voyages Unveils True Crime Cruise for Halloween.