Chocolate-Scented Musicals and Ice Skaters: A Look at the Spectacular Shows of the World's Largest Ship

On the first evening aboard Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new ship, I realized it was worth keeping the evenings free.

The ship's halls host a variety of shows every day, and guests can see them all during the cruise, as they are included in the room price. On the surface, this sounds like another nice perk on a cruise, but in reality it was one of the things that surprised me the most during the entire cruise.

I've seen countless plays, musicals, and shows around the world, from London's West End to big stages in the US, but after just a few minutes on Legend of the Seas I realized that what's happening here is in the same league. The productions are grand, the technology is impressive, and the feeling is that Royal Caribbean has long been competing not only with other cruise lines, but also with the world's greatest theaters.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aboard Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

For a Moment, It Felt Like a Genuine Broadway Show

The show I was most looking forward to was "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical," the hit musical based on Roald Dahl's book, which is being performed on a cruise ship for the first time. As soon as I got to the theater, I felt like it was something else. The theater itself is huge, with a wide stage, impressive lighting and sound systems, and hundreds of seats, and for a few minutes I simply forgot that I was in the middle of the sea.

Then the show began. From the first moment I realized that this was not a scaled-down version of the musical, but a thoroughly invested production. The actors were excellent, the voices strong and precise, the choreography immersive, and the set changed over and over again at a dizzying pace. For moments I felt like I was watching a musical in one of the great theaters of London or New York, and not on board a cruise ship.

But what amazed me most was the attention to detail. During one scene, the entire hall was suddenly filled with the smell of chocolate. Yes, a real smell of chocolate that spread throughout the audience. Around me, people started smiling; some looked at each other, trying to figure out where the smell was coming from, and there was a feeling that the entire audience was being sucked even further into the world of Willy Wonka. It was one of the few times when a show managed to engage not only the eyes and ears, but also the sense of smell.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aboard Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

The effects also never ceased to surprise. Characters floated above the audience, parts of the set moved rapidly, the lighting colored the entire hall, and every few minutes, something new happened that made the audience applaud enthusiastically.

The level of investment in the production didn't end when the curtain came down. On the morning of the musical's performance, some guests discovered a little surprise waiting for them in the room, Royal Caribbean's famous rubber ducky from a special edition of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." It may have been a small souvenir, but it illustrated how much the company thinks about the small details surrounding the show, making it a complete experience, far beyond the two hours in the theater.

The Shockwave water show on Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

The Show I Didn't Think Would Move Me

If the musical managed to make me feel like I was on Broadway, the Shockwave water show managed to do something I didn't expect at all. I didn't think dancing on water could be exciting.

So what actually happened? What's at the back of the ship transforms into a giant pool in seconds, and from the first moment it's hard to take your eyes off it. Dancers, Olympic-looking jumpers, acrobats and aerial artists combine water, music, pyrotechnics, lighting and special effects at a dizzying pace.

The Shockwave water show on Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

Every few minutes something new happens. Jumps from heights that seem impossible, hovering in the air, precise landings into the water, flames erupting next to the fountains, and lighting that turns the entire complex into an almost cinematic experience.

I also occasionally looked at the people sitting around me and they were all simply mesmerized by the stage, waiting to figure out how they would manage to surprise next time. It's the kind of show that's hard to explain in words. Even after it ended, people stayed seated for a few more moments, as if trying to digest what they had just seen. The combination of water, music, acrobatics and technology created an experience unlike any other show I've seen.

The Shockwave water show aboard Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

Ice Also Gets Its Spotlight Moment

One of the most surprising things about Legend of the Seas is the Absolute Zero ice skating rink, the largest ever built on a passenger ship.

Here, the Fusion show is performed, where world-class skaters combine figure skating with acrobatics, music and lighting effects. Even if you've seen ice shows before, there's something special about seeing such performances with the open sea all around you.

Ice skating on Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

Alongside the big productions, there is also a more intimate circus show, one that feels a bit more fringe. It is less grandiose than the main shows, but precisely thanks to the closeness to the artists, the humor, and the precise acrobatics, it adds another layer to the entertainment experience on the ship and proves that not every show has to be huge to be enjoyable.

After a few evenings in the halls of Legend of the Seas, I realized that the shows here are not just a way to pass the time after dinner. They are an integral part of the entire experience. You can invest billions in a new ship, build water parks, restaurants and pools, but in the end, it's the moments when the lights go out, the curtain opens and the entire hall holds its breath that stay with you long after the cruise is over.

When I left "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," I thought to myself: If this production were staged in one of the major theaters in London or New York, no one would raise an eyebrow. The fact that such an experience takes place in the middle of the sea, as part of the cruise price, is perhaps the thing that surprised me most about the entire visit on Legend of the Seas.

The circus on Legend of the Seas. Photo: Matan Hetzroni