Marella Cruises has unveiled its new entertainment lineup for the Marella Discovery 2, featuring a life-size elephant puppet show in the show “Jumbo and The Wonder Circus.” The West-End style production draws inspiration from “War Horse,” “Life of Pi,” and “My Neighbour Totoro,” and is set to debut in late June, 2024.
The show, created by RWS Global, a global entertainment company specializing in producing live shows, features a puppet designed to replicate a full-sized African elephant. Standing 7 feet high, 9.5 feet long, and 3 feet wide, the puppet’s story revolves around a vintage circus setting, following the elephant’s journey and his bond with Madame Rose, the circus owner.
The narrative includes the circus troupe’s efforts to rescue Jumbo after he runs away and features traditional circus set designs, authentic costumes, and aerial performances. The show is complemented with contemporary music from bands including Coldplay, U2, and Katy Perry.
“We’re always looking to refresh our entertainment on board, and with ‘Jumbo and the Wonder Circus,’ the life-size puppet will be a first for a cruise line to be showcasing such an act,” said Chris Hackney, managing director of Marella Cruises.
The entertainment roster for Marella Discovery 2 also includes other notable shows. Sarah-Lou Twist, creative director for RWS Global, revealed that the entertainment company aims to push boundaries with the new productions on the Marella Cruises fleet.
“We understand that theatre shows are a big part of the cruise experience for the guests, so we aim to bring fresh and innovative concepts to stage that rival the quality of entertainment seen in the West End and on Broadway,” she said.
Besides the advanced puppetry of “Jumbo and The Wonder Circus,” the entertainment lineup also includes “Hollywoodland.” This love story about an ambitious actor trying to make it in Hollywood showcases music from popular films like “La La Land” and “Singin’ in the Rain.”
Another highlight is “Yellow Submarine,” a production celebrating the Beatles. This production remixes iconic tracks and features a giant inflatable yellow submarine, along with psychedelic 60s-inspired costumes and set designs.
Finally, “7 Sins of Rock” will showcase rock classics from artists such as Pink, Muse, Oasis, and Aerosmith.
New Entertainment Debuts on Mediterranean Voyages
Marella Discovery 2, which can accommodate 1,832 passengers, is debuting the new entertainment during its Mediterranean voyages this summer, beginning June 25, 2024. The series of 7-night roundtrip voyages from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, visits Ajaccio, Corsica; Civitavecchia (Rome) and Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy; Saint Raphael, France; and Barcelona. Spain.
U.K.-based Marella Cruises, owned by TUI Cruises, will also operate two winter 2024 itineraries. The 7-night “Spanish Flavours” journey on November 7, 2024, will depart from Dubrovnik, Croatia, and spend five days at sea. The cruise calls on Palma, Majorca, and Gibraltar before ending in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
The cruise package aboard the 69,472-gross-ton ship includes flights from U.K. airports and all-inclusive accommodations with tips, fees, baggage, and transfers.
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Another package for Marella Discovery 2 is the “Sights and Delights” adventure, which will feature a 7-day roundtrip voyage from Malaga Costa del Sol, Spain. It calls in Lisbon, Portugal; Cadiz, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco; Gibraltar; and Motril (Granada), Spain.
Flights for this voyage will depart and return to Bournemouth, England, and passengers will also enjoy all-inclusive offerings.
