Royal Caribbean has a reputation for offering top-notch entertainment to rival New York or Las Vegas, and now it has a new person overseeing it all.
Christine Coachman is Royal Caribbean International’s vice president of entertainment and was promoted in May to oversee all of the company’s entertainment.
Taking on the reins of a company that owns about 30 cruise ships with thousands of performers, singers, dancers and musicians is no small feat, but Coachman has been with the company for many years. She’s been at the forefront of entertainment for Royal Caribbean since the ’90s.
During a panel interview last week about Utopia of the Seas, Coachman spoke to Royal Caribbean Blog and other media outlets about his experience, his plans for the future and what’s on the horizon for Royal Caribbean.
Coachman is no stranger to Royal Caribbean: “I’ve been in the business for quite some time,” she said.
She began her career as a performer on Sovereign of the Seas in 1990 and has been entertaining on Royal Caribbean ships for the past 34 years.
She explained that a brand new ship like Utopia of the Seas requires a new approach to entertainment, especially as it starts out by offering three- and four-night cruises.
Coachman’s vision for the future of entertainment is to combine technology with human talent
When asked what he thought about the future of entertainment at Royal Caribbean, Coachman spoke about how much the cruise line has grown over the past few years.
When she first appeared in Sovereign of the Seas, she performed in one venue with 12 other performers.
Decades later, she now leads a team of more than 200 entertainment staff across 23 venues at Utopia of the Seas.
The Coachman himself was involved with Royal Caribbean’s record-breaking Broadway show: “I negotiated all of the Broadway deals, so it’s very important to me and to the brand.”
While Utopia of the Seas is one of the few Oasis-class ships without a Broadway show (aside from Wonder of the Seas, which boasts its own Effector 2), Royal Caribbean isn’t done producing Broadway shows just yet.
It all depends on the demographics and the ship’s itinerary.
Original shows like “Effectors” aren’t going away either: Coachman calls brainstorming and creating such shows “the fun part of the job.”
She said her team has no shortage of creativity.
Going forward, the cruise line aims to blend modern technology with human flair.
“As an innovative company, technology is key to many aspects of what we do.”
“But it’s also really important not to forget the human artistry. If humans don’t bring that entertainment to life, what’s the point?”
For example, comedians continue to be favorite mainstays on cruise lines.
Of the 5,400 acts headlining all shows this year, about 1,300 are comedians — nearly a quarter of the total performers.
Royal Caribbean, and The Coachman himself, love comedy.
“I always do it at least once. [to] Sneak in behind [of a comedy show] And then I just laugh and forget about everything for a moment,” she said.
Utopia offers Royal Caribbean entertainment
Utopia of the Seas is an Oasis Class ship that offers shorter itineraries, allowing passengers to pack in plenty of entertainment over a few days.
“In the big picture, utopia is a taste,” says Christine Coachman.
The onboard entertainment is intended to “give you a taste of what you can expect on a longer voyage.”
To give guests a sneak preview of what a long-distance voyage with Royal Caribbean will be like, the entertainment team has created several new parties.
To prepare for this experience, they even created a new position called “Director of Party and Nightlife,” a role that former cruise director Ken Rush fills at Utopia.
Coachman said the boat is a family experience with “party after party.”
First up is the Sail Away Party on the pool deck, “Hey Utopia, let’s get the party started.”
Royal Caribbean has appointed crew members to the “Party Squad,” a group aimed at livening up the mood and encouraging participation amongst the crowd.
“You can either participate or you can watch,” said Coachman, who personally enjoys people-watching.
Read more: Utopia of the Seas Preview: Preview Photos of Royal Caribbean’s Newest Cruise Ship
Utopia of the Seas will introduce guests to several new parties as part of a fast-paced experience.
The Silent Toga Party is similar to the SHUSH! Silent Party, but with a theme of the ancient Roman togas worn by guests.
Senses will feature chilled-out house music accompanied by footage of sunsets seen from Royal Caribbean’s fleet around the world.
At the Plunge Pool Party, the Party Squad will be adding to the excitement with the fan-favorite water guns that squirt champagne into guests’ mouths.
Royal Kappa Chi is the cruise line’s first after-party, a dorm-themed party that evokes nostalgia for the college days of beer pong and flip cup.
Lively live musicians add to the atmosphere
To create the fast-paced atmosphere on board Utopia, Royal Caribbean hired 29 in-house musicians, more than any other Oasis-class ship.
Cruise passengers love live music, and energetic musicians bring the fun.
Coachman had a personal anecdote about a loud, energetic and fun experience he had at an outdoor plunge pool party.
“I then walked into the Royal Promenade and listened to the exquisite music of the onstage duo Enchante, and within 15 minutes my mood had completely changed.”
She said music is a great way to set the mood and appeal to multiple generations at once.
Utopia of the Seas features top-notch entertainers and a wide variety of music to enjoy.
From live music from Bolero to soundtracks for shows like Aqua 82, the entertainment team strives to mix music from different genres and eras.
“This combination keeps it fresh,” Coachman said.
Read more: Royal Caribbean’s new cruise ship sets sail. It’s so good you’ll want to do it twice
Utopia’s perfect weekend party includes the whole family
Royal Caribbean has always been a decidedly family-oriented brand, so how will families and kids adjust to the new party-heavy Utopia of the Seas?
“There’s a lot of parties and entertainment,” Coachman explains. “There’s a lot of things to do together as a family.”
But the entertainment team also plans for times when parents want to go out on dates or attend late-night parties.
Adventure Ocean’s children’s program is ready to take kids on for even longer.
Utopia of the Seas has introduced some changes to its program that Royal Caribbean hopes to expand to its other ships.
From day one, parents can leave their children with the facility “until the moment they drop off their bags in their rooms.”
Instead of a longer orientation period, parents can take their kids to Adventure Ocean immediately after boarding.
Utopia of the Seas offers plenty of family fun, but also plenty of vacation opportunities for parents.
Adventure Ocean is open until 1am and the team is considering extending that until 2am.
For parents with small children or those who don’t want to be away from their family for more than a few days, a weekend cruise is the perfect way to get away.
Utopia offers opportunities for family time as well as adult getaways and parties.