If you didn’t know you could watch Back to the Future, Come From Away or a live-to-film Dirty Dancing on a ship, consider this your curtain-up.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Royal Caribbean

A golden ticket moment for families: Royal Caribbean’s new Legend of the Seas is set to headline the Dahl classic with a ship-specific staging and plenty of spectacle when she enters service. Think big tunes, bigger sets and an auditorium purpose-built to whisk you into Wonka’s world. 

Disney Hercules — Disney Cruise Line

Disney Destiny debuts a brand-new, Broadway-style Hercules created just for the ship’s heroes-and-villains theme. Expect gospel-powered Muses, puppetry on an epic scale and the kind of production values Disney can conjure at sea. If you have small demi-gods in tow, this is the show that will be retold at breakfast. 

Dirty Dancing: In Concert — MSC Cruises

Nobody puts Baby in a corner when there’s a full band, vocalists and dancers performing in sync with the film. MSC’s live-to-film version plays on MSC Virtuosa in UK and European waters from summer 2025, following its debut on MSC World America in the States. It runs around 90 minutes, appears multiple times per voyage and is included in your fare. If you fancy a matinee before sail-away, this one delivers the time of your life without the taxi home. 

Come From Away — Cunard

Cunard brings the Olivier- and Tony-winning show to sea for the first time, staging it on Queen Elizabeth during her Caribbean season. Same goosebumps, same Newfoundland warmth, only this time your post-theatre bar is a few steps from the auditorium. Performances are scheduled twice per voyage, so you won’t need to elbow your way into a seat. 

Back to the Future: The Musical — Royal Caribbean

Great Scott, it’s at sea. Star of the Seas hosts a full production with a live orchestra, a large cast and a DeLorean that steals the applause. The ship’s theatre tech does the heavy lifting and the run time clocks in at feature-length without an interval, so plan your dinner accordingly. Multiple showings each cruise mean you can catch it between AquaTheater acrobatics and a nightcap. 

The Choir of Man — Norwegian Cruise Line

A West End favourite transplanted to the main theatre, complete with pub banter and singalong anthems. On Norwegian Encore (and her sister Escape), you’ll find yourself in The Jungle with pints raised and harmonies flying. It’s complimentary, but reservations go quick, so book early in the app and thank us later.

How to actually see them

These productions are included, but seats aren’t infinite. Check your line’s app once on board, note performance days and book early. Schedules can change with itineraries, so treat the show as the evening’s headliner and build dinner around it. If your sailing has two performances, the late one is usually easier to snag, and you can stroll to the bar afterwards still humming the finale.