Producing Broadway adaptations on a cruise ship is no small feat, and Royal Caribbean likes to do it faithfully, with a live orchestra, Broadway-caliber talents and special effects galore.
In its latest show, doing it faithfully presented an extra challenge: casting a child as the lead.
Charlie, in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" on the Legend of the Seas, is performed by either 12-year-old Edward Jones or 13-year-old Oliver Dawson on any given night.
I saw a performance of the show Tuesday during a preview sailing of the ship from Malaga, Spain, to Civitavecchia, Italy, with Jones in the title role. It was a stunning performance by the 12-year-old whose acting as the good-natured Charlie was confident and endearing, and whose vocals soared alongside a cast of equally talented adults.
And of the two leads, it is Jones who doesn't have prior professional experience. His counterpart already has a resume stacked with professional roles including young Harry in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" on the West End in London.
The boys are rotating monthly, working with a tutor to make up for lost time in school while living onboard and then returning back to their lives on land while the other takes over.
Royal Caribbean loyalists are surely confident in the cruise line's ability to deliver high caliber productions at sea, and those eager to experience the latest ship in the fleet certainly won't be disappointed.
Other features on the Legend of the Seas
Fans of the Icon class will also be pleased that much of the hardware on the Legend is the same but for minor changes intended to smooth or enhance the experience.
The casino, for example, is now expanded to two levels. And the kids-forward megasuite, the Ultimate Family Townhouse, still has four twin beds for kiddos, but they are separated into two rooms rather than combined in one. This was a tweak informed by guest feedback, said senior director of product development Jennifer Goswami.
This is my first time on an Icon class ship, and I've been squeezing as many activities as I can into my three sea days.
This morning, I navigated an inflatable maze at Absolute Zero, competing in a friendly competition of laser tag. Last night, I viewed the new ice skating show "Fusion" in the same location, experiencing a fan favorite show category with all-new choreography and effects, including drone lights.
In the evenings, I've headed to the Playmakers sports bar, catching whatever World Cup match happens to be on alongside dedicated fans sporting team jerseys. That's the beauty of sailing on a ship with passengers from around the world.