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Symphony OTS Live! - Transatlantic Oct. 28, 2018 "Coming to America"


twangster

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Next we visit a space station complete with astronauts floating in and around a space station set to music sung by the cast.

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We continue our journey back in time to 1969 as man prepares to fly to the moon.

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Landing on the moon is represented by an astronaut descending to the a backdrop of the lunar surface.

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Continuing back in time we reach the golden age of jet travel when the public could really begin to fly and visit just about anywhere in the world.

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Of course everyone is smoking...

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The passengers settle in and their jet takes off

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Aerial performers join from above as we relive what flying was like back in the day.

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Next we revisit the age of the test pilot who pushed the limits of flight forward

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Moving back further we reach World War II.  This includes a tribute to the WASPs or Women's Air Force Service Pilot program.

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The tribute continues with the role of women in the war effort.

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Then we see the young men who went off to fight the war in the air.

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Here our adventure in time visits the era of 'The War of The Worlds' radio broadcast by Orson Welles.

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And aliens on a cruise ship!

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As we continue back in time we reach the days of the biplane and the barnstormers.

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After nearly crashing into a barn, our plane and pilot are a little worse for wear.

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Our last stop on this journey back in time brings us to the first machine powered flight.

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Our daring pilot prepares to take off for the first time.

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Not only does he take flight but he flies out over the audience in the theater.

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With that it's time to land

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To a hero's greeting

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To a standing ovation the show has reached it's conclusion.

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Another Royal Caribbean Entertainment hit, Flight should not be missed.

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20 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Wow !  Flight looks incredible.  Can't wait to see it.  Did you say that was the first performance ?  Ever...or just on your cruise ?

First on this sailing.  I don't think they ran it in April at launch but I am pretty sure it's been offered for several months now.

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1 hour ago, Matt said:

I had to scroll quickly through what I am certain are excellent photos by Twangster to avoid spoiling the Flight show for me.

Lol!  Glad I wasn't the only one.  I felt bad because I usually read @twangster's live blogs really carefully but I skimmed over Flight and the Ice show to avoid spoiling for myself.

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18 hours ago, twangster said:

any food that is once placed out for consumption but not used is destroyed and run through the waste management process.

I am concerned about the amount of food waste the happens on cruise ships or everywhere else. I hope Royal Caribbean makes good use of it.

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1 hour ago, GoodSmith said:

I am concerned about the amount of food waste the happens on cruise ships or everywhere else. I hope Royal Caribbean makes good use of it.

They feed fishes with it.  Following USDA guidelines they can't make use of food that been prepared and presented but not consumed.  No cruise line can, if they follow the USDA.  

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Day 9 - Galley Tour

A benefit of being Diamond Plus is a free galley tour.  Today a Sous Chef would be conducting the tour.

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We meet one of the cooks who is responsible to make bread.  Lots of it.  

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Meat cooking station.

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Pickup station where wait staff retrieve food once it is ready to go.

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Dishwashing

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This particular tour was one of many they had to do because of the large numbers of Diamond Plus on board.  It was a little rushed and we were in the way in the galley during a busy time.  Consequently it's probably a good thing it was short.

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4 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Lol!  Glad I wasn't the only one.  I felt bad because I usually read @twangster's live blogs really carefully but I skimmed over Flight and the Ice show to avoid spoiling for myself.

The selfie @twangster took of himself as he soared through the air dangling from one of the drones was amazing.  It's a shame you and @Matt missed it since you skipped the photos. I can't believe they took a volunteer from the audience for that role. Shows a lot of natural athletic ability, obviously.  

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Day 9 - Misc.

Splash away Bay

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Perfect Storm rules and limits

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They've finished placing the glass on the new Solarium Bar cover.  My guess is the next step is to caulk or otherwise fill the gaps between each glass panel otherwise it won't be watertight.  The bar remains closed.

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From my balcony I saw some Aqua Theater cast rehearsing.  That's promising, hopefully the aqua shows will be a go tonight.

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If any body doesn't think swinging around in the air isn't a workout, think again.

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Mid day progress...

For a ship with a published maximum speed of 22 knots, we're flying at 23 knots.

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Must be a good tail wind, the highest I saw so far was 23.1 knots.

Our target destination is getting closer.

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On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 10:58 AM, twangster said:

Since I'll be in the cruise capital of the world when we disembark in Miami I couldn't let that opportunity go without jumping on another ship so I'll be sliding up the coast to Fort Lauderdale to board Serenade the day we arrive in Miami.  That is a factor in my packing strategy since I'm not flying home between cruises. 

Yay Two Twangster Live Blog Back To Back. 

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Day 9 - Lunch

Johnny Rockets

Since I'm staying in a boardwalk balcony cabin, one free meal at Johnny Rockets is included for up to four guests.

Onion rings and fries

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Smokehouse Burger

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Soda is included (since a boardwalk balcony also includes the soda package) but their milkshakes are not.  Absolutely stuffed I skipped dessert.  

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Given that it's a sea day I worked much of the day.  A periscope notification told me some of the RCPeriscopers and Royal Caribbean Blog readers were starting their Yeti Pub Crawl.  Then they were sliding down the Ultimate Abyss.  Not long after they were below my cabin in Playmakers.  Soon enough they did the Carousel.  All in their bathrobes.

@Big Dawg Ron

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@cookingyo and Mrs. Cookingyo

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What happens on Symphony of the Seas stays on the internet.

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In the afternoon I saw the aqua theater staff testing various components that I assumed would be used during the aqua show.  A diver was on hand to assist.

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They seem to be load testing these by placing them under tension.  I was hoping these would come into play during the show.

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It turns out they would.    

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The first aerial performer appears from behind us walking upside down into the theater.

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She is lowered into the water and emerges with another performer upside down below her.

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She is released and dives back into the water.  Nothing but their own muscles used during the lift.  

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The aerial artistry continues

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Next we see a performer high up in the theater banging a set of drums that are lit up and covered with water so that with every beat the water dances upward.

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Below him every beat of the drum he seems to breathe life into the aerial performer

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With that our tribe begins to appear unified and equal.

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Each is wearing a common tribal outfit.

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I've seen all of the aqua theater shows and this is my favorite.  It's high energy with lots of action, plenty of diving and incredible aerial work.  It's more artistic in places and uses technology to highlight the incredible performance of the cast which itself is outstanding.

The aerial components are incredible and add a lot to the show.  Be aware though, when they get wet by dipping into the water they do drip onto the audience below, all over the theater.  

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Just now, JLMoran said:

Thanks for the amazing photo recap of the show, @twangster! Since I'm pledged to never sail on an Oasis class, you've just saved me a lot of grief over not seeing it in person. ?

Here's the thing.  Photos are great but they don't nearly begin to convey the emotions felt during the show.  Like taking a snapshot every 10 minutes in a movie then thinking you don't need to go the theater to see it - wrong.  It's infinitely more impressive when seen live.  

This experience alone is worth booking this ship, even for you ?

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27 minutes ago, twangster said:

This experience alone is worth booking this ship, even for you ?

Truth be told, it did leave me wanting to see it in person. I'll never say never, but I've still got too much of a travel bug / need to see places, not ships, to feel OK sailing an Oasis class any time soon. Someday, when I feel like I've seen enough ports that these ships don't (and will never) go to, and done it enough times, and I'm feeling comfortable with spending 7 days in a floating resort with just a couple of ports (and my wife feels the same way), then I'll give it a go.

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Just now, twangster said:

 Be aware though, when they get wet by dipping into the water they do drip onto the audience below, all over the theater.  

No worries for us mere mortals there. Only PiT, Pinnacles and Suites were in the danger zone, at least for our show. No central seats for the low status crowd - couldn't quite contain my schadenfreude when royalty got wet without sitting in the splash zone ?

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@twangster We're getting off Serenade the day you get on.  ?  After Symphony you're going to think everything is right around the corner and she's going to seem so small.

I gotta tell you, the bar staff on Serenade leaves a lot to be desired.  There are a couple to visit: William in R Bar, and Lordana in Safari Club.  I'm sure you haven't seen any of my scopes from this sailing, but if you can catch the mid-cruise "sharing thoughts."  We're going to do a "final thoughts" on Thursday night.

Edit: Lordana should be moving to Schooner Bar next week. Danny, the piano singer is horrible so don’t linger. Also, Ian in the pub has been pretty awesome today. 

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Day 10 - Entertainment Tour

Another Diamond Plus tour offered as a Crown and Anchor Society benefit.   

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We have the head tech for the ship (all entertainment on the ship) as well as two cast members from Hairspray/Flight.  The Aqua Theater cast is a separate cast.

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The cast comes and goes from the ship as a group.  Most entertainment contracts are nine months.  As the 'Take Out' cast for the main theater they had a twelve month contract.  That included three months on land preparing for their arrival to the ship.  This will ensure the initial shows when the ship arrives in Miami will be performed from a cast that is well versed and practiced.

The hairspray used during the show is called 'Fog In A Can' and made for theatrical use.  

The backstage crew work in multiple venues such as the Main Theater, Studio B or the Aqua Theater.   Flight is such a demanding show technically that it requires most of the backstage crew to be involved.  Consequently they can't operate Aqua Shows when Flight is offered.

The plane used for the finale in Flight is mounted on a gimbal and the 3D pulley/cable system moves it around the theater but the plane itself, direction, pitch and roll is controlled by the cast member 'flying' it in their seat on the plane.   

After our question and answer session we are escorted backstage.

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The smaller plane prop used during the barnstormer skit within flight.

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We continued backstage.

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Dressing room

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Alien mask used in Flight

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The stage floor is covered with tape marks used for setting props.

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The plane used for the Flight finale is taken apart and stored in these shipping containers.

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The 3D pulley cable system is operated from this little space to the left of the screen.

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It's always interesting to see how much effort goes into these high end entertainment shows.

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