Cruisers will be able to party like it’s 1999 at sea next year as a stage show themed to musical icon Prince is coming to the new Norwegian Aqua when it begins sailing from Port Canaveral.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince” would be one of two new productions headed to the ship’s main stage developed by NCL’s in-house production team. The second, “Elements: The World Expanded,” is a sequel to a popular existing show.

Norwegian Aqua is the first of what the line is calling its Prima Plus class, 10% larger than 2021’s Prima and 2023’s Viva. Aqua will begin seven-night sailings of Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral beginning in April 2025 before migrating to New York in August and then back to Florida, but sailing out of Miami from October 2025-April 2026.

The Prince tribute show was done in partnership with Prince Legacy, LLC and Primary Wave Music, and will lean into the hits of late musician who died in 2016, including “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Little Red Corvette,” “Delirious” and “Purple Rain.” during a concert-like experience.

The new “Elements” show mixes acrobatics and magic and is themed to earth, water, wind and fire.

The new shows come from NCL parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holding’s Creative Studios based in Tampa. It’s where shows for NCL, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas are developed.

These latest productions worked again with longtime collaborator and Broadway choreographer and director Patricia Wilcox.

“I’ve always been inspired by Prince and the idea came to me, nearly seven years ago, to create a theatrical concert that would joyfully celebrate his music and exceptional artistry,” Wilcox said in a press release.

The hour-long show will be in the Aqua Theater & Club, which will allow guests to watch either from traditional theater seating or from the dance floor, which will let them mingle with the cast, which will at times spill over from the stage.

“Collaborating with NCL to present a new show featuring the music of global icon Prince is an exhilarating journey into a world of timeless rhythm and electric energy,” said Charles F. Spicer Jr., managing partner for Prince Legacy, LLC, in the release. “Our shared passion for his legendary sound transforms every performance into a celebration of his extraordinary legacy. … We have no doubt that this musical showcase will have everyone talking and wanting to see the show over and over again.”

The “Elements” sequel show also to be performed in the Aqua Theater comes 15 years after the first show developed by Wilcox debuted on Norwegian Spirit. NCL said it has become one of NCL’s highest-rated shows by its guests, and is featured on four of the ships in its fleet.

The new show will be more immersive mixing the themes with new music and dance elements.

Other recent marquee shows on NCL ships have been “Beetlejuice The Musical” on Viva and “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” on Prima. Other headliners have included “Million Dollar Quartet” and “Jersey Boys,” many that have relied heavily on popular music, so the Prince-themed offering falls in line.

“For decades, NCL has set the standard in entertainment at sea, with world-class productions and talent that rivals those found in major cities like Las Vegas, New York City and London,” said NCL President David J. Herrera in the release “For Norwegian Aqua, we are thrilled to build on our legacy of excellence in entertainment to offer our guests more options across the ship, including exclusive original productions that cannot be seen anywhere else on land or at sea.”

In addition to the new shows, Norwegian Aqua’s main stage will see the second iteration of the popular game show at sea concept “The Price is Right LIVE on NCL” that debuted on Prima. A version based on “Press Your Luck” is on Viva.

And to accommodate larger crowds, the stage will be hosting “Syd Norman’s Presents: Rumours,” the Fleetwood Mac tribute show that had previously been performed in the smaller venue Syd Norman’s Pour House.

The Aqua Theater & Club, which is a three-story venue that transforms from theater to club, features two bars and is home to the ship’s nightclub offerings such as the “90s Party,” “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” and “Pop Life.”

It will also be home to “The Welcome Aboard Show” a new preview production put on during the first day of sailing with tastes of each show coming up, that spills into a jam session concert titled “Ocean Music Fest.”

Other entertainment options include comedy in a larger Improv at Sea venue and other classic rock tributes in Syd Norman’s Pour House.

NCL details new dining on Canaveral-bound Norwegian Aqua

The ship comes in at 1,056 feet long, 156,300 gross tons and a 3,571-passenger capacity based on double occupancy. That’s still smaller than the line’s popular Breakaway Plus class ships Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore.

Among the ship highlights will be what the line says is the first hybrid coaster at sea, a digital sports complex and the first three-bedroom duplex suites for the cruise line in its exclusive area called The Haven.

Among the food and beverage options will be three new offerings not seen on Viva or Prima including the line’s first dedicated Thai venue called Sukhothai, a veg-focused option in the Indulge Food Hall called Planterie, and the Swirl Wine Bar.

Set to become NCL’s 20th ship in its fleet, construction continues at the Fincantieri shipyards in Italy, and it marks the first of four planned ships in the Prima Plus class through 2028.