Last year, Princess Cruise Lines launched Spellbound by Magic Castle, a collaboration with Magic Castle Enterprises (MCE), which has resulted in two magic-themed cruises and a permanent Victorian-inspired experience replete with food, drinks, and (of course) magic, on the Sun Princess.
In August, MCE and the cruise line announced that Spellbound will also be on the Star Princess, a new ship that’s currently scheduled to set sail this October. The layout and theming will be a bit different from what guests experience on the Sun. “We could’ve just made an exact copy of the successful original, but when we got to work on the creative we all wanted to push ourselves and innovate and evolve and iterate the design,” MCE co-founder Randy Pitchford told THE EYE.
The idea for the new theme came together quickly. MCE President Erika Larsen has a lifelong love of vaudeville, and the team also thought about showcasing the magician Richard Valentine Pitchford, who went by the stage name Cardini. The golden age magician was known for his impressive sleight of hand, and is Randy’s great-uncle. From there, the plans unfolded. “The entrance experience is all-new,” said Randy, “and once inside, if you’ve been to The Magic Castle, you will feel a space that is somehow both familiar and wholly original.”
On the Star, guests can spend time in several themed areas, including a whimsical ticketing booth, the mysterious Inner Circle, the Cardini Bar, a behind-the-curtain backstage area, and the Peacock Theater, where the magic shows take place. Princess and MCE have released a video rendering of walking through the art deco-themed space, which includes several Easter eggs for magic fans, including a poster of Genii magazine on one of the walls. Erika will also provide artwork for the space, largely from her own personal vaudeville collection. Here is video rendering of the space.
The experience is priced as $45 per guest and includes two signature cocktails, which have names like The Inner Circle (a milk-washed Meili vodka with delicate notes of jasmine tea), and Cardini (a butter-washed rum Old Fashioned). Cheers to more magic on the open seas.
Photos courtesy of Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises