Ever wanted to belt out a ballad in front of a few thousand people? Costa Cruises is now running its own take on a TV talent show across the entire fleet, with a singing competition called The Voice of the Sea — and any guest can audition.
The format follows the blind-audition formula you'd expect. It starts with karaoke-style try-outs for up to 30 participants, who then go through rehearsal and coaching rounds. A panel of coaches — including at least one senior officer such as the captain, hotel director or first officer, plus a professional singer and someone from the entertainment team — each picks a finalist from their team. Six to eight singers make the grand finale, where the audience decides the winner by voting with handheld remote devices. Costa's sales team in North America frames it as a way for guests to become the entertainment themselves, whether they've performed for years or never touched a microphone.
The competition doesn't float alone. Costa has packed its evening schedules with themed events that pair well with a night of singing: a White Night dress-in-white party, Silent Discos, Luna Park Night and a Shining in the Dark event. Many sailings also add region-inspired parties tied to the itinerary — so a Mediterranean or Caribbean route gets its own flavour — complete with live DJ sets, costumes, custom LED-wall visuals and performances from the ship's dancers, musicians and singers.
Why does this matter if you're booking a cruise? Onboard entertainment is often the make-or-break factor between a good sea day and a boring one, especially on longer itineraries or when you've already seen the ports. A guest-run competition gives shy travellers a low-stakes reason to get involved and gives everyone else a genuine event to rally around — the captains and hotel directors judging the singing tends to be a crowd-pleaser. If you're travelling with a group, it's a ready-made night out that costs nothing extra.
The practical takeaway: if you want to compete, sign up early for the karaoke auditions, since spots cap out at 30 per sailing. Even if you'd rather watch, the finale and the themed party nights are worth planning your evenings around. Costa has leaned into the idea that its passengers, not just its performers, are part of the show — and that's a decent reason to pick one of its ships if you like your holidays with a bit of participation.
