1887 on Harmony of the Seas opens in Paris, February 14th, at the height of Jules Verne's career as the most celebrated adventure novelist of the 19th century. That framing gives the production its aesthetic: sweeping romanticism, time-travelling narrative, and a visual language drawn from the golden age of exploration literature. What grounds it is the ice. The skating on display in Studio B is genuinely world-class, and the production design surrounding it is sophisticated enough to hold attention independently of the athletic sequences.
The projection technology
The ice surface in Studio B on Harmony is equipped with ultra-high-definition projection mapping that transforms the rink into different environments as the story moves through locations and time periods. During the Parisian scenes the ice becomes cobblestones and gaslit streets. During the more fantastical sequences drawn from Verne's novels it opens up into ocean depths and alien landscapes. The effect is not subtle but it is consistent, and it integrates with the choreography in a way that makes the technology feel purposeful rather than decorative.
When a skater's blade cuts through a projected image of deep ocean water, the surface distorts the way actual water would. It is a detail that works every time.
Multiple reviewers across Cruise Fever and Knockabout Blog note that 1887 is one of the more technically polished ice productions in the fleet. The lighting and sound design work in combination with the projection to create a genuinely theatrical environment inside what is, by day, an open recreational ice rink.
The skating
The resident skaters perform at a level that holds up against standalone touring ice productions. The couples sequences are technically demanding and executed with a precision that makes the difficulty look effortless, which is the highest compliment in that discipline. The solo numbers are given enough breathing room within the narrative structure to feel like genuine showcases rather than transitions between story beats.
iSkate is the companion ice show in Studio B, where the skaters perform self-choreographed routines to music of their own choosing. It is a different experience: more informal, more personality-driven, and a useful contrast to the highly produced 1887. Catch both if time allows.
Studio B has a smaller capacity than the Royal Theater. Pre-book through the app and arrive early. The front rows offer the closest view of the skating but lose some of the projection perspective. Two-thirds back from the ice is the sweet spot for experiencing both elements at full effect.