<P> In May 2016, Disney announced that a live - action film adaptation of The Little Mermaid is currently in development . </P> <P> Ariel, a sixteen - year - old mermaid princess, is dissatisfied with underwater life in the kingdom of Atlantica, and is fascinated by the human world . With her best friend Flounder, Ariel collects human artifacts in her grotto, and often goes to the surface of the ocean to visit Scuttle, a seagull who offers very inaccurate knowledge of human culture . She ignores the warnings of her father King Triton, the ruler of Atlantica, and Sebastian, a crab who serves as Triton's adviser and court composer, that contact between merpeople and humans is forbidden . Ariel returns home with Flounder to Atlantica while she is watched by two eels named Flotsam and Jetsam and is watched later by Ursula, an evil witch who is half - woman and half - octopus . </P> <P> One night, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian travel to the ocean surface to watch a celebration for the birthday of Prince Eric on a ship . Ariel instantly becomes enamored with Eric . A violent storm arrives, with a bolt of lightning striking the ship, engulfing it in flames and wrecking it on rocks, tossing Eric overboard . She rescues Eric and brings him to shore . Ariel sings to Eric, but immediately leaves just as he regains consciousness to avoid being discovered . Fascinated by the memory of her voice, Eric vows to find who saved and sang to him, and Ariel vows to find a way to join him and his world . Sebastian reminds Ariel that the underwater world is better than the human world, and Flounder drags her to her grotto . When Triton discovers Ariel's love for Eric thanks to Sebastian, a furious Triton confronts her in the grotto and destroys most of the artifacts with his trident . After Triton leaves, Ariel breaks down in tears, and Flotsam and Jetsam convince her to visit Ursula . </P> <P> Ursula tricks Ariel into making a deal to transform her into a human for three days . Within these days, Ariel must receive the "kiss of true love" from Eric . If Ariel gets Eric to kiss her, she will remain a human permanently . Otherwise, she will turn back into a mermaid and belong to Ursula . As payment, Ariel must give up her voice . Ariel accepts and signs a contract, sealing the deal . Ursula places her voice inside a nautilus shell . Ariel is then given human legs to emerge to the land above . Eric finds Ariel on the beach and takes her to his castle, unaware that she is the one who had rescued him earlier . Ariel spends time with Eric, and at the end of the second day, they almost kiss, but are disrupted by Flotsam and Jetsam . Furious at their narrow escape, Ursula sets a trap for Eric and Ariel: she disguises herself as a beautiful young woman named Vanessa and hypnotizes Eric with her singing voice . </P>

What is the crew celebrating in the beginning of the little mermaid