Getaway Ilusionarium, worth it?

Trying to decide if it's worth paying extra to see the Illusionarium on the Getaway. Read many reviews which seem to say it's quite good. Is it worth while? Also, is there much different sitting floor vs. banquet seats? HOw big is the venue?

Thanks

Trying to decide if it's worth paying extra to see the Illusionarium on the Getaway. Read many reviews which seem to say it's quite good. Is it worth while? Also, is there much different sitting floor vs. banquet seats? HOw big is the venue?

 

Thanks

My wife and I were on the Getaway on its TA in January. Illusionarium just opened. It is worth every penny. YOu get to see five great Illusionists and a good dinner. In fact we are going on the getaway again in NOvember and the first thing I booked was teh Illusionarium for night one.

Steve R fro Ill

We sail on the 30th. Have UDP so it was "free" but we upgraded seats. I will let you know when we get back

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I jsut got off that ship and did that show with banquet seating it was great!

I jsut got off that ship and did that show with banquet seating it was great!

Great..how was the cruise? How does the banquet seating work? Is it a big difference with premium seats and do you have to get there quite early to get seats?

Great..how was the cruise? How does the banquet seating work? Is it a big difference with premium seats and do you have to get there quite early to get seats?

One of the major components that contribute to the wow factor of the Illusionarium is the dome above the center of the theatre that displays videos and images that accent what's going on in the show. From everything I read, if you don't get the premium seating you will have a hard time seeing the dome or at least have a partially instructed view of it.

Keep in mind that if you book it for the first night of your cruise (embarkation day) that you get a 20% discount that is credited back to your on board account once on board.

We actually walked out when we saw the banquet seating.

#sadlyantisocial

The show is absolutely worth it of you are into magic shows or have kids. Sitting close to the stage makes the whole experience much better and magic more " believable". From what I remember the difference between premium seats and regular seats is not that significant. We got there half hour before the were opening doors and the line has already started forming. If you want to get good seats go there at least 15 min before they start letting everyone in. Hope this helps.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Once the doors open do they seat you ir is it a free for all?

Also, we will have my seven year old with us. Should we get the upgraded seats. I have heard some say it is worth it and some say the other seats are as good or better.. so confused.

Once the doors open the host will seat you. You can tell her where you want to sit, and if those seats are available she will take you to that table. I told her that we want to be as close to the stage as possible, and she sat us at the front row.

It is for you to decide if you want to pay extra for the premium seats. To us it was worth it. Your 7 year old will love the show regardless :)

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Great..how was the cruise? How does the banquet seating work? Is it a big difference with premium seats and do you have to get there quite early to get seats?

The cruise was amazing, best one I have been on yet, I loved it more than the epic. We were seated with 2 other couples its a booth that you sit in that seats 6 people :) We arrived 20 minutes before the show! The banquet seats are seated as you arrive. On the epic we went on a non busy night and had the booth to ourselves. This being a new ship its busy nightly. We had no problem with the dome although it was a little blocked b ut there is little screens above your table to see whats going on in the dome and it wasn't much just some fancy lighting.

The cruise was amazing, best one I have been on yet, I loved it more than the epic. We were seated with 2 other couples its a booth that you sit in that seats 6 people :) We arrived 20 minutes before the show! The banquet seats are seated as you arrive. On the epic we went on a non busy night and had the booth to ourselves. This being a new ship its busy nightly. We had no problem with the dome although it was a little blocked b ut there is little screens above your table to see whats going on in the dome and it wasn't much just some fancy lighting.

So the dome is more just lighting effects? Is the banquet seats a lot further from the magic? I booked banquet for now, but hoping to get it on the 1st night when I get on board as it's already fully booked for first night now. Trying to figure out how much different the two seating really is. :)

We paid for premium seating, and arrived about 10 minutes before the show. We were seated in the back row of the premium seats, right in front of the booths. We could only see a little of the dome, but like others have said, everything in the dome is displayed on the screens on the ceiling, so we didn't miss anything. It's simply fancy lights that really don't have much to do with anything. My husband was picked to participate in one of the acts despite our seating location. If we went to Illusionarium again, we'd do it the same, or maybe just sit in the booths. They looked comfortable. Despite what everyone says about showing up super early, I see no point. There is not a really bad seat in the place, because NCL would not be able to get away with that week after week. People would be all over this forum and elsewhere demanding refunds!

If you book the early show on the first day, and choose to get there super early, you would have to miss the sail away party.

I guess I'm not understanding the concept of banquet seating versus floor seating vs. premium seating.

Can someone please elaborate on the differences. I want to book the Illusionarium show and would like some more information before doing so.

Thanks,

Melanie

I guess I'm not understanding the concept of banquet seating versus floor seating vs. premium seating.

 

Can someone please elaborate on the differences. I want to book the Illusionarium show and would like some more information before doing so.

 

Thanks,

 

Melanie

There are not 3 types of seating. There is banquet and there is premium/upgraded seating. Banquet seating, as has been described above, is made up of large, half circle booths that line the outer edge of the theater. The theater itself is basically a large half circle. The stage is a circle in the middle. Around the edge of the stage are tables that come from the edge of the stage out lengthewise, as in the short side of the table is at the edge of the stage. Behind those there are 2 or 3 rows of tables that are oriented the opposite way (long sides facing the stage). Behind those is some open space for audience and cast members to travel, and then the banquet seating. Above the last row of floor tables are screens that show what's currently projected on the dome. There really are no bad seats. The banquet booths might be 50 feet from the stage if even that.

Something we found out was that Haven and Platinum members get first dibs over premium seats, even over the people who pay for premium seats, so if you buy premium seats, you may be seated in the middle and not directly in the front. they consider the middle premium, even though people it is mixed with people who didn't pay for premium seat.

I was a bit upset about paying for the premium seat but getting a crappy one, but they wouldn't refund us so what can ya do? :confused: We just dealt with it, but I will never pay to go to NCL show again!

I felt like the whole thing was set up in too small of a space. Wasn't impressed, but just my opinion

I guess I'm not understanding the concept of banquet seating versus floor seating vs. premium seating.

 

Can someone please elaborate on the differences. I want to book the Illusionarium show and would like some more information before doing so.

 

Thanks,

 

Melanie

If you look at Erollers "Got Away on the Getaway" review - link follows - you'll find he kindly posted links to his flickr account where he posted lots of photos from around the ship as well as scanned dailies etc. Page 4 from his first link contains a lot of photos of the Imaginarium room (not performance). Link to his review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2159162

We paid for the higher cost seating (not much difference in price). We were fortunate to be given some VIP perks including an early escort into the show and to my utter shock and delight were taken to a table for 3 right beside the stage. If we hadn't had the escort we would have gotten to the venue at least a half an hour before it opened in hopes of getting good seats. Loved the entire experience - even being right next to the action we could not begin to tell you how the "tricks" were accomplished. It was pure magic :)

I will say this was our 14th cruise in a row on Norwegian Cruise Lines and it was our best cruise ever!

THIS is why I love Cruise Critic....Ask a Question and The Answers will come!

Thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to our Getaway Cruise in April!

We paid extra for the premium seating. If we did it again, I wouldn't pay because I think the booths are the best seats in the house!