Are we headed toward paying for entertainment??

[paulap70]

Ala carte cruising is just around the corner. Don't think all of the current changes aren't just a small picture of what is to come.

 

I would have no issue being able to choose the dining package that would suit me and paying extra for it. Give me great entertainment and I'll pay to see a show. Let me choose my cabin..I'll pay the extra $$ for the various amenities that come with certain cabins...cruise cheap or cruise upscale..our choice.

 

I agree! As for the entertainment, I have no problem paying for true headliners, but I wouldn't be willing to pay for the general broadway revue type shows that are now the staple on the ships. Bring on a famous musical act, vegas-style impressionist, well-known comedian and I'll have no problem paying if it's something I'd enjoy.

 

I'd bet we'll see more and more of this as time goes on and I can't blame RCCL for doing what they need to do to satisfy both customers and shareholders.

[FLHugh]

In my opinion, the quality of the entertainment on Oasis and Allure today is as good as it is ever going to be. Have you seen anything improve on a cruise in recent years without increasing the price? It continues to be less product but increased prices. The current quaility is to establish the "buzz" and and get a jump on the construction debt. Enjoy the Big Ship entertainment now as it is not going to get better!!

[hansolosmom]

In all honesty I was surprised to find out it wasn't an extra charge for the shows on Oasis & Allure. I figured for sure there would be a nominal charge for them

[chiquita cruiser]

We have used JR on occasion and have never seen a standing line there. actually believe that the reason they began to charge was so that they could make it pay for itself as it was not used enough by the passengers.

 

C

[Paul65]

They do, but I believe it's a dinner/show combo.

 

You mean like a mystery dinner theater or something like that? Maybe RCI will take up that idea....;)

[GXmanDC]

We have used JR on occasion and have never seen a standing line there. actually believe that the reason they began to charge was so that they could make it pay for itself as it was not used enough by the passengers.

 

C

 

Funny, I heard the opposite. The place was mobbed by kids so they instituted a cover charge as a method of crowd control. I have no idea, it was before I started cruising.

[JeffHatfield]

We have used JR on occasion and have never seen a standing line there. actually believe that the reason they began to charge was so that they could make it pay for itself as it was not used enough by the passengers.

 

C

 

 

I believe when JR was first introduced, there was an ala carte charge and no one used it (at least not many) so the charge was removed. Then the excuse of kids were using it excessively, a cover was introduced.

[compman9]

The entertainment on Allure was excellent. I saw Chicago twice on Broadway and felt the performance on Allure was as good as NY. The diving show had me awe-struck.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I find yours most amusing. I thought it was more like a performance I would see in a village hall. As for the diving show - I was incredibly disappointed, it was was just the trampoline staff. The Oceanaria advertising sign was grossly misleading - I was expecting a ballet in the sky and sea (water) etc., it was just a few people jumping off the boards - I think two were able to do some twists etc.

 

Oh, and to the OP - oh, yes, it really is a matter of time before RCI charge for entertainment.

 

Passengers, especially loyalists, compare cruiselines, while cruiselines compare their product to land based holiday costs.

[compman9]

Have you actually seen performances of Hairspray and Chicago on Oasis and Allure? If you have and still claim that they are "not even close to 'Broadway' class performances, I might give your comments some credence. However, we have seen Broadway performances and both of the afore mentioned shows onboard RCI's ships were certainly on par with many of the shows we have seen on the Great White Way. We have also attended summer stock performances and think we can tell the difference.

 

I haven't been on the Oasis, but I echo my previous point - I have seen West End shows in London and they are the same as Broadway - are you RCI staff? ;)

[ChipLondon]

Please let us all know what village you live in, we would all be there tomorrow, The Aqua shows are amazing considering that they are at sea, and Blue Planet would hold its own against many so called Broadway shows, it will certainly run longer, and have a larger audience than many.

:D I congratulate the cast of many shows on many ships, many of which have previously performed in Broadway and Vegas, as well as some from the Aqua and ice shows being Olympic or National medal winners.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I find yours most amusing. I thought it was more like a performance I would see in a village hall. As for the diving show - I was incredibly disappointed, it was was just the trampoline staff. The Oceanaria advertising sign was grossly misleading - I was expecting a ballet in the sky and sea (water) etc., it was just a few people jumping off the boards - I think two were able to do some twists etc.

 

Oh, and to the OP - oh, yes, it really is a matter of time before RCI charge for entertainment.

 

Passengers, especially loyalists, compare cruiselines, while cruiselines compare their product to land based holiday costs.

[cruzincurt]

I think I recall NCL tried charging $10 for "big name" entertainment and it didn't work out.

 

Perhaps RCL could institute a "Cruise points" program, just like casino comp points. Pre-load every Sail'n Sign card with say 100 points just like the video playroom, or proportional to the cruise fare. Then you can use them to buy services, say 25 points for child care, 5 points for a hot tub pass, 10 points for the Broadway show, 25 points for premium dining....and so on. You can recharge your card for say $1 a point. So you spend your credits on just the services you use.

[Ocean Boy]

In all honesty I was surprised to find out it wasn't an extra charge for the shows on Oasis & Allure. I figured for sure there would be a nominal charge for them

 

With what I am paying to cruise on Oasis over what I have paid for other cruises I don't think that the charge to see these shows in nominal at all.

[Ocean Boy]

Have you actually seen performances of Hairspray and Chicago on Oasis and Allure? If you have and still claim that they are "not even close to 'Broadway' class performances, I might give your comments some credence. However, we have seen Broadway performances and both of the afore mentioned shows onboard RCI's ships were certainly on par with many of the shows we have seen on the Great White Way. We have also attended summer stock performances and think we can tell the difference.

 

Most of the people psoting on these boards have yet to cruise Oasis and Allure. Posting according to their experiences on other ships their opinions, and mine, is that not one of the shows that have been seen have been worth paying anything extra above the cruise fare for.

[Akitkat118]

they are already charging for daytime entertainment like the arts n crafts activities. i wanted a break from my husband on our past cruise - he could go play at the casino and i could unwind with some crafts. first "class" is free but every class after that you have to pay. no thanks. i'll find my own paper to fold.

[Palmetto Pilot]

I think you're right...and as long as folks are willing to pay for "extras", they will add more and more of them! See, if when they introduced the "specialty" restaurant no one used them, they would have been gone in a flash!

 

Folks who are just beginning to cruise don't remember how it used to be....so to them, this is all just a natural part of cruising.

At the rate RCI is going we'll be paying for sheets on the beds pretty soon.

[Shooraq]

The quality of entertainment would need to increase if RCI wishes to charge. I am not talking about Oasis and Allure, because they are exceptions.

 

But on other cruise ships, the quality of musicians and singer and dancers causes me to skip a lot of the entertainment on the ship and stick to only the headline singers and comedians.

 

The last Celebrity Century cruise I went on, I was cringing at the so-so band playing in the lounge. I wanted to walk out, but I was watching the Patriots game!

 

So I don't think RCI will charge any time soon. If they did, they wouldn't make much because I certainly wouldn't pay for the current level of entertainment (Oasis class ships excluded.)

[milton333]

I know that's hard to fathom right now, but 5 years ago, who would have believed that airlines would actually charge to transport our suitcases?

 

No kidding.

[glcoop]

I am proud to say after 17 cruises have not seen one show to much other stuff to do not enough time in the day.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I think Oasis and Allure do charge extra for the special entertainment, but it is a "stealth charge." You pay it when you pay the premium that it costs to sail on those ships, so the charge is hidden, but it is very much there.

 

Lots of folks, myself included must think it is worth it, because we have sailed on Osasi and Allure and will soon again.

 

I think that having an extra charge for the big shows has occured to the RCI suits, but even Disney doesn't have an extra charge for premium shows within its parks. There must be a reason and it may be that the cruise lines fear too much consumer resistance at that point...at least for now.

[Cruzaholic41]

It's only a matter of time before a cruise line goes to an ala cart cruise where your whole experience, including entertainment, is scheduled and personalized and the prices will reflect. Once one does it, and if it's successful, others willl follow. I think NCL would be most likely to go that route first.

[Jolimont]

I think that's what NCL is trying to do, there you pay extra for all but the buffet, there are shows such as Blue Man Group and they do charge for some areas of the sun deck. I don't know very much about it, but cruisers who review the Epic all mention how nickeled and dimed they felt. Personally I didn't patronize the specialty restaurants much on the cruises I took, the food is way better than what I fix at home in the dining room, so why bother? I would rather not do "all inclusive" because I don't drink enough to make that worth it, but pay extra for food and shows does not sound good to me.

[Canusa02]

When I first started cruising, if I remember correctly, everything you could eat was free on the ship. First they added specialty restaurants if you wanted a more elegant meal. Then they added Johnny Rockets for free, now a $4.95 charge, and after that, Ben & Jerry's for a charge, Seafood Shack for a charge, etc.. I know you can still go on a ship and not pay for any meals, but the point is they are adding more ways to generate revenue (to answer all the folks that will say "You don't have to eat there, there are plenty of places to eat for free").

 

Are we heading that way for entertainment? If you want to see the Broadway type production of Hairspray, you might have to pay $5 or $10, or Oasis of Dreams pay a little extra. Sure, you can still see the Ice Show or Comedy Show for free, but if you want the "premium" entertainment, you might have to pay a little extra. Or perhaps they'll add an even more elaborate production that doesn't exist now, and charge you extra for that.

 

Before you scoff at the thought of them doing that, for longtime cruisers, did you ever think you would have choices of paying for a specialty restaurant, or even if you wanted a filet in the dining room you'd have to pony up $15. Or if you wanted a seafood snack, you'd pay a la carte.

 

Just asking. I know the cruise lines are always looking for ways to generate more revenue.

 

We already do pay for entertainment on the ships. They call it cruise fare. If any line started charging for entertainment, I'd probably sail with another line. I already have to save too long for my liking before we can book a cruise, so every "extra" just means I probably won't consume, participate, etc. as much on the ship as I could if I weren't being nickled and dimed.

[negc]

I haven't been on the Oasis, but I echo my previous point - I have seen West End shows in London and they are the same as Broadway - are you RCI staff? ;)

 

I am not RCI staff but I have seen shows on Broadway and in London's West End and found that RCI's productions of Hairspray and Chicago were very close in quality to shows we have seen in those locations. Strange that one cannot post a positive comment without being accused of being an RCI employee.:rolleyes: Compared to the rather primitive entertainment we experienced when we first cruised more than 30 years ago, today's productions, even those on the other ships in the fleet are miles above those performances. I have not sailed on the NCL Epic, but based reviews I have read, the Blue Man Group performance onboard rivals that of any of their land-based productions.

If ever RCI were going to charge extra for entertainment, I believe that they would have done so when Oasis and Allure were introduced. The fact that they didn't do so gives me hope that such charges are not likely in the foreseeable future.

[time4u2go]

I think that's what NCL is trying to do, there you pay extra for all but the buffet...

Really? It costs extra to eat in the MDR???

[SI Cruiser]

I have not been on Oasis or Allure but I can say outright that the production shows suck big time on NOS and EOS.

 

I would never pay an extra nickel to see a bunch of 25 year olds prance around the stage with no singing ability.

 

Anyone that enjoys these shows must be from the midwest of the U.S. where they are not exposed to the level of entertainment that we enjoy on Broadway.