Have extra tickets to Billy Elliott musical in London...QM2 passenger interest?

[JLind]

I have 4 extra tickets to the hot new London West End musical "Billy Elliott". We are on the QM2 crossing on July 5 to England. The show just got an amazing review in the New York Times and there is some doubt that it will ever come to Broadway. Tickets are impossible to get, (an English friend of mine said that the tickets are like "golddust") so I imagine I'll be able to sell them without trouble. The tickets are for the Wednesday July 13th.

 

Ideally I'd like to find someone on the July 5th crossing who would be interested in the tickets. The problem is, I have to pick up the tickets at the box office when we get to London. I want to be perfectly legal about it- I'm not looking to "scalp" them.

 

Any suggestions on how I can possibly connect with someone on the July 5th eastbound crossing, who would want to have these tickets? I want to be classy and legal about it. I'd rather not sell them on the street in London- not my style! Is there something like a bulletin board on the ship???

 

Appreciate any advice on this...

Jill

[JGR01]

Normally pickup of tickets is DAY OF SHOW .. so your comment 'when we get to London' needs to include on the day of the show. I do not think they let you collect them a day or two early. Sometimes you cannot collect the evening show before the matinee show starts.. something about 'British order' I bet!

 

What you may want to do is post a notice (thru the purser or concierge) onboard that you have tickets available. Or chat up your table companions. If ALL else fails on the transfer into London try and find out who is staying longer from people on the bus/train that you take.

 

I'd then suggest the people meet you at the theater an hour (or more) before the show to get the tickets from you (once you collect them at the box office). To avoid the look of a scalper .. suggest that the people pay you up front (show them the printout that you have the tickets) . or at least agree to the price and suggest that it be put in an envelope when you exchange the tickets. Scalping is pretty open in the West End .. so a quiet conversation would not be inapproriate.

 

If you don't want to have them pay you up front, suggest that you will wait for them at the theater until 15 minutes before curtain .. and if they fail to show you will turn them back into the theater .. the 'returns queue' will be VERY greatful!

 

Think its a great idea to keep the tickets within the QM2's pax!

 

Enjoy the show and the crossing!

[JLind]

Thank you so much for your sage advice. I love these boards. When I bought the tickets, the website said that if you live in the UK they would mail them and if you live outside the UK they would be at the box office. It never would have occured to me that the box office might not release the tickets a few days ahead. I truly appreciate your "heads up" on the odd box office protocol, and your suggestions regarding selling the tickets. I will try to connect with someone on the QM2 crossing. It would be my first choice to handle it in a friendly, classy way with someone on the ship.

 

We are looking forward to our trip! (Although I don't know if I'll have peace of mind until I have completed this task...)

 

~Jill