MUTS - Crown - Unhappy

[qm2lover]

On Crown - times for MUTS in evenings are 6.30 and 9.30pm. Not happy as on 2nd sitting which begins @ 8.15 p. and the films are appox 2hours long so effectively we have to choose between film or dinner in MDR. Spoke to CD. She said it was to give more choice for entertainment. But all it does is restrict choice for passengers on 2nd sitting. Not happy.

 

But apart from that - great cruise!!

[donaldsc]

The best idea would be to drop MUTS completely. There are a good many passengers who hate the whole idea of movies at sea. I have often thought that if I could get away with tossing a sledge hammer at the screen (think Apple commercial), I would.

 

DON

[Coral]

It seems like all the entertainment is arranged around first seating and for that reason, we have always stuck with that.

[Fireme91]

I Agree. Had same problem on Emerald!

[partybarbie]

The entertain scheduling is the main factor for our switch to "anytime" dining.

[KruzPrincess]

I love MUTS, so this would be an issue with me. Shogun mentioned this same thing in his LIVE thread and the CD explained the decision. You might want to read his thoughts on it. Here's the link to that thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1907471

 

It's up to each CD how they schedule the entertainment. For example, I've been on cruises where there was one or two movies and the rest was concerts and football. Some people want more sports. On most ships they will replay the movies in the cabin the next day. On the Coral Princess in Alaska, where it was too cold to sit out and watch a movie, they didn't replay the movies in the cabin! Why?

 

To the person who said they should drop MUTS: For me, they could drop production shows and it wouldn't bother me at all. I think they're cheesy and a waste of time, but some people like them. I like that I can sit outside and watch a movie at night. Many of us like it.

[FritzG]

The best idea would be to drop MUTS completely. There are a good many passengers who hate the whole idea of movies at sea. I have often thought that if I could get away with tossing a sledge hammer at the screen (think Apple commercial), I would.

 

DON

 

We really like MUTS, but I think that movies should only be shown in the evenings. During the day, it's annoying.

[skynight]

Anytime Dining to us means Anytime Entertainment. We decide what our entertainment/activity schedule for the evening will be and then plan dining around it, rather than the traditional visa/versa method. It has worked for us for lots of years.

 

Regarding MUTS, we are not much of a fan, especially the daytime "noise" in place of live music. But Princess executives seem to think highly of it, so for now it is here to stay.

 

The only way to get any attention is to use lowest ratings on the post cruise survey. Enough low ratings and they will pay attention. OK ratings will not do the trick. Don't rate specific "regular" employees or their job performance low as they will not be re-hired. To my way of thinking it is ok to rate officers, like a CD, low if you don't like the way they planned and directed their staff.

[Mom33]

One of the primary reasons we choose Anytime Dining is to be free to use our time our way . There is enough scheduling around shore excursions. The rest of

our time is open to whatever activity we are in the mood for.

 

We enjoy MUTS in the evening. Good movie, popcorn, pizza, cookies and milk under the stars in a warm blanket takes us back to our drive-in days. ;):D

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

From my live from

 

As to MUTs CD has screwed up and will complain

 

last MUts is 9.15 or 9.30

 

this is crazy you have a choice diner or a movie but not both if on second seating,

 

never seen this before, do not want to see it again

 

would be happy with a midnight movie.

Then

I said the Lisa was approachable so went and had a chat about Muts,

It appears that on the cold weather cruises passengers were not going to Muts at night to cold etc,

Also larger numbers of passengers were staying onboard during the day so main movies were shown

In the afternoon, however Muts will be back to late evening slot when warm weather cruises start again

We did have to leave diner one night to see a movie.

yours Shogun

[Cauzneffct]

On Crown - times for MUTS in evenings are 6.30 and 9.30pm. Not happy as on 2nd sitting which begins @ 8.15 p. and the films are appox 2hours long so effectively we have to choose between film or dinner in MDR. Spoke to CD. She said it was to give more choice for entertainment. But all it does is restrict choice for passengers on 2nd sitting. Not happy.

 

But apart from that - great cruise!!

 

What would your solution be? It looks like both times are set for 1:15 after the seating time. If you set the times earlier, that doesn't solve anything (or it does for you, but not for someone else potentially). If you set them too much later, I wonder if there would be enough interest to keep the late viewing.

 

Also, its not as if having to potentially choose dinner in the MDR or something else is a new phenomenon, particularly if you're in the early sitting with a port-intensive itinerary with late return times.

[-Lew-]

We enjoy MUTS and adjust our dining schedule when there's something on the big screen we want to see. We are anytime diners, but will also dine in Caribe Cafe or one of the specialty restaurants on MUTS nights.

 

I don't believe it's possible to schedule shows in all venues so everyone will be able to attend everything.

 

Lew

[CCFC]

I agree with the odd timing for MUTS and 2nd sitting diners. The only way around it I found was to watch the films in the Princess Theatre in the afternoon.

[sminfiddle]

I looked the movies up in IMDB, fully expecting some to be an hour and a half and Late-Seating friendly.

Nope, you are right, they are all big sized ones.

 

Crown Princess' Movies Under the Stars:

Iron Man 3 - 2 h 10 min

Now You See Me - 1 h 55 min

Oblivion - 2 h 4 min

Star Trek Into Darkness - 2 h 12 min

The East - 1 h 56 min

The Internship - 1 h 59 min

The Great Gatsby - 2 h 23 min (yowch!)

 

I'll echo Shogun and say I would attend a midnight movie so we could also take in a stage show.

 

 

 

~sent using Cruise Critic app~

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

When on holiday, I have no need to be in bed early, if the following day is a sea day, more than happy to stay up into the small hours to watch a movie, after all they show movies in cabins starting at midnight, so why not have three viewings and not two on some days.

 

yours Shogun

[USNUZULOOSE]

This will be my first sailing with MUTS. I am looking forward to it. I hope something good will be playing.

[cmst220]

hope the timings change for us in 18 days .

love muts nothing nicer than watching a late movie after a good day ashore .

we dont eat in m.d.r every night so not a problem late movie shoild be 10.30-10.45 start

[Hlitner]

I guess this is just one more reason (among others) that we always do "Anytime Dining" while on Princess (and other cruise lines that have the option). We can then vary our dining time (what an amazing revelation to eat when one pleases) to allow us to deal with the evening schedule. As to MUTS (we would toss a sledge hammer at the screen when it annoys us during the daytime) we can dine at 7:30 if we want to catch a late show or dine at 9 if we want to catch an early movie.

 

The reality is that on most cruise lines the evening entertainment schedule seems optimized for the early sitting. Those of us who prefer dining at dinner time (rather then at a late lunch time) have to make adjustments :)

 

Hank

[Happy2cruise]

One of the primary reasons we choose Anytime Dining is to be free to use our time our way . There is enough scheduling around shore excursions. The rest of

our time is open to whatever activity we are in the mood for.

 

We enjoy MUTS in the evening. Good movie, popcorn, pizza, cookies and milk under the stars in a warm blanket takes us back to our drive-in days. ;):D

Agree with you:D:D

[Love.II.Cruise]

I find this thread interesting. We like anytime dining, but on our next cruise there is only traditional (fist and second seating) on Pacific Princess. I just checked the Princess website and discovered the little girl ships don't have MUTS.

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

On Crown - times for MUTS in evenings are 6.30 and 9.30pm. Not happy as on 2nd sitting which begins @ 8.15 p. and the films are appox 2hours long so effectively we have to choose between film or dinner in MDR. Spoke to CD. She said it was to give more choice for entertainment. But all it does is restrict choice for passengers on 2nd sitting. Not happy.

 

But apart from that - great cruise!!

 

 

Another reason I LOVE Anytime Dining!!!!!:D:D:D

[Fuzzyape]

I have to admit, with the exception of Rocky Horror Picture Show, I haven't seen a movie on MUTS that I must absolutely see. With that said, looking at the patter if I saw a movie that I had to see playing on MUTS I would make arrangements to eat (letting my traditional folks know that we wouldn't be there) grab food at the buffet, and enjoy the show.

[fishywood]

It has been that way since the beginning of MUTS: the last showing of that night's feature film will start just around the halfway point of the last show in Princess Theater. And if you try to plan to catch the first showing of the film (not optimal as the sun will not have fully set) then eat dinner followed by the last theater show you end up rushed off your feet. The CD is technically right, MUTS gives you another option to choose but not the option to choose both it and something else.

 

On Caribbean Princess in 2007 there were midnight shows on MUTS: not a repeat of the earlier film but Rocky Horror and similar offerings aimed at the younger crowd (presumably as it was a Summer Caribbean sailing).

On Coral Princess in 2009 I was onboard just before MUTS was added in drydock; there were many nights with at 10:30 film in Princess Theater or Universe Lounge.

Fast-forward to the present--both of the above no longer exist. Yes the trend is for on-demand movies in staterooms, now on Royal Princess and likely to spread. Better than nothing, but just barely; why go on vacation for something I can do at home (on a 60" HD screen with surround sound).

 

So sure would be nice if there were a couple nights with circa-11 PM starts for a film, whether on MUTS or an indoor venue--would be perfect on each night before a sea day.

[CI66774]

I don't know the configuration of all Princess ships, but aren't there staterooms directly below the MUTS area on some of them? If so, maybe that's a reason. I would be complaining if I couldn't sleep because MUTS was blaring until all hours of the night/morning. I don't book under the pool deck, etc. but some people do and I could see where it would interfere with their sleep. Just a thought.

[Ontario Cruiser]

I Agree. Had same problem on Emerald!

Ditto on the Emerald crossing last April Ontario Cruiser