Short Evening Entertainment

[stag]

I am in half way of South America cruise on Golden Princess. All Evening entertainment programs in Princess Theater and Vista Lounge are less than 30 minutes, including musical, comedy, and production shows such as British Invasion. There should be a magician show on this cruise. I'll see if it might last 30 minutes. Hope this is not a 2014 invention for Princess.

[cr8tiv1]

(Golden) Princess began these shorten programs almost a year ago and I believe it is now fleet wide. The good news is that everyone can now get a seat in the theater. I like this arrangement much better. I know that some others are disappointed.

 

At least you are still getting two shows a night. On the Sapphire, the Vista Lounge was turned into a nightclub. They only had the one performance a night. Some good entertainment was in the Piazza.

[Mom33]

There are more things to do with the new schedule. We like it for the nightly variety.:D

[Pam in CA]

Hope this is not a 2014 invention for Princess.

It was a 2013 "invention." Many people prefer the flexibility of the shorter shows.

 

 

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[Stevesan]

On CB the first show was @30 minutes. Following nights the shows leaned toward 40 minutes.

Even with the added show, they were SRO.

[Coral]

I am in half way of South America cruise on Golden Princess. All Evening entertainment programs in Princess Theater and Vista Lounge are less than 30 minutes, including musical, comedy, and production shows such as British Invasion. There should be a magician show on this cruise. I'll see if it might last 30 minutes. Hope this is not a 2014 invention for Princess.

 

Our 2012 summer cruise on the Sapphire switched to the 30 minute format - we were doing a B2B2B and they switched on the 2nd cruise. I don't like the 30 minute shows.

[davekathy]

There are more things to do with the new schedule. We like it for the nightly variety.:D

 

Agree.

[sonnenschein]

the short shows are a waist of time,I don't like them and don't bother going anymore to see them.:eek::cool::confused:

[capriccio]

There are more things to do with the new schedule. We like it for the nightly variety.:D

 

We do too. We've been on 4 cruises since the change (Sapphire, Coral, Caribbean and Royal). We usually go to the elite/suite/platinum lounge for a drink and then the early show followed by dinner and whatever we feel like the rest of the evening. Maybe our attention spans are getting shorter in our old age:D but the shorter shows work well for us.

Edited January 26, 2014 by capriccio

[Nebr.cruiser]

This is the second time we've been on a ship with the short shows--hate them. There is also a very noticeable cut-back in the quality of shows and performers. Some of the shows in Dec. did clock out at about 30 min., a few went closer to 40. Some of the guest performers mention the short time and seem like they resent being rushed.

 

Though we have cruised more with Princess (10) than any other line, this and several other things, are leaning us toward other lines for a while. Sometimes things get too familiar, and some of the changes don't suit us.

[senior lady]

I just got off the Sapphire and loved the shorter shows. This allowed us to go the Platinum / Elite lounge, dinner, show, and then enjoy some of the other nightly entertainment. It kept the evening fun.:)

[RDC1]

We have been on several cruises with the shorter format. We like the format. The timing fits in better with dining times. The format means that we can catch two different shows in an evening (usually some kind of show (music, comedy, etc.) is going on in Explorers Lounge each evening so we can catch the show in the theater and then catch a different show in Explorers.

[Colo Cruiser]

We like it too.

As stated more variety in the evening.

[Cruzingal#9]

We were on the Star in October to Hawaii and loved the 3 different times in the theater. We went to the third one (usually around 10 or 10:30) and walked in 5 minutes before the show started and got second or third row center seats!! It was great! Didn't have to waste a half hour every night sitting in there just to get a seat. We also liked the variety of going to a couple different forms of entertainment every night. I agree that when it's a show you're really enjoying, that 30 minutes goes by really fast, but we still like the new format.

[caribill]

We like it too.

As stated more variety in the evening.

 

Combined with the elimination of a second entertainer in another lounge, this means Princess has gone from 90 minutes (2 different performer programs at 45 minutes each) to 30 minutes (1 performer program for 30 minutes).

 

In no way do I see cutting performer entertainment by 2/3rds an improvement for the passengers.

[Colo Cruiser]

Combined with the elimination of a second entertainer in another lounge, this means Princess has gone from 90 minutes (2 different performer programs at 45 minutes each) to 30 minutes (1 performer program for 30 minutes).

 

In no way do I see cutting performer entertainment by 2/3rds an improvement for the passengers.

 

To each his own.

[Loonbeam]

Part and parcel of this seems to be what the CDs do with it. If you offer 3 30-40 min shows in one venue and a different show 3 times in another venue, that gives more people more options.

 

However, if you only offer the one, its a definite drop in entertainment offering.

[caribill]

However, if you only offer the one, its a definite drop in entertainment offering.

 

And that is for the most part what has happened.

 

It costs Princess less to have passengers provide the entertainment (game contests, karaoke, etc.) than to pay for additional entertainers.

Edited January 27, 2014 by caribill

[Loonbeam]

The good news is that is something that can easily be fixed based on feedback.

 

I'm not a huge fan of the production shows, 30-40 minutes is usually all I can stand of them (even though I went to all of them on the Island - we had made friends with two of the show staff and felt compelled to offer moral support.) But I love a good comedian (of which Billy Vader is not) or magician.

 

What Princess should do for headliners is contract them for x number of hours and let them work out a schedule with the CD. Some performers work best in short bursts, others need a longer block .

 

 

And that is for the most part what has happened.

 

It costs Princess less to have passengers provide the entertainment (game contests, karaoke, etc.) than to pay for additional entertainers.

[wilfros]

when it's a show you're really enjoying, that 30 minutes goes by really fast

 

Same can be said for Broadway Production Shows. When it's a show you're really enjoying, that 2 hours goes by really fast.

 

If the show ends and you still want more, stay where you are and watch it a second time.You listen to songs on the radio over and over again, so why not enjoy the Princess Production Show more than once?

 

I think they do a great job, and the performers must do it 2 or 3 times a night. For them it must be as demanding, physically, as if they were in a full Broadway show. I feel they are all to be commended.

 

Gee Wiz, look and the costumes and the sets! Take the backstage tour and see what the dancers and singers go through, not to mention all the support staff.

 

Full Credit To All who play a role in these shows! IMHO of course;)

[gertz]

We don't like the change and think it is entirely cost driven and a step towards Carnivalism.

[Loonbeam]

I'm not sure cost is as big a factor here as in some cases. . Since time on stage and rehearsal time is probably similar in the shorter shows, I doubt it changes staffing costs, in fact, with an additional set reset might need another person or two.

 

Not having other entertainers on board IS a cost measure of course.

We don't like the change and think it is entirely cost driven and a step towards Carnivalism.

[RDC1]

Combined with the elimination of a second entertainer in another lounge, this means Princess has gone from 90 minutes (2 different performer programs at 45 minutes each) to 30 minutes (1 performer program for 30 minutes).

 

In no way do I see cutting performer entertainment by 2/3rds an improvement for the passengers.

 

On each of the Princess ships I have been on in the past year, including one in January, all of them have had an 2nd performer in a different venue each night.

[iceleven]

This is the second time we've been on a ship with the short shows--hate them. There is also a very noticeable cut-back in the quality of shows and performers.

 

Thus a very good reason to be happy with the shorter shows, no?

[Colo Cruiser]

Thus a very good reason to be happy with the shorter shows, no?

 

Slippery slope.