Would you pay for entertainment?

[richleeds]

Ok, been involved in something a while back where this was mooted around.

 

It was put forward as an idea only at this stage and may never see the light of day and was aimed at the cruise industry and not specifically at P&O.

 

The concept goes like this....

 

For a small cover fee, maybe £10, you have a private entertainment venue on board the ship, this would be a lot more intimate than the theatre, you would be served a glass of "bubbles" on arrival and canapes/nibbles throughout. You would be guaranteed a seat with a small table for your drinks to sit on. The waiter ratio would be higher so you would never run dry.

 

The downsides are it would be the same act/artiste you could see elsewhere on the ship for free so you are paying for the atmosphere/ambience of the location rather than seeing an act that you couldn't see elsewhere. The show times would have to fit around existing shows, so it would more than likely mean a very late start.

 

The thinking behind it is to raise revenue for the line, pay the performers extra for an additional show in the hope it will tempt higher calibre acts, stop the other venues from resorting to standing room only, offer another choice, be seen as a premium event in an intimate venue, good for a celebration or treat etc.

 

So we now accept that we can pay extra for speciality dining and plush sunbeds, are we willing to pay extra for entertainment?

[BrianI]

It's already here, the Limelight Club on Britannia.

http://www.pocruises.com/cruise-ships/britannia/overview/

Brian

[richleeds]

It's already here, the Limelight Club on Britannia.

http://www.pocruises.com/cruise-ships/britannia/overview/

Brian

 

Limelight is going to be a supper club with a full meal as you watch a show, not quite the same.

[tartanexile81]

Well we pick and choose which artists who're performing each evening we want to see, so unless we can still do the same (:D) we wouldn't really be interested.

 

In principle we like the idea but with 1st / 2nd sitting and freedom dining we can't see how it would work. Why would we want nibbles etc if we were going to a show after 2nd sitting dinner..... ??

[richleeds]

Well we pick and choose which artists who're performing each evening we want to see, so unless we can still do the same (:D) we wouldn't really be interested.

 

In principle we like the idea but with 1st / 2nd sitting and freedom dining we can't see how it would work. Why would we want nibbles etc if we were going to a show after 2nd sitting dinner..... ??

 

Nibbles - they have to throw something in the pot to make it look attractive and the cost of a few nibbles in negligible to a cruise line, it maybe that they offer some chocolates as opposed to savoury items, its more of a gesture than a feeding frenzy.

[Turbofun]

It'd have to be very good entertainment to tempt us.

We're, by preference, late diners and, especially on 2nd sitting traditional dining, have found our table companions so interesting that we have always been very late leaving the MDR, then, at times, all of us have gone to a bar to continue our drinking and conversation.

Problem here might be how the entertainers are able to gauge the audience in a more intimate space, meaning those entertainers had better be true pros able to "feel" the response pretty quickly, otherwise it'll fail, with bad feedback from the audience.

[Josy1953]

Nibbles and bubbles would not act as an incentive to me at all. We saw Michael Ball last year and I would pay to see him again, we also did a Strictly Come Dancing cruise and I would also pay for that again but last week we saw Tom O'Connor on Adonia and I definitely wouldn't bother going to see him again even if I was offered money to do so. I would NOT pay to see most acts even though I might go to see them when they are still free.

[Scriv]

No, we wouldn't be interested. I am happy enough with what's there at the moment.

[pete14]

Limelight is going to be a supper club with a full meal as you watch a show, not quite the same.

 

Maybe not quite the same but pretty close. It isn't crystal clear how it will work but it is a 3 course meal with entertainment. Whether it is a meal followed by a show or a meal with entertainment between courses and afterwards has not yet been made clear. The entertainers will not be performing anywhere else on board. We have already booked 2 nights in there for the Britannia maiden (Kiki Dee and Madeleine Bell). Each starts at 7:00 and you can stay all night with dancing after the show/meal and the cover charge is a reasonable £22. Seems like a good idea to me provided the entertainment is good and not just tribute acts and the cast of 'The Comedians' from the 70s.

[Host Sharon]

I wouldn't be interested unless they were a star I already knew I liked. I prefer late sitting, club dining anyway and rarely bother with shows as I love the quiz. It's a great way of meeting people if you sail solo and a supper club is the last thing solos would want to attend on their own I would imagine.

[jaceyar]

This is just another way of extracting more cash from us - just like all the specialty restaurants. Cruising is getting cheaper each year and so they need to keep the profit up.

[pete14]

This is just another way of extracting more cash from us - just like all the specialty restaurants. Cruising is getting cheaper each year and so they need to keep the profit up.

 

The speciality restaurants and limelight club are optional. If people don't want their money extracted from them they will not use them. If this happens they will close. What is wrong with giving the option to people who want to exercise it? I never use the casino and rarely use the shops but would never deny those who want to use them to do so, even though they also extract money from passengers.

[majortom10]

It's already here, the Limelight Club on Britannia.

http://www.pocruises.com/cruise-ships/britannia/overview/

Brian

 

P&O guarantee that the artists you see in Limelight club will not be seen in any other venue during the cruise.

[caber]

You get it on Queen Elizabeth. For a fee you get a box in the theatre with champagne and canapies served.

[grush240]

Maybe if it was someone I really wanted to see, just to get a guaranteed seat. For the normal shows/acts no not a chance. The supper club idea is more appealing if it's priced right.

 

Kev

Edited December 24, 2014 by grush240

[silver wedding]

The biggest insult on here normally is P&O are getting like Butlins. When we went with our children to Butlins in the 1980's we paid extra to go and see acts in a supper club. So will P&O now have Red Coats and knobbly knee competitions?

[jeanlyon]

No, definitely not. We are 2nd sitting club diners and like others enjoy our companions. Always had good tables. then we go to the show whatever it is. Not too keen on the solo singers, some comedians have been OK, some awful.

[Presto2]

We're not too interested in the shows - our sort of entertainment if sitting somewhere quiet with a piano tinkling having a cocktail so there would be no benefit for us. :)

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Well I WOULD like to see charges for some 'specialist' entertainment. I chose my entertainment quite carefully and with over thirty ocean cruises under my belt I have attended Zero 'Shows', two classical guitar recitals, two piano recitals and one operatic tenor recital.

 

The problem I find is that as people pay nothing (directly) for them, then that's how much they value them - demonstrated by talking, ordering drinks and coming and going throughout. I don't look upon what I go to see/hear as just a way to spend an hour before/after dinner.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[BalkanCruiser]

How will this work ? P&O will have to have an act/s that people are prepared to pay for but such acts would I would thought be expensive. So with the restricted numbers of people able to fit into the space available the cost of the entrance fee would have to be rather high to make it worthwhile and profitable. I can't see how a tenner per person would go anywhere near covering the cost to P&O.

[laurakdy]

The speciality restaurants and limelight club are optional. If people don't want their money extracted from them they will not use them. If this happens they will close. What is wrong with giving the option to people who want to exercise it? I never use the casino and rarely use the shops but would never deny those who want to use them to do so, even though they also extract money from passengers.

Couldn't agree more. People who cruise are so terrified of anything different or changes. The 'we always do this brigade'. Every day and night has to be mapped out with 'what we always do is'...I choose freedom dining because I go to dinner whenever I'm ready, not because 'we always go at this time'.

 

I'm not a big entertainment fan but would definitely like the option to consider something and if I thought worthwhile would definitely pay for.

Why not? As has been pointed out, we pay for the retreat, which I'm not bothered about but many love it. Casino? Not bothered but others like it. Speciality restaurants I love and happily pay for.

I think there would be as many pay as don't pay for some good top class entertainment. Can't do any harm to have the choice. If it doesn't work it will be withdrawn. Simple.

[alvin moondust]

Im confused by this, We have cruised three times with P&O, Each time we have enjoyed the atmosphere and the environment, and generally the entertainment has been a good standard. The lounges and bars are comfortable and inviting with plenty of seating and generally very quick waiter service.....

So what are you suggesting we would be paying extra for...some nibbles.

And the only way for this to work is to remove one of the existing bars from general use and start charging for it, or have a show that starts at around midnight after the other entertainment has finished, In which case you would be paying to sit in the same place everyone else sat in earlier at no charge?

 

It is also another step away from the concept of All Inclusive cruising, We already pay extra for certain restaurants, Reserved deck areas, Spa use etc etc, Where does it end?

[Zombatar]

The limelight club sounds like a really good idea. Usually go to the speciality restaurants a couple of times on each cruise and this sounds much the same but with entertainment. £22 isn't really much for a cover charge, I would pay more for entry to club in a land based resort. On Britannia in July 2015 so will definitely be booking at least one night in the Limelight club. :)

[richleeds]

It is also another step away from the concept of All Inclusive cruising, We already pay extra for certain restaurants, Reserved deck areas, Spa use etc etc, Where does it end?

 

It doesn't. You will find the lead in prices for cruises reducing further and further and you will find more and more chargeable optional onboard activities appearing on ships.

[heywood]

It doesn't. You will find the lead in prices for cruises reducing further and further and you will find more and more chargeable optional onboard activities appearing on ships.

 

I think you are probably right. We often say that you wouldn't get such a variety of entertainment and activities free on a land based holiday but it is expected on a cruise.