Reservations for shows

[ifihadamilliondollars]

Do you have to reserve seats for theatre shows or is it first come first serve?

[Aus Traveller]

First come, first served.

[karatemom2]

No need for reservations. You just need to arrive 20-30 minutes prior to the show generally to get a good pick of seats. And no seat saving is allowed so your whole party needs to be with you. 

[Haboob]

When you arrive, don't be so sure that you want seats up front...

 

The joke goes that Princess knows that half their passengers are a little deaf and want the other half that way, too.  😉

[fishywood]

No cruise ships on any line offer reserving of seats.

Two-count-em-two cruise lines offer pre-booking for shows on their largest mega-ships.  Which only guarantee admission, not any specific seat so the need to arrive early in order to sit where you wish remains.

I don't understand why so many people believe this very limited practice is found industry-wide.

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, ifihadamilliondollars said:

Do you have to reserve seats for theatre shows or is it first come first serve?

No, reservations.   Hope they never do that.

[Micahs Grandad]

7 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

No, reservations.   Hope they never do that.

For sure for sure

[LSGDRG]

I am in the minority but I like the idea of reserving a seat.  It would mean that I wouldn't have to arrive so early for a show

[cruzsnooze]

1 hour ago, Haboob said:

When you arrive, don't be so sure that you want seats up front...

 

The joke goes that Princess knows that half their passengers are a little deaf and want the other half that way, too.  😉

The shows are way too loud and I always have ear plugs.

[Jeter02]

Thank God it's NOT first come first serve and no reservations needed. I've heard about reservations on other cruise lines for shows which I am not a fan of as I like to meander around and if I pop into a show I pop into a show. on a vacation you shouldn't need to work off of a schedule it should be relaxed which is why I love the princess line

Edited June 29, 2019 by Jeter02
Error

[richmke]

5 minutes ago, Jeter02 said:

Thank God it's only first come first serve and no reservations needed. I've heard about reservations on other cruise lines for shows ...

 

 

Most likely you heard about people saving a block of seats for their family and friends. Which is against the rules and lead to fights, but that is a different thread.

Edited June 29, 2019 by richmke

[Jeter02]

2 minutes ago, richmke said:

 

 

Most likely you heard about people saving a block of seats for their family and friends. Which is against the rules and lead to fights, but that is a different thread.

Ooops. I completely made a mistake and did not mean to write the word only I meant to write the word not know they do not reserve seats. 

[MissP22]

10 hours ago, Haboob said:

When you arrive, don't be so sure that you want seats up front...

 

The joke goes that Princess knows that half their passengers are a little deaf and want the other half that way, too.  😉

I can't say that I've ever read about one person that thought the volume on Princess ships was to low.

[skynight]

I'm for the current procedure, no reservations*. I do not think the volume is too loud. All the shows I have been to, hundreds for sure, the sound levels seemed just about right. I will mention that many times it is cool in the theater. Most times I bring a zipper sweat shirt. They have to keep it cool with the large crowds. Also, the singers and dancers would overheat if the temperature was too warm.

*I have heard, true or untrue, that passengers that book the Sky Suites on the new ships will have a small section reserved for them.

[Coral]

26 minutes ago, skynight said:

 

*I have heard, true or untrue, that passengers that book the Sky Suites on the new ships will have a small section reserved for them.

This was in the promo literature. https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/yp-sky-princess/?cid=bm_paidsearch_BKWS_google_princesssky_skyprincess_Exact_isl&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInL_LueeO4wIVg4bACh1RJALUEAAYASAAEgK_h_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

• Reserved Princess Theater seating

[Coral]

Depending on the class of ship - you may have to show up quite a bit in advance to get decent seats. Other ships that are less crowded, you can show up 15 minutes early.

[Shoalwater]

13 hours ago, LSGDRG said:

I am in the minority but I like the idea of reserving a seat.  It would mean that I wouldn't have to arrive so early for a show

If they went to this practice, every show would be fully reserved, but attendance would be much less as people decide to do something else instead of honoring the seats they reserved.  

[MissP22]

13 hours ago, LSGDRG said:

I am in the minority but I like the idea of reserving a seat.  It would mean that I wouldn't have to arrive so early for a show

That sounds like what RCL does on some of their ships.

It's a terrible idea along with making reservations in the anytime dining room.

Get to the location early & get a choice seat or gab away in the DR & maybe not see any shows at all.

[reedprincess]

14 hours ago, fishywood said:

No cruise ships on any line offer reserving of seats.

Two-count-em-two cruise lines offer pre-booking for shows on their largest mega-ships.  Which only guarantee admission, not any specific seat so the need to arrive early in order to sit where you wish remains.

I don't understand why so many people believe this very limited practice is found industry-wide.

Three lines actually. RCI, NCL and MSC. That I'm aware of at least. There may be more. Only in the larger ships, not on all of them..

[Doug R.]

1 hour ago, Shoalwater said:

If they went to this practice, every show would be fully reserved, but attendance would be much less as peoplt decide to do something else instead of honoring the seats they reserved.  

 

15 hours ago, LSGDRG said:

I am in the minority but I like the idea of reserving a seat.  It would mean that I wouldn't have to arrive so early for a show

I experienced the reservation system on the NCL Getaway and liked it to an extent. The way it worked is you could make advanced reservations for a show. You needed to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance, earlier if you wanted a specific seating area.  Your reservation was loaded on your cruise card which was scanned at the theater entrance. Any reservation not claimed 15 minutes prior to showtime are cancelled and all remaining seats are opened to those without reservations. Where it did not work as well was in smaller venues such as the comedy club. The lineup of those who were waiting for general seating tended to cause congestion near the venue entrance and an unruly surge when it was opened.

[cr8tiv1]

Let me get this straight:

 

On other lines....you can reserve a show, but not a seat?  You still have to show up 15 minutes before the show?  

 

I'll opt for the way Princess doesn't have restrictions.  But I do wish CD staff would be in the theater to monitor crowds and offenders.

[JF - retired RRT]

15 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

The shows are way too loud and I always have ear plugs.

I just take my hearing aids out.🤣

[MissP22]

7 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Let me get this straight:

 

On other lines....you can reserve a show, but not a seat?  You still have to show up 15 minutes before the show?  

 

I'll opt for the way Princess doesn't have restrictions.  But I do wish CD staff would be in the theater to monitor crowds and offenders.

I have NEVER see any of the crew circulate around the theater 30 minutes before the show telling people not to save groups of seats. Only the announcement 10 minutes before the show...and we all know just how much good that does.

They just ignore the problem & let people fight it our for themselves. 

[LSGDRG]

2 hours ago, Doug R. said:

 

I experienced the reservation system on the NCL Getaway and liked it to an extent. The way it worked is you could make advanced reservations for a show. You needed to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance, earlier if you wanted a specific seating area.  Your reservation was loaded on your cruise card which was scanned at the theater entrance. Any reservation not claimed 15 minutes prior to showtime are cancelled and all remaining seats are opened to those without reservations. Where it did not work as well was in smaller venues such as the comedy club. The lineup of those who were waiting for general seating tended to cause congestion near the venue entrance and an unruly surge when it was opened.

I like this idea!

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by LSGDRG

[oskidunker]

Anything is better than having to get there 40 minutes early