Encore - Entertainment booking process - please explain

[mickeysgal]

Hi - we have an upcoming cruise on Encore - a very short 4 day pacific coastal.  How exactly do you book entertainment like Choir of Man?  I'm reading on other ships that performances get sold out and that there are standby lines.  Not exactly a stress free vacation environment.  Please tell me where, when, and how we need to go to book shows.  Do they run performances every night?  What nights do they perform?   Besides Choir of Man, what else do we need to book?  We just booked some specialty restaurants, so I'm sure that these shows will conflict with the dining times I chose....

[shof515]

best way is use the kiosk on every floor next to every elevator bank on both sides of the ship 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, mickeysgal said:

Hi - we have an upcoming cruise on Encore - a very short 4 day pacific coastal.  How exactly do you book entertainment like Choir of Man?  I'm reading on other ships that performances get sold out and that there are standby lines.  Not exactly a stress free vacation environment.  Please tell me where, when, and how we need to go to book shows.  Do they run performances every night?  What nights do they perform?   Besides Choir of Man, what else do we need to book?  We just booked some specialty restaurants, so I'm sure that these shows will conflict with the dining times I chose....

Exactly 21 days prior to cruise (based on the countdown clock on your app or MyNCL account), log on and see if you can book the show online. Keep checking if it doesn't pop up on Day 21. 

 

Exactly 21 days prior to cruise at 12 midnight eastern time you also need to complete your online checkin to secure a preferred check-in time at the terminal. 

 

If the system does not allow you to book your shows prior to cruise, as soon as you embark, head to The Social (Deck 6 mid-ship) to make all show reservations. Choir of Man, other theater shows, comedy shows (early shows are family oriented, late shows 18+). You can also make go kart, laser tag, and Canvas by U painting reservations. 

 

Then you head across the hall to Teppanyaki (Deck 6 mid-ship) to fix any dinner reservations. 

[Beachedgirl]

We were on the Encore last week.   If you can’t book prior, go to deck 6 and book at the Social.  We usually book on the kiosks but they aren’t always showing or allowing you to reserve.  If you don’t get a booking the stand by option has had some success.   Everyone waiting in that line found a seat in the theater.   It was an amazing show!   Enjoy your cruise.

[mickeysgal]

5 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Exactly 21 days prior to cruise (based on the countdown clock on your app or MyNCL account), log on and see if you can book the show online. Keep checking if it doesn't pop up on Day 21. 

 

Exactly 21 days prior to cruise at 12 midnight eastern time you also need to complete your online checkin to secure a preferred check-in time at the terminal. 

 

If the system does not allow you to book your shows prior to cruise, as soon as you embark, head to The Social (Deck 6 mid-ship) to make all show reservations. Choir of Man, other theater shows, comedy shows (early shows are family oriented, late shows 18+). You can also make go kart, laser tag, and Canvas by U painting reservations. 

 

Then you head across the hall to Teppanyaki (Deck 6 mid-ship) to fix any dinner reservations. 

 

48 minutes ago, Beachedgirl said:

We were on the Encore last week.   If you can’t book prior, go to deck 6 and book at the Social.  We usually book on the kiosks but they aren’t always showing or allowing you to reserve.  If you don’t get a booking the stand by option has had some success.   Everyone waiting in that line found a seat in the theater.   It was an amazing show!   Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you both so very much. 

[DMS1]

We were on the Encore in November. We could not book shows in advance, instead we booked several shows at the electronic kiosks located near the elevators. We did our bookings as soon as we got on board, while we waited for access to the rooms to open up. 

 

 

[mkw]

Hello All. 

 

I just read something tonight that was interesting and confirmed with an ncl chat. It appears that if you have a main dining room reservation (which we do for 6) and go to book online for a show when available starting 21 days before your cruise, you can not book the show, because you need a 2.5 hour time frame between dinner time and show time. Trying to find more confirmation on this. I haven't found that stated anywhere yet on ncl sites, but thankfully ran across a forum discussing this. Thoughts?

[Erekosse]

11 hours ago, mkw said:

Hello All. 

 

I just read something tonight that was interesting and confirmed with an ncl chat. It appears that if you have a main dining room reservation (which we do for 6) and go to book online for a show when available starting 21 days before your cruise, you can not book the show, because you need a 2.5 hour time frame between dinner time and show time. Trying to find more confirmation on this. I haven't found that stated anywhere yet on ncl sites, but thankfully ran across a forum discussing this. Thoughts?

We were able to book a 7:30 show with a 5:30 specialty dining reservation earlier this week. I did hear on our roll call that some people were blocked based on dining reservation, but the time window isn't 2.5 hours from our experience.

[kjdj]

I was unable to book a 7:30 show with a 5:30 dinner reservation. Was told it was because I had a party of 8 and it had to be 2.5 hours in between so ended up with the 10pm show. So, sounds like it is based on dinner party size but not sure what the limit is.

[cruiseny4life]

When I ran into issues booking a show, due to a dining reservation, I was told there was a 90 minute hold, not a 2.5 hour hold. Maybe it varies by party as we just had two people. 

[Erekosse]

8 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

When I ran into issues booking a show, due to a dining reservation, I was told there was a 90 minute hold, not a 2.5 hour hold. Maybe it varies by party as we just had two people. 

We booked a party of two as well, so that's consistent with variance by party size...

[BirdTravels]

23 hours ago, mkw said:

Hello All. 

 

I just read something tonight that was interesting and confirmed with an ncl chat. It appears that if you have a main dining room reservation (which we do for 6) and go to book online for a show when available starting 21 days before your cruise, you can not book the show, because you need a 2.5 hour time frame between dinner time and show time. Trying to find more confirmation on this. I haven't found that stated anywhere yet on ncl sites, but thankfully ran across a forum discussing this. Thoughts?

That is correct and is the way NCL bookings have always worked. Dinners block exactly 2 hours on your schedule. So if you book a 5:30 dinner, the earliest show you can book is at 7:31. The online system will not let you book a 7:30 show. You can do that onboard upon embarkation, but not with the online booking. 

[cruiseny4life]

13 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

That is correct and is the way NCL bookings have always worked. Dinners block exactly 2 hours on your schedule. So if you book a 5:30 dinner, the earliest show you can book is at 7:31. The online system will not let you book a 7:30 show. You can do that onboard upon embarkation, but not with the online booking. 

Bird, Bird, Bird...did you not read the rest of the thread? Several posters have stated 2 hours, 30 minutes and at least two of us have stated 90 minutes. No one has said 2 hours...Did you experience a 2 hour block? 

[mkw]

The person in chat said 2.5 hours from dinner reservation to be able to book a show. Seems a bit much with a 5:30pm reservation, the earliest you can book a time.... and show is at 7:30pm. So technically, It would not let me book online or via a call.  I've done a couple NCL, but have never had to reserve spots for a complimentary show.   Thanks for the responses

[BirdTravels]

On 4/28/2023 at 8:34 AM, cruiseny4life said:

Bird, Bird, Bird...did you not read the rest of the thread? Several posters have stated 2 hours, 30 minutes and at least two of us have stated 90 minutes. No one has said 2 hours...Did you experience a 2 hour block? 

The Bird has researched the topic in the past. As stated, it has always worked this way. 120 mins are blocked on your schedule. So, if you have a 5:30 dinner, everything from 5:30 to 7:30, inclusive is blocked. 7:31 is the earliest you could book a show. You could not book a 7:30 show. You could book a 7:45 comedy show (when you used to be able to do that in advance). 
 

For simplicity, it is ok if you say 2.5.