Pre-Booking Entertainment (Iona)

[Rubynic]

Has anyone recently been able to book shows/entertainment prior to their cruise ? This was available earlier in the year when we sailed on Iona - details were on my P&O 2 weeks before the cruise departed. We are sailing again on Iona but the only option available to book is The Limelight Club.

[Selbourne]

9 hours ago, Rubynic said:

Has anyone recently been able to book shows/entertainment prior to their cruise ? This was available earlier in the year when we sailed on Iona - details were on my P&O 2 weeks before the cruise departed. We are sailing again on Iona but the only option available to book is The Limelight Club.

Yes, we were able to pre-book entertainment for our Iona cruise last month, but bookings didn’t open until the Monday (the dining reservations having opened at midnight Friday / Saturday. 
 

However, it’s worth noting (based on our recent experiences on both Iona and Britannia) that the bookings that you make often have no bearing to what actually ends up happening on the cruise! Shows often end up happening on completely different days to those you have booked and on the first night on Iona the show was not the one we had booked but was a completely different one that hadn’t even been bookable on the cruise Personaliser. Usually the daily Horizon schedule shows the correct show, but even that was incorrect on the first day on Iona!

 

One final tip. The headliner and guest act shows are under ‘Entertainment’ on the Personaliser, but there was an additional theatre show called ‘Wavelength’ (a game show that was actually quite entertaining due to the entertainment manager who was very funny). This appeared under a different part of the Personaliser (from memory ‘Experiences’) so I nearly missed it. They put it on at 2pm on the last sea day, so we watched it prior to going to the 3pm Afternoon Tea in Epicurean (which we also enjoyed). 

[Rubynic]

On 9/24/2023 at 8:24 AM, Selbourne said:

Yes, we were able to pre-book entertainment for our Iona cruise last month, but bookings didn’t open until the Monday (the dining reservations having opened at midnight Friday / Saturday. 
 

However, it’s worth noting (based on our recent experiences on both Iona and Britannia) that the bookings that you make often have no bearing to what actually ends up happening on the cruise! Shows often end up happening on completely different days to those you have booked and on the first night on Iona the show was not the one we had booked but was a completely different one that hadn’t even been bookable on the cruise Personaliser. Usually the daily Horizon schedule shows the correct show, but even that was incorrect on the first day on Iona!

 

One final tip. The headliner and guest act shows are under ‘Entertainment’ on the Personaliser, but there was an additional theatre show called ‘Wavelength’ (a game show that was actually quite entertaining due to the entertainment manager who was very funny). This appeared under a different part of the Personaliser (from memory ‘Experiences’) so I nearly missed it. They put it on at 2pm on the last sea day, so we watched it prior to going to the 3pm Afternoon Tea in Epicurean (which we also enjoyed). 

 

[Rubynic]

Thank you for your reply. I have checked again today but still nothing available to book. I guess I’ll just keep checking. Was hoping to get some stuff booked as are travelling on the coach with Intercruises & have an estimated arrival time of 4pm !! Didn’t want to miss out due to our late arrival.

[daiB]

2 hours ago, Rubynic said:

Thank you for your reply. I have checked again today but still nothing available to book. I guess I’ll just keep checking. Was hoping to get some stuff booked as are travelling on the coach with Intercruises & have an estimated arrival time of 4pm !! Didn’t want to miss out due to our late arrival.

As long as you can go to the early or late show in the theatre you should be OK only the 8.30 shows seemed full. BTW we are on Iona in 11 days as well

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 hours ago, daiB said:

As long as you can go to the early or late show in the theatre you should be OK only the 8.30 shows seemed full. BTW we are on Iona in 11 days as well

710 Club is the place that will need booking as soon as you get the chance on board or even in the port terminal itself if you can connect to the ship

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

710 Club is the place that will need booking as soon as you get the chance on board or even in the port terminal itself if you can connect to the ship

You don't have chance in the terminal these days as if you arrive at time on boarding pass you go straight to check in, security and then on the ship. The seating in the terminal was completely empty. If you didn't arrive at time on boarding pass and arrived early you have to queue outside terminal and then when your time is right you go through same procedure as above.

[Rubynic]

11 hours ago, daiB said:

As long as you can go to the early or late show in the theatre you should be OK only the 8.30 shows seemed full. BTW we are on Iona in 11 days as well

Unfortunately it is the 8.30 show we want to try & go to. Out of interest are you able to book entertainment  or is it not working for everyone ?

[daiB]

9 minutes ago, Rubynic said:

Unfortunately it is the 8.30 show we want to try & go to. Out of interest are you able to book entertainment  or is it not working for everyone ?

Hi, go now and do it, opened up this morning sometime. 😎

 

Gan Canny

Dai

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 hours ago, majortom10 said:

You don't have chance in the terminal these days as if you arrive at time on boarding pass you go straight to check in, security and then on the ship. The seating in the terminal was completely empty. If you didn't arrive at time on boarding pass and arrived early you have to queue outside terminal and then when your time is right you go through same procedure as above.

Trust me I can book stuff on my phone one handed whilst wheeling hand luggage in, showing boarding passes and walking looking up at the ship all at the same time

 

I don't need to sit down anywhere to do it!!

 

Lol

 

Just to be on the safe side

 

Bear in mind I'm inside saver so normally one of the last to board

 

(I can do all that AND stil even smile and say please and thank you to anybody we have to show stuff or do stuff with on the way in)

 

I've mastered it. I use an old blackberry phone with a proper keypad so I can type without looking at the keys as well

Edited September 26, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Rubynic]

2 hours ago, daiB said:

Hi, go now and do it, opened up this morning sometime. 😎

 

Gan Canny

Dai

Thank you - I’ll check it now. We’ve never been given a boarding time of 4pm before so just wanted to make sure we could get booked. Fingers crossed now for the 710 Club & Olive Grove when we’re finally onboard🤞

[CarlaMarie]

34 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Trust me I can book stuff on my phone one handed whilst wheeling hand luggage in, showing boarding passes and walking looking up at the ship all at the same time

 

I don't need to sit down anywhere to do it!!

 

Lol

 

Just to be on the safe side

 

Bear in mind I'm inside saver so normally one of the last to board

 

(I can do all that AND stil even smile and say please and thank you to anybody we have to show stuff or do stuff with on the way in)

 

I've mastered it. I use an old blackberry phone with a proper keypad so I can type without looking at the keys as well

 

Even though you are an inside saver that shouldn't reflect on your arrival time. It is usually done in decks once the top loyalty tiers and suites are boarded. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

Just now, CarlaMarie said:

 

Even though you are an inside saver that shouldn't reflect on your arrival time. It is usually done in decks once the top loyalty tiers and suites are boarded. 

Never realised that

 

Deck 5 on Iona at Southampton got  us a 3pm to 4pm ish type boarding time I seem to remember

[CarlaMarie]

Someone may have more information on how it is actually done, but I know it isn't dependent on what type of cabin you have booked. 

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Never realised that

 

Deck 5 on Iona at Southampton got  us a 3pm to 4pm ish type boarding time I seem to remember

Moley said it was floors from Southampton.

 

It won't matter with your Caribbean job in February, the buses now go in convoy to the port.  That means us PE boss get off first, board a bus first and then sit waiting for the very last and slowest passenger to get of the plane! Basically apart from the assisted passengers you have to join the bunfight.  I'll admit it's much quicker through the check in but the queues and waiting were certainly longer. I was most unamused last year as we were nearly 3 hours late and then waited on the plane nearly an hour for steps and then another 45 minutes on the bus. For good measure we somehow got to the back of the convoy too and was last to check in.

 

I'd think you can connect to Arvia from the shed to juggle your 710 bookings.

[Interestedcruisefan]

41 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Moley said it was floors from Southampton.

 

It won't matter with your Caribbean job in February, the buses now go in convoy to the port.  That means us PE boss get off first, board a bus first and then sit waiting for the very last and slowest passenger to get of the plane! Basically apart from the assisted passengers you have to join the bunfight.  I'll admit it's much quicker through the check in but the queues and waiting were certainly longer. I was most unamused last year as we were nearly 3 hours late and then waited on the plane nearly an hour for steps and then another 45 minutes on the bus. For good measure we somehow got to the back of the convoy too and was last to check in.

 

I'd think you can connect to Arvia from the shed to juggle your 710 bookings.

We experienced the same delay getting off the plane at Barbados and then waited like you a long time on the coach before leaving the airport

 

Approaching close to 2 hrs I would say in total altogether

 

Makes any queues on the ship itself seem like nothing in comparison

 

Yet people don't seem to complain much about the above. Compared to complaints we get about other lesser stuff on here IMO

 

Maybe it's because we are all sat down whilst we are waiting that people don't consider it queuing?

 

Same as many people are happy to sit in the theatre well before the show.

 

I myself like to be doing stuff all the time where possible

 

Like you say valuable holiday time wasted though at the airport for sure

 

I doubt that will change somehow. I think it's just how they operate. The coaches were all lined up. We weren't waiting for them to come back. They just get held though. 

 

Ps my wait was made slightly better as I found out Forest had got a hard earnt draw v Man City that day whilst we were flying. So I was able to read all the reports and comments about that at least

Edited September 26, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

15 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

We experienced the same delay getting off the plane at Barbados and then waited like you a long time on the coach before leaving the airport

 

Approaching close to 2 hrs I would say in total altogether

 

Makes any queues on the ship itself seem like nothing in comparison

 

Yet people don't seem to complain much about the above. Compared to complaints we get about other lesser stuff on here IMO

 

Maybe it's because we are all sat down whilst we are waiting that people don't consider it queuing?

 

Same as many people are happy to sit in the theatre well before the show.

 

I myself like to be doing stuff all the time where possible

 

Like you say valuable holiday time wasted though at the airport for sure

 

I doubt that will change somehow. I think it's just how they operate. The coaches were all lined up. We weren't waiting for them to come back. They just get held though. 

 

Ps my wait was made slightly better as I found out Forest had got a hard earnt draw v Man City that day whilst we were flying. So I was able to read all the reports and comments about that at least

The buses used to leave when full rather than wait.  The waiting bit came about in 2021, apparently due to covid protocols.  One of the big benefits for PE passengers was they got the first buses and left first. That also meant quicker boarding for them.  I've only done the PE since 2022 and as I say first off because the clear that cabin first, and then the wait.

Last year all season flights were a mess.  Frequently they arrived late, in some cases 12 hours, and the airport had difficulty with steps as they were in use for other arrivals.

[carlanthony24]

A guy in March 2023 boarded our bus we were about to leave and one of the cabin crew came with some duty free and asked if it was anyone's. No one knew anything so they went back to the plane. After we pulled away from the plane the gentlemen decided to speak up and say it was his so we had to wait for him to go and retrieve it. Whole bus was pretty angry since they did not even apolgise.