Am I the only one who dislikes the 7pm and 9pm show times?

[SabreSailor]

There doesn't seem to be any reasoning to some HAL ships having their show times at 7pm and 9pm (9pm for the first sitting diners, which is fine I guess) and 7pm for the second sitting diners. For us second sitting preferrers, we like to have a cocktail before dinner and perhaps do some dancing, have dinner and then see the show. This 7pm-9pm arrangement forces us to get dressed for dinner early (along with the first sitting diners), have a cocktail at 6 (when the bars are like a morgue, although you do have the dance floor to yourselves!), and a show a 7 and then dinner at 8.

 

It seems that this is inconsistent across HAL ships - any idea why some have gone this way - and why the "old" system of 8pm and 10pm shows, where everyone goes to a show right after dinner, isn't reinstituted?

[cle1]

There doesn't seem to be any reasoning to some HAL ships having their show times at 7pm and 9pm (9pm for the first sitting diners, which is fine I guess) and 7pm for the second sitting diners. For us second sitting preferrers, we like to have a cocktail before dinner and perhaps do some dancing, have dinner and then see the show. This 7pm-9pm arrangement forces us to get dressed for dinner early (along with the first sitting diners), have a cocktail at 6 (when the bars are like a morgue, although you do have the dance floor to yourselves!), and a show a 7 and then dinner at 8.

 

It seems that this is inconsistent across HAL ships - any idea why some have gone this way - and why the "old" system of 8pm and 10pm shows, where everyone goes to a show right after dinner, isn't reinstituted?

 

I completely agree. We usually go on longer cruises with friends, so we do "fixed" late dinner, and we always meet in one of the bars for a drink before dinner, so we don't get to see either the 7 or 9 show unless we want to give up meeting our friends at 7 or miss dinner in the main dinning room.

Last year we went to a Q&A with some of the ship's officer's and I asked this question, and was told by the Cruise Director...that it was their idea to make the change at the yearly meeting they had .

[foodsvcmgr]

I believe the phrase has always been "dinner and a show", NOT "a show

and dinner" for good reason, that's how most people prefer it!

 

Since we always eat main/late traditional and go for cocktails prior, this

unfortunate new arrangement guarantees we won't be seeing any shows.:(

 

On OOSTERDAM in Dec. '08, some nights were 7 and 9 PM, while others

were the 8 and 10, at least that was a compromise.

 

On QM2 this past December, all production shows were AFTER dinner thankfully.

[Mary Ellen]

I completely agree. We usually go on longer cruises with friends, so we do "fixed" late dinner, and we always meet in one of the bars for a drink before dinner, so we don't get to see either the 7 or 9 show unless we want to give up meeting our friends at 7 or miss dinner in the main dinning room.

Add us to this situation. Someone recently asked me about the shows on HAL. Because of this poor timing, we haven't seen a HAL show in years (other than Justin Miller, we'll do what we have to in order to see his shows). I wasn't able to tell them anything - other than see Justin Miller if an option.

[Randyk47]

Add us to this situation. Someone recently asked me about the shows on HAL. Because of this poor timing, we haven't seen a HAL show in years (other than Justin Miller, we'll do what we have to in order to see his shows). I wasn't able to tell them anything - other than see Justin Miller if an option.

 

Same situation here. I bet we haven't seen more than three shows, other than the crew shows, in our last seven or eight cruises.

[LindaM]

It's not just HAL. Celebrity does it too. However, the late seating doesn't have the show before dinner EVERY night.

 

For those of us with anytime dining, it's perfect. We had to get to dinner pretty early to make the 8:00 show. But, I do understand those with late dining would be upset---I would be, too.

[suse]

Yeah, it's hard to get to some shows. But, on my last cruise, Westerdam, Nov. 29th, there was a Chinese juggler who was hilarious. I sat way in back in case I didn't like it, but I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Timing is everything, wouldn't you say?:)

[Gardyloo2]

We do late dining too, so that means we never get to see the shows. I agree with the "dinner and a show, not a show the dinner". At least we get to enjoy the strings before dinner.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I ahe the 7 and 9 PM shows.

 

We have dinner at 5:45 and finish arounf 7:15. Then we havr all that time doing nothing until a 9 PM show. We don't gamble -- DH can no longer dance (nor can I). And since he likes to be up early and in the gym by 6 -- getting out of a show at 10 PM -- just doesn't work for us.

 

Last spring we were so delighted to read that the Westrdam had shows at 8 and 10 -- and then when we got on the ship -- it was changed to 7 and 9.

 

I think we have made it do only about 2 shows at 7 -- only because we skipped the appetizer and dessert and told our waitstaff we were in a hurry.

 

[jhannah]

I don't care for the 7:00 and 9:00 arrangement. I wonder who persuaded the powers that be to switch from the 8:00 and 10:00 (logical, IMO) timings?

[ctsally]

We happen to like the 7 and 9 PM schedule for shows. We don't choose to drink, so we don't have the need or desire to have a cocktail before dinner. With AYW dining, we can eat early enough so that we can make the 7 PM show and then enjoy the piano bar. It works just fine for us.

 

I'll probably get a lot of flack for this, but we hope HAL continues with the 7 and 9 PM schedule.

[bob brown]

Add me to those preferring the old times.

As for the reason for the switch....could it be to shorten the long day for the cabin stewards? They would have all rooms made up for the night perhaps two hours earlier than before.

[Mary Ellen]

With AYW dining, we can eat early enough so that we can make the 7 PM show and then enjoy the piano bar. It works just fine for us.

We also have AYW dining and it does help us. Our AYW dining is at 8:00. Come to think of it, EVERY single passenger on the HAL ships has AYW dining. That means nothing to being able to see the shows.

[Padraic]

For us second sitting preferrers, we like to have a cocktail . . . have dinner and then see the show.

 

I'm with you. I once tried the before-dinner show and it was the last. I was at a loss trying to figure out how to do a one-hand clap because my other hand was holding a Martini. It doesn't work.

[alpal1993]

Not my cup of tea either like the shows after dinner too much rushing for late seating dinner

[Jemima]

We prefer the 7 and 9 times. They work so much better for those of us who have early fixed, or eat at earlier open times or choose to eat in the lido. Those seem to include the choices of most passengers. Most people don't want to eat late. When the MDR was all fixed, most people wanting changes were those wanting earlier times. CC posters seem to prefer late times, but that doesn't seem to be representative. A great number of us much prefer the 7 and 9 times.

[Kiwi1]

We were on the Volendam 20th Dec. until 6th Jan. the shows were 8PM and 10PM. This was perfect for us as we had early seating in the MDR 5.45pm. so went to the 8pm show, however on speaking to others who had late seating it seems that some nights the 10pm show was not well attended.

[Ontariotrekker]

Could the earlier shows be geared for the older passengers. When we were on the Oosterdam in November, several people we met ate at 5:15 and then made the mad dash down the hallway to get a seat for the show. I must confess, we did it a couple of times depending on the act.

[liketraveling]

I have only been on two HAL cruises. The first I thought the entertainment was lousy and didn't care. The 2nd the entertainment was great! and enjoyed going to the shows.

 

The last night they only had one show at 9:00. They also had the fixed seating on the last night due to the Master Chef! Everyone in the 2nd seating missed the show.

 

Both times I have put on my comment cards. It would be better to have the shows at 8:00 and 10:00.

 

Gail

[ctsally]

We prefer the 7 and 9 times. They work so much better for those of us who have early fixed, or eat at earlier open times or choose to eat in the lido. Those seem to include the choices of most passengers. Most people don't want to eat late. When the MDR was all fixed, most people wanting changes were those wanting earlier times. CC posters seem to prefer late times, but that doesn't seem to be representative. A great number of us much prefer the 7 and 9 times.

Thank you, Jemima, for reminding us all that the CC's are a very small minority of all the people who chose HAL. As I stated earlier, the 7PM and 9 PM times work out best for us. I know..."different strokes for different folks", but we know a lot of others that much prefer the 7 & 9 showtimes, regardless of what the majority of CC'ers seem to think.

[airlink diva]

I'm not a big show person (frankly because I know people that can dance and sing circles around most of the show performers) and only go occasionally. However, I know on my Maasdam sailing my tablemates were really disappointed about the timings. We had late dining and often were done about 9:30 p.m. nightly.

At our CC meet and greet, this question was asked to the hotel manager about the times. We were told that the new times were in favor of the wants of most guest,esp those on the anytime dining option. He also mentioned that often on the late show 10 p.m. that on average fewer than 30 people were watching the show on a nightly basis. Now the few shows that I went to on the old 10 p.m. time always had a nice crowd.

Since most cruiselines are pushing the anytime dining, the new times are most likey the best time for those diners who opt for anytime seating. I guess you can say it's a sign of the times.

The only show that I do make an effort to see is the crew show and that one is normally held much later (at the moment!!).

[cle1]

I don't care for the 7:00 and 9:00 arrangement. I wonder who persuaded the powers that be to switch from the 8:00 and 10:00 (logical, IMO) timings?

 

I was told by a Cruise Director, it was the Cruise Directors who changed the times.

[LindaM]

I'm not a big show person (frankly because I know people that can dance and sing circles around most of the show performers) and only go occasionally. However, I know on my Maasdam sailing my tablemates were really disappointed about the timings. We had late dining and often were done about 9:30 p.m. nightly.

At our CC meet and greet, this question was asked to the hotel manager about the times. We were told that the new times were in favor of the wants of most guest,esp those on the anytime dining option. He also mentioned that often on the late show 10 p.m. that on average fewer than 30 people were watching the show on a nightly basis. Now the few shows that I went to on the old 10 p.m. time always had a nice crowd.

Since most cruiselines are pushing the anytime dining, the new times are most likey the best time for those diners who opt for anytime seating. I guess you can say it's a sign of the times.

The only show that I do make an effort to see is the crew show and that one is normally held much later (at the moment!!).

 

Oh...this finally makes sense. On a port intensive cruise, people get up early for their shore excursions. Especially in Alaska and Europe/S.Am. etc. I am not surprised there would be few people at the late show. That is why we choose Anytime dining----we still want to see the shows, but don't want to be exhausted the next day. I am glad the cruise director can make the change if they see a need to---what is the point of a late show, if they are performing for few people?

[Tricia724]

I like the later shows, too, because we usually have fixed late seating when available or eat later if at open seating. I do understand that, for the most part, the cruiselines (not just HAL) are trying to accommodate as many passengers as possible.

 

The problem I have is the inflexibility of the schedule on some of the cruises. Once the decision makers (whoever they are) set the show times, the schedule is the same every evening, regardless of the other activities onboard or whether the cruise is highly port intensive or has many sea days. I sometimes think the schedule is made up for the convenience of the staff and entertainers rather than the passengers.

 

When we did our Antarctica cruise, we had six sea days in a row, it was a holiday cruise with many people enjoying the night life, and even during the sea days there were many of those 7/9PM shows. A couple of times we did get ready early for the show, and it was not well attended. When they did have a 10:30 PM show, there was a nice crowd there....and happily for us there were some evenings with a late show. The thing is HAL had early shows on some evenings prior to sea days....and late shows on some evenings prior to port days....so that kind of shoots the logic about adjusting the show schedule to accommodate the port schedule.

 

If the cruiselines want to offer some early shows....fine, but I think it's only fair to everyone on board to vary the show times so that everyone has an opportunity to attend at least some of the shows at a time of their liking.

[baggal]

Has anyone considered that if you go to the early show at 7 p.m., then have late seating dinner, at 9:30 p.m. you are "all dressed up with nowhere to go." Your choices then are few: the casino or a bar - both income generating venues.

 

I prefer late seating dinner and really dislike going to the 7 p.m. show. It cuts short your time spent at the pool, spa, gym, etc. in the late afternoon, when those areas become less crowded. For my next Carribbean, or less port-intensive cruise, I will have to investigate the show times before I put down my credit card. It could be a deal-breaker for me.