NCL is killin' me. Just killin' me.

[Donna_In_India]

So sorry you are disappointed. You are entitled to feel however you do! We were on the Getaway in August. I'd booked about 8-9 months prior. There were SO many changes to our cruise between the time we booked and the time we cruised. It was very disappointing and I'm just not such a huge fan of NCL as I once was.

 

One of the worst things was/is the lack of communication from NCL. We found out about a lot of the changes from here, FB, etc. I don't think that's how you treat your customers. As far as family entertainment NCL comes in 3rd behind Disney & RCI. We did enjoy Blue Man Group and Cirque...the rest, not so much to not at all. I hope that you still have a wonderful cruise.

[BirdTravels]

FTR will be a much better production in the main theatre where you don't have to twist your neck or miss half the action and they really need the type of show that will appeal to all ages for the supper club. The adult oriented shows are great, no doubt, but I saw a lot of bored kids at FTR. Not so at the Cirque show on the BA.

 

I think that they were staying true to the way the show was originally staged. The midtheater stages are not a unique artifact of NCL.

 

We did some homework. Instead of fighting for a stageside seat, we got seats on the first riser and center. So the main stage and side stages were in front of us. Best seats in the house. And, not that it matters any more, when folks on CC ask, those are the seats we recommend. Let the Havens crowd hang in the first row.

[wdsted02]

We were on the Epic in December out of Barcelona to the Canary Islands. The show was the best I have seen except when on board with Rosie O'Donnel.

 

The show was "Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical". I had expected to be disappointed, especially since Hubby and I saw the West End premier in London with the original actors.

 

I was expecting a bad 6 Flags style production and got a very rehearsed and professional version that was a toe tapping joyous spectacle.

 

We did the acrobatic dinner show (paid) very worth the money. It was hysterically irreverent.

 

I hope these changes are for the better.

[jh2360]

We were on the Epic in December out of Barcelona to the Canary Islands. The show was the best I have seen except when on board with Rosie O'Donnel.

 

The show was "Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical". I had expected to be disappointed, especially since Hubby and I saw the West End premier in London with the original actors.

 

I was expecting a bad 6 Flags style production and got a very rehearsed and professional version that was a toe tapping joyous spectacle.

 

We did the acrobatic dinner show (paid) very worth the money. It was hysterically irreverent.

 

I hope these changes are for the better.

 

How was the Cruise overall? We are doing the 10 day Canary Islands this coming December.

[wdsted02]

How was the Cruise overall? We are doing the 10 day Canary Islands this coming December.

 

 

It was a blast. Morocco was very cool except no wine with lunch. We "Walked the Casbah" and had a Coke at the famous Cafe Baba.

 

Shopping was fun and chaotic, not like Istanbul from the year before but fun.

 

Totally recommend the Gondola and Sled ride on Madeira.

 

 

Met the guy that crashed ObamaWhite House dinner and his new wife.

 

[jh2360]

It was a blast. Morocco was very cool except no wine with lunch. We "Walked the Casbah" and had a Coke at the famous Cafe Baba.

 

Shopping was fun and chaotic, not like Istanbul from the year before but fun.

 

Totally recommend the Gondola and Sled ride on Madeira.

 

[ATTACH]377454[/ATTACH]

 

Met the guy that crashed ObamaWhite House dinner and his new wife.

 

[ATTACH]377455[/ATTACH]

 

Sounds fantastic. Thanks for the good words and tips.

[LrgPizza]

Today is 90 days out of my May 21 Escape cruise, so reservations have opened for me. It still shows MDQ as bookable. Ha! We already know it won't be there. It also shows For The Record as bookable, although it now shows there is no charge. BUT it lists 5 days available for booking, and the description still describes the dinner show/Supper Club concept. We also know that isn't true. I'm going to wait until I'm on the ship to see what I can do. I don't really care if I do any big shows, since I enjoyed the evening entertainment in the other venues so much, (i.e. Howl at the Moon, The District, 5 O'Clock Somewhere, etc.).

[BirdTravels]

Today is 90 days out of my May 21 Escape cruise, so reservations have opened for me. It still shows MDQ as bookable. Ha! We already know it won't be there. It also shows For The Record as bookable, although it now shows there is no charge. BUT it lists 5 days available for booking, and the description still describes the dinner show/Supper Club concept. We also know that isn't true. I'm going to wait until I'm on the ship to see what I can do. I don't really care if I do any big shows, since I enjoyed the evening entertainment in the other venues so much, (i.e. Howl at the Moon, The District, 5 O'Clock Somewhere, etc.).

 

Hey LrgPizza, happy to see you are sailing on the Escape again! We are booked on the May 14th Escape and just got done paying for our Supper Club For The Record dinner a couple of days before they announced the change. So we have paid tickets for For The Record and tickets to the MDQ.

 

We realize that between the GA and Escape, NCL has 10's thousands of reservations that need to be fixed, so we're just sitting back and waiting.

[Daenerys T]

Disagree. It is a temporary show while the re-stage For The Record in the main theater. Can't really go from the tiny Supper Club stage to the theater overnight with a new cast.

 

and the folks sailing during the "temporary show" are getting the shaft. Not cool at all.

[BirdTravels]

and the folks sailing during the "temporary show" are getting the shaft. Not cool at all.

 

I see you're booked on the escape for the second time. And we are booked on the escape for the second time

 

I did not book our second escape voyage based on going to see a bunch of kids parading around the stage in their underware. We are platinum members on multiple cruise lines and after many cruises, entertainment is entertainment.

 

We went to For The Record the first time we were on the escape and booked (paid) for it again on our next cruise. Just because it was there.

 

Frankly, we much prefer the cirque shows on the epic and breakaway. And the magic show on the getaway. Kids in their underware trying to "score" didn't seem to make good dinner entertainment. It was just something to go to. We would probably prefer the Capella group over the John Hughes show.

[LrgPizza]

Hey LrgPizza, happy to see you are sailing on the Escape again! We are booked on the May 14th Escape and just got done paying for our Supper Club For The Record dinner a couple of days before they announced the change. So we have paid tickets for For The Record and tickets to the MDQ.

 

We realize that between the GA and Escape, NCL has 10's thousands of reservations that need to be fixed, so we're just sitting back and waiting.

Maybe they will just keep your reservation in place for whatever the new show is? (Obviously with the option to cancel if you'd like.) I guess we shall see.

 

 

I see you're booked on the escape for the second time. And we are booked on the escape for the second time

 

I did not book our second escape voyage based on going to see a bunch of kids parading around the stage in their underware. We are platinum members on multiple cruise lines and after many cruises, entertainment is entertainment.

 

We went to For The Record the first time we were on the escape and booked (paid) for it again on our next cruise. Just because it was there.

 

Frankly, we much prefer the cirque shows on the epic and breakaway. And the magic show on the getaway. Kids in their underware trying to "score" didn't seem to make good dinner entertainment. It was just something to go to. We would probably prefer the Capella group over the John Hughes show.

 

I am hoping the new Supper Club show is something family friendlier than the John Hughes show was.

[mking8288]

OP, thanks for sharing. Many of us are veteran cruisers and addicted to CC - the changes and corporate culture at NCL in the last 12+ months are disturbing to "some" of us, suffice to say. The cheerleading segments aren't as vocal - alas, still around & of course, newbies have no idea about the "Cooking Light" menu and/or chilled soup, etc. - some of the coolest things we once enjoyed sailing NCL.

 

NCL, once known (perhaps, still do - as many do believe so) for its freestyle cruising innovations are now doing more rennovations and restructuring - perhaps to the tune of pleasing its investors, largely institutionally owned (and, with few insider ownerships) for a profitable bottom line (should be interesting with its earnings results & conference call, slated for this week) - while some (few) of us continued to wonder.

 

We are most likely sailing the BA for a 3rd. time this Spring (doing a last minute casino booking special this time, at prices that we can't complaint ... lots of cabin availability as it's final payment cutoff time without penalty ... "regular" prices are dropping already, don't care for the Free At Sea deals, still going to get our diluted Platinum "benefits" as offered then, apply our last FRC to offset the charges, might not buy another certificate onboard) - and, not even going to be bothered with catching the same 2 "major" Broadway style shows - sitting in that "movie theater" with advanced reservations or on a walk-in & space available basis. Missed the "bigger" theater on the "smaller" NCL fleets too.

 

Last night, Mrs. M actually said, "I'm getting tired of all these. Honey, let's book our Fall cruise with another line instead - where we own stocks, get nice quarterly dividends & perks on top combinable with OBC & TA offers, etc." OMG, the possibility of not going to sail NCL after this Spring.