Only One Show Time on the First Night?

[seatrial]

I was just reviewing the posted schedule of events for 2/27 Rotterdam on the Navigator App. I noticed that there is only one show time for the EXC - Origin Story on the first night. The single show time is 7pm. It may just be me, but 7pm seems like a poor time choice for a single show. Is this normal for embarkation day. I am a bit disappointed as I wanted to see this presentation, but due to dining times I will miss it.

 

Also, at this point, there appears to be no show on the second night. Are there days when HAL has no show in the main theater these days? Maybe the schedule isn't finished.

[canadarocks]

Currently there is only one showtime all nights (when there is a show) on Holland America, usually at 7:30pm, I believe. Hopefully as the passenger numbers increase, the 2nd show will be restored. 

 

I agree with you that both the 7:00pm and the 7:30pm time slots are far from ideal. 

[rkacruiser]

The justification for such early shows may be that more HAL cruisers are early diners than not.  As a second sitting diner, I often entirely miss shows or arrive at a show when it is in progress (if there is a second show available).  Like it?  Not really.  But, it is what it is and I accept it.  If I want to attend a particular early show, I could choose to have an early dinner at the Lido Restaurant or at one of the specialty restaurants.  

 

Maybe that's not a bad idea.  I could then make a visit to the "Midnight Buffet" for a late night snack.  

[CruiserBruce]

There was only one show the first night on a couple of our cruises prior to Covid. 

[wdw1972]

I think Origins is always just at 7pm on embarkation day.  On my Rotterdam cruise in December they repeated it another night later in the cruise at 9pm (it was an 11-night itinerary, so not sure about 7-night cruises).

 

Sue/WDW1972

[syesmar]

The last cruise we took in 2019, there wasn't a show the first night. Some nights there was only a movie. I used to enjoy the first night when they would introduce the entire Entertainment Team and have them each do a musical selection.

 

Does anyone know if they record "EXC - Origin Story" for those who miss it to watch later in their staterooms?

 

Happy Sailing!

[RuthC]

There was a time, really not so long ago, when every passenger had the opportunity for dinner and a show. In more recent times, there was an opportunity for a show and then dinner. But now, it seems we must make a choice between dinner or a show. 
Sad. 

[VTcruisenut]

I've been following someone's post with the daily schedule and wondered about the shows.  It looks like there is a comedian in one of the smaller venues some evenings and the usual music in the clubs. but no shows.  To be expected with ships sailing at 45% -60% capacity.  We will still go and enjoy the events they have.  They are trying their best to accomodate those of us who want to cruise while COVID is still quite active.  If we want the cruise industry to survive, we all have to make some compromises.

[canadarocks]

Agreed @RuthC. That was my point. Hopefully, as COVID subsides and passenger numbers increase, the 2 shows per night will return. 

[seatrial]

This truly is sad. I have been on Celebrity twice since the restart and there were no issues like this. I went to dinner and attended good shows each night. 
I convinced two friends to try HAL on 2/27. I wanted to sail on my third Rotterdam.  I feel at bit embarrassed now. I haven’t sailed with HAL since 2018, but I’m not remembering having theses issues. 
I see also that they are repeating the BBC wildlife show two nights. There is no show listed for the first Gala night; truly pitiful. 
One final oddity is that the shows with the dance group are back-to-back the last two nights. 

[RuthC]

8 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Agreed @RuthC. That was my point. Hopefully, as COVID subsides and passenger numbers increase, the 2 shows per night will return. 

Since cruising restarted I have seen a few schedules where there were two shows on a night, but they were at 7:00 & 9:00. So, people on second sitting still don't get a show! Second sitting passengers are just getting their entrée at 9:00, so they still have to make a choice of dinner or a show. 
It only works for them if the second show starts at 10:00 or later. 

[canadarocks]

@RuthC I do agree with you that the "old" times of 8pm & 10pm were ideal.

But since the shows are normally about 45 minutes, wouldn't the first show at 7pm work for the Main Seating (8pm) diners? 

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, canadarocks said:

But since the shows are normally about 45 minutes, wouldn't the first show at 7pm work for the Main Seating (8pm) diners? 

Not if you go to cocktails at 7:00, it won't! Can't give up cocktail time. It's sacred. 

[canadarocks]

2 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Not if you go to cocktails at 7:00, it won't! Can't give up cocktail time. It's sacred. 

And such sacrilege should never be encouraged! My apologies.... 🙂 

From your lips to Holland America's ears @RuthC!

[NCTribeFan]

I was on Eurodam in November and Nieuw Amsterdam in December and didn't get to see Origins either sailing.  I kept hoping that it would be repeated later in the week, but it was not.

 

Hopefully, I'll be able to catch it when I do my B2B in June.

 

There were 2 shows for other nights.  I think.  I didn't go to any on NA since I'd seen most a couple of weeks prior. 

[Cruising-along]

18 hours ago, canadarocks said:

Currently there is only one showtime all nights (when there is a show) on Holland America, usually at 7:30pm, I believe. 

 

3 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I was on Eurodam in November and Nieuw Amsterdam in December and didn't get to see Origins either sailing.  I kept hoping that it would be repeated later in the week, but it was not.

 

Hopefully, I'll be able to catch it when I do my B2B in June.

 

There were 2 shows for other nights.  I think.  I didn't go to any on NA since I'd seen most a couple of weeks prior. 

When we sailed the Eurodam in Sept-Oct. for 24 days  there were 2 shows every night (other than on the first night when there was just 1). 

[MikeD4134]

20 hours ago, RuthC said:

Not if you go to cocktails at 7:00, it won't! Can't give up cocktail time. It's sacred. 

They serve cocktails in the theater.

[rkacruiser]

28 minutes ago, MikeD4134 said:

They serve cocktails in the theater.

 

So what?  One sits in the middle of a long row of seats where there is little to no room to place one's drink--if and when a Steward is able to get to you.  How about some peanuts or--heaven forbid-- if they are available a dish of Bitterballen to enjoy with your beverage?  Forget it!  Won't happen!  That is the reality of having a HH beverage during an early show.  

 

21 hours ago, RuthC said:

Can't give up cocktail time. It's sacred. 

 

Indeed!  Saint Vincent, the Patron Saint of Wine

[MikeD4134]

24 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

So what?  One sits in the middle of a long row of seats where there is little to no room to place one's drink--if and when a Steward is able to get to you.  How about some peanuts or--heaven forbid-- if they are available a dish of Bitterballen to enjoy with your beverage?  Forget it!  Won't happen!  That is the reality of having a HH beverage during an early show.  

 

 

Indeed!  Saint Vincent, the Patron Saint of Wine

Never had a problem finding a Steward to serve us cocktails, sometimes we acquire our cocktails at a bar and bring them to the theater, as for snacks, we always grab a jar of nuts from the bar at Happy Hour or stop by the Lido and put together a snack tray.  Always a solution to every everything but you are correct it is easier to just whine.

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, MikeD4134 said:

Always a solution to every everything but you are correct it is easier to just whine.

 

I am not whining!  I am stating what I expect the Signature of Excellence for service to be.

 

Stewards serving drinks to those in the theater rows after the show begins:  thanks for blocking my views.  Thanks for stumbling over my feet.  Never have had a problem waving down a Steward in the theater to order a drink?  This has not been my experience.  

 

Good idea to swipe a jar of peanuts and/or prepare a snack platter.  But, where does one put that jar/platter in the theater?  On the floor?  Well, that's quite sanitary!  

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, MikeD4134 said:

They serve cocktails in the theater.

Then the people sitting around you hate it when you chat with your friends. Like one does at cocktail time. 😏

[rkacruiser]

7 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Then the people sitting around you hate it when you chat with your friends

 

Which one ought not to do when a performance is taking place.

 

[MISTER 67]

While on the subject of Showroom times.

When we go to the Main Showroom we want to be entertained with singers, dancers and comedians, not ecological videos. We are on a cruise, not a PBS studio show. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by MISTER 67

[syesmar]

Mentioning EXC - Origin Story made me think of this short HAL video, “Origin Story - Ships of State” about the old Nieuw Amsterdam: https://facebook.com/HALCruises/videos/origin-story-ships-of-state/1034162883667910/

Very interesting.

Edited February 25, 2022 by syesmar