Reserved Seating Areas for Musicals, Production and Ice Shows

[Marlin girl]

Do all ships have this benefit for Diamond Plus and up, Suite guests, and Key passengers?  If so, how early do we need to arrive before they open the area up for all others?

Thank you.

[TBone2K]

Generally yes there are reserved areas for all shows. For skating shows, it looked like they opened the reserved areas up about 10-15 minutes before show. The main theatre, they never released the seats. At least the times I asked.

That said, better to just find another spot rather than wait for the reserved area to open up. Sight lines are pretty good from everywhere.

From the opposite end, on big ships, the reserved areas fill up fast as well. So you still need to show up in good time.

[cruiseguy1016]

I have not sailed on the "big" ships so I can't answer for them but I have sailed Radiance, Voyager and Freedom class since restart and on all 3, the reserved seating area in the theater has opened to "regular" guests 5 or 10 minutes (I can't remember which) before showtime. There is actually a sign stating this. In my experience, there have always been many seats available. I think the policy is the same for the ice shows but those are always filled so there haven't been any reserved seats available.

[TeeRick]

In general we don't like the reserved seating.  There are much better seats elsewhere if you go a bit early.

[leaveitallbehind]

The reserved seating for top tier C & A and others is fleet wide in our experience, and typically opens about 20 minutes prior to the show for those guests and is monitored by a crew member who checks your SeaPass card. The sections are often identified and cordoned off by a felt rope. Usually about 10 minutes prior to the show it opens for any guests for remaining seats. 

 

It has applied in our experience to the Ice Show, Main Theater, and Aqua Theater.  On our Oasis NYE cruise the seating was center back last four rows or so in the Aqua Theater, end of rink front center two or three rows for the Ice Show, and main theater upstairs center back 4 or 5 rows. 

 

The locations have been similar on all of our applicable cruises, with the exception of the Ice Show which occasionally has been left side back corner. IMO these locations would generally have been our preferred seats as well if not reserved.  Other's experience may vary.

Edited March 26 by leaveitallbehind

[bgoff60]

11 hours ago, TeeRick said:

In general we don't like the reserved seating.  

Just curious as to what you do not like about the reserved seating.  (Truly just curious...)

[TeeRick]

13 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

Just curious as to what you do not like about the reserved seating.  (Truly just curious...)

It was in the balcony in the theatre.  Some obstructed views.  We prefer to sit in the main lower area.   There was a reserved seating section for the Ice Show, but not great seats.  We got there a bit early and sat up front/center.  No reserved seating in the Aqua Show or Comedy Club.

[leaveitallbehind]

20 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

There was a reserved seating section for the Ice Show, but not great seats.  We got there a bit early and sat up front/center.  No reserved seating in the Aqua Show or Comedy Club.

Very unusual as in our experiences - most recently Oasis NYE - the Ice show reserved seas were front and center first two rows facing the stage area. Basically IMO best in the theater. Comedy club does not have reserved seating but the Aqua show did - back center stage first 4 or 5 rows as you enter, typical with our experiences there as well.

[RFerrington]

6 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Very unusual as in our experiences - most recently Oasis NYE - the Ice show reserved seas were front and center first two rows facing the stage area. Basically IMO best in the theater. Comedy club does not have reserved seating but the Aqua show did - back center stage first 4 or 5 rows as you enter, typical with our experiences there as well.

Same here

[lovelife]

On Vision last month there were no reserved theater seats. Also none on previous Vision Class ships.

[Biker19]

32 minutes ago, lovelife said:

On Vision last month there were no reserved theater seats.

Two months ago they were on the upper deck port side.

[RFerrington]

I’ve been on Vision class ships when they were not policing the normally reserved section.  Personally, I don’t think there are enough people going to the lackluster shows in the theater to warrant policing the seating.  Those shows (in my experience) are pretty poorly attended. I guess they figure, it’s a free-for-all.  Not a big deal as there’s always been plenty of seating anywhere in the theaters on the V class ships.

[alfaeric]

33 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Two months ago they were on the upper deck port side.

Last month, too. (Feb 2024)

[Oceansaway17]

I think reserved seating is a bit silly.  Most of the time the seats are nothing special.

To it says that folks can keep drinking of gambling and then march in just in time for the show.

[TeeRick]

There was not a reserved area for suite guests in the Aqua show on Symphony.  Possibly because the first two shows were cancelled and the remaining shows were long lines.

[leaveitallbehind]

21 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

There was not a reserved area for suite guests in the Aqua show on Symphony.  Possibly because the first two shows were cancelled and the remaining shows were long lines.

That might explain it as it was a rather special circumstance.  But Aqua theater has always had reserved seating in our experience (including Symphony March 2019).  Thanks for that update.

[Tree_skier]

For the main theatre the reserved seating is mostly redundant.  There is lots of great seating available for almost every show.  The ice shows often fill up but the main there is usually anywhere from 2/3 to 1/3 empty.

[Mum2Mercury]

19 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

Just curious as to what you do not like about the reserved seating.  (Truly just curious...)

You weren't asking me, but the reserved seating tends to be over to the side /not the best seats.  

[lovelife]

4 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Two months ago they were on the upper deck port side.

We checked there but no signage when we were on. We couldn't find two seats for any shows but certainly didn't miss much.

[Deep-Blue-Iris]

On a similar note to this, does anyone have experience with reserved seating for those with low vision? I'm cruising on Oasis in May and the special needs team have said this is a thing they can arrange for all shows for me and my friend. 

[reallyitsmema]

13 minutes ago, Deep-Blue-Iris said:

On a similar note to this, does anyone have experience with reserved seating for those with low vision? I'm cruising on Oasis in May and the special needs team have said this is a thing they can arrange for all shows for me and my friend. 

 

Fill out the special needs form before your cruise.  It says it should be in 30 days prior to sailing.  Once onboard, I would talk to guest services if there is nothing in your room describing what the procedures are.  Someone will likely put reserved signs on seats for the shows you have reserved, like they do for star class passengers.  I have seen a reserved area for deaf passengers before and a sign language interpreter signing the entire show. We had actually spoken to him at one show we went to as he sat near us and was scouting out the show that he was signing for people the next night.

[Deep-Blue-Iris]

I've done the special needs form 🙂 That's when they advised they could do that. I will definitely speak to guest services as the special needs team also advised that my friend and I can have a ship orientation on boarding day, and with how big that ship is, I'm going to suggest to him we take it.

 

First Royal cruise so this is all new - my last 2 cruises were solo and I just kinda winged it and managed but as I've gotten older I'm a lot better at accepting help and accommodations.