Crowded theater?--suggestions needed

[qwertyiop]

Hi, long-time lurker, first-time poster :)

 

We're sailing on the Caribbean Princess 5-27-06 for a wedding, with a very large group.

 

We have the traditional late seating---do you suggest going to the show before dinner or after? Late seating is at 8pm--does the first show start at 6 or 6:30? How much time should we arrive at the theatre to get seats?

 

I'm afraid that if we don't go to the show before dinner, there will be no room left in the theater after dinner is over. Are my fears unwarranted?

 

I'd appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or suggestions.

 

Thanks,

Laura

[ppeckham]

Check the Patters for the actual show times. I don't recall when the shows are scheduled. It may be a later show for after dinner. It's been too long since I last cruised.

 

With a large group, if everyone is planning to see the shows, you need to go about 20 - 30 minutes beforehand. You should go as a group to find an area large enough. It's frustrating to the other passengers to hear "these seats are saved".

[janetz]

When we cruise last year on the CP they were very strict about people savings chairs. You will all need to go together. :o

[joanne1]

Shows are usually around 8:15 and 10:15 so that will mean that you will be going to the later shows. I would probably arrive about 30 minutes before a show starts if you all want to sit together.

[dorisday]

Joanne1 is correct about the show times.

 

There are always two seatings of the same show to accommodate the dining times.

8.15/8.30 for 1st seating dinner

10.15/10.30 for 2nd seating dinner

 

Many of the evenings entertainment programmes around the ship will be scheduled like this, not just in the theatre. You dont have to worry about missing anything.

 

Have a fabulous time onboard & I wish the Bride & Groom a wonderful life together

[cruznliz]

We've never been on the Caribbean Princess, but it has been our experience that the 10:15 shows usually don't fill completely. It's the 8:00 (ish) shows that fill early. Occasionally they will have an early show at 7:00 in lieu of the 10:15 show. Again, it usually doesn't fill completely like the 8:00 shows, but still a very good idea to get there early. And NO seat saving!! :eek:

[Times Prince]

The later shows can fill up, especially if you've had a leisurely dinner and conversation. I would recommend you have a strategy that does not require your entire group sitting together. By this I mean, plan ahead on who you wish to sit with in smaller groups of no more than five. Then be prepared to spread out throughout the theatre to space available.

 

Some observations on other ships are that the less trafficked side of the ship will have more seat availability (e.g. if the main thoroughfare leading to the theater is on the port side, go for the starboard entrance. Also, we have found it easier to locate seats by coming in a lower deck entrance, closer to the stage.

 

The main thing is to not set expecations that you will all be able to sit together - then if you are (by coming early), it will exceed expectations :D

[cruzinchris]

When DH and I were on the CB in January, there was a 5:15 performance of Piano Man one evening. The theatre was about 3/4 full, and there were certainly enough seats left to accommodate any large group. While this may seem really early to take in a show, if they still offer this pre-dinner performance, you might want to consider it for your party. You would pretty much be guaranteed sitting together at least once for one of the Princess theatre shows.

 

Bon Voyage!

Chris

[GloriaF]

I've seen Princess offer an occassional early or midnight show, but the norm is around 8:30 & 10:30. In Hawaii, there was a local hula show at 4:00. And on HAL recently a special crew performance was at 4:00 so that they could get back to serving dinner.

 

When we sailed on the Caribbean Princess, we found that for decent seats we had to arrive early ~ often we would go to the theatre with a book and just read or talk with others until time for the show.

[Jimsgirl]

The time of shows varies with the ship. Also on some nights I have known there to be only one show. Which makes for great difficulties for all passengers no matter which dining you have.

 

My main gripe was people who despite all warnings, still insisted on "saving seats" (not just in the show but everywhere) for "friends " who never arrived.

On HAL recentlywith 4 dining times, this was very much a problem, those at the earliest dining would save seats for those at the next dining time (there was a 30 mins difference)

On Princess the early seating show was often "full", with people saving as many as 6-10 seats for "rest of our family".

 

I hope you all have a wonderful cruise, but please remember the ship "belongs" to all the passengers not just "your group" whether from a club, condo complex or family re union. If you all want to sit together then GO IN AS A GROUP, do not send one person in early to save a whole row of seats.

 

Recently on a Princess cruise on dis embarkation, I was actually kicked by a very large male passenger because he and his wife were "saving seats " for friends who had "just gone in to breakfast"! Other passengers were supposed to stand so that "chair hogs" could fill their bellies for 45-60 mins!

[qwertyiop]

Thanks for all of the appropriate feedback pertaining to my question.

 

The ''large'' group is 100-200 people---obviously we're not traveling as a herd! I understand many of your frustrations about seat-savers, but I was just asking about show times versus dinner times. It looks like the late seating people have no, or else very few, ''before dinner'' options to see the main show.

 

Thanks everyone for sticking to the topic!

 

Laura