Anthem Dinner Options - 6:30pm show (hoping for good seats)

[WannaCruise]

We have the 6:30pm show of We Will Rock You and I have a few questions around dinner and getting good seats.  DD and I love the theater, and I particularly love WWRY (saw it in my home town a few times about 11 years ago), so we are really looking forward to this show.  

We have 5:30pm traditional dining booked at a table just for the four of us.

1. DS really loves the MDR and we are already missing the MDR dinner two days before due to an all day excursion.  Is it possible for him and DH to go to the MDR and still make the 5:30pm show?
2. Is it an option for DD and I to line up to the theater early to try and get good seats, and hold 2 seats for them?  (We would grab dinner/snack afterwards in the WIndjammer or another that is open late)
3. In the main theater of Anthem, are there reserved seats for groups at the front rows of the orchestra level (e.g. suites, insider ticket for the show)?  I know sometimes they are front balcony level , and someone mentioned The Key on Anthem is further back in the orchestra, but I think often there are other groups at front row?
4. How early to arrive for good seats if we want to sit close to the front ?  45 min to 1 hr?  This is the first night of the show with other two showings the next day at 2:30pm and 6:30pm, so not sure which one will be the favorite booking.  

Thanks.

[GregD]

I will do my best to help here. We sailed Anthem in 2018 and had a great time

1) Yes they should. Just tell your waiter you are trying to make the show and they will push the dinner faster, appetizers can be delivered with entrees etc. We did this on our cruise.

2) Shouldn’t be a problem

3) When we sailed, the reserved area for suites was in the balcony. We had a suite, and there was a “bouncer” checking seapass cards. This was before the key so I am not positive how it’s arranged now. 

4) If you have reservations, which it sounds like you do, you probably don’t have to be there thaaaat early, but each crowd is different so who knows. YMMV

Have a great cruise!

[Curt From Canada]

One question and then my best "guesses":

QUESTION:

We are sailing late FEB 2020 ... is your sail date after that?  (We can do some better research).

"ANSWERS":

1). No ... You can get through the MDR in 45 minutes (if you tell your wait staff you are in a hurry).  Still, if you want to get there early, everyone can not eat in the MDR and get to the theater early (see Answer 4 below).  If you are using strategy 2), they can get through the MDR in time and "run" to the theater (other end of the ship).

2). Lots of people do this.  You may get some questions from some folks.  The closer to show time, the more questions you will get.

3). I think it is the balcony.  This is fine with me, because I want to sit as far front as possible ... more room for us.

4). I am afraid the minimum time that you should arrive early is 30 minutes.  Especially if you are really picky about your seats.  Our Anthem experience is "old" (2018), hence my question above.

One Note:  I will bring ear plugs in future.  I love the show too (Broadway at sea ... this is a great idea).  I am also a child of the 60s/70s.  Still the music can get loud.  I thing this is fun, but my audiologist has given me a different "prescription".

Curt from Canada

[WannaCruise]

Thanks for the replies.

Correct...we have reserved the 6:30pm show.  My ideal spot is front row centre....or close to the front row, which is why I'm thinking of lining up so early and trying to juggle DS not wanting to miss MDR (he's not a show person, but I think he might be "ok" with WWRY vs say, Hairspray or Mamma Mia).  

And I should say that they probably could skip dessert in MDR and then just have something with DD and I afterwards if that speeds things up.

Thanks...Fingers crossed all the reserved seating is in the balcony...or further back in orchestra for The Key.

@Curt From Canada  our cruise is March 2020...so would be great if you could report back!  Yours is coming up soon.  So exciting!

Good point...the MDR is usually the opposite side of the theater.  Will have them keep that in mind for their cut off time.  Correct...thinking just DS and DH sticking to MDR as it's DS that really loves the MDR and will be upset for already missing a night.  vs the theatre is priority for DD and I.Sounds like you are the same with seating. 

Thanks for the tip about ear plugs.  I am always telling my kids to turn the volume down on the tv....so sensitive to noise (or I just have really good ears...lol).  

[WAAAYTOOO]

Likely, the only reserved seats all the way up front would be for Star Class pax that want to sit waaay up front. I prefer to sit further back but some SC pax will want from row center so those seats could be reserved by the Genie.  I don’t know where The Key seats are nor the Suites, for that matter, but usually Suites are on the balcony.

[WannaCruise]

38 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Likely, the only reserved seats all the way up front would be for Star Class pax that want to sit waaay up front. I prefer to sit further back but some SC pax will want from row center so those seats could be reserved by the Genie.  I don’t know where The Key seats are nor the Suites, for that matter, but usually Suites are on the balcony.

Thank you. So Star class has reserved seats at the front.  Will still go early but sounds like front row is a no go for us.

[dodgestang]

9 minutes ago, WannaCruise said:

Thank you. So Star class has reserved seats at the front.  Will still go early but sounds like front row is a no go for us.

Star class can have reserved seats anywhere they want.  The Genies usually start a little further back unless the people specifically ask.  For example....our first time on Anthem our Genie always reserved us seats at the front of the first tier...so no one in front of us to block our view, not balcony and not front row....they were great to take in the whole stage.  The second time our daughter who is 9 specifically said "I want to sit right in the front for the We Will rock you Show" so the Genie did that for us.

 

Also important to remember even with reservations....I believe it is 15 minutes before start time they open up all seats. 

[WannaCruise]

Oh ok. Got it. Star class gets first pick if seats so I at depends where they pick for our show.  Thanks.

[Kriazerie]

We just came off Anthem for the NYE sailing. It was a completely full sailing, and even then there were usually plenty of seats at the shows.

The key/suite/diamond+ seats were at the top of the orchestra level, basically right as you walk into the theater. Though, we never went up to the balcony, so it's possible there were reserved seats there as well

[WannaCruise]

32 minutes ago, Kriazerie said:

We just came off Anthem for the NYE sailing. It was a completely full sailing, and even then there were usually plenty of seats at the shows.

The key/suite/diamond+ seats were at the top of the orchestra level, basically right as you walk into the theater. Though, we never went up to the balcony, so it's possible there were reserved seats there as well

Thank you for confirming your recent sailing.  Hope you had a wonderful cruise!