New Paid Option for Shows in the Main Theater

[WAAAYTOOO 8,512]

Guess what !  Royal is now charging for some of the shows in the main theater !

My cruise planner for my upcoming Allure sailing has an option for an "insider" view of Mama Mia ! for $79 PER PERSON.  This special "event" includes a cocktail, a photograph. preferred seating (whatever that means) and a meet and greet with the cast members.

What a joke !  I wouldn't even watch Mama Mia ! when it was free I'm SURE as he** not going to pay $79 PP (plus gratuity, I'm SURE) to see a bunch of cruise line singers and dancers perform.  It's even $79 for children - not that I would take a child to this show in the first place....

Are there going to be "free" showings of Mama Mia ! on this sailing ?  Hard to tell.  The only option for reserving this show in my Cruise Planner was the paid version but that MAY mean that you will be unable to make a reservation for anything except for the paid version.  There may still be free, unreserved performances.  I just don't know at this point.

It seems that this new paid option is showing up on many sailings (new CC thread) and everyone seems universally outraged.  I sure hope they end up with empty theaters for these paid performances or this may be something we will be seeing more of.

This is just a bridge WAAAYTOOO far as far as I'm concerned.  When they start charging for this second-rate entertainment they've gone waaay off the deep end.

[Orange Crush 276]

I don't see any paid options on my upcoming March Allure sailing.  It's all complementary.  I think you need to be closer to the sailing for the free reservations to show up.

[ellcee 1,295]

No. Just no.  I couldn't agree with you more.

[mamabdw 15]

I just assumed this was an add-on activity that you could do, similar to getting a VIP or backstage pass. I would be very surprised if they only offer paid reservations for shows, but I could see them pushing paid experiences like the one you mentioned.

[WAAAYTOOO 8,512]

25 minutes ago, mamabdw said:

I just assumed this was an add-on activity that you could do, similar to getting a VIP or backstage pass. I would be very surprised if they only offer paid reservations for shows, but I could see them pushing paid experiences like the one you mentioned.

Yes, I think you're probably right but the fact that I cannot find any complimentary reservations available for this show at ALL has me concerned.  Of course, we had already chosen not to see Mama Mia ! at all on this cruise (this is the stupidest story line EVER) so it doesn't affect me at all but I'm thinking about future cruises and other peoples' cruises.

[Hutcherl 63]

Yikes! What’s next?  Where will it stop? 

I can’t imagine that there will be much interest in this.  Maybe this will die on its own. But then again, who knows what people will continue to pay extra for?

 RC is smart and has been successful, to this point, in finding additional ways to generate more revenue.   We, as consumers, determine how far they take stuff like this.  

  I’m still booking a annual RC cruise for my family.   We don’t opt for most of the extras because we are happy with the way we have always cruised so no real value for us.   It is definitely alarming though.  

[arebee 550]

Did you see they are "test" a higher cover charge for Johnny Rockets on the Oasis?  Going from $6.95 to $9.95.

[WAAAYTOOO 8,512]

1 hour ago, arebee said:

Did you see they are "test" a higher cover charge for Johnny Rockets on the Oasis?  Going from $6.95 to $9.95.

Yes, I did.  This is waaaytooo expensive for JR.  I will continue to eat their free breakfast on the O class but will not be enjoying the other meals at that price.  Even premium hamburger joints on land do not charge $20+ for a burger meal.  Push, push, push.  That's all they know

[Lauren 26]

This option is also showing on my Feb. 17th Anthem sailing for We Will Rock You. It was not there yesterday. $79 for pre-show cocktail, premium seating, autographed photo and a meet and greet. We already have reservations for the show, so I would guess it will be an additional option for all shows on all ships eventually. 

[JLMoran 5,482]

4 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Even premium hamburger joints on land do not charge $20+ for a burger meal.

Come to NJ some time, Raye. You'll get an eye-opener for sure.

Granted, the burger joint I'm thinking of has the best damn burgers and home made potato chips I've ever had, and that $20+ also includes a pint of some seriously awesome local-area brewed trippel or porter.

[WAAAYTOOO 8,512]

6 minutes ago, Lauren said:

This option is also showing on my Feb. 17th Anthem sailing for We Will Rock You. It was not there yesterday. $79 for pre-show cocktail, premium seating, autographed photo and a meet and greet. We already have reservations for the show, so I would guess it will be an additional option for all shows on all ships eventually. 

Since this is brand new, obviously nobody knows how it's going to work yet.  HOWEVER, I will simply relay from CC that one of the posters there said that they received a letter from Royal indicating that their reservation to We Will Rock You had been cancelled only to find out that the reservation that they had was for the show that now costs $79 PP.  

I completely concur with others that it makes no sense that they would try and have an ENTIRE THEATER of paid customers so I don't know what will happen to those who had reservations for a show, have had them cancelled and now the only reservation that is available is a paid one.  No Bueno.

[Lauren 26]

I just checked my cruise planner and my reservations are still there, fingers crossed they don't disappear. 

[Ray 686]

16 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Come to NJ some time, Raye. You'll get an eye-opener for sure.

Granted, the burger joint I'm thinking of has the best damn burgers and home made potato chips I've ever had, and that $20+ also includes a pint of some seriously awesome local-area brewed trippel or porter.

Give details :) will be in NYC in Nov so may venture out to NJ 

[JLMoran 5,482]

10 minutes ago, Ray said:

Give details :) will be in NYC in Nov so may venture out to NJ 

Heh, it would be about an hour's drive from NYC for either of the places I'm referring to:

• Tiff's, 23 Route 23 South, Pequannock, NJ (tiffs23.com)
• or the sister (and original) restaurant: Tiffany's, 73 Route 46 West, Pine Brook, NJ (tiffs46.com)

If you just venture across the Hudson river into Hoboken and go down the main road, you'll find at least a few craft beer pubs. Can't speak to the quality of their burgers, though.

[mworkman 1,902]

3 hours ago, Orange Crush said:

I don't see any paid options on my upcoming March Allure sailing.  It's all complementary.  I think you need to be closer to the sailing for the free reservations to show up.

I see a paid option as well and have a free version were already scheduled.

[JLMoran 5,482]

Oh, and both Tiff's and Tiffany's have a regularly rotating menu of microbrews on offer. All on tap, generally 30 different brews at any given time; IPAs, stouts, porters, brown ales, pilsners, witbiers, strong ales, and more. Whatever is in season and on offer from the local breweries in NY / NJ / PA

[Ray 686]

Planning the hit Jersey Gardens for some shopping so a pit stop or 4 on way back maybe needed 

[rjac 2,189]

3 hours ago, Orange Crush said:

I don't see any paid options on my upcoming March Allure sailing

When in March will you be sailing on the Allure. We board on March 25th.

[Gears 259]

This is as laughable as paying for the cup cake decorating class...or the MDR cookbook.

Looks like our sailings on the Allure have the 'free' option and the insider 'watch your wallet' version of Mama Mia!. Unfortunately...I am being forced to go...only because my wife is a massive ABBA fan. Will need to bring my sunglasses so she can't see my eyes closed whilst napping. 

[PrincipalTinker 110]

3 hours ago, Lauren said:

This option is also showing on my Feb. 17th Anthem sailing for We Will Rock You. It was not there yesterday. $79 for pre-show cocktail, premium seating, autographed photo and a meet and greet. We already have reservations for the show, so I would guess it will be an additional option for all shows on all ships eventually. 

It is showing for my April Anthem cruise too. I already have free tickets.

[Lovetocruise2002 9,090]

7 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Since this is brand new, obviously nobody knows how it's going to work yet.  HOWEVER, I will simply relay from CC that one of the posters there said that they received a letter from Royal indicating that their reservation to We Will Rock You had been cancelled only to find out that the reservation that they had was for the show that now costs $79 PP.  

I completely concur with others that it makes no sense that they would try and have an ENTIRE THEATER of paid customers so I don't know what will happen to those who had reservations for a show, have had them cancelled and now the only reservation that is available is a paid one.  No Bueno.

I saw that post too. Some are speculating that maybe only a handful of reservations were cancelled to make room for the "VIP seats". I love RC but this $79 thing is pushing it a bit too far. I have a bad feeling about this that they are testing it for something bigger. Hoping I am wrong. It shows up in my Anthem sailing too.

[Rose City Cruiser 464]

I wonder if they will fill the vacant VIP seats with walk-ins.  Also, is there a 18% gratuity charge on top of the $79 since there is a cocktail included in the package?

[CGTLH 2,526]

Showing for my cruise on Harmony in May. The normal free reservations still showing. Think in @WAAAYTOOO case is the normal show reservations aren't open yet. So only the paid version is getting listed.

Toss in some screen shots. Love the fact the VIP seating is still "First-come, first-served", no assigned seat.

[F1guynz 485]

This sounds like Pixels on Ovation in the 270 lounge. You could book the complementary show or pay I think it was $45 for the VIP experience. Kinda funny in some ways as normally in the case of VIP’s they get most things free because they are “important” 😃

[melski94 798]

9 hours ago, CGTLH said:

Showing for my cruise on Harmony in May. The normal free reservations still showing. Think in @WAAAYTOOO case is the normal show reservations aren't open yet. So only the paid version is getting listed.

Toss in some screen shots. Love the fact the VIP seating is still "First-come, first-served", no assigned seat.

See the same thing for my March Harmony cruise. Can make complimentary reservations or pay to have VIP seating.

While I can understand that some bean counter thinks it is a great idea, the price is just too much.  Why would anyone pay $79 for a meet and greet?  How did they come up with the price...I could see some people paying $20. 

I wonder how may new cruisers will now think they'll have to pay for shows and miss the free reservations.  Luckily for now, the free reservation is the obvious thing to click on the cruise planner but I wonder if that will change.  

As someone who has to drag her DH to the free show, I hope this experiment fails.