Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that pre-cruise online reservations for onboard entertainment will now be effective fleetwide, with booking windows opening for guests based on the stateroom category of guests’ reservations and individual loyalty tiers.
This process is sure to be a hit for some guests, but may lead to disappointment for others if reservations fill up very quickly.
Online Entertainment Reservations Now Fleetwide
Guests booked for upcoming cruises throughout the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet will now be able to pre-book reservations for onboard entertainment, including production shows, comedy, and exclusive live music venues.
Exactly when guests will be able to book, however, will vary depending on the category of stateroom booked as well as guests’ loyalty status in Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards program.
Guests in The Haven staterooms or suites will be able to pre-book entertainment as early as 26 days before embarkation, as will guests who are at least Platinum level in the Latitudes Rewards program. To reach the Platinum level, guests must have accumulated 75+ points. Guests earn one point for every cruise night, with additional points for suite or The Haven stateroom bookings as well as insider offer bookings.
Guests at lower loyalty levels or staterooms from Club Balcony Suites and lower – balconies, oceanviews, inside, and studios – will be able to pre-book their entertainment beginning 21 days before sailing.
Bookings can be made through the cruise line’s website or through the NCL app if guests are logged in to their associated cruise reservations. There is no cost for reservations for any complimentary entertainment options.
While this announcement was just made earlier this week and is effective from February 7, 2023, some booked guests have reported that the entertainment booking options for upcoming cruises are not yet open, despite being within the specified windows. It is possible that some tech glitches will occur while the reservation system is fine-tuned.
Will Reservations Fill Up?
With guests at upper loyalty levels or in more exclusive cabins having five extra days to secure their reservations, some cruisers are concerned that reservations may be filled and unavailable for the most popular shows and entertainment by the time other guests are able to reserve their space.
This can be especially true in smaller venues or for more exclusive shows with fewer showtimes available throughout a single sailing.
Read Also: Loyalty Programs – Should You Stay Loyal to One Cruise Line?
There is no indication that any number of seats in specific venues may be earmarked for specific guest categories, or held back to ensure some available for reservations onboard. Norwegian Cruise Line does use wait lists onboard, however, and guests can add their names to those lists as showtime approaches.
Shortly before the show begins, reserved seats for guests who have not yet arrived will be opened for the wait list in order to ensure as many guests as possible are accommodated for different shows. Guests on the wait list are notified in the order in which they requested a seat, and have just a few minutes to check in for the show or else the reservation will move on to the next wait list guest.
Do you prefer a reservation system for onboard entertainment, or a first-come, first-served walk-up system? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
