Show Times

We were recently on the Braemar and we always book second sitting for dinner. We were most disappointed to find that the shows for second sitting were at 7:30 and not at the 10:30 they used to be. We book second sitting for the reason that we don't need to rush to get ready for dinner and many of our fellow passengers were in agreement that the 7:30 show was too early. What have you done Fred?

Oh no! If this happens on our next cruise with Fred. we won't be very happy either. We go to second sitting and like to relax before dinner with a cocktail/beer and then think about shows after dinner.

The messing about with show times was one of the reasons we weren't happy with P&O.

(I would also think that people who like to do a spot of ballroom dancing before dinner will thus have that option spoilt.)

We were recently on the Braemar and we always book second sitting for dinner. We were most disappointed to find that the shows for second sitting were at 7:30 and not at the 10:30 they used to be. We book second sitting for the reason that we don't need to rush to get ready for dinner and many of our fellow passengers were in agreement that the 7:30 show was too early. What have you done Fred?

We were recently on Braemar and like you we book second sitting but we never go to the shows. What we did notice on our last cruise was that we didn't have any trouble finding seats for pre-dinner drinks in the Observatory, Morning Light Pub or the Coral Club, so from our point of view it is a change for the better. Perhaps one of Fred's forum monitors would like to tell us why the change was made and if it is proving popular with most of the Braemar passengers.

I agree with the comments above, but I wonder if it was to stop first sitting guest 'hanging on' in the show lounge (which many did) and I have spoken to some who deliberately watch the show twice. I wonder what you are supposed to do after late sitting dinner? I trust there will be some form of entertainment and not just 'early to bed'.

I agree with the comments above, but I wonder if it was to stop first sitting guest 'hanging on' in the show lounge (which many did) and I have spoken to some who deliberately watch the show twice. I wonder what you are supposed to do after late sitting dinner? I trust there will be some form of entertainment and not just 'early to bed'.

I don't know about late night entertainment in the coral Club but there was definitely no late night entertainment in the Morning Light Pub, which is just another example of the cut backs that seem to be introduced between our cruises on Braemar. Our next cruise will be our seventh on Braemar but it will also be our last. We have seen the Fred Olsen experience deteriorate from being very good to being very ordinary and have resigned ourselves to having to pay a lot more to obtain the cruising experience we found when we first started cruising with Fred.

We have just been on the Braemar doing the French River Cruise and the first couple of nights the shows were at the normal times and then they changed them

to 7.30 for second sitting.

We didn't like the change and many others had a moan too. We complained about it on the questionaire we filled in near the end of the cruise, I hope lots of others did the same.

Maybe Fred. will get the message and listen to their passengers.

Susan

We always take the first sitting so although it doesn't impact on our show time directly, I can certainly see why it simply doesn't work for those on the second sitting :(

I hope this error has been rectified before we reach Balmoral in August.

Anyone know what time they had the show for the first sitting?

I assume it must have been moved to a little later if the first one didn't start until 7:30.

I really hope this is changed - we would miss all the shows if they were at 7.30p,; we like to relax & enjoy a drink before dinner, not watch a show :(:(

The showtime was changed during our Boudicca cruise in February with the show for second seating guests before dinner. It did not go down well.

The biggest problem was that on coming out of dinner at 10ish the ship was dead with no accessible entertainment. On a few nights an 11pm cabaret was scheduled in the Lido but because of the size of the venue it was impossible to get in whilst the Neptune Lounge sat empty. The Lido is also the venue used by those wanting to sit and chat over a drink with background music and it is not a suitable venue to sit and listen to a cabaret act - even if you could get in. We ended up either going to bed by 10.30pm or using the card table area to play games. It says something when one of the busiest venues on the ship after 10pm is the card room and library.

Even first sitting people were unhappy as they struggled to get seats in the Neptune as many of the second sitting people stayed in the Neptune lounge after the show finished at 8pm as they did not go into dinner until 8.30. The show for first seating guests started at 8.45.

We understand that this is a trial, I just hope that Fred Olsen take note of the negative feedback.

We have just been on the Braemar doing the French River Cruise and the first couple of nights the shows were at the normal times and then they changed them

to 7.30 for second sitting.

 

We didn't like the change and many others had a moan too. We complained about it on the questionaire we filled in near the end of the cruise, I hope lots of others did the same.

 

Maybe Fred. will get the message and listen to their passengers.

 

Susan

Hi, Yes, we were on the same cruise and filled in the questionnaire with the same comments, but I do wonder if they are read :( Hopefully the next cruise, German waterways, the shows will be at the later time.

I too hope that show time for 2nd sitting dinner is not at 7.30pm for our Baltic cruise in September. The whole point for us choosing 2nd sitting is to not have to rush to get ready for dinner and have a relaxing pre-dinner drink followed by dinner and then a show.

If this continues to be the case we might as well change from 2nd to 1st sitting.

The showtime was changed during our Boudicca cruise in February with the show for second seating guests before dinner. It did not go down well.

 

The biggest problem was that on coming out of dinner at 10ish the ship was dead with no accessible entertainment. On a few nights an 11pm cabaret was scheduled in the Lido but because of the size of the venue it was impossible to get in whilst the Neptune Lounge sat empty. The Lido is also the venue used by those wanting to sit and chat over a drink with background music and it is not a suitable venue to sit and listen to a cabaret act - even if you could get in. We ended up either going to bed by 10.30pm or using the card table area to play games. It says something when one of the busiest venues on the ship after 10pm is the card room and library.

 

Even first sitting people were unhappy as they struggled to get seats in the Neptune as many of the second sitting people stayed in the Neptune lounge after the show finished at 8pm as they did not go into dinner until 8.30. The show for first seating guests started at 8.45.

 

We understand that this is a trial, I just hope that Fred Olsen take note of the negative feedback.

Perhaps this could be solved by asking people to leave the Neptune lounge after the show and re-opening the doors at say, 8.15pm

I too hope that show time for 2nd sitting dinner is not at 7.30pm for our Baltic cruise in September. The whole point for us choosing 2nd sitting is to not have to rush to get ready for dinner and have a relaxing pre-dinner drink followed by dinner and then a show.

 

If this continues to be the case we might as well change from 2nd to 1st sitting.

Perhaps we need to be 'bombarding' FO on their FB page about the show times????

I have Private Messaged them. Our party of 7 will not be happy if we miss all the shows - 7.30pm is far to early for 2nd sitting show :(

What they seem to have done away with (mercifully) are the silly game shows such as Mr and Mrs and Who wants to be a millionaire. This allows much more time for dancing which suits us fine. We are first sitters and love the new arrangement because we can go to the Lido lounge after the first sitting show. :p

We have been considering trying Fred but after reading posts with no late entertainment and retiring at 10.30 think we will stay with the normal cruise companies. We are oldies but still like to enjoy our late evenings after all you only have a few holidays a year so you can rest at home.

We may have the wrong idea about Fred and I hope we do as we do like the idea of a small friendly cruise holiday perhaps someone can give us some information we are looking at the Monaco GP cruise in May.:confused:

There is entertainment after 10.30 in the form of singers and a disco. The bars are all open until you want to go to bed.

There are no changes to the times of the shows, the second sitting still get the show commencing at 10.30. However, in certain circumstances, such as local entertainers coming on board, the shows will be earlier for second seating guests to allow the entertainers to disembark before the ship sails. :)

I agree with Tigertom that this is the usual situation. However, Fred are trialing the change to showtimes on Braemar and Boudicca at the moment. (second sitting 7.15 on most nights) or at least they were in February and March.

There are no changes to the times of the shows, the second sitting still get the show commencing at 10.30. However, in certain circumstances, such as local entertainers coming on board, the shows will be earlier for second seating guests to allow the entertainers to disembark before the ship sails. :)

I was on the Braemar a week ago and they were certainly changing the second sitting show times to 7:30 and there were no local entertainers invited on board.

I was on the Braemar a week ago and they were certainly changing the second sitting show times to 7:30 and there were no local entertainers invited on board.

Please don't take this the wrong way but do you think they are just doing it on the "off-peak" season when there are potentially more older passengers onboard? I certainly hope this is not going to continue in the peak summer months.....

Please don't take this the wrong way but do you think they are just doing it on the "off-peak" season when there are potentially more older passengers onboard? I certainly hope this is not going to continue in the peak summer months.....

Or perhaps in the winter/spring months when passengers spend less time out on deck catching the sun and go back to their cabins earlier to get ready for the evening??

Or perhaps in the winter/spring months when passengers spend less time out on deck catching the sun and go back to their cabins earlier to get ready for the evening??

Good point Jakannne - and I can see the sense in that too.

This is the response I have had from FO regarding my question of the above change / trial of Showtimes so it may be worth other passengers giving any concerns or feedback directly to FO. Thank you to the OP for bringing it to our attention:-

Thank you again for your message, we appreciate you taking the time to contact us.

In response to feedback from our guests in 2014, we have been trialling a change to the format of the evenings on board, with the aim of making this time as enjoyable as possible for everyone. The trial has been running for several months on selected sailings and is due to end shortly.

Once we have reviewed all the feedback from the trial, we will then make a decision on the structure of the evenings that will satisfy the greatest number of guests. We expect to have reached this conclusion by the beginning of May, at which time we will of course advise you of the outcome. Your concerns have been passed on and so will be included within the review, along with guest feedback given on board.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us, it is feedback from our guests that ensures the on board experience is the best that it can be.

Kind regards,

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Please don't take this the wrong way but do you think they are just doing it on the "off-peak" season when there are potentially more older passengers onboard? I certainly hope this is not going to continue in the peak summer months.....

Interestingly, the crew shows were at 10:30 and 10:45, I just felt sorry for the entertainer(s) who performed the second show to a much reduced audience.

We were on Braemar Feb/March and show times were changed. 7.30 for late diners, which we didn't like, as we like lots of others, like a quiet drink before dinner and then go to the show. On leaving the Neptune after the first show the queue waiting to go into the second sitting went right through the Morning Light into the casino area. Difficult to get past to go for dinner and most uncomfortable for people in the bar having a drink. Hope Fred realises most people do not like this arrangement and leave things as they were.