There are few things universally hated by cruisers as much as waiting in line aboard ship or in port. So Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) announcement that passengers sailing aboard the new Norwegian Epic can reserve seats at the most popular shows before departure is welcome news.

Pre-booking will be available for performances of Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, Legends in Concert, The Second City Comedy Troupe, Nickelodeon™ Slime Time Live!, Breakfast with Nickelodeon™ and the Murder Mystery “Presumed Murdered.” Guests may make a reservation for each show once per sailing.

To book tickets for many of these stellar performances, Norwegian Epic passengers can pre-book reservations prior to their cruise. Booked guests can go to the Norwegian website, www.ncl.com, log in to the “My NCL” section and visit a special entertainment page where they can select and reserve their desired performance.

Online bookings open 45 days prior to sailing date. Reservations for entertainment events with no cover charge are valid until 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Trust me on this: if you DON’T reserve these shows in advance you’ll find yourself in a seemingly endless line to book them when you board the ship.