Royal Albert Hall Christmas Carols tickets

I just tried your date and time. I got the same message for the stalls, but not for the side stalls. Try selecting the side stalls so that you can see the seat map. Once you see the seat map, you can choose the seats that you want and delete the ones it assigned to you.

I have sat in the rausing circle. The legroom is very tight.

If you request seats separately, are you having any luck?

Ruth, I hadn’t known about these Carols programs, but they sound fun, so I did some looking for two tickets. My husband and I will be in London on December 14, the only one of the nights the Carols are offered that we’ll be there. Unfortunately, there are only single seats that I can find, scattered around the Hall. Some are actually in pretty good locations, while others are in the Nosebleed Circle sections. But all are single seats. A few are right in the middle of an aisle, with another empty seat immediately behind it. But that’s not the same as having two seats next to each other. Pity.

Are there other venues, besides the Albert Hall, that offer similar Christmas Carols programs?

We attended one of these concerts in 2019 and it was quite spectacular. If it were me, I would choose individual seats if they are in better locations. It is worth it.

Go for the single seats. Acoustics in Royal Albert Hall are spectacular.

As far as other venues check Cadogan and Wigmore Halls schedules.

PS: not a Londoner. Californian who has had the privilege of spending Christmas in London more than once.

Thank you, everyone. I did find this: https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/christmas/best-christmas-carols-in-london

And not the same as the Albert Hall program, certainly, but I’ve booked two (adjacent) seats at St. Martin’s in the Fields - Handel’s Messiah.

Claudia, I will definitely check on the Wigmore Hall options. That’s been a favorite venue, close to where we stay in London, with amazingly affordable performances.

Have never attended a Panto, and that’s also an intended event to experience.

We recently purchased tickets for the Big Band Christmas at RAH because that is the only concert in the Hall when we are in London. We should have gotten our tickets a month ago when we first looked as we ended up with two singles--fortunately in adjacent rows. I was surprised they had sold out so quickly.

Regarding the Rausing Circle- we attend the Proms every year and always sit in this section. In my opinion the sound is very good and it doesn't feel "nosebleed." It's very good value for the price. Of course the view is better straight on than on the side but it's more about the sound in this case anyway.

I wonder if it’s a Londoner/English/tourist thing to reserve all Christmastime tickets in mid-June, if not earlier? Has it always been this way, or is this a fairly recent development? Do people who are planning a Holiday visit to London, and who want to attend special performances, know to book everything by now, so they can go about enjoying summer once that’s accomplished?

The Royal Ballet is going to start to sell its tickets on July 2. Is it expected that if you want to attend The Nutcracker in London, everybody knows to get that done the first week of July?

Also check out the Barbican and Festival Hall. Both major concert halls, and will have Christmas concerts in December.
Apart from seats on general sale, the RAH has a lot of debentures.
I found the Rausing circle unnerving - extremely steep and no leg room.
Have you tried the boxes, some seats are sold separately.

As far as selling out is concerned, I fear it's not the Londoners who are snapping up tickets, but tourists.

I am a singer and my choral society always had a Christmas concert. These were always popular, but certainly not sold out in June.
There was another thread recently about how now you have to book everything in advance - since Covid everything seems to have gone mad.
I'm off to Normandy again next month, and never before have I found it necessary to prebook restaurants.

Christmas is a big deal here and many people have regular events that they attend year after year, so yes it is possible tickets were booked as soon as they went on sale.

I often choose seats one behind the other when going with a friend. Granted, we both like aisle seats, so that's why, but I would choose those good seats.

We were barley able to secure 2 seats when we booked for 12/14 in early April…..a couple of visitors to London these past 2 years saw the carols program at Royal Albert and said it was a must……we even opted to eat there just to get in. I was shocked that we almost did not get in, even booking as early as April! It must have really gained popularity in the past few years!

Wonderful travelers, thank you all for your helpful replies! I eventually discovered that by requesting ONE ticket (instead of 4) I could get the schematic of what seats were available. Actually got four center seats in the first balcony (Stalls), not together, but close enough. This is for Sunday night and we're flying home the next day, so a perfect last hurrah.

I have my St-Martin-in-the-Fields concerts chosen (Ex Cathedra for certain!) but I'm searching for what's happening at Westminster Abbey that week (Dec 16-22). The only concert I can find is the Christmas Eve extravaganza. I have been to Advent concerts there in the past, but I can't find any mention of them for this year. Any thoughts on that? Thanks again for all your replies!