Connecting rooms on the Odyssey

I have read on this board that people have been very unhappy with receiving a suite that connects -- that it allows more sound and light through to your own suite than a stand alone suite would.

As I booked an OB I don't have much room to complain about but I have inquired and another suite is not available at this time ... The reply from Seabourn included :

"The connecting suite doors are located by the front entrance, near the closet. These doors are insulated for noise and light and we have not received any negative feedback regarding excessive noise due to the connecting suite doors."

SO --wondering if there is anyone who has been in one of these rooms w/o problem?

Thanks,

Rachel

Let us just say that in addition to hearing the television from our neighbor's suite ( and is was on quite often at a loud volume) we could hear all of the intimate activities of our neighbors. I vowed never to stay in a connecting suite on the big ships again. I almost went out one day to buy some insulation to wrap around the door. I never had an issue with this on the small ships.

Not good news from me, I'm afraid.

We had to move from our booked suite to a connecting on Quest a few years ago.

The suite we were next to wasn't occupied, but the suite attendants used it as a storage room. I absolutely noticed noise and light coming from the suite. The connecting door didn't fit entirely flush so there was light underneath and around it. We would definitely have been disturbed by more noise if the suite had been occupied. Not an issue during daytime hours, but certainly an issue at night.

All of that said, as I've often mentioned here at CC I'm very noise and light sensitive. It may not bother others as much as it bothered me.

Also, the balcony isn't quite so private either, because of the divider.

It sounds as if you're stuck with the suite you've been allocated, so good advice to help you make the best of it! Posters here at CC have recommended duct tape in the future to 'seal' around the door, to help a bit with the noise and a lot with the light.

It's possible the suite next to you will be unoccupied.

What deck are you on? What category suite?

I hadn't seen Chairsin's post when I posted.

I agree.

But you're stuck with it by the looks of things so make preparations to handle it as best as possible.

This is just one reason why we hate OB, but two times in the past we've had no option. It was either OB or don't cruise.

It's a v6 on 8

Have both of you complained to Seabourn directly?

I am not sure what the point of complaining would have been. It is not as if our neighbors were intentionally being obnoxious. And furthermore we had a full ship so they would not have been able to move us. It was our first time on the big ships and as we never noticed a problem on the little ship we were unaware when we booked the suite ( V-6 deck 8). Now we know better. But I will give you the good news -- we very much liked being on deck 8 and booked it on our second big ship cruise. We appreciated the convenience of being directly off of the pool deck with the patio grill and bar. With luck you will have dull and quiet neighbors!

Well, perhaps we are an anomaly. We have been in a cabin with a connecting one on both our cruises, one on the Quest and the other on the Odyssey. We never heard anything from our neighbors and both times the cabins were occupied.

I am not sure what the point of complaining would have been. It is not as if our neighbors were intentionally being obnoxious. And furthermore we had a full ship so they would not have been able to move us. It was our first time on the big ships and as we never noticed a problem on the little ship we were unaware when we booked the suite ( V-6 deck 8). Now we know better. But I will give you the good news -- we very much liked being on deck 8 and booked it on our second big ship cruise. We appreciated the convenience of being directly off of the pool deck with the patio grill and bar. With luck you will have dull and quiet neighbors!

I only asked because the reply from seabourn was that they'd never received a complaint -- though I'd read them here. I think it's a good idea to let them know when something doesn't work even if there is no obvious solution. They may consider making adjustments to the insulation between connectors.

Rachel

Have both of you complained to Seabourn directly?

I didn't complain because it seemed pointless. I've stayed in connecting hotel rooms and experienced similar problems. Again the ship was full, there was nowhere else we could move to.

And yes to deck 8. I'm a poor sailor so I prefer a V5 on deck 6 and whenever possible that's what we book. However, one time we were OB and were allocated deck 8. As Chairsin says, the location is very convenient. Thankfully the seas were flat the whole cruise :)

Sorry, to add the obvious but if you want to be certain about not having a bad location or noise from the adjoining suite, then pay the extra and pick your suite!

Complaining after taking the OB guarantee option is TBH a little much.

Sorry, to add the obvious but if you want to be certain about not having a bad location or noise from the adjoining suite, then pay the extra and pick your suite!

Complaining after taking the OB guarantee option is TBH a little much.

Tilly, to be fair to the OP she did say this :

"As I booked an OB I don't have much room to complain about" and her thread is asking for positive experiences in these suites.

Do you really pick up OP complaining or whining here?

I do not, however, this does seem to be the case in many circumstances and the only way to guarantee this doesnt happen is by selecting your cabin.

On the flip side OP, our friends had 823, which i believe is an interconnecting v6 and experienced no problems. I would say though it is luck of the draw as to whether or not you have quiet neighbours, like the smoking on veranda issue, it is purely luck of the draw as to whether you are next to it or not.

We have been in 823 on Sojourn or Quest (can't remember) and could certainly hear our neighbours when they were near the connecting door, which does transmit sound. A slight knock on the door made them aware, and they were fairly quiet after that, but to be woken at 1 a.m. by loud talking is not desirable.

I do wonder if Seabourn gives sufficient emphasis to people (those who do not read CC, which is most of them) as to the fact that they cannot complain or try to alter the choice of suite they are given? I feel sure many do not know. It stands to reason that occasionally you are likely to get a connecting suite, or one right at the bow end, as these are the last to be chosen. And sometimes a handicap suite, if they have not been needed.

People who do not visit CC are typically far less picky than those who do.

People who do not visit CC are typically far less picky than those who do.

Ignorance can be bliss Henry.

Amen!!!!!

OP: On my last (14-day) cruise with interconnected cabins, I stopped at a hardware store and bought several types of rope-like insulation materials. Thankfully, never had to use it as the suite guests were pretty quiet.

 

the only way to guarantee this doesnt happen is by selecting your cabin.

 

Unless, during a full cruise, you have to move from your selected cabin to another, as happened to us.

Booking OB is risky, no doubt. We've only booked it twice, not for reasons of budget but both times when there was no option to pre-book our preferred V5, fortunately we were very happy with our allocation each time. I'm not sure that I'd chance it again though.

Unless, during a full cruise, you have to move from your selected cabin to another, as happened to us.

 

Booking OB is risky, no doubt. We've only booked it twice, not for reasons of budget but both times when there was no option to pre-book our preferred V5, fortunately we were very happy with our allocation each time. I'm not sure that I'd chance it again though.

They moved you from a cabin you selected??

Or did you book one week in a named cabin and the following in a guarantee?

Or was there a problem?

We were also on Deck 8 on Quest (GREAT location, but...) and had a room that had a connecting door. We got to hear everything from closing drawers to complete political opinions, whether we were close to the door or not. We knocked, loudly cleared our throats, slammed doors, laughed uproariously at some of their comments... nothing seemed to register with them. I didn't notice light. I should have complained on the ship but I did complain afterwards with my TA and my comment card. The doors were NOT insulated. We had booked a V-3 but even though it showed availability when we booked we got a guarantee and got upgraded, and in the future I will certainly check more carefully to make sure we aren't in a connecting room before I accept something like that.

They moved you from a cabin you selected??

Or did you book one week in a named cabin and the following in a guarantee?

Or was there a problem?

Hi Tilly, sorry only just seen this.

We were on an 18 day cruise that was full. We'd selected specific cabin as normal when we booked. We had to be moved because there was a problem. These things happen from time to time and it was just bad luck that the only available one to move to was connecting.

I see, i was going to say moving you out of a room you had selected would warrant some serious apologies!!

I see, i was going to say moving you out of a room you had selected would warrant some serious apologies!!

Yes, agreed! I should have made it clear in my initial post .

FWIW - we are onboard and our neighbors are very very quiet. No problems here!