Ships Theatres - Hearing problems

When cruise lines commission a new ship they cost in millions in building their beautiful theatres ,no cost spared.

The cruising population is often of a "certain age" where hearing problems are not uncommon . Indeed many have to endure aids in helping them.

However on these ships there appears to be no help for these passengers with their problems by having loop systems in the theatres or their staterooms. Why on earth not ? or do you know of any that do ?

All we can do is speculate. Presented logically as you have presented it, it makes no sense that they weren't on the leading edge of that technology. Perhaps the best conclusion from the facts is that the hearing-impaired cruising population of a "certain age" is not considered a target: That's not to say that it isn't a big part of the customer base, but rather is to say that accommodating their hearing loss is not viewed as a make-or-break consideration for their decision to cruise, in the same way that water parks and such are viewed as a make-or-break consideration for the decision to cruise for families with teens and for younger cruise passengers. Part of that may be the hearing-impaired cruising population itself: My spouse refuses to learn how to hook the superfantastic hearing aid with t-coil into a loop system directly.

I've had hearing aids for several years and find that most often I have to turn the volume down in the ship theaters. For some reason they often equate loud with a good performance.

We have left theatres when the sound levels are overwhelming.

So I don't see a need for electronic assist when those that need hearing aids will have them and the sound is blasting anyway. I think those wireless systems are most often found in facilities where the programs are typically a person speaking and giving a verbal presentation.

If a person refuses to wear a hearing aid then that's their choice. At my HOA auditorium we have wireless devices for those who refuse to get hearing aids then complain they can't hear the person speaking.

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When cruise lines commission a new ship they cost in millions in building their beautiful theatres ,no cost spared.

The cruising population is often of a "certain age" where hearing problems are not uncommon . Indeed many have to endure aids in helping them.

However on these ships there appears to be no help for these passengers with their problems by having loop systems in the theatres or their staterooms. Why on earth not ? or do you know of any that do ?

I know DCL does closed captioning in some of the movies in the theater.

This is from their website:

Disney Cruise Line has a number of services to help Guests with hearing loss, including captioned television and movies, assistive listening systems, room communication kits, stateroom TTYs and shared American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services for U.S.-based and select European cruises.

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/guests-with-disabilities/hearing-loss/

Don't remember which ship but there were quite a few hearing impaired passengers on this ship. They sat in the 1st two rows in the theater. They had an interpreter who stood in front and signed for these passengers. She interpreted what was spoken and sung. How wonderful for them! Maybe it was a chartered group for hearing impaired?

I've had hearing aids for several years and find that most often I have to turn the volume down in the ship theaters. For some reason they often equate loud with a good performance.

 

We have left theatres when the sound levels are overwhelming.

 

So I don't see a need for electronic assist when those that need hearing aids will have them and the sound is blasting anyway. I think those wireless systems are most often found in facilities where the programs are typically a person speaking and giving a verbal presentation.

 

If a person refuses to wear a hearing aid then that's their choice. At my HOA auditorium we have wireless devices for those who refuse to get hearing aids then complain they can't hear the person speaking.

 

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None of that is relevant to loop systems, however. A basic hearing aid just makes things louder; a loop system works on an entirely different principle.

For the OP, P&O, Fred Olsen, and Cruises and Maritime all have loop systems of various types (and various degrees of efficiency). They're all UK-based, of course - I can't speak for US lines.

None of that is relevant to loop systems, however. A basic hearing aid just makes things louder; a loop system works on an entirely different principle.

 

For the OP, P&O, Fred Olsen, and Cruises and Maritime all have loop systems of various types (and various degrees of efficiency). They're all UK-based, of course - I can't speak for US lines.

Mine do more than just amplify. They are tuned to my particular frequency band losses.

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I am relatively young and only now starting to lose my hearing a bit. I usually have to stick my fingers into my ears at Princess theaters because the sound is deafening.

Don't remember which ship but there were quite a few hearing impaired passengers on this ship. They sat in the 1st two rows in the theater. They had an interpreter who stood in front and signed for these passengers. She interpreted what was spoken and sung. How wonderful for them! Maybe it was a chartered group for hearing impaired?

Had a similar situation a few years ago on a Carnival Freedom cruise. A decent size group of hearing impaired had a sign interpreter with them in the theater.

The fun started when this group and the signing interpreter were at the late night Adult comedy show with a performer with a very funny and sexually explicit/adult language act. The interpreter was sitting just off to the side of the stage.

The comedian was on a roll. Sex. Body parts. Language. ... and in the middle he stopped cold. Paused. Looked at the interpreter and said to her "I just wanted to see how you'd would handle that."

It was hysterical.