Muzak on Constellation - very irritating

[RedInLove]

[quote name='DougYWG']
- the Tuscan Grill fine dining had music for deaf teenagers. Why not silence? O.K. then, maybe Pavarotti or Andrea Bocelli?

Are we the only ones who found this irritating? Are all the ships like this?[/QUOTE]

Your suggestions would be perfect for that setting. There's a time and place for everything, and what is supposed to be a relaxing vacation is not the time for club music. There's a nice authentic Italian restaurant in the city I'm working in right now, and they almost always have Josh Groban playing. It's just loud enough so you can hear it, identify the music and appreciate the atmosphere it's creating, but not so loud that you're having a convo with Josh Groban.

[ghstudio]

As one of my non-work jobs, I do live sound for my religious organization. I can assure you that for every person who thinks the sound is too loud, there is another who wants me to turn it up. I know I have the sound right when I get an equal number of people complaining. (I am not joking).

If you are in a venue (or on a ship) where the music is too loud, just look across the room and you'll see someone who think's it's just perfect and another straining to hear it.....

And please....do not insists that the soundman adjust the sound to your preferences. I (and every other soundman) get far too much of that and we are sometimes known to get very snippy and vindictive (you think this is loud....:)

[hcat]

I am continuing this thread in hopes of getting more info. & finding out how we can stop the loud canned music on board ...It is bad enough that the peace & quiet of the pool area is destroyed in the afternoons with canned music & games, but having it all over the ship seems to drive people away from the common areas & bars!!!

Cruisers recently returned from Silhouette & Equinox have reported that one of the worst elements of their cruises was the playing of very loud canned rap music all over the ship--even apparently in the dining room... ...(Hope not in BLU when we cruise in less than 2 weeks!!)

from the above posts it appears this is a new trend for Celebrity...and is not in keeping with the Celebrity cruise experience or demographic on board...Can't imagine enjoying a nice cocktail someplace or reading on deck & having loud music blaring!!!

[COLOR="DarkRed"]what would be the best way to change the[B] type & volume [/B]of music being played? Complain to the person in charge of the speakers at a particular area , guest relations or the CD on board, e-mail Celebrity?[/COLOR]

[hcat]

.here are a few recent comments....(hope folks don't mind that I have excerpted their posts)

[B]Silhouette cruisers: [/B] The only problem we had was the music! OMG, rap and loud at dinner time. It didn't really suit any of the folks
on board

on Silhouette!!!! It was horrible. We actually moved into Cellar Masters one night. They started that garbage around 6 and it never stopped. Bad enough it was horrendous but it was loud. That's why the bar was so empty most nights. What are they thinking, especially with the clientele they attract. Everyone was complaining.

I also moved to Cellar Masters one night. We were able to get our waiter [I]( Martini Bar )[/I] to turn down the music a bit but it still was annoying.


[B]Equinox cruisers:[/B] Now for the only disappointment, the Martini Bar! What’s with the music? Really? Rap?

If anyone else has examples pease share!!

[cruisestitch]

Constellation's music was marginally improved. But I would still rate it awful, for the following reasons:

1. Martini bar -- consistently too loud, intrusive enough to restrict any normal conversation, and the heavy beat was meant to be lively but was just jarring. Bartender could turn down volume, but an hour later it would be back up again.

2. MDR -- same music over and over and over at dinner. Night after night, the same. Pleasant enough, but the repetition was annoying.

3. Ocean Liners -- same music over and over at Elite Breakfast, until a complaint to the Captain's Club hostess brought a change, which itself was then repeated over and over. Also too loud, especially for breakfast time. Servers were able to lower the volume there. Apparently they turn it up to "rev up" their motors as they are setting up the space for breakfast and nobody thinks to turn it back down until a passenger complains.

4. Reflections -- automated piano at Elite cocktail hour. Again -- the same music night after night. They apparently only have two tapes and you will get sick of hearing them during the course of your cruise. Do B2B and it will make you want to scream. Hotel manager said he would try to locate a different tape, but never did.

5. Buffet area -- whoever programmed the music here was partial to screeching voices. Some of the most unpleasant sounds ever recorded.

6. Cafe al Bacio -- due to its location, you'll be treated to not only the piano music (or live music when the strings are playing) but also to the Martini Bar music which you can hear from here, and the noise from the Casino. The word "cacophony" comes to mind.

Various staff say that there is a new effort out of Miami to play "happy music" on board. I asked what that meant, and was told "disco". Apparently nobody has told them that disco is dead.

[dorisis]

I,Too, Suffer from hearing loss and need hearing aids. Any background noise makes hearing conversations difficult. Soft music in quiet zones is OK but why have it in areas where people are conversing. VERY ANNOYING!!!

~Doris~

[wattsde]

[quote name='trk_koa']We sailed in our first interior cabin on Infinity in September. We usually go balcony but this was all that was available for a last minute get away. I had trouble finding a quiet place to read other than in our tiny room. Even the library had musak. I mentioned it at guest relations and was told there should not be music piped into the library and he would look into it. It was always on, the whole cruise. I did find it annoying. I need my quiet place so we will stick to the balcony cabins (I'm a bit claustrophobic) so I can have my sofa and quiet place to read.[/QUOTE]


YES! On days when it was too cool or windy on the balcony, I just wanted to sit with my book and I quite literaly could not find a place without Muzak. After 3 days I thought I would lose my mind! 8-O

[C 2 C]

Millennium..

What?? I can no longer hear any question...:(

No wonder so many concerns fall on deaf ears.

[hcat]

[B]Arno--as always you bring a little levity to the situation...which is serious[/B]

Seems the loud music is not appreciated... esp. if content is rap ...we also limit going to shows & when we do we sit where we can escape if the volume is cranked up..

.[COLOR="Teal"][SIZE="4"]Miami can you hear us now!!!!![/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Lsimon]

The only place where I was particularly annoyed by the music on our Equinox cruise was the Martini Bar where there was a loud Techno kind of music that is completely out of context with the live music played on the ship. It seems most of the live music was aimed at an extremely mature audience, but the Techno music on the Martini Bar went the other way completely and was at a volume level that made conversation difficult. We too asked for it to be turned down repeatedly. Sometimes it was and sometimes not.

[porrah]

We have just returned from a Princess cruise and I was thinking of trying X next. Maybe not, now. My beef with Princess (Emerald) was the same as this thread. We had great difficulty finding a quiet place to sit - even empty lounges at 10 a.m. had music piped in. The pool had the MUTS blaring all day, and as for the theatre - we took ear plugs and still had to leave at times. On leaving the MDR, you entered the piazza to get to the elavator and went deaf from the band playing. How anyone could sit there and listen is beyond me. I am not of the young deaf generation and find loud music a constant source of irritation. However, I suspect it is the same on all lines. May just have to give up cruising.

[shoreham01]

[quote name='jgnova'][COLOR=seagreen][SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]We've given up even trying to attend the shows because they're so loud. Back in 02 on the Galaxy, they even insisted on amplifying what was promoted as a special afternoon classical piano concert - I went back to the booth and yelled at the techie until he cut it down - for which I was thanked by the pianist.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=seagreen]I took a sound level meter on our Mercury cruise last winter and the normal sound level was in the dangerous level - with the CD's cheers at the end of each piece going up into painful levels. I sent a letter to Hanrahan and got a response from someone telling me they would look into it. Right.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=seagreen]One evening on our June Summit sailing we were looking for a place to sit and listen to some music after the string trio called it a night. So we checked out Michael's - the guitarist might have been good - but was amped like a rock concert so we stayed away.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=seagreen]We'd love to sit in a lounge, order drinks, listen to music, and socialize, but I guess it's not going to happen on Celebrity any more. We did enjoy the atrium piano bar on the Caribbean Princess in 08 - I wonder if they still do that?[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=seagreen]j[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
[/quote]They still had the piano player in the Atrium and in Crooners last June when we were on The Grand. It was lovely, and the only loud intrusive unbearable sound was from MUTS (Movies under the sun/stars). At least you could get away from that.

Now you have made me nervous about our first Celebrity cruise on Eclipse. I really hate intrusive music.

[Dena]

[quote name='ABoatNerd']Well, I am poised to cancel my Solstice cruise in September based on the numerous threads I have seen regarding the noise pollution on Celebrity ships. Noise is something I do not tolerate.

I had a most wonderful land based vacation in Tucson at the Loews Ventana Canyon - ate in outstanding restaurants and had service well above Celebrity in a venue with quiet gracious service.

Celebrity you are about to lose a customer who has sailed since 1989 - your continous rush to lower your standards is something I do not need to tolerate - there are alternatives for my consumer $

By all means embrace the young first time cruiser - good luck to you.

Your assignment of Connie to 4 and 5 day cruises speaks volumes to me about Celebrity priorities.

This thread is just another example of the eroding of a formerly great cruise line that had a distinguished product offering

A safe and happy cruising to all

ABoatNerd[/QUOTE]

I found a wonderful oceanfront boutique smoke-free hotel in the US with a balcony suite directly overlooking the ocean and ate evey meal there, outside at the oceanfront resturant for a week. Lounge chairs and umrellas were free and plentiful on the beach. My total bill was within 10% of my last Princess cruise in a mini-suite.

[EithneMay]

[quote name='Dena']I found a wonderful oceanfront boutique smoke-free hotel in the US with a balcony suite directly overlooking the ocean and ate evey meal there, outside at the oceanfront for a week. Longe chairs and umrellas were free and plentiful. My total bill was with 10% of my last Princess cruise in a mini-suite.[/QUOTE]

As much as we love cruising, with the continued cut-backs, nickel and dimming, decreased quality of food, and no new itineraries, we are beginning to consider long-term land vacations!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dena]

[quote name='shoreham01']They still had the piano player in the Atrium and in Crooners last June when we were on The Grand. It was lovely, and the only loud intrusive unbearable sound was from MUTS (Movies under the sun/stars). At least you could get away from that.

Now you have made me nervous about our first Celebrity cruise on Eclipse. I really hate intrusive music.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Princess does not have intrusive music. I couldn't even tell you if they play background music in the restaurants or the atrium when there are no live performances. I guess they may, but it is in no way distracting. I would know, I never play music and home or in my car. I do not need constant external stimulation and am not afraid to be alone with my thoughts.

[Dena]

[quote name='porrah']We have just returned from a Princess cruise and I was thinking of trying X next. Maybe not, now. My beef with Princess (Emerald) was the same as this thread. We had great difficulty finding a quiet place to sit - even empty lounges at 10 a.m. had music piped in. The pool had the MUTS blaring all day, and as for the theatre - we took ear plugs and still had to leave at times. On leaving the MDR, you entered the piazza to get to the elavator and went deaf from the band playing. How anyone could sit there and listen is beyond me. I am not of the young deaf generation and find loud music a constant source of irritation. However, I suspect it is the same on all lines. May just have to give up cruising.[/QUOTE]

I actually thought Princess was OK, but we did not eat in the MDR or spend any time on the pool deck - anyway our ship did not have MUTs at the time. I think I might enjoy MUTs at night for a movie, but if the picture isn't HD and if the sound quality is poor (or made so by excessive volume), I wouldn't bother.

[Dena]

[quote name='Shining Clem']

The reason "Miami" may want loud music going is the same as many other restaurants and bars today - loud music has been proven in studies to turn tables over faster and encourage faster drinking. Can't do to linger over a drink after dinner and chat even if you move away from the dining room to one of the bar areas it seems!

As has been noted, when the music is louder, then everything becomes louder as people speak louder to hear. Many of us, as has been expressed, are on a cruise to relax and decompress from the excessive noise pollution in our lives. Our bodies instinctively recognize that this is harmful, and we often react by becoming more irritable as we try to cope.

[/QUOTE]

I agree, they are trying to sell more drinks. Also, noise does raise cortisol levels, not good. And DH has tinnitus. This won't work for him. It is a probably a deal breaker for us unless we can opt-out by dining in Blu and spending most of our time on our balcony. We were ready to leave Princess because they had changed their balcony furniture to less comfortable furniture. If we couldn't have a comfortable smoke-free balcony, we, at least, wanted to enjoy the atrium, but on Princess it is connects to the casino, which is surely smokeir now that Princess has banned balcony smoking. Today we had great news, Princess read our concerns on the Princess boards and just posted that they will be getting new, comfortable balcony furniture. Problem solved. I still learned a lot about Celebrity and was intrigued, but this just about kills it for us. Does anyone have a video which demonstrates the kind of noise we are talking about.

Also, if this is being done to attract younger people, keep in mind that they are quite accustomed to having complete freedom to select their own music and listen to it on their iPods. So, I don't think this will work. It may sell more drinks, but not to us.

[Dena]

I have read that rap and other loud intrusive music is being played and this is dictated by "Miami" and cannot not be changed by officers or crew onboard regardless of the wishes of passengers. Is this true in Blu also. My preference would me no music, but if music is needed, maybe soft Jazz or some other peaceful instrumental music would do. This is nearly a deal breaker, but maybe in aqua class we could basically opt-out, especially if we spend most of our time on our balcony. Sadly, I read the relaxation room is also blasting club type music. Is this try in the Persian gardens. I guess we could bring earplugs, but if the music is very loud, this won't work

[Suzy Smith]

Have not really been bothered by the background music, but the shows are definitely TOO LOUD!!

On our last cruise I was actually sitting in the theatre covering my ears at one point because the volume was so high my ears were hurting, although on some other nights is was not too bad. We really enjoy the shows, but having the the volume turned up so much has sometimes spoiled the whole experience for us.

[negc]

[quote name='Dena']I have read that rap and other loud intrusive music is being played and this is dictated by "Miami" and cannot not be changed by officers or crew onboard regardless of the wishes of passengers. Is this true in Blu also. My preference would me no music, but if music is needed, maybe soft Jazz or some other peaceful instrumental music would do. This is nearly a deal breaker, but maybe in aqua class we could basically opt-out, especially if we spend most of our time on our balcony. Sadly, I read the relaxation room is also blasting club type music. Is this try in the Persian gardens. I guess we could bring earplugs, but if the music is very loud, this won't work[/QUOTE]

We didn't experience anything like that when we were on Silhouette in February and I would have to doubt the validity of any claim that "Miami" has dictated that "rap and other loud intrusive music" be played throughout the ship. Seems difficult to believe that cruise line executives would be so stupid as to do something that was so contrary to the wishes of their guests. I know that the decision-makers sometimes appear to be out of touch with their clientele, but this is just too difficult to believe. Perhaps people who have cruised even more recently than two months ago, can confirm or deny that what is being claimed is actually being practiced.:)

[AMAC86]

What music? When? What is this "rap" accusation? Beatles and Beach Boys?

[Dena]

I hope you are right, but several have reported this.

[cruisestitch]

I was told on Constellation that the mandate was for "happy music" and when I asked what that meant, the reply was "disco and things like that". See the thread on music on the Constellation for further observations

[dkjretired]

[quote name='negc']We didn't experience anything like that when we were on Silhouette in February and I would have to doubt the validity of any claim that "Miami" has dictated that "rap and other loud intrusive music" be played throughout the ship. Seems difficult to believe that cruise line executives would be so stupid as to do something that was so contrary to the wishes of their guests. I know that the decision-makers sometimes appear to be out of touch with their clientele, but this is just too difficult to believe. Perhaps people who have cruised even more recently than two months ago, can confirm or deny that what is being claimed is actually being practiced.:)[/QUOTE]

Read the other thread, almost everyone is complaining about the loud and rap music, this is not just one person complaining. I read it and was shocked...

Celebrity was always known for their quiet, no announcements policy. If this is the case on my Sept cruise that will be it for wife and I...

[AMAC86]

Interesting. I am sailing the Summit in just over two weeks--I'll let you know what I think of the music from a younger person's perspective.