Overhead Announcements?

[sail7seas]

Do NCL ships have loud speaker announcements all day long? Can you shut off the speaker inside the cabins?

 

[julie3fan]

IIRC most announcements are only heard in public areas, and only very important ones are piped into the staterooms. You cannot turn off that speaker AFAIK.

[sfaaa]

True die hard cruisers love the Bing Bong tone 24/7.

[GORDONCHICK]

I always have to open the door to hear the announcements.

[NLH Arizona]

You can hear the announcements on one channel on your TV, otherwise I really couldn't hear them in he cabin, except for a few important ones which came over the loudspeaker in the cabin. I also didn't feel that they were all day log. I also cruise with two cruise lines who only have one announcement a day and was afraid that NCL's would be too much for me, but there wasn't as many as I thought there would be. I do prefer only one a day, but that is not what they do, so I live with it.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, everyone. :) It's good to know so I'll be prepared to 'learn to live with it.' :)

 

[Kingmaker_inc]

I think what people are saying that that you will not have to "learn to live with it", because they are not piped into your room.

[Starflyr3]

Just got off the Jewel last month, the only time we were able to hear the announcements in our cabin (mini suite) was for 1) the lifeboat drill and 2) when 2 teenagers went missing overnight. (they were eventually found. Nobody fell overboard or anything, though I would bet that they got a bit less freedom after that).

[JohnIreland]

Only safety announcements will be in your cabin.

 

Unless you have the bow camera channel on.

[sparks1093]

General announcements we've not been able to hear in the cabin, as others have said only safety announcements are piped into the cabins. I've spent several years living and working onboard ships and learned to tune out announcements that did not pertain to me.

[mypleasure]

I don't think they make very many announcements these days as people have complained in the past. I have never heard any over the speaker in my cabin I believe that is reserved for those times when they have to get everyone on the ship to hear. On day 1 they will make such an announcement as part of the procedures for the safety drill.

 

On our most recent cruise the Cruise Director made one a day with a run down of the days events and the Captain made one most days to talk about expected weather, arrival times, what he had for lunch and so forth. These were not audible in the cabin but were in public areas.

 

None of the constant bing bonging that ruins peoples day.

Edited April 5, 2015 by mypleasure

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sail, NCL has far fewer announcements than HAL has over all. We were in the Haven on the Jewel last cruise and the only announcements heard were Life Boat Drill.

[NLH Arizona]

I think what people are saying that that you will not have to "learn to live with it", because they are not piped into your room.

I said that, because there are many more announcements than on the other cruise lines I cruise on. The good thing is that you only have to hear important ones in your cabin unless you choose differently, but you do have to hear them when you are out and about the ship.

[travelmatron]

Sail,

I think you'll be surprised with how nice the suite experience is on NCL. When we first started on HAL I was afraid we'd made a mistake. You are very wise to ask specific questions because there certainly are differences between the lines, but mostly they are just that, differences.

[sail7seas]

Sail, NCL has far fewer announcements than HAL has over all. We were in the Haven on the Jewel last cruise and the only announcements heard were Life Boat Drill.

 

 

 

Thanks, Lisa and everyone. Good to know. I really appreciate those who are answering my nuisance questions. After a huge number of cruises on HAL, sailing a new cruise line is posing a list new questions. :)

 

 

Sail,

I think you'll be surprised with how nice the suite experience is on NCL. When we first started on HAL I was afraid we'd made a mistake. You are very wise to ask specific questions because there certainly are differences between the lines, but mostly they are just that, differences.

 

 

Cheryl,

Actually, the more I read here, the more eager I am to try NCL's Suite and inevitably compare. :) I knew I had to try something new if I was going to sail again and I think I made a good choice. I'm not ready to sail HAL without my DH. Far too many memories........

 

Thanks for helping me think positively about my choice.

 

[Marion B]

Sail,

What a pleasant surprise to "see" you here on the NCL board. I too am a HAL regular (20 plus cruises), but I decided to take a chance and book the NCL Jewel, disembarking yesterday. DH was very apprehensive, but I figured

why not - no flying involved and a great deal, including the Ultimate Dining Package.

Our demographic - 60 something boomers. The verdict between us both -

wonderful cruise. Not a fan of the exterior, but the Jewel's interior wowed us.

Could we adjust from a Neptune Suite to a NCL mini suite (with no suite perks)? Quite well. Beautifully appointed and thoughtfully laid out cabin.

The service? Between our cabin steward, the bar and wait staff and all others, it was a feeling of deja vu - like being aboard HAL with kind, caring and attentive crew members, many of which were Indonesian and Filipino.

After attending the meet and greet, the ship's officers recognized us and were seeking our opinion as first timers - after giving an honest "thumbs up" without expecting anything in return, we were stunned to find gifts of our favorite wine, chocolate covered strawberries and chocolates over the span of a week.

We took advantage of the ultimate dining package and feasted royally in a different specialty restaurant nightly. DH declared the beef at Cagney's better than the Pinnacle.

We are not night people, but the nightlife was outstanding - a Beatles cover band, a band doing 70's hits, Russian aerialists and a Cirque du Soleil type show.

A big fan of the Pinnacle suite breakfast, I was thrilled to discover that the

beautiful Tsar's dining room was underused, and we enjoyed a quiet breakfast with a two top overlooking the ship's wake. Many times at lunch there was a pianist.

OK, this is turning into a review, but to answer your original question, I agree completely with Lisa's response.

I have learned a lot from you about HAL, so feel free to ask away about anything.

I am very sorry for your loss, but I applaud the major step you are taking and feel very confident that this will be a good choice for you.

I still love HAL, but will be deciding between the Zaandam and the NCL Sun for a South American cruise.

 

Marion

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sail,

What a pleasant surprise to "see" you here on the NCL board. I too am a HAL regular (20 plus cruises), but I decided to take a chance and book the NCL Jewel, disembarking yesterday. DH was very apprehensive, but I figured

why not - no flying involved and a great deal, including the Ultimate Dining Package.

Our demographic - 60 something boomers. The verdict between us both -

wonderful cruise. Not a fan of the exterior, but the Jewel's interior wowed us.

Could we adjust from a Neptune Suite to a NCL mini suite (with no suite perks)? Quite well. Beautifully appointed and thoughtfully laid out cabin.

The service? Between our cabin steward, the bar and wait staff and all others, it was a feeling of deja vu - like being aboard HAL with kind, caring and attentive crew members, many of which were Indonesian and Filipino.

After attending the meet and greet, the ship's officers recognized us and were seeking our opinion as first timers - after giving an honest "thumbs up" without expecting anything in return, we were stunned to find gifts of our favorite wine, chocolate covered strawberries and chocolates over the span of a week.

We took advantage of the ultimate dining package and feasted royally in a different specialty restaurant nightly. DH declared the beef at Cagney's better than the Pinnacle.

We are not night people, but the nightlife was outstanding - a Beatles cover band, a band doing 70's hits, Russian aerialists and a Cirque du Soleil type show.

A big fan of the Pinnacle suite breakfast, I was thrilled to discover that the

beautiful Tsar's dining room was underused, and we enjoyed a quiet breakfast with a two top overlooking the ship's wake. Many times at lunch there was a pianist.

OK, this is turning into a review, but to answer your original question, I agree completely with Lisa's response.

I have learned a lot from you about HAL, so feel free to ask away about anything.

I am very sorry for your loss, but I applaud the major step you are taking and feel very confident that this will be a good choice for you.

I still love HAL, but will be deciding between the Zaandam and the NCL Sun for a South American cruise.

 

Marion

 

Marion, I have to pop in here and say that I am so thrilled you loved the Jewel. Our last two cruises were on the Jewel and we are returning to her November 8th :) We LOVE the Jewel, to me NCL (especially the Jewel Class Ships) reminds me of how HAL use to be in many ways. We are also not big entertainment people but I love the entertainment on NCL and the options. We also love Cagney's I must admit I have see Cagney's improve over the past few years where Pinnacle seems to have take a few steps back. But you are 200% right, the Crew on NCL are amazing and definitely one of the reasons we have continued to return to NCL.

I agree that I think Sail we find she will like NCL and I am so thrilled she is taking this first step :)