Cruise without Christmas Music

[Cococue]

I took a Caribbean Cruise on NCL last year over Christmas and the ship was playing Christmas music everywhere for the entire cruise.  Having the same songs over and over made it even worse.  Are there any Caribbean cruises I could take this year that don't play music all the time?

[1025cruise]

Heavily doubtful. 

[paul929207]

Slim chance. 

 

Maybe a cruise that starts and ends in Dubai.

[GUT2407]

Doubt you will find one, in the Western World anyway

[cruising cockroach]

Non-Christian countries?  Not a chance.   I've heard people going to predominantly/majority non-Christian countries only to be confronted with X'ms decorations, music and all the commercialisation (e.g., Buddhist Thailand and Sri Lanka or Muslim Malaysia).

 

I wager a German (e.g., Aida) or Spanish (e.g., Pullmantur) would be the best bet.  Even Costa or MSC (if not sailing out of/into U.S. waters).  At least you won't understand the lyrics or maybe hear tunes you don't/won't normally (e.g., no Bing Crosby or who have you X'mas crooning or Jingle Bell Rock, or I saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus).  My wife and I spent 5 months, including the Noël season in France and it was refreshing not to hear any of the usual.

Edited December 1, 2018 by cruising cockroach

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 hours ago, Cococue said:

I took a Caribbean Cruise on NCL last year over Christmas and the ship was playing Christmas music everywhere for the entire cruise.  Having the same songs over and over made it even worse.  Are there any Caribbean cruises I could take this year that don't play music all the time?

Choose a premium or luxury line and you wan't be bombarded with canned music 24/7.

At most, expect a show band and occasional live "sail away" music. And on lines like Oceania, enjoy several daily performances in varying venues by a string quartet as well as live piano at Martini's Bar in the evening.

[MicCanberra]

Part of being a Christmas cruise I suppose, I have been on many New Years cruises and they don't do it so perhaps wait a week.

[Mike981]

I certainly feel you. Having worked in radio for more than a couple of decades, I hated the same Christmas songs over and over and over...Starting Thanksgiving and going until the 1st of the year.

[MicCanberra]

I find it bad enough just in the shops.

[OCruisers]

Even when "canned" Christmas music is not constantly played, it's unlikely you'll find a ship with no Christmas music whatsoever when cruising durning the Holiday Season.  

[MicCanberra]

Especially on Xmas day.

[jlp20]

Only one cruise during Christmas period. On Princess, don't recall ship wide music. We only recall they had altered a carol trying to be PC, "now we don our GRAY apparel". 

[MicCanberra]

lol.

[pacruise804]

On 12/1/2018 at 7:17 PM, Mike981 said:

I certainly feel you. Having worked in radio for more than a couple of decades, I hated the same Christmas songs over and over and over...Starting Thanksgiving and going until the 1st of the year.

This year the stations started playing Christmas music Nov 1 - one of them exclusively 😮 I actually enjoy many holiday songs, but wait until Black Friday to start listening.

[davecttr]

One xmas on P&O Oceana they did not have any festive music in the main bar until boxing day. they had lost the CD and would not use one of the hundreds of replacements offered by the crew. It was bliss.

[LHT28]

cruise   other  than Dec

[shipgeeks]

Here are my thoughts.

As a kid, I loved everything about Christmas.  As an adult, I like it less every year.  A few years ago, in my quest to escape all the madness, I went on a December cruise.  I loved it.

Last year, on Grandeur of the Seas, Christmas music was in evidence, but not overwhelmingly so, and there was a wonderful variety, including Australian carols and Hawaiian songs.

If I could justify the higher prices and the crowds, I'd cruise all of December every year.  What I love most, apart from actually being on a cruise, is the fact that there are no commercials telling me to buy cars and diamonds for everyone on my list, I don't have to do any workplace parties or gift exchanges, and nobody says "Have you done all your Christmas shopping?"  With those annoyances missing, the music is very enjoyable.

[cruising cockroach]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

they had lost the CD and would not use one of the hundreds of replacements offered by the crew. It was bliss.

 

"Lost"?  I guess if it was someone hurling it over the side, then it counts as lost.

[Hflors]

Amsterdam (a few years ago) stopped with the Christmas music on Christmas night.  BTW they didn't start until about the 23rd.    Sad for us as we expected the cruise to be totally about Christmas!!!  We got over it and had a great time at New Years!!!

[MicCanberra]

5 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Here are my thoughts.

As a kid, I loved everything about Christmas.  As an adult, I like it less every year.  A few years ago, in my quest to escape all the madness, I went on a December cruise.  I loved it.

Last year, on Grandeur of the Seas, Christmas music was in evidence, but not overwhelmingly so, and there was a wonderful variety, including Australian carols and Hawaiian songs.

If I could justify the higher prices and the crowds, I'd cruise all of December every year.  What I love most, apart from actually being on a cruise, is the fact that there are no commercials telling me to buy cars and diamonds for everyone on my list, I don't have to do any workplace parties or gift exchanges, and nobody says "Have you done all your Christmas shopping?"  With those annoyances missing, the music is very enjoyable.

Have you done all your cruise bookings yet?

[jlp20]

12 hours ago, davecttr said:

One xmas on P&O Oceana they did not have any festive music in the main bar until boxing day. they had lost the CD and would not use one of the hundreds of replacements offered by the crew. It was bliss.

Most people are unaware ASCAP legally bills any company that plays recorded music for the purposes of entertainment. This is why we hear "Muzak" in most places. That CD they use has additional royalties added to the purchase.

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, jlp20 said:

Most people are unaware ASCAP legally bills any company that plays recorded music for the purposes of entertainment. This is why we hear "Muzak" in most places. That CD they use has additional royalties added to the purchase.

That will be why they did not want to use the ones offered by the crew. They found their CD under a stack of magazines or whatever.

[Philob]

OTH they're are folks who will complain when there is NO Christmas music playing.  

[angie7911922]

I haven't found one yet that does not play Christmas music, but if you do find one - please let the rest of us know - for future reference 🙂 Good Luck!

[Underwatr]

Cunard's Christmas music (any ambient music inboard) isn't as "in your face" as on Carnival, or I'd assume Norwegian.