Why do suites have pianos in them?

[morfred]

I have stayed in a suite next to the penthouse w/ a piano and I will say they are a great joy if your neighbor does not use it and a great annoyance if they do. My cruise promise is that I will not cause anyone to suffer noise problems from me and I ask that it be reciprocated.

I do wish that all pianos are removed eventually and something more functional for the majority replaces them.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, chemmo said:

 

I do wish the designers would ask the ‘regulars’ what they want...It could really be a nice and very comfortable seating area. A couple of really nice recliner chairs, a round table at an appropriate height for the chairs....

 

My worry is they could fill it with two stiff wire chairs, a ridiculously heavy and odd shaped table, half a dozen cushions and several cacti....We definitely fancy trying Edge/Apex sometime soon for the ship experience but we are not overwhelmed by either the RS or PH furnishings (or the price!)... 

 

That would be nice since we're the ones paying for it.  But no, they hire Kelly Hoppen who apparently has a massive ego but no design sense and she fills the space with HoppenCrap and uncomfortable chairs and takes away useful items like functional tables.  I have a feeling my upcoming Summit cruise will be my last in the PH.  Used to absolutely LOVE that cabin.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Islandatty said:

So can someone who has stayed in a suite with the baby grand tell me if you can play it?  Or is it auto-play only?  I always thought it would be the ultimate splurge to stay in one so my husband could play it.  No dice?

Yes you can play it and also it has CD's that you can put into a slot and it will play.   Iain is also a musician and has played it often while we were in the PH.

 

BTW -  I believe that they are being removed from all of the M-Class PH's when they go through revolution. 

[Islandatty]

Morfred...are the pianos louder than a tv next door?  Louder than a radio or iPod?  I’m trying to understand why they would disturb the folks next door beyond other sounds.  Are your neighbors pounding out heavy metal?  Just trying to understand this issue.

[Vagabond Knight]

8 hours ago, tkline said:

OK, not all suites, but the really expensive ones.. on the photos on the Celebrity website there's pictures of a piano in the living room area.. why?

 

You mean you don't bring your pianist with you when you cruise???   Oh dear, how gauche!  😉

[voyager1964]

Back in time those wealthy people who could afford a Penthouse, often had classic education. Think about Jeeves and Wooster

[emelle]

Yes....you can play it. I sat right down on our last cruise and "played" some Chopin. (Sorry for those who don't like classical....it was in my brain from youth)....problem was, for those of us who like to play the piano...it was out of tune and the action was really off. However, what do you expect from sea air and the motion of the ocean? I really enjoyed playing a little here and there on our relatively long (for us) cruise...but would never have subjected guests to the music (so out of tune!).

 

[cluso]

4 hours ago, ZiggyGA said:

This is what they did on the Summit during the revolution

Is that a cement mixer in the corner?

[morfred]

1 hour ago, Islandatty said:

Morfred...are the pianos louder than a tv next door?  Louder than a radio or iPod?  I’m trying to understand why they would disturb the folks next door beyond other sounds.  Are your neighbors pounding out heavy metal?  Just trying to understand this issue.

 Yes, they are usually louder than a normal level tv. I get it. If people are staying in the Penthouse or next door like pianos then they enjoy it. I don't like piano music infiltrating my cabin but then again I don't want a cabin under the pool deck or across from the door to the crews quarters.

[bonedoc7]

I have to say, I find the piano a waste of space.  For our family, not a feature we would utilize, especially in this day of the “ipod/phone”.  I remember seeing a suite that had a fireplace instead, that would be my preference, especially in a “cold” itinerary, such as Alaska.   Each time we have stayed in the PH, we played the piano once or maybe twice and then switched to our own playlist.  Now, if we could get an ensemble to play our piano and have a singalong, maybe...

[dogs4fun]

12 hours ago, cluso said:

Is that a cement mixer in the corner?

Great question - lmao!

[Glendakayself]

I know it was a rare occasion, but we were invited to a party in the PH on Millie  several years ago. There was a piano player there as well as many servers for the entertainment of the guest. It was a nice touch, but I do not think the PH occupants host that many parties.

[LMaxwell]

On 12/31/2019 at 9:27 AM, tkline said:

OK, not all suites, but the really expensive ones.. on the photos on the Celebrity website there's pictures of a piano in the living room area.. why? I mean, do people just suddenly feel like playing the piano? Or can you call down to the front desk and ask for a piano man to come up to the room and sing for you? Just seems like a waste of space to me, why not have a nice super comfy recliner or 2 in it's place?

 

More stuff is more better.  More better is more money.  

[wpgcycler]

I think it's rather thoughtful  with overhead luggage space becoming harder to find.

[luckyinpa]

On 12/31/2019 at 9:27 AM, tkline said:

OK, not all suites, but the really expensive ones.. on the photos on the Celebrity website there's pictures of a piano in the living room area.. why? I mean, do people just suddenly feel like playing the piano? Or can you call down to the front desk and ask for a piano man to come up to the room and sing for you? Just seems like a waste of space to me, why not have a nice super comfy recliner or 2 in it's place?

 

if you have the NCL garden villa you need a piano to take up some of that 4000 sq feet of space. i do think would be fun to play on one and am glad it's in there. 

[Midlo]

I guess I am the odd duck here but I have enjoyed the piano in the M and S class PH suites. I don’t play and don’t care about snobbery but I do love music. One of the things I enjoy about those suites is coming back from an excursion in the afternoon, making a drink, munching on the trays of canapés and listening to music on the disklavier piano. I have always tried to be considerate of surrounding cabins and on occasion have asked whether it could be heard. The answer was no. There is also a volume control which can bring it down to about the level of a tv. 

I think it’s a shame to remove the pianos if they are to be replaced with the ridiculous hair dryer looking chairs. 

I recently cruised on the Equinox after it was Kelleyized. The piano was still there but the outside furniture, sofa and chairs inside, two televisions and drapes were replaced. The chairs on the deck were very uncomfortable, the inside changes were not as comfortable as before but were OK.

After seeing the pictures of the Summit PH I think I’ll avoid it in the future, I think I would rather sit on the baby grand piano than that chair.

[DENIE]

Very interesting post! I am also a part-time musician.  However, I've found the photos I see of staterooms with grand (or the "fake digital grands") and wondered myself why they were there, given the percentage of people who can actually play them (and yes, any digital piano can also be played by you, if desired).  If the auto-play feature is working, I can sort of see the novelty of having music playing in the stateroom.  The thought of them just being a catch all for clothes and cocktail drinks makes me cringe.  😨  If I were to stay in one of these rooms, I am not sure I would play them as I am on vacation and usually getting away from that sort of thing...☺️

[wendychloecruiser]

Fluctuations in humidity is a nightmare for pianos.  I bet those pianos are rarely in tune. 

[hcat]

On 12/31/2019 at 7:10 PM, cluso said:

Is that a cement mixer in the corner?

 

Looks like a hotel lobby.

Isnt't that what Hoopen's self claimed specialty is? Nothing warm and cozy about it from the visuals.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, wendychloecruiser said:

Fluctuations in humidity is a nightmare for pianos.  I bet those pianos are rarely in tune. 

 

Back when they had them, they were tuned every turnaround day.  They're going away, so no need to worry about them.

[Midlo]

For what it"s worth if anyone reading this is staying in one of the PH suites that still has the piano here is a tip. In addition to playing it yourself or using a disk, most of the pianos have music downloaded in their memory. I know the two on the Equinox have dozens of songs loaded. Everything from Christmas music to jazz. It could help if you wanted to use it because there used to be half a dozen discs in the piano seat but over the last couple of years has dwindled to one or two. Butlers used to be pretty versed in operating it and could show you how to access the stored music but again over the last couple of cruises I actually had to show them how to operate it.