Beyond creaking and knocking and slamming oh my!

[Silkroad]

10 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

At least two stanchions snapped in two.  Each of the three cabins is a metal module so yes they broke away from the stanchions and were out of alignment with a lot of banging and grinding.  Things settled down after the storm passed.  There were three engineers from Meyer Werft, the shipbuilders, that met the ship at our first port.

I don’t think we had the same problem because I’m sure we would have seen & heard engineers fixing the structure around our cabin. According to several other passengers with whom I commiserated in the corridor next morning, we weren’t the only ones affected. Ship engineers checked several cabins clustered near the midship elevators, including ours, and found nothing amiss. 

[Darspurs]

20 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

Did you have rough seas during your cruise? Those of us who have experienced the unusually loud noises have noted that they occurred only when skirting a storm. By the way, we kept the IV doors open. This was not rattling doors, furniture or shade. It was loud banging and knocking in the ceiling of the cabin. It occurred one night of 15. The other 14 nights were quiet.

The cruise was pretty calm, I didn't notice any rough seas, despite a lot of rain.

I have seen reports from people complaining about the creaking on our cruise so it has to be:-

Certain areas

Certain cabins

Or somehow the internal doors not shut/open properly, the balcony window not sealing properly when closed etc.

 

[Spif Barwunkel]

I’m pretty sure that there is no fix for a cruise ships creaks and groans, bangs and pops. Whether older or newer, those noises are part of every vessel. Think of a somewhat flexible superstructure with stiffer paneling and fixtures as infill. Add to that, different materials that make up that infill and it is the perfect blending for a cacophony of sounds. A previous poster mentioned he/she was happy to be hearing noises. Although perhaps bothersome at times, I would have to agree.

 

There does not have to be rough seas and cabin location won’t always be a solution. Think of it as part of the ship’s personality. Would it not be dull and boring if you couldn’t, on occasion, listen to what the ship has to say?   

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

59 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

I’m pretty sure that there is no fix for a cruise ships creaks and groans, bangs and pops. Whether older or newer, those noises are part of every vessel. Think of a somewhat flexible superstructure with stiffer paneling and fixtures as infill. Add to that, different materials that make up that infill and it is the perfect blending for a cacophony of sounds. A previous poster mentioned he/she was happy to be hearing noises. Although perhaps bothersome at times, I would have to agree.

 

There does not have to be rough seas and cabin location won’t always be a solution. Think of it as part of the ship’s personality. Would it not be dull and boring if you couldn’t, on occasion, listen to what the ship has to say?   

 

If you are lying in bed at night listening to the ship talking to you.

I suggest you give that nightcap in the Ensemble Lounge a miss.😁

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 hour ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

If you are lying in bed at night listening to the ship talking to you.

I suggest you give that nightcap in the Ensemble Lounge a miss.😁

But JC, the ship and I have an understanding. That nightcap is a toast to her and the good day that she provided us all with. Her reply ensures a safe and restful night with the promise of new things to come. Are you suggesting that I endanger that relationship by not letting her have her say? 

[JeanieC,Aston]

29 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

But JC, the ship and I have an understanding. That nightcap is a toast to her and the good day that she provided us all with. Her reply ensures a safe and restful night with the promise of new things to come. Are you suggesting that I endanger that relationship by not letting her have her say? 

Does your partner know you are having an affair with a ‘ship’.😀

 

Seriously,,,continuous noise in a cabin can have a debilitating effect leaving the sufferer exhausted.

 

[Spif Barwunkel]

49 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Does your partner know you are having an affair with a ‘ship’.😀

 

Seriously,,,continuous noise in a cabin can have a debilitating effect leaving the sufferer exhausted.

 

JC, my post number 78 is certainly not trivializing the lack of sleep and causation for that. In all seriousness, indeed it can be debilitating. Unfortunately, "sounds and noises" are a constant part of the cruise ship itself, not just the people and activities onboard. Point being, it can't be fixed, so one must do their best to adapt, which I'm sure most, if not all folks, do.  

Edited November 25, 2022 by Spif Barwunkel

[jmdlv1]

6 hours ago, Darspurs said:

We were on the Beyond 10/26 NY to FL. Cabin 7232 IV.

I am the lightest sleeper and being a man of that age I need the bathroom between 2 and 4 times a night. 

I Have done 23 cruises and this cabin was definitely the quietest I have ever been in. Virtually no creaking at all.

We never closed the folding doors which can seperate the 'veranda' from the rest of the cabin. I wonder if closing them or not ensuring that they are folded open securely causes creaking.

We were on the same cruise and had no noise.

Cabin 11105 which is way forward.

I've read other reports of noise but I guess we were lucky.

Just asked my wife if I returned to the cabin after too many martinis and did not notice.

She confirmed no noise.

We have been on other ships where it was noticeable ,especially in rough water but nothing here.

[RobertoF]

In Grand Cayman today.  The noise in our replacement cabin (6216) was very loud last night.  6216 is also a midship IV down the hall from our original cabin.  My mom and kids are next door.  Their cabin is quiet.  Ours is banging.  This is at the exact same time!  Bizarre.  We open the window and the noise stops.  But the AC goes off.  I turned up the temp to stop the AC to test the HVAC theory.  No change.  Theory busted.  It seems to be the window not closing securely.  I jammed some paper where the window closed and it muffled the noise a little.  Celebrity has been very concerned and understanding.  They gave us an empty cabin on deck 7 to sleep in last night.  It was not rough, but the ship was moving at a fast pace.  We were also headed east rather than west.  Maybe that combined with the wind speed makes a difference?  I don't know.  I just know sometimes it is loud and sometimes not.  It seems to be midship IV cabins that are noisy, but perhaps not exclusively.

[quicklabs]

We had the same problem on the Edge when she was new.  It kept me up so many nights.  We sailed on her more recently in the same cabin, and the problem seems to have been "fixed."  Maybe these ships just need some time for all the parts to settle?  

[Denny01]

6 hours ago, Darspurs said:

The cruise was pretty calm, I didn't notice any rough seas, despite a lot of rain.

I have seen reports from people complaining about the creaking on our cruise so it has to be:-

Certain areas

Certain cabins

Or somehow the internal doors not shut/open properly, the balcony window not sealing properly when closed etc.

 

No, its not ‘so it has to be:’ we may not be aware of ‘rough seas’ because it isnt just noticeable high waves waves and whitecaps, it is also sea swells which are harder to ‘see’ and the period between swells which cause the ship to pitch and roll. If you are getting ‘a lot of rain’ then there is a good chance you are in an active sea, with a swell affecting the ship. So it doesn’t have to be what is listed, it is, again, most likely the ship pitching, rolling and therefore flexing.  Part of ‘Being At Sea’.

 

And it occurs in the Atlantic, Pacific, Caribbean, Med, etc. Heck, the Great Lakes are classic for very colorful storms and seas that sink ships….remember the song about the Edmund Fitzgerald!

 

den 

[YensidCA]

2 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Heck, the Great Lakes are classic for very colorful storms and seas that sink ships….remember the song about the Edmund Fitzgerald!

 

den 

I can confirm that the Great Lakes can dish out a storm. I was on Lake Ontario in a 300 NM regatta this summer and got hit by quite the storm. The boat was a 43' sailboat and we were getting tossed about by 10-12' (confused) waves. This lasted over 24 hrs. The noises were like nothing you have heard before, the boat and all aboard survived. 

 

[Hlitner]

If one cruises long enough on enough different vessels one discovers that there are quiet ships, noisy ships, quiet cabins and noisy cabins.  Having been at this cruise game for nearly 50 years we accept that the noise issue is luck of the draw.  The Edge Class ships have an innovative architecture with more inside superstructure and less outside support.  Does this mean more noise?  I have no clue.  As to 8 foot seas, that is truly no big deal.  When seas get over 20 feet that is when things really become interesting and at 40 feet you will be getting quite a ride (and lots of noise).

 

I do think many cruisers have been somewhat spoiled by mostly cruising in the Caribbean in calm seas.  They hear 8 foot seas and start turning green.  Cruisers need to accept that ships sail upon the sea, the sea is unpredictable and moves, and ships upon the sea will also move.  That being said, I do have a strong dislike of noisy cabins and do feel for the OP.  If there are empty cabins on the ship, and the Guest Relations folks are willing to move you to a different cabin, than that is an option.  Otherwise, get out the ear plugs (or noise canceling headphones) and make the best of a bad situation.

 

Hank

[letsgocruising58]

On 11/21/2022 at 3:54 PM, Arizona Wildcat said:

Ocean bouys in the area recorded steady 2.7m with seas to 4m+.  Depending on the period between waves you will get quite a bit of flex in the ship.  If Beyond did not flex the steel would weaken over time and break.  A good example of that is Liberty ships breaking up during WWII.

ships like airplanes are made to flex, if they were ridged they would break.

[letsgocruising58]

On 11/25/2022 at 10:10 AM, Spif Barwunkel said:

I’m pretty sure that there is no fix for a cruise ships creaks and groans, bangs and pops. Whether older or newer, those noises are part of every vessel. Think of a somewhat flexible superstructure with stiffer paneling and fixtures as infill. Add to that, different materials that make up that infill and it is the perfect blending for a cacophony of sounds. A previous poster mentioned he/she was happy to be hearing noises. Although perhaps bothersome at times, I would have to agree.

 

There does not have to be rough seas and cabin location won’t always be a solution. Think of it as part of the ship’s personality. Would it not be dull and boring if you couldn’t, on occasion, listen to what the ship has to say?   

 

ships like airplanes are made to flex, if they were ridged they would break.

[RobertoF]

Thanks everyone for your comments and ideas and feedback.  We are back and had a great time.  The noises woke us up a few times but were unpredictable.  Hopefully someone smarter than me at Celebrity will figure it out.  I tried to determine if it was wave height, speed, wind direction, etc. and could not find a pattern other than the rougher seas did seem to make the noise worse.  We will continue to sail Celebrity and the Edge class ships (already have an Edge sailing set for June and three future deposits).  This experience has not soured us on Celebrity at all.  I just wish they could figure it out.  We were at 78% capacity so we had the option of switching rooms, which was helpful.  I feel like Celebrity would have done anything possible to address our concerns.  That kind of customer dedication keeps us coming back, despite some hiccups here and there.

[GottaKnowWhen]

On 11/21/2022 at 11:50 PM, NMTraveller said:

I wish that it was rougher for my 2 cruises.  Smooth as butter...  One was a bit windy but not very rough.  Now if you go on a smaller boat to Delos you might notice.

 

I like a little bit of chop at night and I sleep like a baby.

My first adult-era cruise, 2013, in the Caribbean - my biggest complaint was that it never felt like we were on the water! Could have been in a hotel atop 15-foot concrete foundations! Dull.

[GottaKnowWhen]

On 11/25/2022 at 4:00 PM, YensidCA said:

I can confirm that the Great Lakes can dish out a storm. I was on Lake Ontario in a 300 NM regatta this summer and got hit by quite the storm. The boat was a 43' sailboat and we were getting tossed about by 10-12' (confused) waves. This lasted over 24 hrs. The noises were like nothing you have heard before, the boat and all aboard survived. 

 

Noises from your boat? Or from the crew?

 

I don’t mean to make light of your experience, I totally appreciate the impact of wind/waves on small boats. But I had to ask the follow up question to your comment!

[YensidCA]

9 hours ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

Noises from your boat? Or from the crew?

 

I don’t mean to make light of your experience, I totally appreciate the impact of wind/waves on small boats. But I had to ask the follow up question to your comment!

 

Both, but the crew noise was usually due to Rum. 😆 We were a crew of 6 onboard and during sleep hrs 11pm-5am (3 hrs at a time) so we tried to talk quieter.  It is an unwritten rule but you are not allowed to wear ear plugs are allowed due to the fact that you may need to be awake at a moment's notice. 

 

I wrote a full report on the race here for those interested - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AAGsb8N4kIORgT6zkl1eBff5EEZj5Y6WxDjxwR8AK3E/edit?usp=sharing

[AmCam]

We were in an Edge Villa in relatively mild chop last January, and I was blown away at how loud it was (have previously sailed on Summit, Eclipse, Constellation and never had a problem).  The deck furniture didn't help - the heavy settee literally pounded (bouncing up and down) ALL night.  All I could think was who the heck designed this.  We are boaters ourselves and understand that boats creak and moan, but this was way worse than anything I've noticed before.  

[helen haywood]

I’m currently on Beyond in cabin 7161, an IV.  I had read this thread prior to boarding.  We are in extremely calm seas…mirror flat.  Our cabin definitely has pounding noises.  I woke up at 3 am trying to figure out what was the banging noise I was hearing.  Once awake I realized it was the Beyond Ghost and went back to sleep.  I could hear it, intermittently, throughout the night and this morning.  Luckily I travel with Bose sleepbuds and my DH is a sound sleeper so it was not an insurmountable problem.

 

But it is real and has nothing to do with rough seas…except that might make it worse.  Can’t figure out where it’s coming from.  Sounds like someone is working on the cabin next door…. We have over 40 cruises under our belt on multiple lines and have of course heard the odd noise…but nothing like this.  We have sailed Edge several times and never had this much noise.  They must have changed something in the design or installation of Beyond’s cabins to explain it.  (I’m not an engineer.)

 

Everyone’s choices are different, but this is enough of an issue to keep me from booking Beyond again.  I spend a lot of time in the cabin…reading, journaling, looking at the sea, napping.

[skatie]

We are one floor above you now in 8252 -mid ship near elevators - and the only thing we are hearing is a slight clicking sound (like someone “cracking a safe!”). So odd that it appears in random cabins 

[RobertoF]

6 hours ago, helen haywood said:

the Beyond Ghost.

Helen, sorry to hear you have one of the haunted cabins, but I love the moniker "Beyond Ghost".  That is a good way to describe it.  You might want to check if they have any empty cabins you can switch to, since we found that cabins right next to each other could be loud or quiet.  Maybe if they have an available empty cabin sit in it for a little while as the ship is moving and if it is quiet ask if you can switch.

[MamaFej]

The expression "Gone to the Great Beyond" makes so much more sense now. 

[nimiq]

Was on the Beyond last week and had an Interior cabin on deck 3 and the first 2 nights the noise was so loud  we had trouble sleeping. It seemed like it was coming from beneath our cabin and in the walls sometimes. 
 

Our friends 2 cabin away also had the same problem. 
 

We reported the second Day to the front desk and I ask if on the previous cruise the guest had complained and the answer was also yes.
They moved us to deck 6 and out of the next 5 nights only 1 of those had a bit of noise. 
 

I should of recorded the noise because it was very very loud at night.