How should NCL fix their Atrium situation?

[scooter6139]

While I hate to say it, I don't like loud noises anymore.  Guess I'm just getting old.  If it's too loud in the Atrium, I just move, same with any ship location.  I recall stopping to see some music going on from The Local seats above.  My watch freaked out over the decibel levels and told me to leave.   😆

[Barb Nahoumi]

On 1/21/2023 at 8:13 PM, bowlinmoe said:

I think we can all agree that the atrium area on the NCL ships is horrible in terms of making the vast majority of show watchers stand. Why have have shows in that area of the ship if most people are going to be standing? It’s a horrendous set-up. 
What’s the solution?

Maybe move these shows to the Escape theater a little earlier? 

I was at some atrium performances on the Pearl last year, and the crew did bring out more seats.  

 

[MyAuntFanny]

We attended several games/shows it the Atrium last week on the Breakaway.  I'm a new cruiser, so no real experience to compare it to.  The seats seemed really big to me, and there were often not enough.  We did figure out pretty early that you had to get to any event at least one show early, then circle like a predator waiting to pounce as soon as anyone looked like they might leave.  

Not really an NCL complaint, but man some of those old ladies will put up a fight or turn on the guilt to get a chair.  By the end of the week I was immune.  On the last day a woman with a walker showed up as the show started and asked me to move for her. On day 1, I would have,  But after a few days of standing in the back or above, I told her she would just have to open up the seat on her rig and park it. 

[zqvol]

On 1/21/2023 at 8:13 PM, bowlinmoe said:

I think we can all agree that the atrium area on the NCL ships is horrible in terms of making the vast majority of show watchers stand. Why have have shows in that area of the ship if most people are going to be standing? It’s a horrendous set-up. 
What’s the solution?

Maybe move these shows to the Escape theater a little earlier? 

They have to have a problem before they need to fix one. 

[EllieinNJ]

We were recently on the Enchanted Princess and they had the same problem, maybe worse.  There is very little seating close to the atrium and you cannot see or hear anything with the seating near the walls.  All the spiral staircases and the three story banisters are lined with people trying to see some special events taking place.  But they do have other venues for game shows. Trivia and bingo but they too fill up fast so have to get there just when the previous event ends in order to get a seat.

[BruceMartin]

Wow, the bar is low when I read that people don't get the issue or it isn't a problem. I agree that everyone has the right to their opinion so I am not judging but years ago origami classes, line dancing, game shows, trivia were done in lounge to be more intimate.  I was shocked that folding chairs had to be put out on the NCL Joy and that we had to deal with the noise and crowds in the atrium dealing with guest services, shore excursions, just hanging out, etc. while trying to hear and participate in an activity.

 

We had to stop going to the activities because it was obnoxious and not fun (for us).

 

Solution would be to stop eliminating rooms for even more profits...geesh you only need one area for the games because there are never two going on at the same time.  But the Atrium is the worst.  imo 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, BruceMartin said:

Wow, the bar is low when I read that people don't get the issue or it isn't a problem. I agree that everyone has the right to their opinion so I am not judging but years ago origami classes, line dancing, game shows, trivia were done in lounge to be more intimate.  I was shocked that folding chairs had to be put out on the NCL Joy and that we had to deal with the noise and crowds in the atrium dealing with guest services, shore excursions, just hanging out, etc. while trying to hear and participate in an activity.

 

We had to stop going to the activities because it was obnoxious and not fun (for us).

 

Solution would be to stop eliminating rooms for even more profits...geesh you only need one area for the games because there are never two going on at the same time.  But the Atrium is the worst.  imo 

Have you been thinking about how to respond for the past 10 months since it was originally posted?

 

The Atrium has been NCL's focal point for lots of activities (with a big screen) for over a decade on NCL big ships. No rooms have been eliminated forcing the use of the Atrium. Not sure where you got that idea. 

 

When we first started sailing on small ships decades ago, the entertainment was a harpist or string quartet with folding chairs for guests. 

[BruceMartin]

34 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Have you been thinking about how to respond for the past 10 months since it was originally posted?

 

The Atrium has been NCL's focal point for lots of activities (with a big screen) for over a decade on NCL big ships. No rooms have been eliminated forcing the use of the Atrium. Not sure where you got that idea. 

 

When we first started sailing on small ships decades ago, the entertainment was a harpist or string quartet with folding chairs for guests. 

Of course not. Just search on atrium to see if there were others who didn't like it and saw this post that's all.  Doesn't matter what caused them to make this bad decision (imo).

[MoCruiseFan]

I don't think that there is any pronlem to fix.  If you do not like the atrium simply do not go there.  EOS

[shoptom]

We went to the atrium as our THIRD choice one night on the Getaway.  The first two were already closed to standing room and the atrium was over packed.  We settled for a table where the event could not been seen.  Wait staff refused service because a host didn't seat us.

 

So the solution is to not have more people than they can handle!

[TACoor]

Seems like with all the cut-backs on theater shows, they could easily move some of the atrium events to the theater, especially in the evening. Frees up the atrium for guest services, atrium bar, peaceful meals at The Local, cruise next, shore ex and so on. The "traffic jams" during atrium shows is incredible.

 

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, TACoor said:

Seems like with all the cut-backs on theater shows, they could easily move some of the atrium events to the theater, especially in the evening. Frees up the atrium for guest services, atrium bar, peaceful meals at The Local, cruise next, shore ex and so on. The "traffic jams" during atrium shows is incredible.

 

Why would they do that. You can seat 800 people in the Theater to see the evening entertainment. Music and games in the atrium are fun, not a problem. 

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, BruceMartin said:

Doesn't matter what caused them to make this bad decision (imo).

You made the unsubstantiated assertion that the cause was that rooms were being eliminated as a money grab (i.e., "for profit"). That is totally false. 

 

The Atrium entertainment is a feature of NCL ships. Has been for a long time.

 

Having a big atrium with a video wall with entertainment started with the Epic in 2010. And was intentionally duplicated on the BA/BA+ class ships. 

 

And Atrium entertainment continues on current new builds and on the next four ships being built through 2027 and beyond. 

 

We, particularly, enjoy the Atrium entertainment. We were on the Joy 3 weeks ago and had no problem with the Atrium. And enjoyed all of the live, loud music throughout the ship. 

 

If entertainment is not your thing,,, then you could go to the Observation Lounge or the Library to sit in the evening. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by BirdTravels

[NinS]

I've been on several Sixthman music cruises on the Pearl and always dread when an act I want to see gets slated for the Atrium (rather than the theater, Lido deck, Spinnaker or Magnum's which are all used as venues). When a solo acoustic act is on you can't hear them over the chatter. When a five or six piece band is on you usually can't see half the group because the staircase turns many seats into obstructed view spots. They do put chairs around the upper ring which helps. 

 

I never realized this area was used for anything other than guest services on non-charter cruises.

[barrow]

On 1/22/2023 at 7:58 PM, udivegirl said:

 

Completely agree, Bowlinmoe!  You are not the only one who noticed this.  The first time on the Joy was so disappointing because of it.  The biggest issue we had was whenever we went to the shore excursion desk or Guest Services, we couldn't hear the people at the desk.  It was so loud.  They got so frustrated, as did we.  And there were so many people standing around, it was hard to get to Guest Services.  Same thing on the Encore (which we really liked except for the Atrium). I think holding some of the less busy activities there works fine, but with the more popular ones it's such a zoo.  We will just avoid the atrium altogether if we ever sail on that class again or stick to the Jewel class. 

 

It sounds like the Prima/Viva may have eliminated the atrium annoyance with a better design.  We have a trip booked on it, so we will see.  Sail on!  😄  

 

 

 

 

[barrow]

Just been on Getaway where the Atrium is poorly designed to enable even those sitting to see well for popular shows, and on Star the Atrium floor is now two thirds taken over by a Starbucks cafe so not a real venue anymore, but the worst of all is Prima with no pretence at an Atrium at all. Deck 6 has a bit of an area where singers perform with seating for about 20 people, and then they bring out lots of folding chairs. Its like a church hall crossed with Ikea. Tacky. But then all the venues on Prima are  inadequate for any numbers of people to attend. NCL seems to have shifted away from any range  of entertainment in the evenings. We had the same film (Downton Abbey) three times at 10.30 pm  in the Atrium on Getaway last month. Not good on an 11 night cruise. Plenty of seating on the third night though. If.you dont put on entertainment then the Atrium is adequate.