Noise levels in venues

[charliedalrymple]

9 hours ago, Paula_MacFan said:

For us it wasn't the music, it was the games and other activities. 

 

I completely agree. While some of the live music is irritatingly loud, it is the non-music events that I found insufferable.  Many of these could be moved to another venue, but I suspect they want to draw in people who just happen to be walking by.

[Arizona Wildcat]

On 2/2/2024 at 2:40 PM, MissP22 said:

I could accept that but at the same time I shouldn't have to wear my earplugs to enjoy the show.

Exactly the same at the local movie theater.  For me earplugs always.

[cr8tiv1]

2 minutes ago, charliedalrymple said:

 

I completely agree. While some of the live music is irritatingly loud, it is the non-music events that I found insufferable.  Many of these could be moved to another venue, but I suspect they want to draw in people who just happen to be walking by.

 

Maybe true, but there is no where for all to sit.  So they end up at the railings, along the stairs, crowding customer service counter, etc.  I, for one, would love to see them back in the Explorer's Lounge on the Grand Class ships...oh, I forgot, it's for the Art Auctions.  

[Host Anne]

11 hours ago, MissP22 said:

What time did you sit down for dinner? 

Something tells me that you were just lucky & didn't experience a loud band at that time. 

7:00 PM and we were there until 9:15

[Host Anne]

Let me add that we were seldom in the Piazza area during the day when they had activities here.  So I could only comment on the evenings when it was nearly always music in the Piazza.

[BMX it]

We're on Enchanted Princess at the moment and the noise levels are excruciating, we are literally all shouting at each other to have a conversation in the main pool for much of all day, which we use because we've got too nearly/early teenage kids, and much of the time the noise levels of what the PA pumps out is unbelievable. I've taken to wearing my earbuds permanently on deck to try and muffle the sound to a level that doesn't give me a permanent migraine.

 

Inside, because the deck 5/6/7 central court is open plan,  which is fine, BUT  they have decided to constantly have loud music there too, meaning most of the bars and food places that spill off from the central area are also spoiled by the constant racket from whatever is going on.

 

It's very hard to find public areas that aren't spoiled by pointless Muzak, or competing with/ being overtaken by other adjoining places running their sounds flat out. I'm just glad we have a balcony to get away from the pretty much constant noise.

 

We have cruised most of the brands, and I have to say we won't be back to Princess.  I like a bit of loud music as much as the next person, but having everything at constant headache inducing volume has overshadowed the ship negatively for us.

 

 

 

Edited August 8 by BMX it
More context

[pppatpc2]

We were on the Enchanted last fall and could not sit in Crooners in the afternoon because of the loud obnoxious activities in the Piazza, when there was no activity the music over the sound system was frequently “screaming guitar” type.  I am happy to report that we have just returned from the Island Princess and everything was at a reasonable volume and the piped in music was appropriate IMHO.  Think Buble, Norah Jones, Harry Connick Jr., etc.  I’m sure not everyone is a fan of this type of music, but I was in my glory. 

[PacnGoNow]

Enchanted Piazza was so loud, starting at 9 am.  But, so was the Crown and the Sapphire.  It’s their new thing to crank up the volume, and maybe people will clear out?  😆 

We’ve spoken to the sound man on these ships, but doesn’t seem to matter.  Even Guest Svcs couldn’t hear me. 
 

I purchased expensive ear plugs for our next cruise.

 

I love music, but would like to have a conversation and hear the waiter when they speak to you.  We too, retreated to our balcony…many times on our long cruises. 
 

[BamaVol]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Enchanted Piazza was so loud, starting at 9 am.  But, so was the Crown and the Sapphire.  It’s their new thing to crank up the volume, and maybe people will clear out?  😆 

We’ve spoken to the sound man on these ships, but doesn’t seem to matter.  Even Guest Svcs couldn’t hear me. 
 

I purchased expensive ear plugs for our next cruise.

 

I love music, but would like to have a conversation and hear the waiter when they speak to you.  We too, retreated to our balcony…many times on our long cruises. 
 

If it’s a trend, I’m disappointed.  We experienced the high decibels on Enchanted in June but Sapphire was quiet as a mouse in September last year.  Our next cruise is Grand in April.  If it’s noisy in the piazza, I’m switching to HAL. 

[PacnGoNow]

9 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

If it’s a trend, I’m disappointed.  We experienced the high decibels on Enchanted in June but Sapphire was quiet as a mouse in September last year.  Our next cruise is Grand in April.  If it’s noisy in the piazza, I’m switching to HAL. 

Don’t know about the Grand.  I thought

Enchanted was the worst!  Big piazza opened up to above decks, restaurants, bars etc.  We just avoided certain times a day.

 

 

[555]

11 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Don’t know about the Grand.  I thought

Enchanted was the worst!  Big piazza opened up to above decks, restaurants, bars etc.  We just avoided certain times a day.

 

Funny thing about the Enchanted.... the volume seems to increase from from early morning when it's acceptable to a deafening level during the day when their aerobic classes begin. 

[PacnGoNow]

6 minutes ago, 555 said:

Funny thing about the Enchanted.... the volume seems to increase from from early morning when it's acceptable to a deafening level during the day when their aerobic classes begin. 

Yep. Why not do the aerobics in Vista lounge or pool area?
Why does everyone have to watch them?  

We just plan around the really loud activities.  We do like to get our coffee and something from the IC.  

To each his own.

 

 

 

[Kopy]

I wish they would put the bands back in Club Fusion on the older ships where they should be instead of the piazza . It has a great dance floor and plenty of places to sit

[555]

29 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

 We do like to get our coffee and something from the IC.  

As do I, but having to scream my order to a crew member takes some effort when exercise class is in progress. 😒

[lx200gps]

Just off a week on the Emerald, after having been sailing the Sky, Enchanted and Discovery for the past few years. We too are very sensitive to the noise levels in the Piazza but were somewhat pleased to find the sound levels on the Emerald were not as obnoxious as they have been on the bigger ships. While still loud, we had no issues talking to the waiters in Crooners for example. Shouting, as we had to do on the big ships, was never necessary. Maybe the much smaller size of the Piazza had something to do with it?

[JGmf]

I really seek a certain hum of activity, whether it's music or activity or whatever.  Please, don't give me library-quiet in public spaces on my cruise. I can get that in my backyard.

 

That said, I've been on the Enchanted three times this year.  All have involved way-too-loud music during live music performances.  The ones I can understand is when they bring in the 70's or 80's party, as that's sort of an event.

 

The others, like the half hour musicians have the amps cranked way too loud.  I literally couldn't hear the bartenders at Bellinis, two decks up, when I was sitting right across from them.  The staff hates it too.  Just lower the volume.  Believe me, we'll still hear it.

 

(The absolute worst was when they brought in the remnants of the Take 5 jazz musicians.  Those horns were unbearable).

[paddingtonbear]

On 2/2/2024 at 5:40 PM, dns65 said:

 

We're pretty much done sailing with Royal class.  We loved the older ships, new ships came out with numerous not so good things like smaller balconies and rooms and that awful noisy piazza.  Last trip on Enchanted, Sabatini's was a horrible experience with all that intrusive noise while you are trying to enjoy a nice dinner.    We're sticking to the older ships

I agree with you but unfortunately sometimes the itinerary I want at the time I want is only with the Royal class ships. 
 

we did a British isles cruise on the Royal princess and we complained about the piazza music noise and they toned it down! Maybe there were enough complaints for it to be a significant problem? Or the CD made the decision? 
 

worth complaining anyway. 

[donaldsc]

Yet another reason not to cruise on mass market ships.  We never have a problem on any of the smaller ships or upscale cruises such as Viking that we travel on.

 

DON

[sunviking90]

Royal Class ships are noisy. No two ways about it. There are fewer public areas for many more people. They seem to have really decided the Piazza will be the central hub for ALL activity. It has made it unpleasant to sit in the bars, restaurants, etc at times.

We much prefer the grand class ships as they don’t seem to be as noisy in the Piazza and people seem to disperse to other areas too.

[Thrak]

On 2/11/2024 at 5:46 PM, Arizona Wildcat said:

Exactly the same at the local movie theater.  For me earplugs always.

 

I've lived with tinnitus for a very long time. I hear a loud ringing at all times. When I put in earplugs to dampen outside noise the ringing in my ears gets crazy loud.

[Thrak]

On 8/8/2024 at 4:31 PM, BamaVol said:

If it’s a trend, I’m disappointed.  We experienced the high decibels on Enchanted in June but Sapphire was quiet as a mouse in September last year.  Our next cruise is Grand in April.  If it’s noisy in the piazza, I’m switching to HAL. 

 

On Grand Princess, the ONE5 club (Deck 15 aft) is a nice place to read. It's quiet, there is comfortable seating, there is outside seating just out the doors, and there is a bar and pool right down the outside stairs. Last fall we spent a long time on Grand Princess and, at times, there was a group in Vines that made it impossible to even really hear what was happening in the Piazza when one was sitting in Good Spirits. Crazy loud people and they were always taking over the long table in Vines but were drinking beer and being extremely loud.

 

On ships that have Adagio and/or Skywalker's those are nice places to escape noise and read. Skywalker's can sometimes seem too cold for us but, during the day, Adagio (if available) is quiet and comfortable with a quick outside access to a bar if one wants a drink. I don't remember when Adagio actually opens the bar but it's not until maybe 5:00 or 5:30 PM. I've never found it to be a loud venue even when the bar is open.

Edited August 9 by Thrak

[memoak]

13 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Just off a week on the Emerald, after having been sailing the Sky, Enchanted and Discovery for the past few years. We too are very sensitive to the noise levels in the Piazza but were somewhat pleased to find the sound levels on the Emerald were not as obnoxious as they have been on the bigger ships. While still loud, we had no issues talking to the waiters in Crooners for example. Shouting, as we had to do on the big ships, was never necessary. Maybe the much smaller size of the Piazza had something to do with it?

That is because the smaller ships do not have the high wide open atriums

[lx200gps]

12 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

On Grand Princess, the ONE5 club (Deck 15 aft) is a nice place to read. It's quiet, there is comfortable seating, there is outside seating just out the doors, and there is a bar and pool right down the outside stairs. Last fall we spent a long time on Grand Princess and, at times, there was a group in Vines that made it impossible to even really hear what was happening in the Piazza when one was sitting in Good Spirits. Crazy loud people and they were always taking over the long table in Vines but were drinking beer and being extremely loud.

 

On ships that have Adagio and/or Skywalker's those are nice places to escape noise and read. Skywalker's can sometimes seem too cold for us but, during the day, Adagio (if available) is quiet and comfortable with a quick outside access to a bar if one wants a drink. I don't remember when Adagio actually opens the bar but it's not until maybe 5:00 or 5:30 PM. I've never found it to be a loud venue even when the bar is open.

We're just off the Emerald, and Skywatcher's and Adagio are still the go-to venues for peace and quiet. Adagio's bar was supposed to open at 4:30, but because there were rarely any people in there at that time, the two crew members always took their time in setting up, and usually didn't have it open until 4:45. Didn't help us much when we had reservations for 5PM at Sabatini's next door ;o)

[dockman]

On 2/1/2024 at 1:36 PM, Paula_MacFan said:

 

Agreed.  We were on the Island a few months ago and the Piazza volume seemed appropriate.

 

Last week on the Regal the Piazza volume was EAR SPLITTING.  The music was loud but not horrible, but the games and other silly activities were simply intolerable.  We heard so many people complaining about it.  Eating in Alfredo's was a joke with that going on.  Even the wait staff were rolling their eyes.  

 

I did put it on my post cruise survey.  

It seems that often the idea is the louder it is the more "fun" the activity must be... whoever is in charge of the various games activities music could have a walk around the various venues and enforce some kind of max volume levels. 

 

Being deaf in one ear really just makes super loud even more irritating to me.  I  spend more time out on decks or roaming around looking for a place where i can sit and read a book or watch the ocean without having to listen to some loud background music. 

 

Last cruise i was often the only person in skywalkers around 9 am and enjoyed the peace and quite...but wouldn't you know that some people would eventually arrive and with all the empty seats and areas they just have to sit close to me and start talking.  I get up and move and they seem oblivious to why did that guy move.....i guess we are all so accustomed to background music in malls and stores and elevators and all kinds of noise polution that some might actually enjoy the idea of simple quite is almost gone.

[sunviking90]

3 minutes ago, dockman said:

It seems that often the idea is the louder it is the more "fun" the activity must be... whoever is in charge of the various games activities music could have a walk around the various venues and enforce some kind of max volume levels. 

 

Being deaf in one ear really just makes super loud even more irritating to me.  I  spend more time out on decks or roaming around looking for a place where i can sit and read a book or watch the ocean without having to listen to some loud background music. 

 

Last cruise i was often the only person in skywalkers around 9 am and enjoyed the peace and quite...but wouldn't you know that some people would eventually arrive and with all the empty seats and areas they just have to sit close to me and start talking.  I get up and move and they seem oblivious to why did that guy move.....i guess we are all so accustomed to background music in malls and stores and elevators and all kinds of noise polution that some might actually enjoy the idea of simple quite is almost gone.

I agree. I love a nice quiet place to sit and read. It seems strange that a group of people who want to socialize with each other loudly will go into a place where everyone is reading in silence. Read the room!