"Noise pollution" on HAL

[Vic The Parrot]

Was wondering if any recent cruisers here noticed the noise factor on board.

 

 

Like, over-amplified bands ... constant bingo announcements (my personal peeve :mad: ) ...

 

 

Those were pretty common on my last HAL voyage. And what I couldn't figure out, why the string quartet felt the need to "plug in" during thier sessions in the Explorers Lounge. :rolleyes:

 

 

It seems that this is becoming common almost everywhere ...

[u4ea]

Why don't you stuff some bread pudding in your ears?:eek:

[u4ea]

Hey dude, it actually wasn't too bad on my last voyage. A little strange in the oak room when they have a half mic'ed/poorly mixed band feed from the crows nest comming in.

Mark.....

[Vic The Parrot]

Hey dude, it actually wasn't too bad on my last voyage. A little strange in the oak room when they have a half mic'ed/poorly mixed band feed from the crows nest comming in.

Mark.....

 

 

That's worse ... "talent-challenged" musicians :D

[kakalina]

On our 30 day Ryndam there was only one announcement per day at 1pm. Not counting the ones that tell us we are cleared and the ones for disembarkation. There were only bingo announcements on the two days that the jackpot was given out. It was quite nice. The band was a bit loud on the Nav deck but it is small.

[Vic The Parrot]

On our 30 day Ryndam there was only one announcement per day at 1pm. Not counting the ones that tell us we are cleared and the ones for disembarkation. There were only bingo announcements on the two days that the jackpot was given out. It was quite nice. The band was a bit loud on the Nav deck but it is small.

 

 

 

 

1pm ??

 

Not noon, the traditional time with the "noon whistle" ?? :(

[Krazy Kruizers]

For quite a few years the only time we heard from the captain on sea days was at 1 PM.

 

On our recent Ryndam cruise -- only announcements were to let us know when the ship was cleared at a port and the bingo announcements in the afternoon.

 

And of course when we had the fire.

[Vic The Parrot]

One bingo announcement in the afternoon is one too many.

 

 

I hope the management on board will eventually get the hint that thier passengers appreciate some quiet time.

[RevNeal]

On the Rotterdam this Jan/Feb the only such announcements were immediately following the Captain's "Report from the Bridge" at 1 pm. It was made by the CD, in the context of all the other happenings going on around the ship. There was no ridiculous sound effects, no "It's Bob the Bingo Boy" screeching or other such nonsense like that. The ship was fairly quiet when it comes to announcements. The lectures from our Antarctica experts were louder and could have been more annoying except that that was why were were there!

 

The Rosario Strings in the Explorer's Lounge were lovely. They were not amplified in any way and the sound level was perfect. The band in the Ocean Bar could be a bit loud, at times. Ditto for the Crows nest band ... but their problem wasn't that their singing was loud or bad, but rather that the twin babes who were the singers didn't sing much ... they just swayed, constantly, back and forth in time to the song ... songs with words that SHOULD have been sung. Ruth was rather put out with them. I kept telling her to go grab their mics and sing for them, since they didn't want to sing. She never did. :( In her next life Ruth will be a lounge singer on an interplanetary cruise ship, flying the space lanes between Earth, the Moon, and Mars. :D

[Vic The Parrot]

In her next life Ruth will be a lounge singer on an interplanetary cruise ship, flying the space lanes between Earth, the Moon, and Mars. :D

 

 

That would be a treat!

 

 

As we relax in the background, with our Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters in hand ... :D ;)

[RuthC]

Ditto for the Crows nest band ... but their problem wasn't that their singing was loud or bad, but rather that the twin babes who were the singers didn't sing much ... they just swayed, constantly, back and forth in time to the song ... songs with words that SHOULD have been sung. Ruth was rather put out with them. I kept telling her to go grab their mics and sing for them, since they didn't want to sing. She never did. :( In her next life Ruth will be a lounge singer on an interplanetary cruise ship, flying the space lanes between Earth, the Moon, and Mars. :D

Oh, those singers were so, so, not singers! When they did use their vocal chords they were weak, and no emotion at all!

I wondered if they understand English.

I liked it, though, when the musicians played Midnight In Moscow and you sang along---in the original Russian! :D

Vic, it must be a while since you've sailed HAL. The bands aren't nearly as noisy as I've heard in the past, the background music in the passageways/Lido is unobtrusive, and there are few PA announcements during the day.

A big improvement! :)

[innlady1]

The only announcements we heard generally on our recent Noordam cruise were the Captain's midday announcement, followed by a blurb from the Cruise Director. A huge improvement.

[the2ofus]

For those who complain about announcements on HAL ships......have you been parked next to an NCL or RCCL ship lately? Not only are the announcements constant but on NCL they are repeated in several languages as well. Between the announcements and the ambient music which plays constantly it's an all day assault on the ears. It is most noticeable at the docks in Nassau and St. Maarten where the ships are side by side and close together.

 

Even the occasional enthusiastic bingo announcement on HAL is pleasant by comparison.

[Spokaneman]

Oh, those singers were so, so, not singers! When they did use their vocal chords they were weak, and no emotion at all!

I wondered if they understand English.

 

I liked it, though, when the musicians played Midnight In Moscow and you sang along---in the original Russian! :D

 

Vic, it must be a while since you've sailed HAL. The bands aren't nearly as noisy as I've heard in the past, the background music in the passageways/Lido is unobtrusive, and there are few PA announcements during the day.

A big improvement! :)

 

This brought back a funny memory from my previous cruise, with the family. We sailed on RCCL "Enchantment of the Seas" back in either '99 or '00. While on board there was a rather bad reggae band that kept playing over and over "Who Let the Dogs Out?". Now mind you, this song had NOT become famous in the States at all by this time...it was the first we had ever heard of it. After we disembarked, all of us sighed and said "well, at least we will never have to hear that infernal song again!"

Of course, then it hit the radio months afterwards.....and we all just looked at each other and said "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO".

[Vic The Parrot]

This brought back a funny memory from my previous cruise, with the family. We sailed on RCCL "Enchantment of the Seas" back in either '99 or '00. While on board there was a rather bad reggae band that kept playing over and over "Who Let the Dogs Out?". Now mind you, this song had NOT become famous in the States at all by this time...it was the first we had ever heard of it. After we disembarked, all of us sighed and said "well, at least we will never have to hear that infernal song again!"

Of course, then it hit the radio months afterwards.....and we all just looked at each other and said "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO".

 

 

 

Brother ....

 

I would have lost my mind. :rolleyes: :D

[Vic The Parrot]

Vic, it must be a while since you've sailed HAL. The bands aren't nearly as noisy as I've heard in the past, the background music in the passageways/Lido is unobtrusive, and there are few PA announcements during the day.

A big improvement! :)

 

 

 

Wow .... that's good to hear!

 

 

Makes me look forward to my next sailing on HAL :)

 

 

PS

 

Welcome back ... and great thread about your SouthAm/Antarctica journey :)

[fireman845]

She never did. :( In her next life Ruth will be a lounge singer on an interplanetary cruise ship, flying the space lanes between Earth, the Moon, and Mars. :D

 

 

Rev, Let me know when I can book the interplanetary cruise, "My bags are packed and I am ready to go"!! Would love to hear Ruth sing!!:D

[iancal]

No, never noticed. And HAL seemed to have far fewer of those annoying Bingo, Art Auction, and Tinkets and Trash announcments that we dislike so much.

[Roz]

Please don't flame me, but I look forward to playing bingo on my cruises.

 

What I find intriguing is how many people complain about "constant" bingo announcements, and not just on HAL. I've read the same complaint on other cruise boards here at Cruise Critic.

 

Because I'm interested in bingo, I deliberately listen for the announcements as a reminder to head to the show lounge for my favorite game. I can honestly say there is an average of 1 announcement a day, maybe 2 on the day there's the snowball jackpot bingo.

 

On my last HAL cruise, I missed bingo (horrors!) because there was no announcement...my antenna was up and I heard nothing.

 

IMO, HAL has just the right # of announcements for everything onboard.

 

Roz

[babba]

When I first red the OP ... I thought noise pollution from the guests. Case in point ... my husband and I went for a relaxing dip in the Hydra Pool ... only to witness four individuals treating it as though they were in their local YMCA pool ... complete with splashing each other and exclaiming quite loudly ... "LOOK AT ALL THE BUBBLES ... LOOK AT MY BATHING SUIT PUFFING UP."

[May4]

Sound levels and announcements have been quite comfortable for me lately, I must say. I had a chance to thank the fellow in charge of that sort of thing on the Zaandam. I didn't need to put bread pudding in my ears. I used to pack earplugs for each cruise in case the amplification was overzealous for the evening shows.

 

I haven't endured "Who Let the Dogs Out?" However, one band had a thing for "I Shot the Sheriff" every afternoon when I was on the Rotterdam. I felt as if I had had a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.

 

No big deal...It has become a family joke. I haven't heard that song on board since then.

 

 

 

:D :D

[mamaofami]

Please don't flame me, but I look forward to playing bingo on my cruises.

 

What I find intriguing is how many people complain about "constant" bingo announcements, and not just on HAL. I've read the same complaint on other cruise boards here at Cruise Critic.

 

Because I'm interested in bingo, I deliberately listen for the announcements as a reminder to head to the show lounge for my favorite game. I can honestly say there is an average of 1 announcement a day, maybe 2 on the day there's the snowball jackpot bingo.

 

On my last HAL cruise, I missed bingo (horrors!) because there was no announcement...my antenna was up and I heard nothing.

 

IMO, HAL has just the right # of announcements for everything onboard.

 

Roz

 

 

ROZ, get a yellow highliter and use it to mark the bingo in your daily activities sheet. That way you won't miss it.

[Vic The Parrot]

ROZ, get a yellow highliter and use it to mark the bingo in your daily activities sheet. That way you won't miss it.

 

 

That works ... ;)

[RuthC]

Welcome back ... and great thread about your SouthAm/Antarctica journey :)

Thanks, Vic. ;)

[Sunshine91]

In her next life Ruth will be a lounge singer on an interplanetary cruise ship, flying the space lanes between Earth, the Moon, and Mars. :D

 

Rather short-sighted of you there, buddy. Only Mars? The Rev. Neal I know & love would have Ruth singing on Ardana or Tatooine. ;)

 

Please don't flame me, but I look forward to playing bingo on my cruises.

 

Roz

 

Roz - I don't think it's the playing of bingo that bothers folks, it's the announcements. And perhaps bingo gets the bad rap because it's the one activity that seems to be in the announcements every day. :)

 

I understand the daily announcements for things that vary - the weather, ship's location, arrival time, all-aboard time, etc. But why must we have announcements to remind us of activities onboard? I mean, we're adults. The ship provides us with a daily, printed program with the times & locations. They even include the dress code of the day as well as the dinner times. ;)