Poll: Canned music in Tracy Arm?

[topcat11]

Some cruisers have expressed irritation that Celebrity broadcasts canned music to the external decks (eg. decks 12, 14 and 15) during passages through natural wonders such as Tracey Arm fjord Alaska.

 

Those who want the music turned off cite their own preference to enjoy the setting in as natural way as possible (given that they are on a huge ship), plus the onboard naturalist who limits his own commentary so that guests can enjoy an experience that is closer to the natural setting.

 

Those who enjoy the music cite their own preferences, the potential to associate a given piece of music with the experience later in life, and - from a commercial point of view - the proven tendency of music to stimulate purchasing.

[pearliemae]

Noticed the poll had slipped to page 2, want to keep it up top so X will see the results.

[WestLakeGirl]

This is one place where the opportunity to hear eagles screech, and glaciers calve should trump everything else. When I was there, the captain even turned off the ship's main engines to make it as quiet as possible. It was magical.

[cruisestitch]

Coincidentally I just flipped on the TV and saw a travel report about glacier viewing and they mentioned being quiet so the sounds of the I cracking and heaving could be experienced. I vote to pull the plug on the music!

[cruisestitch]

C'mon people we need at least 2000 more votes (that's a joke if you have been following the other thread) :)

[dodger1964]

I will have it review the other thread, but I can't imagine what the argument would be to have music playing while trying to enjoy nature.

[cle-guy]

I will have it review the other thread, but I can't imagine what the argument would be to have music playing while trying to enjoy nature.

 

The argument is there are other activities going on IN ADDITION TO viewing nature.

 

I'll be honest, never been on an Alaskan cruise, so don't know, but wonder is the daily activities sheet blank from sun up to sun down when cruising the glacier areas? Do they put a net over the pool and hot tubs? Do they close all the bars and mast grill and aqua spa cafe where people often enjoy listening to the music while enjoying lunch or a beverage or a lounger by the pool?

[WestLakeGirl]

Clearly you haven't been to Alaska. lounging by the pool? Not so much when it's either raining or too cold. almost a all activities move indoors. And the ship is only in the protected natural areas for part of the cruise. Otherwise days are spent in ports.

[dodger1964]

To me it would be like kayaking in a beautiful lake, and having a boom box playing music. It is like we can't just enjoy life without some kind of background noise. I suppose it's like you see on a lot of news shows. They have background music in many segments.

[ECCruise]

The argument is there are other activities going on IN ADDITION TO viewing nature.

 

I'll be honest, never been on an Alaskan cruise, so don't know, but wonder is the daily activities sheet blank from sun up to sun down when cruising the glacier areas? Do they put a net over the pool and hot tubs? Do they close all the bars and mast grill and aqua spa cafe where people often enjoy listening to the music while enjoying lunch or a beverage or a lounger by the pool?

 

Curt, you have been in the Caribbean and on TAs. We've done both many times as well as a number of times in Alaska. It is a completely different experience in Alaska, and yes, it is a little bit more like being on an expedition than at a floating resort. Beside, it is usually too darn cold and wet to be lounging around the pool with a frozen drink. Except for a few times in the inside passage, I can honestly say a never say any number of people in loungers at the pool, and definitely NOT listening to Reggae music.

[Artemis]

^ This. To add a little more, cle-guy, glacier viewing is NOT "sun up to sun down." It's usually noted on the itinerary as a 4-hour activity, generally in the AM or midday (e.g., I think most of X's Tracy Arm glide-bys are from 6-10 AM :eek:, so partying poolside as blanket mummies is not what most people are doing at that hour!), and on the majority of Alaskan itineraries, there is only one glacier cruising experience the entire cruise.

 

Bottom line...this whole fuss is really over just a few hours of a total cruise experience!

 

It looks like you are a fun-in-the-sun cruiser. I'm that person--my arm had to be twisted to do Alaska. It blew me away! So don't write it off as a big yawn. It is truly a drop dead gorgeous place, and as for activities, there's a wide variety of exhilirating soft adventure excursions in every port! You can definitely make it a "play hard, party hard" sort of trip (if you eat your Wheaties!).

 

Cheers!

Edited July 12, 2014 by Artemis

[Faircliff]

I would vote no to the canned music. When we were at Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm, we really appreciated the quiet on deck. We were constantly straining our ears to hear the sound of the cracking which would announce calving. And yes there was the screech of the seabirds and other peaceful sounds of nature. The naturalist piping in occasionally was appreciated but overall the sense of awe and wonder was the overriding force.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[topcat11]

The argument is there are other activities going on IN ADDITION TO viewing nature.

 

I'll be honest, never been on an Alaskan cruise, so don't know, but wonder is the daily activities sheet blank from sun up to sun down when cruising the glacier areas? Do they put a net over the pool and hot tubs? Do they close all the bars and mast grill and aqua spa cafe where people often enjoy listening to the music while enjoying lunch or a beverage or a lounger by the pool?

 

You should have put a period after "know" - that says it all.

[NLH Arizona]

The argument is there are other activities going on IN ADDITION TO viewing nature.

 

I'll be honest, never been on an Alaskan cruise, so don't know, but wonder is the daily activities sheet blank from sun up to sun down when cruising the glacier areas? Do they put a net over the pool and hot tubs? Do they close all the bars and mast grill and aqua spa cafe where people often enjoy listening to the music while enjoying lunch or a beverage or a lounger by the pool?

I've been on three Alaska cruises. One was an expedition ship, one cruise was with Crystal and one cruise was with Celebrity. Not everyone sits out for the full time that the ship is at the glaciers, sans the expedition ship. Some, like me, do, but not everyone does.

[TomTN]

Is it April 1? Are you kidding? Music while viewing glaciers?:mad:

 

Passengers should mutiny and make the Captain walk the plank.:eek:

[dln929]

Listen to canned music when the passage through the glaciers without would allow you to hear sounds you can hear nowhere else but that? Give me an eagle screeching vs. the Eagles any day. ;)

[pearliemae]

Keep the poll going, folks, and X will see that about 90% of us want to hear the sounds of nature while viewing the glaciers.

[dlfntx]

I too would rather experience the glacier show without the sound of canned music. I want to be able to hear the "crack" of the glaciers and I want to be able to hear the wildlife. I don't need the music to enhance my experience.

[antsnanny]

No music, the glaciers are a big part of the reason people cruise to Alaska. I remember my trip well, no towels for pool fun, instead there handing out blankets and hot chocolate… Honestly, I would be heartbroken if "Hot-Hot-Hot" playing on deck was drowning out the sounds of the wildlife and glaciers. Please Celebrity, no music…….

[Tall Valley Cruiser]

We appreciate your bringing this to our attention. Today I read a post from a July Alaska - Solstice cruise that they were playing music on deck during the Tracy Arm portion. So it appears it is still happening.

 

We called Celebrity Corporate Guest Relations yesterday and advised them of the poll and had them view it when we were on the phone. How long can it take for corporate to get instructions to the ship? We are sailing August 8 on the Solstice.

 

Guest Relations suggested sending an email with links to the poll and comments to Michael Bayley. I will leave this for Topcat11 since you spearheaded this. Hope they do the right thing very soon.

Thanks again

[Celebrity Cruises]

We appreciate your bringing this to our attention. Today I read a post from a July Alaska - Solstice cruise that they were playing music on deck during the Tracy Arm portion. So it appears it is still happening.

 

We called Celebrity Corporate Guest Relations yesterday and advised them of the poll and had them view it when we were on the phone. How long can it take for corporate to get instructions to the ship? We are sailing August 8 on the Solstice.

 

Guest Relations suggested sending an email with links to the poll and comments to Michael Bayley. I will leave this for Topcat11 since you spearheaded this. Hope they do the right thing very soon.

Thanks again

 

We're aware. Thank you!

[topcat11]

We appreciate your bringing this to our attention. Today I read a post from a July Alaska - Solstice cruise that they were playing music on deck during the Tracy Arm portion. So it appears it is still happening.

 

We called Celebrity Corporate Guest Relations yesterday and advised them of the poll and had them view it when we were on the phone. How long can it take for corporate to get instructions to the ship? We are sailing August 8 on the Solstice.

 

Guest Relations suggested sending an email with links to the poll and comments to Michael Bayley. I will leave this for Topcat11 since you spearheaded this. Hope they do the right thing very soon.

Thanks again

 

I have always intended to inform the CEO of this, but I have committed to wait until the 7 days or up and will honour that commitment. He will be getting my email at 9:34 tomorrow morning :)

[antsnanny]

I have always intended to inform the CEO of this, but I have committed to wait until the 7 days or up and will honour that commitment. He will be getting my email at 9:34 tomorrow morning :)

 

Great job, way to get something done!

[topcat11]

I have sent the final results to Michael Bayley and eagerly await a substantive response from him.

[TomTN]

I have sent the final results to Michael Bayley and eagerly await a substantive response from him.

 

Thank you for doing that.

I suspect that no one at the top ever meant to play music outside while visiting the glaciers. Hearing them is part of the experience.