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Idea for those unhappy with "loud" Celebrity ships

ScarlettMLB

By ScarlettMLB,
in Celebrity Cruises

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ScarlettMLB

ScarlettMLB

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I'll admit that I roll my eyes a bit when I hear people complain about the noise on the ships. I personally haven't experienced it and it reminds me of the time when I was eating with my grandparents and my grandfather got VERY upset at how "loud" the music was in the restaurant, where I didn't really notice it. Loud can mean many things to many people and can also depend on whether you like the music playing or not (music that you dislike may feel more "loud" than music you enjoy, even though both are at the same volume level).

 

Then I read a review by someone my age and a frequent Celebrity cruiser who echoed the "loud" complaint and I realized that maybe I was being dismissive. And maybe Celebrity is, too. And a big part of the problem is that "loud" means so many things to so many people and can be hard to quantify.

 

But not impossible.

 

Many, if not most, of us have smartphones. There are now apps that you can download that will give decibel readings for noise. I've used Decibel-O-Meter in the past. If people download the app prior to their trip, they can use that if they experience what they feel to be excessively loud noise. Then they have a data point that they can use when giving feedback to Celebrity that's harder to ignore. Maybe the ships are misinterpreting how loud they should play their music.

 

And if you do it, maybe post a comment in this thread as to what you found. (When/where you took the reading, what was happening, and what the decibel was.) I know Celebrity sometimes watches threads here and if we get enough data points it may show them that there actually IS a problem and it's not just a bunch of older passengers being grumpy. Or it could turn out that it is a bunch of passengers being grumpy. ;)

 

The only way to really know is to collect the data. It's hard to ignore data - and to also ignore the consequences of exposure to certain decibels, where "loud" can mean too many things to too many people.

 

More information on decibels here:

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/decibel-exposure-time-guidelines/

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hcat "Live from...." Rare

hcat

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Interesting post but experienced cruisers do not need to measure decibel levels to know that the style, volume and approach to music on cruise ships has changed....not just on Celebrity.

 

We just avoid it as best we can..those that like it can enjoy it.....we find quieter spots to enjoy.

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ScarlettMLB

ScarlettMLB

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Interesting post but experienced cruisers do not need to measure decibel levels to know that the style, volume and approach to music on cruise ships has changed....not just on Celebrity.

 

We just avoid it as best we can..those that like it can enjoy it.....we find quieter spots to enjoy.

 

But if you want something done about it, you need to give them data. The problem is that someone sitting in an office somewhere has no idea the difference between someone who only wants soft classical music playing and the person is is fine with background music, but the music truly is overbearingly loud. Likewise the person controlling the volume may not be interpreting the request of the person in the office correctly.

 

If people want to come here and vent, you can do that. But I've read over and over that people are frustrated by the loud music and that Celebrity does nothing about the complaints. I'm hypothesizing that nothing gets done because it's too hard to quantify. So if people are serious about wanting Celebrity to change the volume in their music, there is a simple way to start collecting data that may get them to see that there are times when the volume really IS a problem and it's not just people not liking change.

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ladylemondrop Great Review Rare

ladylemondrop

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I consider myself to be quite young, hip and happening, :D but, what I found annoying on our cruise this year was that mid afternoon, by the pool, when I felt like a little down time, to recharge and enjoy the blissful post lunch siesta, they would start the full blown rave music! Now, I love a party, but I just couldnt see the logic! Why not play that stuff at night, when it looks like a disco, and people want to dance?! Not when I am trying to digest half the buffet.

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Fouremco

Fouremco

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If DW and I are watching TV together, the volume is just right. If one of us decides to read instead, without touching the volume it's now too damn loud! Decibels are far too objective a measure for such a subjective issue. :)

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Wmp7

Wmp7

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No point to complain...just avoid and enjoy the cruise....away from the buzz!

 

 

 

wait til you see and hear some of the new shows....

 

 

This made me laugh..."no need to complain" followed immediately by a complaint [emoji57]

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afto

afto

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Scarlett - your post is way too logical. It takes all the fun out of being able to post here and b***ch about things and never really take any action to do anything about it.

 

 

Exactly!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

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OP - Great idea. :) Facts, dates, times, places and situations will help Celebrity pinpoint the problem and (hopefully) do something about it.

 

But, as they say in the IT world, "it's not a bug, it's a feature." Celebrity doesn't think it's too loud -- they think we're too old! Modern Luxury means Young Customers.

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wallie5446

wallie5446

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OP it must be a thing only Texans understand! :rolleyes:

 

At 62 we must be too young to 'get it' or already gone deaf. 2013 on the Reflection, then 2014 for 11 days on the Equinox we did not find things too loud. I guess growin up listening to Led Zeplin, the Stones, and Chicago prepared us for Celebrity. :rolleyes:

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ScarlettMLB

ScarlettMLB

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But, as they say in the IT world, "it's not a bug, it's a feature." Celebrity doesn't think it's too loud -- they think we're too old! Modern Luxury means Young Customers.

 

I'm not sure that's it. Maybe it is.

 

I keep seeing on the board all sorts of stories where the people in offices don't communicate with the ships. So we have here a situation where people complain to the people on the ships and are told "that's what the office said we have to do." When they complain to the people on land, nothing happens. Essentially it seems like both groups are pointing the finger at the other.

 

I'm wondering if some of what's going on isn't that Celebrity is just ignoring what people are saying, but that no one is understanding what the other is saying, because there's no unit of measurement. The word "loud" can mean so many things, that it lets people just make or keep whatever assumptions they want.

 

However, if people can go to them with decibel readings and say "I recorded the music at X decibels on XYZ ship on this date and time and location," then it's specific and actionable. Especially if the decibel reading is such that it's not a safe level for prolonged exposure. So then the office can go to the ship and say "what the heck - why are you playing it THAT loud" and they'll say "you said to turn the music up - we're just following your instructions" and they'll say "yeah, but we didn't mean THAT loud. That's over the top"

 

Or maybe nothing happens. But it's worth a shot.

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fleckle

fleckle

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Earplugs.

 

Always have some in my carry-on bag.

They work for noisy hotel rooms too.

 

 

On cruise ships there will always be some who want the music softer and others who want it louder, just as there are always some who think the room temperature is too warm and others think it is too cold. ;)

 

 

Edited by fleckle
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lisiamc

lisiamc

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Earplugs.

 

Always have some in my carry-on bag.

They work for noisy hotel rooms too.

 

 

On cruise ships there will always be some who want the music softer and others who want it louder, just as there are always some who think the room temperature is too warm and others think it is too cold. ;)

 

 

 

Earplugs are useful, but don't really help those of us who would like to have a conversation in the Martini Bar.

Edited by lisiamc
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ladylemondrop Great Review Rare

ladylemondrop

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This would be a really easy way for Celebrity to improve customer satisfaction, as I am pretty sure nobody would complain about it being too quiet, if they just turned everything down a notch. Most people going on Celebrity ships are looking for a peaceful, elegant environment, or they would choose Royal, or Carnival?!

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hcat "Live from...." Rare

hcat

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The loud music issue (pool, main atrium, martini bar, theatre, DJs/banging drum, recorded soundtracks, etc.) has gone on for quite awhile now as regular Celebrity cruisers know..anyone can search thread history...

 

.Our first Silho cruise was wonderful...the following season, it was if we walked onto a diff cruise line...greeted by the loud DJ and drum....The outdoor pool became obnoxious around 11 am. & we were told "too bad for you!" We still loved the ship but the vibe had changed....and it has become so in various ways on the other ships as well....esp. Reflection out of Miami which on our cruise modeled the new Celeb culture including a sophmoric CD & sidekick......We recently lucked out on Connie where the DJ was more confined and could be avoided by us but "enjoyed" by others.

 

It's a corporate decision....we just work around it b/c we doubt it will change...they want the younger alcohol crowd and envision it goes with loud....sometimes if lots of folks complain at a venue they will tone it done...but only temporarily...

 

Kudos to those who think they can reverse the trend but we focus more on finding the spots that work for us....and we are still enjoying our cruises...3 more booked on X...

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spearmint

spearmint

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I am one of those who also has found that Celebrity has changed over the years. All of the areas that have overhead speakers are bombarded with loud music....whether it is "your" kind of music or not.... I have often noted to my wife that I feel sorry for the ship's personnel who have to work in such a repetitious environment all the time.

 

As for the live acts, they are worse. One cannot really have a conversation in the inside bars if one of the performers/groups is there. The exception that I did notice, was on Eclipse last spring; one night, in the Ensemble Lounge, the pianist from the orchestra played. The music was good, the volume acceptable for a lounge i.e. I could talk to my wife, barmates and bartenders without yelling, without asking for a repetition or without having to lean in to hear a reply and yet hear and enjoy the music.

 

I am not going to take some sort of decibel reader on board! Instead, those of us who are annoyed should definitely keep telling Celebrity. They may not give a damn about us individually, but, hopefully, collectively they will not ignore us.

 

If Celebrity is solely focusing on "the young" while ignoring "the aging" they are making a big mistake. The baby boomers are still alive, kicking, and continuing to look for places to spend vacation money. If Celebrity doesn't care about us, still one of the largest socio-economic groups around, I expect there are other lines which do care.

 

OK. Rant over. But this is one of the things on board which really p****es me off! For example, I am sitting on the back deck aft of the cafe, in early morning, having a coffee and just contentedly watching the ship's wake, when I suddenly find that I am so irritable .... then I realize it's the insidious, constant, overhead speaker noise getting on my nerves.

 

Bill

Edited by spearmint
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