Guitar playing spots on board

[BirthdayGirl30]

You don't get to use BlueTooth speakers at the pools or out on decks on HAL ships either. You might need an attitude adjustment before you board.

 

 

 

Is that your rule or Holland’s? I did not see it in my KBYG or cruise contract? I often find music less annoying that gossiping or snoring or my neighbor, but that’s my preference not the cruise line policy.

[lisakoivu]

However, on Deck 6 on the R-class ships there is a small forward open deck area with deck chairs that is very little used. It's not part of a highly-trafficked area -- you have to deliberately WANT to go out there. Since I'm usually in an interior and don't have my own verandah, I like to sit out there and read sometimes. I have VERY rarely encountered other folks out there, other than during glacier-viewing. I'm assuming from the context of your OP that he's doing it for his own enjoyment and not an attempt to "entertain" other pax, so the solitude shouldn't bother him.

 

This is super helpful. Thank you.

[VennDiagram]

He likes to bring his guitar and play around the ship - on deck or in the buffet between meals. Is this going to be possible or really disruptive? Nobody has ever asked him to stop and lots of people seem to really enjoy. He tries to pick a quiet corner.

 

I'm just always paranoid about ruining someone else's vacation in search of my own, so I'm just wondering what others think. I think 17 days will be a deal breaker without the guitar....

 

I first want to commend you for considering how your behaviour might affect others (y) :)

 

We've had two experiences of passengers playing musical instruments on board. One was a bagpiper who would play on the Promenade Deck as we were leaving each port. He had a fairly large group of fans who would gather around each time. The second was a fellow playing some sort of Chinese (?) stringed instrument on the Promenade Deck in the evening, just before 2nd seating dinner. He also had a large group of fans.

 

My perspective? I think the key to those people being appreciated was that their performances were brief, at a time of day most people were NOT resting/sleeping, and they were in public areas that didn't have cabins on the same deck. I suspect that if either of them had been playing on their balcony for a couple of hours each day near us, their charm would have worn thin, very quickly. ;)

 

 

I hope you can figure out something that works for your husband, and for your fellow passengers.

[lisakoivu]

 

I hope you can figure out something that works for your husband, and for your fellow passengers.

 

Thanks, that's the goal. Leave it at home seems extreme, since he plays it every single day, including for work. It seems like there may be a few options.

[kazu]

Well, it's true that every line is different. People have mostly enjoyed it (or said they have) on NCL. Which is why I'm asking. I know HAL is an older demographic, with a ton of "repeat customers" with high mariner status and such. So that's why I'm asking. Was only on the Maasdam and that was a very quiet cruise for sure.

 

It's both true that HAL is a mass market line like all the others, that in that case you have to put up with a lot of strangers in close quarters, AND that people who sail HAL have a different view of "noise" and environment than pax on other lines.

 

So that's why I posted. If most of the passengers would feel unhappy, that's what I need to know, rather than whether it's black and white right or wrong, although I really do appreciate all perspectives.

 

Hopefully we can all get along.

 

We had a couple of people that liked to play music on our roll call in 2013. They asked where they could play that would be the least obtrusive when they got on board and they actually had a "quiet corner" where most don't sit.

 

Turned out that they were very good and many people came to hear them every evening.

 

Those that did not want to hear the music didn't have to and were not affected and this was on a very small ship.

 

So, I would ask when you got on board or go exploring the ship. JMO.

[lisakoivu]

We had a couple of people that liked to play music on our roll call in 2013. They asked where they could play that would be the least obtrusive when they got on board and they actually had a "quiet corner" where most don't sit.

 

Turned out that they were very good and many people came to hear them every evening.

 

Those that did not want to hear the music didn't have to and were not affected and this was on a very small ship.

 

So, I would ask when you got on board or go exploring the ship. JMO.

 

That's been our experience on NCL. Thanks for your input.

[CCwashashore]

I will express the minority opinion that I think it’s a lovely idea for him to bring his guitar. My husband and I would happily keep him company if he doesn’t mind an audience.

[lisakoivu]

I will express the minority opinion that I think it’s a lovely idea for him to bring his guitar. My husband and I would happily keep him company if he doesn’t mind an audience.

 

That's very kind, thank you.

[cabinluvn]

We travel with my sister and BIL. He is a musician and plays the clarinet. Her brings it and plays/practices daily in his cabin. When he boards, he introduces himself to the people in the cabins around him and asks if there is a certain time of day that it would be ok to play for an hour. People have always be open and polite. He does not play in public places, however

 

 

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[KroozNut]

I'm thinking that as an alternative, the Lincoln Center Stage venue (in between performances of course) might be a place where he could play and folks would probably not be bothered by it. They'd likely figure that he was practicing, or it would just seem normal. They could simply walk right by, or perhaps even stop in for a quick listen.

[Sea42]

 

We've had two experiences of passengers playing musical instruments on board. One was a bagpiper who would play on the Promenade Deck as we were leaving each port. He had a fairly large group of fans who would gather around each time.

 

 

We had the very unfortunate experience of sharing a Mediterranean cruise with a person who did the same! It was so out of place. Why would we want to listen to bagpipes while sailing away from Monte Carlo or Santorini? Very annoying to us! We just wanted to enjoy a nice sail away on our balcony.

[*Miss G*]

I would love listening to someone playing the guitar on a cruise. There are some good spots around the ships where it wouldn't be intrusive. Quiet contemplative music in the open air can border on ethereal for me. Beats listening to people complain any day.

[VennDiagram]

We had the very unfortunate experience of sharing a Mediterranean cruise with a person who did the same! It was so out of place. Why would we want to listen to bagpipes while sailing away from Monte Carlo or Santorini? Very annoying to us! We just wanted to enjoy a nice sail away on our balcony.

 

Sorry you found the music annoying. I can understand that, if it was intrusive for you.

 

We enjoyed the bagpiper :) and were part of his fan club. It was always very brief. We also enjoyed the other musician, on a different cruise.

[Fouremco]

Add me to the minority list of people in support of your husband taking his guitar. I've yet to cruise on a HAL ship that didn't have a spot or two where he could play without bothering others. Assuming, of course, that it's an acoustic guitar. :halo:

 

Adding to some of the previous suggestions, one spot that is often devoid of passengers is the sports court. Even if it is in use, players in a basketball game or whatever sport are not likely to be bothered by guitar music.

Edited July 29, 2018 by Fouremco

[Lady Arwen]

Well, I would welcome a guitar player on my cruise! Especially in the evening with a cocktail, I would love to just relax and listen to some lovely music. I find guitar music to be quite soothing......of course, I'm assuming he's not going to be playing an electric guitar..hahah! Please don't get discouraged by some comments here. I'm sure you would hear a different tune (pun intended) once he was onboard. Those who don't appreciate it can choose to move or politely ask your husband to do so.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[HarpHarp]

I've taken my little harp on one cruise. I'd find a quiet corner & play, & I never had any problems. One of the on board muscians was quite intrigued. There should be plenty of quiet spots where he souldn't be annoying anyone. My husband plays bagpipes & that is a different story.

[VMax1700]

There are a few meetings rooms (Half Moon Room/Stuyvesent Room etc) that are used only occasionally and are vacant a lot of the time. I don't see any reason why he couldn't play in these.

[jagsfan]

On every cruise I see areas that are deserted at various times. The theater, bars with dance floors, any place that has musicians performing, would be a place to play an instrument of any kind.

If people happen to be sitting there reading, sleeping, or conversing, they would assume a musician is rehearsing and either leave or stay and enjoy it.

A glance over the daily newsletter would show when a venue is not being used.

 

 

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[fatcat04]

"Well, there's thirteen hundred and fifty two Guitar pickers in Nashville

And they can pick more notes than the number of ants On a Tennessee anthill

Yeah, there's thirteen hundred and fifty two Guitar cases in Nashville

And any one that unpacks 'is guitar could play Twice as better than I will"

We are from Nashville. Everyone has a guitar or something. Can safely say assuming it was just sweet pickin' I wouldn't bat an eyelash. :)

[mightycruisequeen]

My husband bought a Hofner "Shorty" to take on long cruises, so he doesn't lose the callouses on his fingertips. The guitar is electric, but he plays it without any amplification right in our cabin, and it's much quieter than an acoustic guitar would be, not to mention VERY compact. It's perfect for his needs, without bothering another soul around him. I can sit right next to him & watch TV on low while he's playing; that's how soft it sounds.

[Wishing on a star]

It is this. "ON DECK OR IN THE BUFFET' that tell me everything that I need to know.

While one can always find some support, some things, times, places, are simply not appropriate.

No... Just no.

[ger_77]

A few years ago, DH and our friend brought their acoustic travel guitars onboard with them. They play in a band together and wanted to do some practicing and writing on sea days, but did so in the privacy of one of our adjoining cabins. As guitar players, it really helped them keep their callouses in shape, as well as being able to try out some new songs with one another.

 

Smooth Sailing! [emoji3] [emoji3] [emoji3]

 

 

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[OlsSalt]

HAL ships have often had an entertainment staff guitar player - seen them in the MIX and the CrowsNest for usually late afternoon concert time. If there is one onboard, your husband could talk to him about finding some type of rehearsal space that maybe he himself uses. If the smaller meeting rooms are vacant at certain times, that is another indoor spot. Just hope you don't have an interconnecting cabin, because sound might travel more readily through that inter-connecting door than a solid cabin walls.

 

VOV can be pretty cold, windy any/or rainy out on deck, esp in the forward outer decks so while those are remote nooks on many cruises, not particularly well suited for this on the VOV. Maybe something can be worked out with the cruise director for music trivia and your husband can play a few bars of popular songs for trivial questions. Once they held a passenger talent night - never forget the cruise director's mother singing "I am the Dancing Queen" with all the right moves, but that was a very long cruise with lots of sea days.

[Stratheden]

Many times I have wandered through the ship and not seen anyone in certain areas. I am sure your DH could find one of those places to sit and quietly play. He may even get an audience. From what you have written I believe he knows the difference between intruding on others and quietly finding himself a deserted spot,

 

When we visited a ruined church in Malacca a few years ago, there was a gentleman very quietly playing his guitar, and as we browsed, trying to read the ancient writing on the walls, the music was very fitting and we loved it. I think it made our visit much more memorable. Every time Inthink of Malacca I think of him.

[Marianne]

Someone playing the guitar would not bother me, actually I'd probably enjoy it. I didn't understand whether he just wanted to play his instrument every day for practice purposes, or be a performer for the public. There are plenty of spaces out on deck where he could play and the sound of the guitar music would be lost a few feet away. Personally, it's okay with me if he wants to play a guitar on board.

Marianne