People with portable speakers

[cruiselvr04]

In response to the Chops incident…..

 

The gentleman did notify the manager and nothing was done.  He wisely didn’t confront the man himself.  We all know how that could go.  When they left the manager followed them out and tried to stop them from leaving, offered them a different table.  They shouldn’t have to move and they found that unacceptable because you’re afraid to confront the situation as a manager.  Another manager did follow up with them later and our table mates planned to notify corporate as they should.  
 

I know as ship employees this is hard.  You don’t want a scene and you want to try to make everyone happy.  But they need to have some guidelines and follow them for the enjoyment of all the passengers.  Our table mates simply spoke without words.  We would have probably stuck it out and just been mad.  
 

[cruiselvr04]

On 12/24/2022 at 3:18 AM, crazyank said:

Why didn't they return to the manager and insist that something be done? 

 

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Why didn’t they have the chutzpah to handle it themselves?

 

34 minutes ago, crazyank said:

We can understand not wanting to get into conflict with another guest.   It's our opinion that this was clearly a situation where a manager should have stepped in when a guest is disturbing other guests with loud noise.

 

[davekathy]

On 12/25/2022 at 8:36 AM, dsvd79 said:

I guess I am guilty of this.  I bring my portable speaker onto the balcony and relax.  I also play it in my room while I shower, and I bring it to the beach if someone else is with me.  Otherwise I listen to my pods.  

Do your neighbors a favor and also use your AirPods while relaxing on your balcony. 

[not-enough-cruising]

48 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

In response to the Chops incident…..

 

The gentleman did notify the manager and nothing was done.  He wisely didn’t confront the man himself.  We all know how that could go.  When they left the manager followed them out and tried to stop them from leaving, offered them a different table.  They shouldn’t have to move and they found that unacceptable because you’re afraid to confront the situation as a manager.  Another manager did follow up with them later and our table mates planned to notify corporate as they should.  
 

I know as ship employees this is hard.  You don’t want a scene and you want to try to make everyone happy.  But they need to have some guidelines and follow them for the enjoyment of all the passengers.  Our table mates simply spoke without words.  We would have probably stuck it out and just been mad.  
 

It’s not hard; that’s a cop out. 
it’s black and white, right and wrong. 
 

What is so wise about refusing to confront the issue yourself?

if more of these inconsiderate people were confronted, then perhaps they would think twice about pulling a stunt like that again. 
 

Again, this is just me, but I never ever back down from a situation like this; if nothing else, it forces management to address the issue. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

26 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Again, this is just me, but I never ever back down from a situation like this; if nothing else, it forces management to address the issue. 

 

Private sector experience, emergency response experience (ongoing, still working), military and law enforcement experience have taught me otherwise. Sometimes you have to evaluate the situation and regroup considering many variables.

 

I have witnessed so many mundane situations go sideways without much provocation. It can get ugly fast. Events can quickly spiral out-of-control.

 

Everyone has different comfort levels about confrontation. Sometimes, you will find that management does not want to address these issues. Life seems to have changed and sometimes not for the better in my opinion. I can respect someone for taking one-step back and finding their own comfort zone.

[not-enough-cruising]

53 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Private sector experience, emergency response experience (ongoing, still working), military and law enforcement experience have taught me otherwise. Sometimes you have to evaluate the situation and regroup considering many variables.

 

I have witnessed so many mundane situations go sideways without much provocation. It can get ugly fast. Events can quickly spiral out-of-control.

 

Everyone has different comfort levels about confrontation. Sometimes, you will find that management does not want to address these issues. Life seems to have changed and sometimes not for the better in my opinion. I can respect someone for taking one-step back and finding their own comfort zone.

I absolutely agree, one must remain in their comfort zone. That’s why I said, this is just for me and my take. 
Have had a lot of experience in medical

practice dealing with irate, aggressive, even dangerous patients and families in the ER and other areas of the system (I do some Locum Tenens at the prison as well). My comfort level and patience with nonsense is different than some. 

[Aquahound]

40 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

 My comfort level and patience with nonsense is different than some. 

 

My patience with nonsense is very short.  If it was just me at that table, I would have confronted them and asked them (nicely at first) to turn the sound off.  However, confronting them would have made my wife uncomfortable, so my course of action would have been requesting a table change.  

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

My patience with nonsense is very short.  If it was just me at that table, I would have confronted them and asked them (nicely at first) to turn the sound off.  However, confronting them would have made my wife uncomfortable, so my course of action would have been requesting a table change.  

Happy wife.....Happy life

 

My wife has the same tolerance as do I: I imagine  that's why were are still together after all these years

[queenfrostine22]

Was on Indy, November and had a very large group with speakers at the Solarium. No one said anything to them. Felt more like a club than an adult area pool. I wish everyone could learn that musical taste is personal) not everyone likes to hear your type of music. Next was Mariner, early December. An officer (a young Ukranian woman?) was having none of the nonsense. I watched her approach 3 different groups at the solarium pool throughout the day to have them

lower or shut off their speakers. Not only that but she then approached two families at different times, one for having a baby in a stroller parked poolside and another time to remove a child and the family from the solarium hot tub. Good for her! 

[pcur]

On 12/22/2022 at 10:47 PM, JamesEM said:

I was on a cruise and there was a large family and they all had walkies talkies and they were saying very loudly, can you hear me? 

Every time someone is near me with a walkie-talkie, I am sooooooooo tempted to join the conversation, and then be "surprised" when they get upset.  "OH, I thought you WANTED me to join the conversation; that's why it's so loud."

 

In this case, above, I would just yell, "Yes, I can hear you LOUD and clear". 

 

Seriously, I would not got to just any staff person, I would talk to Security.  They are the only true enforcers of passenger conduct.  

 

I like the idea of keeping a copy of the Conduct Policy, too.

Edited December 27, 2022 by pcur

[PWP-001]

18 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Private sector experience, emergency response experience (ongoing, still working), military and law enforcement experience have taught me otherwise. Sometimes you have to evaluate the situation and regroup considering many variables.

 

I have witnessed so many mundane situations go sideways without much provocation. It can get ugly fast. Events can quickly spiral out-of-control.

 

Everyone has different comfort levels about confrontation. Sometimes, you will find that management does not want to address these issues. Life seems to have changed and sometimes not for the better in my opinion. I can respect someone for taking one-step back and finding their own comfort zone.

 

Regarding the Chops situation, the manager of the restaurant needs to remain in command of their venue.  If addressing guests is outside of their comfort zone, then perhaps they are in the wrong position.  It is a weak manager that could not adequately address the situation by asking the guest to either use earbuds, mute the sound or leave the restaurant.

 

Think about it:  would you be happy to know your child's teacher had a comfort zone that didn't allow for keeping order in the classroom so that every day was chaos without learning?  Probably not.  You expect your child's teacher to have the skills to maintain order in the class and teach.

 

RCI is charging a PREMIUM to eat in their specialty restaurants.  Along with that comes the expectation of a calm, dining experience.  And just as you expect the teacher to deal with disruptive students, dining patrons should have the reasonable expectation that the restaurant manager will deal with disruptive patrons acting like children.

 

Alternatively --and to bring this full circle and on topic--  fighting fire with fire IS an alternative.  I've started to bring my Beat's Pill external speakers to used in my cabin.  But I think I might start taking one when I dine in a specialty restaurant so that when I hear someone else's device playing, I will just turn on mine-- at full volume.  I'd definitely expect someone to say something, at which point I'd respond:  "Oh, I thought it was permitted since that person over there has theirs playing and you haven't said anything.  I'd be happy to turn mine off and keep it off as long as you make sure everyone keeps theirs off." 

 

 

[PWP-001]

9 hours ago, pcur said:

Every time someone is near me with a walkie-talkie, I am sooooooooo tempted to join the conversation, and then be "surprised" when they get upset.  "OH, I thought you WANTED me to join the conversation; that's why it's so loud."

 

In this case, above, I would just yell, "Yes, I can hear you LOUD and clear". 

 

Seriously, I would not got to just any staff person, I would talk to Security.  They are the only true enforcers of passenger conduct.  

 

I like the idea of keeping a copy of the Conduct Policy, too.

Along those lines, next time just pick your phone up to your ear as if you're on a call and facing the party, practically scream into the phone:  "Hi Julie, No.  Speak up.  I can hardly hear you because these rude people next to me are holding a loud conversation of speaker phone."  Depending on your "comfort level" and the situation you could add:

 

"They must be the product of bad parenting and never learned any manners or about consideration for others."  

 

or

 

"The must have been raised in a barn because they're sure acting like animals."

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, PWP-001 said:

 

RCI is charging a PREMIUM to eat in their specialty restaurants.  Along with that comes the expectation of a calm, dining experience. 

 

 

Referring to my earlier post #40 on this thread, I think you will win your battles but lose the war. I do not think RCI cares about policy if it comes before profits. Until cruisers stop cruising, buying premium Unlimited Drink and Dining packages, poor behavior will be tolerated.

 

Until corporate makes a strong internal statement to all concerned parties and follows it with financial incentives, nothing is going to happen. How many times have you read about staff actions or witnessed staff being afraid to confront customers for fear of not getting a "10" on their evaluations? Worse yet, they might get a are very specific complaint which management does not back the employee trying to enforce policy. Management wants the policies enforced unless until  affects them or their bottom-line. Chair hog policies are in place but corporate does not really care about them or there would be no chair hogs.

 

You are right, I would not tolerate teachers who are not enforcing policy in a fair and consistent manner.

 

Big difference, children are mandated to go to school. They have no choice and are at the mercy of the system they attend.

 

I voluntarily choose to cruise and at some point, might voluntarily stop If I do not think the total experience is worth my time and money. I have read my cruise documents and RCI has all of the power and I have few rights to appeal what I deem "an unfair action". In the end, if I am really dissatisfied, I stop cruising. Guess what? There are more than enough bodies to take my place, just look at the cruise price fares going up, capacities going up, drink prices going up, gratuities going up, ....you get my drift. RCI could care less if I never cruise with them again. They have all these new cruisers spending more money to take my place.

 

Again, please read my #40 post because we might be thinking the same way from different directions.  I want policies to be enforced. I just think the profits are now overtaking experienced cruisers' expectations.

 

Eventually, the cruise lines will need to decide whether they want me to continue cruising or transition my cabin to ill-behaved but higher profit cruisers. Unfortunately, I believe RCI will choose the latter.

 

[Ret MP]

I'm going to bring my Trombone, which I have no idea how to play, on board my future cruises and make aircraft fly by noises with it at all times of the day or night and in any/all venues.  It should be fun.  Civility be damned.  

 

BTW, that was posted in humor.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Ret MP

[cello56]

Maybe we should bring a sign paddle like they use on Game Shows and let the staff/manager know that their post cruise score is decreasing down to zero? Use a dry erase marker to label the top Chops Grill Survey Score and keep crossing it off and lowering the score? THAT might get their attention and action!

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

I'm going to bring my Trombone, which I have no idea how to play, on board my future cruises and make aircraft fly by noises with it at all times of the day or night and in any/all venues.  It should be fun.  Civility be damned.  

 

BTW, that was posted in humor.

You know how the 1930s gangsters used violin cases, my imagination runs wild over what you could pack into a trombone case. 😁🤣  I know nothing.(Hogan's Heros, Sargent Schultz.)

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

I'm going to bring my Trombone, which I have no idea how to play, on board my future cruises and make aircraft fly by noises with it at all times of the day or night and in any/all venues.  It should be fun.  Civility be damned.  

 

BTW, that was posted in humor.

 

I can see you at the security checkpoint:

 

"What's in the case?"

 

"A trombone."

 

"Do you play the trombone?"

 

"No, but with enough practice, maybe someday."

 

"Would you please come with us and tell us the real reason you are bringing a trombone aboard today?"

 

"Sometimes people annoy me with loud boom boxes and rude behavior onboard and this is my way of protesting their behaviors."

 

The two agents like Joe Friday and Frank Gannon on Dragnet stare at each other and dryly say, "That sound reasonable but please to not attempt to play it until you are onboard ship, have a nice day."

[paross4]

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

You know how the 1930s gangsters used violin cases, my imagination runs wild over what you could pack into a trombone case. 😁🤣  I know nothing.(Hogan's Heros, Sargent Schultz.)

Funny you should mention gangsters with violin cases.  I dressed as a gangster on a Halloween cruise two months ago.  I took my violin case for my "Chicago typewriter" but filled it with candy for the kids (and crew). They loved it.    However not many adults understood what the case was for (except one older guy from New York)  😉   Some others thought I was part of the ship's musical staff when I boarded with it....

Sorry to get off topic.    For the record, I think personal portable speakers should be kept turned way down low - or not used at all, in a public setting.

[SNemeth]

On 12/25/2022 at 10:36 AM, dsvd79 said:

I guess I am guilty of this.  I bring my portable speaker onto the balcony and relax.  I also play it in my room while I shower, and I bring it to the beach if someone else is with me.  Otherwise I listen to my pods.  

Think about the type of music you hate the most and consider how it would affect your enjoyment of the balcony you paid for if your neighbor played that music when you wanted to enjoy your balcony.  

[leisuretraveler223]

You're on a mass market cruise line cramming as many people on as possible. Don't kid yourself, this isn't some highbrow respite on the high seas. It's basically Mall of America of The Seas.  You want peace and quiet? Then Royal isn't really where you should be looking.  Getting all bent out of shape about this is silly. Do I like it when people play their own music on the pool deck? No. But it is what it is. Choosing to get worked up about it only impacts you, not them.  As far as cabanas go, yeah sorry, I'm going to enjoy myself. I'm not letting other people enjoying themselves take away from it.

 

[Ret MP]

16 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

You know how the 1930s gangsters used violin cases, my imagination runs wild over what you could pack into a trombone case. 😁🤣  I know nothing.(Hogan's Heros, Sargent Schultz.)

 

[Ret MP]

l used to bring my Bose Blue speaker with me on cruises, until it broke (power button wouldn't work, it was old).  I NEVER (except as stated below) used it on the balcony or in other public places, ONLY in my cabin and not loud enough to be heard in the next cabin.  Oh, and I'm a big Led Zeppelin, Boston, Aerosmith, CSNY, CCR etc., fan.  However, there was this one time that the people in the next cabin to us on one of my Rustbucket Cruise Lines cruises that played their music with the balcony door wide open, loudly.  Yes, it was a genre that I despise.  But, that had nothing to do with how annoyed I was about the lack of common decency/courtesy.  Well, I got my Bose out, put it on the balcony table, pointed it towards the cabin, and played opera music/singing very loudly.   The guy came out to his balcony, looked around the privacy wall, as I was smiling at him, he looked at me, shook, went back in and turned his music down.  

 

Having said that, I have a solution to this problem for those that like to play their music in public places loudly.  EARBUDS  EARBUDS  EARBUDS  EARBUDS  EARBUDS EARBUDS!!!!!!

[The Fun Researcher]

I once brought a small portable speaker onto the Celebrity Equinox summer of 2017.  I played it a couple of times on our balcony fairly loudly(Dance pop music like Pitbull), so that our friends next door could hear it while we were all getting ready for dinner.  The speaker fit under the balcony divider and our balcony doors were open.  If I offended anyone next to us I'm sorry about that.

 

This thread did a good job reminding me that we weren't being considerate to our neighbors in a couple of cases.  Hopefully it didn't end up bothering anyone. This is especially important because I'd probably be one of those people who WOULD confront someone else being obnoxious in a common area dominating the scene with their choice of music with a portable speaker. ☮️

Edited December 28, 2022 by The Fun Researcher

[Cruising89143]

Interesting topic. In October/early November we cruised on the Navigator, Freedom and Symphony. All three cruises were impacted by the fellow guests. We had six previous cruises on RCI this year with no issues.
 

On the Navigator we had a couple in Jamie’s located at the table directly behind us who questioned the server about taking complete meals “to go” as another couple had not made it to the restaurant. He said “no” as it was not possible. She then proceeded to FaceTime the other couple on the speaker phone to tell them to come to the restaurant. This became a long and loud conversation. After several glances to her she finally ended the call. Once the other couple showed up it was then a conversation of using certain comments including MF this and MF that. Then the two guys got into an argument on who was arrested last and the most. They had a very nice name for each other. 🙄 At that point we asked our server to finish and get us out. We were over it. 
 

On both the Freedom and Symphony out of Miami, we dealt with groups who refused to queue, crammed the elevators and hung around in loud groups and refused to move out of the way when blocking traffic. It got old. Fortunately we had none of this a few weeks ago on Celebrity. I feel bad for the crew due to the cruise lines not enforcing their code of conduct rules. Why confront a guest when corporate is not going to back you? Right now the cruise lines are in survival mode and anything goes as long as people pay to fill ships. I guess it’s just something that we have to deal with. We did add to the comments at the end of each cruise but I doubt that it mattered. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

34 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

I feel bad for the crew due to the cruise lines not enforcing their code of conduct rules. Why confront a guest when corporate is not going to back you? Right now the cruise lines are in survival mode and anything goes as long as people pay to fill ships. I guess it’s just something that we have to deal with.

This summarizes the idea of my multiple posts on this thread. We either deal with it or stop cruising on RCI. At this time, I will keep cruising but the threshold of when I stop will be getting closer with reports like yours. You are not alone in your evaluation of the situation and I have three cruises planned next year. The results might be a breaking point for future reservations if they reflect your experiences. Thank you for a well balanced, thoughtful post.