Are the connecting cabins noisey?

[SAS21]

Wondering if connecting cabins are noisy? Sailing on Harmony I saw a couple comments on cruisedecks.com that the connecting wall is very thin. We have a connecting booked and now I am a little concerned. There are no other balcony cabins available.

 

[time4u2go]

Yes, they can be noisy.  I would avoid them if possible.

[sailor05]

It's not the walls, but the connecting doors that allow noise to get through. You can hear basically everything that's going on in the other room. Hopefully you end up with quiet neighbors! White noise apps for your phone can help with it.

[soremekun]

I read somewhere (but haven't tried it) that putting a towel along the width of the base of the door helps keep some sound out.

[Coochuck]

I avoid connecting rooms at all costs.  My son had a room when he was on a cruise with us, and the person next to him was up all night talking loudly on conference calls of some sorts.

[Starry Eyes]

If your neighbor is rude/noisy, you will be able to hear them even if your cabin does not connect.  I do try to pick non-connecting cabins when reasonably possible, but I’ll pick a well located connecting cabin over poorly located non-connecting cabin. And we sometimes book gty, and may be assigned connecting cabins.  We roll with it.

 

I have had more noisy neighbors in non-connecting cabins than in connecting cabins.  Perhaps people in connecting cabins tend to be more aware that their noise might impact a neighbor…if they don’t bother you, maybe you will return the favor.

 

Since you cannot trade don’t sweat it.  I think Harmony’s connecting door location is also better than on some ships.

 

Always assume you will have a crying baby or noisy person next door when packing for a cruise.  Pack earplugs and have a white noise app.  Be happy if you do not need them.
 

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Starry Eyes

[smokeybandit]

The only time I was in a connecting room I couldn't hear our neighbors any more than a regular room. 

[moposh]

I was in a room with connecting door on Explorer.  I did notice a little noise from door, but it wasn't awful.  If someone was really noisy, it would be worse.  It would not be my first choice, but I wouldn't avoid if it was a cruise I wanted to do.

[goldfish65]

I know I have read that the cabin steward will run tape around the door. I would be inclined to bring a roll of foam tape that’s made for that purpose and do it myself. 

[Ret MP]

I've never noticed a noise problem in any of the connecting cabins that we've had.  It's the balconies that give me the biggest problem, well once really.  The people next to us used to leave the balcony door open and play their music, a kind of music that I can't stand, loudly, very loudly.  We couldn't sit on the balcony and enjoy the sounds of the ocean while they were in their cabin.  I complained to them, no change.  I complained to Customer Service, a few times, and they sent someone to the cabin, a few times, but nothing changed.  So, I now take a Bose speaker with me and I have the most awful music I can think of just for this type of issue.  Fortunately, I haven't had to do it.  

[bonsai3s]

17 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

I know I have read that the cabin steward will run tape around the door. I would be inclined to bring a roll of foam tape that’s made for that purpose and do it myself. 

We did this many years ago...booked a connecting cabin...I wasn't paying attention, my mistake.

 

The connecting door  had a gap on the bottom and we could hear our neighbors.

 

We rolled a towel and placed it over the gap...maintenance then came and added tape all the way around the door (even over the towel)...problem solved.

[cruisemiser1]

Depends on the ship and your neighbors. We were in a connecting balcony on the Ovation OTS and didn't hear a peep from them the entire week or from anyone else for that matter. There were 2 connecting doors, one in each cabin so I think that might have helped with noise suppression.

[steveru621]

23 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Yes, they can be noisy.  I would avoid them if possible.

 

22 hours ago, Coochuck said:

I avoid connecting rooms at all costs.  My son had a room when he was on a cruise with us, and the person next to him was up all night talking loudly on conference calls of some sorts.

 

Agreed!

 

We have had two, and both were horrible.  I won't ever book a connecting cabin again.

[lenquixote66]

23 hours ago, SAS21 said:

Wondering if connecting cabins are noisy? Sailing on Harmony I saw a couple comments on cruisedecks.com that the connecting wall is very thin. We have a connecting booked and now I am a little concerned. There are no other balcony cabins available.

 

We were on a cruise next cabin to a family with little kids.Much to our surprise it was not noisy at all.

[sjb317]

We are currently on Wonder in an inside, non connecting cabin on deck 12.  This is the noisiest cabin I have ever experienced. People on both sides of us are very noisy,and begin talking, slamming doors early in the morning.  Hallways are noisy, people shouting, slamming doors, etc.  The ultimate noise though is coming from the kids club which is right above us.  It sounds like a herd of elephants running a marathon that starts about 9am and continues off and on throughout the day until 930 pm.  We are spending very little time in our cabin.😂

 

Sherri🙂

[AC Stew]

Unless you have incredibly quiet and considerate neighbours on the other side of an interior connecting door, YES, you will be disturbed by noise. We never take an adjoining hotel room or ship's cabin.

[Miloomar]

On 9/20/2023 at 4:16 PM, SAS21 said:

Wondering if connecting cabins are noisy? Sailing on Harmony I saw a couple comments on cruisedecks.com that the connecting wall is very thin. We have a connecting booked and now I am a little concerned. There are no other balcony cabins available.

 

I don't know why anyone who doesnt need connecting rooms would book a connecting room... it's very inconsiderate since it lowers the availability for people who actually need connecting rooms. 

[Jetdriver787]

56 minutes ago, Miloomar said:

I don't know why anyone who doesnt need connecting rooms would book a connecting room... it's very inconsiderate since it lowers the availability for people who actually need connecting rooms. 

I suspect a lot of it is “GTY” allocation, or cruisers unfamiliar or unconcerned with the layouts and deck plans? 

[BirdTravels]

On 9/20/2023 at 4:16 PM, SAS21 said:

Wondering if connecting cabins are noisy? Sailing on Harmony I saw a couple comments on cruisedecks.com that the connecting wall is very thin. We have a connecting booked and now I am a little concerned. There are no other balcony cabins available.

 

Unless you are sitting there with your ear against the door listening to see how much fun your neighbors are having, you won't notice it. We have had a lot of connecting rooms and never had problems. There are no need to be concerned. And definitely no reason to downgrade to an inside room,,, heaven forbid. 

[Miloomar]

13 hours ago, Jetdriver787 said:

I suspect a lot of it is “GTY” allocation, or cruisers unfamiliar or unconcerned with the layouts and deck plans?

GTY cabins aren't assigned months in advance though. But cruisers who are "unconcerned" are just plain rude and inconsiderate to those who need them. Royal should require people who book connecting cabins to book both cabins or at least pop up with a warning to those people who are too dumb to notice. 

[cruisegirl1]

15 hours ago, Miloomar said:

I don't know why anyone who doesnt need connecting rooms would book a connecting room... it's very inconsiderate since it lowers the availability for people who actually need connecting rooms. 

We've been assigned connecting cabins when booking a GTY cabin.  These days connecting are often more money than non-connecting, so if I am selecting a cabin, I would never pay more for a connecting cabin unless I needed one.  

 

I've never been bothered by any noise from the other side of the wall.  

M

 

[Jetdriver787]

11 minutes ago, Miloomar said:

GTY cabins aren't assigned months in advance though. But cruisers who are "unconcerned" are just plain rude and inconsiderate to those who need them. Royal should require people who book connecting cabins to book both cabins or at least pop up with a warning to those people who are too dumb to notice. 

Every ”GTY” we ever had, has indeed been assigned “months in advance,” so that assertion isn’t correct. 
 

Just as with hotels, a lot of people aren’t unduly concerned if their assigned room has an adjoining door to the next room. For many people the strategic location of a room to elevators or facilities is of greater importance. 

 

For bookings made later in the offer cycle, it might well be the case ( and often is,) that only adjoining cabins are available to book within a category, as they are usually the least popular with travellers who don’t need them, save for the reasons given above. 

It’s a rather blinkered viewpoint to suggest anyone booking one is being “rude” or “inconsiderate.” Personally, I would  avoid them like the plague (hotel rooms too,) but that isn’t always possible.

[Wivian]

We were upgraded to a boardwalk balcony connecting cabin. 
I heard “loud and clear” which shelf is for the shirts and which for pants, when the father explained it to his son in the other cabin. 
We sleep with earplugs anyway, so I have no idea what I would have heard at night time. 
 

I wouldn’t choose a connecting cabin. 

[bouhunter]

On 9/22/2023 at 8:49 AM, Miloomar said:

GTY cabins aren't assigned months in advance though. But cruisers who are "unconcerned" are just plain rude and inconsiderate to those who need them. Royal should require people who book connecting cabins to book both cabins or at least pop up with a warning to those people who are too dumb to notice. 

Wow......

[motheroftwocats814]

I have had connecting cabins and never really heard anything.

On the other hand I have been on a few cruises that I have heard doors slamming, drawers closing etc. those were not connecting rooms.

Our upcoming sailing on WOTS is in a BW balcony that is connecting. I chose it because of the location.

I am a very sound sleeper so not much bothers me.