Amplified music is too loud

It has seemed to us that the sound at shows in the Vista Lounge is generally too loud. Confirmed again a few months ago on the Oosterdam. I remember thinking "granted that we are all old, but they must think that we are all deaf too and with our hearing aids turned off". Oddly enough, while walking up the aisle I overheard someone saying "it was so loud I had to turn my hearing aid off".

It was much worse in the Queen's Lounge for the B.B.King shows. They were so amped up that all the instruments just ran together, and the singers had to shout to be heard. The irony is that B.B.King's music was quite spare, with individual lines and notes.

Did you talk with the CD or the front desk, or the hotel manager and ask to have the sound turned down? Might have helped as have seen this done on more than 1 cruise.

We've had the same issue at the Seaview Bar and pool area on the Nordstrom. Several of us repeatedly asked the CD/DJ to please turn the volume down. When he didn't, we did a little "self help", if you know what I mean.

Also, it seems that a lot of music played is current or rock, and very little that is geared to the demographics of must of HAL's ships. Again, I mentioned this to the CD, but it appears the crew plays music they like, rather than what the passengers might enjoy.

We've had the same issue at the Seaview Bar and pool area on the Nordstrom. Several of us repeatedly asked the CD/DJ to please turn the volume down. When he didn't, we did a little "self help", if you know what I mean.

 

Also, it seems that a lot of music played is current or rock, and very little that is geared to the demographics of must of HAL's ships. Again, I mentioned this to the CD, but it appears the crew plays music they like, rather than what the passengers might enjoy.

The BB King music is so loud that it actually hurts. We left the one and only performance we attended after ten minutes. They were very good, mind you, but so very loud.

The BB King music is so loud that it actually hurts. We left the one and only performance we attended after ten minutes. They were very good, mind you, but so very loud.

I was really looking forward to BB King on our Westerdam cruise this winter, but just walking by, I could tell it would be way too loud for me. For the production shows, we sat on the bar stools way at the back where the volume wasn't painful.

On our Maasdam cruise several years ago, one production show was so loud that I walked out. I wandered into the Ocean Bar and listened to the Neptunes. When their set was over, I talked to the leader and said how much I enjoyed the music and now nice it was not to have amplified music. He said, "We're amplified. But I know how to control and balance it." Ocean bar and the Neptunes became my after-dinner entertainment.

I was disappointed that the Neptunes weren't on board the Westerdam this winter. I guess it was because of BB King. The Hellcats sang in the Ocean bar, but forget that! Screechy and over-amped.

Note to fans of LOUD music: Medicare does not cover hearing aids. My hearing is excellent and I'd like to keep it that way into my dotage.

I have asked many times to turn down the sound but it falls on deaf ears, they must spend to much time in the lounge. I find that it is so loud that I feel the beat in my chest and it hurts. It has been years since I have enjoyed a show.

DH complains of the music being too loud and has worn ear plugs for years. Whenever the music cranks up, he sticks the plugs in! He's less affected by the volume with the plugs. Just a suggestion for those who might find the shows/bands too loud.

It's not just ships. Every band I ever hear has the music way to loud. I can't understand this. I'm 54 so it's not like I'm so old that I can't appreciate music. Thankfully the bb King band wasn't uber loud on my NA cruise.

On the Noordam last month, I mentioned to the CD that the music was too loud, causing the singers to have to scream over it, and the next show was more reasonable. I had this problem last year on the Prinsendam, in the show lounge and throughout the ship, and nothing was done. Also, while we were going through the Kiel Canal, the commentary was turned up so loud in all the public areas I could hardly stand it (and with a fan drying out our room, I couldn't go there). Some of the speakers were even overdriven to the point you couldn't understand. I don't get it. (BTW, not just me... by the back pool, some people had their hands over their ears.)

I agree with all of you who say the sounds are too loud! My solution is to not attend the shows and to comment about the audio discomfort on my evaluations. Maybe if ALL of us put our complaint in writing we will get somewhere with it.

The BB King music is so loud that it actually hurts. We left the one and only performance we attended after ten minutes. They were very good, mind you, but so very loud.

I was on the same cruise as you and agree the BBKing music was way too loud. :eek: I also could not attend for the whole show.

We haven't been to a show in years -- way too loud music.

Also we walked by the Queens Lounge one time when the BB King group was playing and we could hear them before we even got near the lounge. I told my DH that we will have to remember to walk in all other directions if we don't want to lose our hearing.

I agree with all of you who say the sounds are too loud! My solution is to not attend the shows and to comment about the audio discomfort on my evaluations. Maybe if ALL of us put our complaint in writing we will get somewhere with it.

 

 

You may have a good point. I'll remember that the next cruise.

It's not the volume of the music that irritates me, but rather the type. I've heard complaints on HAL that they need to play music from the 40s and 50s. I would rather hear current music. I think EDM would go over big on HAL. Hey HAL, play some Steve Aoki, Skrillex, or Deadmou5. That string quartet is so boring.

It's not the volume of the music that irritates me, but rather the type. I've heard complaints on HAL that they need to play music from the 40s and 50s. I would rather hear current music. I think EDM would go over big on HAL. Hey HAL, play some Steve Aoki, Skrillex, or Deadmou5. That string quartet is so boring.

There are several music venues on most of the HAL ships. They don't all have to play the same genre of music. Actually, it would be better if they didn't!

There's nothing wrong with having Adagio, and that style of music in one venue. A good duo draws crowds at night. There's no reason to get rid of them, nor to sit and listen if that's not your preference.

I would love it if there were still one lounge that played 40's & 50's music, but that seems to have vanished from every HAL playlist. Once in a while some selections are played in the Ocean Bar, but that's no longer the customary style.

If what you hear in Northern Lights isn't current, it's darned close to it.

Even what you hear in the Piano Bar/Piano Lounge/Mix has moved up a generation (or two) from what was played just a few years ago.

HAL needs to play to its audience, and that audience is a little older than what's current.

I agree that the music is often too loud. Saw one show on the Amsterdam where you could not even hear the singer over the band. Terrible. I have commented on the sound both while on the ship and when I do my reviews but they evidently think we are all deaf ... which we soon might be if we have to listen to most of the band music. I have gotten up and left if my ears start to hurt.

Susan

The Noordam had Recycled Percussion on board during our last cruise and earplugs were available as well as drum sticks for the audience to play along. The magnified drums, metal ladders, and trash cans with a single electric guitar music was very loud (It is hard to play Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix, '60's, and 70's music without being loud). The last five minutes of their performance had the audience on their feet cheering as they relived their younger rock concert years.

From my seat in the back row, I witnessed only a handful of folks leave and the rest of the full house enjoyed the experience.

Music volume should match the type of music. Unfortunately, on some occasions it matches the whim of the stage director/performer.

I noticed that with some shows on the Veendam last November that the music was too loud and I'm in my early 40's! This time I'm taking my ear plugs and a decibel meter. That way I can show the front desk that, yes this many decibels is equivalent to an airplane taking off. Hopefully I won't have to complain on the Westerdam in a few weeks.

Agree! Too loud!

We carry our age with us and never see ourselves as what the world sees in case anyone missed that but...

You all realize that you're proving that adage of if the music is too loud, you're too old.

Really.

I noticed that with some shows on the Veendam last November that the music was too loud and I'm in my early 40's! This time I'm taking my ear plugs and a decibel meter. That way I can show the front desk that, yes this many decibels is equivalent to an airplane taking off. Hopefully I won't have to complain on the Westerdam in a few weeks.

I checked the sound levels using a decibel meter. (If you have a smartphone, you have a sound meter. You just need to figure out how to access it.) Even from the first row, the BB King show didn’t approach lawn mower levels (90 dB) . The sound topped out at around 77 dB. (Vacuum cleaner or shouting.)

While I was prepared to summon a thunderstorm of "You're making us deaf!" righteous indignation, it turns out that - yes - I am a geezer. ;)

You all realize that you're proving that adage of if the music is too loud, you're too old.

Not too old to enjoy good music at a decent sound level.

Really.

We carry our age with us and never see ourselves as what the world sees in case anyone missed that but...

 

You all realize that you're proving that adage of if the music is too loud, you're too old.

 

Really.

As the great rock group KISS says, "If it's too loud, you're too old." And the band members are in their mid 60's.

Agreed, too loud in the show lounge. I have commented multiple times on post cruise surveys, with no apparent impact. And it isn't just on a ship....often, elsewhere, where live music is performed. I now bring & use ear plugs, in an attempt to make the best of volume which is too loud, and which does a dis-service to both the performers and the audience.

On nearly all cruises I have been on (with different cruise lines) I have had to turn my hearing aids off while in the theatre