Carnivalization of Celebrity??

[RDC1]

It is starting to sound like Celebrity has decided that its main competition or atleast its source of ideas is NCL. The increasing number of added cost dining venues, the enhanced benefits for suites, the pervasive nature of higher volume techno music throughout the ship, all remind me of a recent cruise on NCL.

[Germancruiser]

I have absolutley to agree with the OP- I had the same, the exactly same experience on board Eclipse a year ago. Loud music everywhere, in the Atrium- the band wouldn´t have been so bad, but it was just by far to loud! Also around the pool, not a quite spot on the whole of the ship. After all I hear or better read here on cruise critic, that the problem seemed a bit better- if its for the worse- I will surly go back to Cunard for good!

[lilghallinsf]

I so wonder the age of these passengers who hate the music. It is becoming amusing.

[Germancruiser]

THAT is not a question of " age " just of taste. Amusing- nice that some people can get so easyly amused!

[patty1955]

I so wonder the age of these passengers who hate the music. It is becoming amusing.

I'm 58. I like most types of music other than opera. When you got far enough away to be able to hear music rather than just noise, it was actually pretty good. Just VERY, VERY LOUD music.

[teecee60]

Am I the only one that finds it hard to imagine that a Cruise Director would do this? Doesn't really sound like supporting the crowd that has always been there for them.

 

" During the course of this the Cruise Director made it very clear that if the loyal, traditional Celebrity customer did not like this direction, they should find another line to cruise "

 

If celebrity continues their current course of music on board, I most probably WILL go elsewhere.

 

If the corporate office thinks they can fill their ships with 30 year olds listening to the group Dope "performing" the "song" "Die Mother Die" let 'em try. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

I'm sure that was the posters opinion, how based in fact it was rather than his own perceptions, no one knows.

 

I'm sure it WAS the posters opinion... and it is most DEFINITELY based in FACT.

 

I have experienced the exact same thing on Reflection, Silhouette, and Constellation. :(

 

The music on Celebrity is my ONE AND *O*N*L*Y* complaint. It is QUITE often, way too loud and COMPLETELY inappropriate for the age demographic that is on their ships NOW.

 

They have already canned the "Quasar" disco because it was basically EMPTY every single night. 10-20 people AT MOST. And now they are doing the EXACT same thing to the Sky Lounge on Reflection, by turning it into another Quasar. (with exactly the same results, every single night, never more than 20 people)

 

If you ask the CD, or Managers at Sunset or Martini Bars or DJ at Sky Lounge, they give the exact same answer... music and volume set by "Corporate Office"

[lilghallinsf]

What I find amusing, is how serious it is all taken. If you don't like the music in that location, go somewhere else, and I really don't mean that disrespectful, though I do understand how it can be considered that. And by the way, I don't like loud music and I am 48. I don't go to bars or restaurants that I feel or too loud, so I do understand the issue. I just feel that I read am awful lot of complaints from people about celebrity moving in a new direction or toward more current music. It reminds me of every generations complaint of the next generations music. Things must move forward and I think if it is really a problem for someone maybe they should consider an older more sedate cruise line

Edited March 4, 2014 by lilghallinsf

[Lois R]

I usually love the Martini Bar....I was there for the first few days

of my recent CENTURY cruise. Unfortunetly the music started to

become so loud I just couldn't stand it:eek:.....I was sitting with

friends and ended up YELLING TO HEAR EACH OTHER.....it is a

MARTINI BAR, NOT A DANCE CLUB.....I guess they don't care.

For those folks who say go find another venue? I did:eek::(...I missed

the Martini Bar though....it was just too uncomfortable being in

there.

[waterbug123]

To make a REAL decision on the policy, it's best to understand the onboard spending of the new incoming generation versus the long time cruisers. I suspect the incoming generation has a higher spend, thus delivers higher profit margins,

 

Ding, ding, ding.... we have a winner!

 

EVERY decision made by Celebrity or any other cruise line is ultimately about money. If they are changing the music, you can bet it comes back to money. Maybe they've done some trial and error and found higher spending at the martini bar when the atrium music is loud, or maybe they've looked at the spending of various demographics and found, as cle-guy suggests, that the incoming generation spends more onboard on average.

 

Now before someone replies to tell me "we're in our 60's and we always spend blah, blah, blah" just understand that all any of us have are our own personal anecdotal experiences and somewhat limited observations. There are folks in their 70's who spend a ton onboard, and folks in their 30's who spend little. But Celebrity has actual data that tells them what this group spends ON AVERAGE or what that one spends. If they are trying to attract a younger demographic, it's either because they spend more already and/or Celebrity wants to hook them for the next 20-30 years so maintain a customer base when the 60 and 70 year olds move into nursing homes and stop cruising.

 

Whether they have factual data that shows a link between the music and younger pax, or are just stereotyping that that's the music younger folks want, or they see a link between the music and higher spend in general, I can't say. But one way or another it comes back to money.

 

Now having said all of that, here's my .02 on the atrium and pool music last week on Reflection. I am 48, my BF is 58. We were with a big group but hung out mostly with a few couples in late 40's to mid 50's:

 

Pool music: We spent no time at the pool. We stayed in the alcoves, which were booked solid by the way. During the day, we enjoy the relative quiet up there, the guaranteed seating, and the shade. Only ventured to the pool deck once in the late afternoon to get in the hot tub and didn't notice any loud music at that point.

 

Atrium music: During the day, we didn't notice loud music, although there were various demonstrations from time to time etc. with folks talking on microphone that obviously would have been heard in the library etc. At night, there was music, but personally I never noticed it being so loud as to be bothersome. Was it loud at times? Absolutely, and sometimes it was loud in the martini bar when we were trying to converse, but I kind of liked that it made the whole place feel alive. If the music at night bothered someone sitting in the library or hideaway trying to read a book, I would suggest that maybe 10pm isn't really the appropriate time to be searching for peace and quiet in a public area anyway.

 

For some reason studies have been done in the restaurant industry that have concluded that higher volume means people tend to drink more - therefore they sell more alcohol. Maybe they drink more at that point, but that kind of noise volume will help kill the hearing of their staff and customers. If they contribute to the hearing loss of people in their 30's & 40's, then they will loose them by their late 50's because at any age, our personal loud speakers (our ears) aren't any happier than mechanical speakers which ODed. Is this what they want?

 

If Celebrity thinks they are attracting a more exclusive, high spending crowd with loud music, why are people wanting to go to smaller, quieter dining rooms?

 

There are plenty of people sailing Celebrity who are in their 40's 50's and 60's -the group folks seem to observe as being Celebrity's current mainstay demographic- who subjected themselves to plenty of loud music in nightclubs and discos when they were younger, and probably have some hearing loss as a result. Yet here they are, going on cruises. If Celebrity is going in the direction of loud music, you can bet this is or will become typical of the other mass market lines. If the older pax leave, they'll be replaced with new ones, who likely spend more money. If those pax still want to cruise, they'll have to decide on a cruise line on some basis other than music. Either way, Celebrity and the other lines will continue to fill their ships. They don't really care who the pax are, as long as the money comes in.

 

As for the dining comment... good grief! Just because a pax may like loud music doesn't mean they want it 24/7.

[gold1953]

I have only been bothered by loud music once on Celebrity... while standing in line for customs and it was too loud and banging to be able to have a conversation . All it did was upset the several hundred folks standing and waiting.

 

I can't see Celebrity making more money selling cruises with beverage packages to younger folks... sooooo if the music is too loud to carry on a conversation the folks can just drink and there goes the profit on the drink package. Younger folks eat more as well . Oh, then Celebrity will need to replace there real dishes with plastic just like RCCL. There will be more upchuck to clean up...I saw that on the Oasis. They even had to empty the big Jacuzzi because someone upchucked there too.

 

I am 60 and enjoy background music and have lived long enough to understand how loud music damages hearing.

[glenneagle]

I too was at the cruise critic meeting.Alex was extremely rude and said we were not the new modern luxury demographic Celebrity was looking for, but looking around the room of almost 100 people,I did not see the 40 to 50 demographic they are hoping to attract.

The music was so loud I bought ear plugs in San juan to use at the pool.I have never spent so much time in my cabin,but it was the only quiet spot.Miami DJs were just not my cup of tea.Oceania here we come.

[dkjretired]

I so wonder the age of these passengers who hate the music. It is becoming amusing.

 

Just to point out that in making these changes they have taken away some of the things that us older people have always liked and sailed on Celebrity to enjoy. I have varied music on my IPHONE that would probably shock you coming from someone in their 60s, again it was taking away what we enjoyed.

[dln929]

I feel compelled to add to this thread because we too were on this sailing and I pretty well agree with what everyone is saying about it.

 

I have read many threads on this forum complaining about the loud music and put most of opinions down to exaggeration as it was never anything we experienced in our three years of sailing with X. However, I must add that we sail Europe--this was only our second time on an X Caribbean cruise and the first was a Christmas cruise which of course has a rather specialized passenger base and focus.

 

This cruise was LOUD. Like noise pollution loud. Now I adore music. Nothing makes me happier than to listen to it, dance to it, converse by it...but this sailing had a volume level to the point of ridiculousness. And there was no escape from it. It leaked all over the ship. We felt like we were being assaulted by it.

 

This was the first X cruise that left me exhausted. We will stick to Mediterranean cruises from now on because we didn't find the Caribbean with X very relaxing.

[GaryfmCol]

What I need to know, that NO ONE has EVER explained to me,

is WHY, OH WHY,

does the music have to be so

 

LOUD?

Where we live, outside Denver is an amphitheater, 2 miles away.

On summer nights we can hear the music at our house.

 

Once, I remember Jimmy Buffet over there, saying:

"Let's wake up the neighbors!"

 

Funny? I don't think so.. :mad:

I have had no respect for him since hearing that!

 

[patty1955]

If you don't like the music in that location, go somewhere else, and I really don't mean that disrespectful, though I do understand how it can be considered that.

You're either missing the point or haven't been on Reflection. There was no "somewhere else" except you cabin. It radiated from the 3rd floor to the 14th. All the common areas, except the Sky Lounge which had private functions.

And to the person who said 10:00 at night, you shouldn't use the library; the music started at 7:00

[Algebralovr]

I find this interesting, particularly since it is such a different situation than we found on the Equinox Fen 10-21.

 

Last year, on Reflection, we did find the music in the martini bar too loud - loud enough that a couple of times the waiter couldn't hear us to take our order. We asked for it to be turned down, so that we could hear the person next to us, and it was for a short time.

 

This year on Equinox, the music was background music. There was music in the atrium a number of times, for about 45 minutes at a time, and it could be heard up the column each time, but didn't seem as overpowering as some cruise have been. There was music by the pool a number of times, but it was not offensive as you indicate. The guitar playing soloist was nice when he played at various places, as was a duet.

 

I wonder what the difference was?

 

Can anyone who has been on either the Eclipse with the 14-night sailings or the Sillouette tell us how those ships were?

 

Of course, if we don't like the noise, we usually just go find another location. We've been known to hang out in the back of the Oceanview at night with our books, having a drink every now and then.

[miched]

What I need to know, that NO ONE has EVER explained to me,

is WHY, OH WHY,

does the music have to be so

 

LOUD?

Where we live, outside Denver is an amphitheater, 2 miles away.

On summer nights we can hear the music at our house.

 

Once, I remember Jimmy Buffet over there, saying:

"Let's wake up the neighbors!"

 

Funny? I don't think so.. :mad:

I have had no respect for him since hearing that!

 

 

 

Many, many years ago some acquaintances went to a Deep Purple concert. I asked after how was it. Answer was "It was fantastic, they really played loud"

I guess that is all that matters, make it so loud so the distortion overcomes lack of talent. Kind of like using red paint to make any old barn look good.

 

🌊🚢🇺🇸

[Christine Frances]

Could this just be a Caribbean sailing Miami decision? We just got off the Millie (28 days) in Asia and we loved the music. Pre dinner at the Martini Bar we listened every evening to a jazz/pop singer/guitarist who also entertained at the sunset bar. The pool band was great but we were disappointed that they only played 45 min sets lol. Last summer in Europe the Eclipse and Silhouette had great music at "normal" levels. I haven't sailed the Caribbean in years so maybe that is why we haven't run into loud music.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[waterbug123]

I can't see Celebrity making more money selling cruises with beverage packages to younger folks...

 

There are really two possibilities here:

1. Celebrity has data that shows that younger folks spend MORE on average when they are onboard. Mabye it's specialty restaurants, or spa visits or excursions or whatever, but they have data that shows this so are trying to attract more and more younger pax to maximize that higher spend.

 

2. Celebrity wants to hook a generation of cruisers who will continue with them long after the current folks have moved on.

 

3. Or actually, and more likely, it's a combination of the two. They see a generation of younger cruisers who aren't hung up on "how it used to be when everything was included" and thus don't mind paying a lot for a la carte items, AND figure that if they hook them now, they can build a loyalty and allegiance that will last for decades to come, long after the current "senior" crop of loyal pax can no longer cruise.

[dln929]

Could this just be a Caribbean sailing Miami decision? We just got off the Millie (28 days) in Asia and we loved the music. Pre dinner at the Martini Bar we listened every evening to a jazz/pop singer/guitarist who also entertained at the sunset bar. The pool band was great but we were disappointed that they only played 45 min sets lol. Last summer in Europe the Eclipse and Silhouette had great music at "normal" levels. I haven't sailed the Caribbean in years so maybe that is why we haven't run into loud music.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

You know, I wonder the same thing too. As I said in an earlier post, we've never, ever run across the obnoxious volume of music on any other X sailing we've ever been on but then again our experience of the Caribbean is really limited. We've always been happy with the music on X just like you so this has us baffled. What a way to "enjoy" the Caribbean.

 

To anyone who says "oh why didn't you go somewhere else quiet if you didn't like the noise level" -- that's just the thing. There was NO place to escape it. Even the on the lawn, which has always been our traditional "hiding" spot for solitude, you could hear the music wafting up loud and clear. The Reflection is not a ship for anyone who thinks a cruise should be about a little bit of Rest & Relaxation. The energy level was frenetic. Mind you, I love frenetic but not all the time!!!

[dashel]

I am 33 and hate loud music, it is one of the reasons that I don't cruise on RCI as the loud music around the pool gave us a head ache. I like it that X is quieter and has classical music (although not enough IMHO). Not all youngish People want loud music and if we did I would only want to dance to it and not relax by the pool.

 

We have booked a lovely cabin and did get the drinks Package with it but unlike some of the older cruisers we don't do a lot or any of the organised trips. I really hope that our next cruise is nice and quiet as we go to relax not party.

[rhblake]

We are Elite Plus and sailed on the Century in Dec 2013 and could not have drinks at the Martini Bar, even though many nights we were the only 2 people there, because the music was so loud. We talked to the Bar Manager who said he could do nothing to lower the volume of the music; we talked to the Food & Beverage Manager who said he could do nothing to lower the volume of the music. Both managers indicated that the sound level was set at the direction of headquarters in Miami. We were lucky because Michael’s Club is next to the Martini Bar and we would order our drinks at the Martini Bar and take into Michael’s Club to drink them before the loud music started in there.

 

We then sailed, with friends we see once a year, on the Eclipse in January 2014 and experienced the same loud music the Martini Bar. We tried other venues but had the same problem, loud music so that we could not carry on a conversation among the 4 of us, without shouting. Ultimately we moved to the Sky Lounge where the volume of the music was reasonable and we could at least talk with and hear each other.

 

It is not that we don’t like or enjoy the music being played, it’s that it is played too loud.

 

We have booked our next cruise on Princess and hopefully they have not decided to pump-up the volume!

[helen haywood]

How about at the Sunset Bar? That's where my DH and I spend most of our time (he smokes.) We're sailing on the Reflection's TA in April.....

[Raven17]

We are new to cruising (see feeble experience below) and have mixed feelings about the direction Celebrity appears to be taking. Some folks on the Silhouette in January related that Celebrity was leaning towards a younger demographic.

 

One of the cons for us (53/55 years old) is that we spent dinners with new people every night on our first cruise. We met 30 new people! In every case these folks were older than us (60 to 95) and in every case they were awesome company. I guess this should be expected from people who are seeking to dine with others. I mean why ask to eat with others and then not be open to good conversation? If the older demographic takes their business elsewhere, that would be unfortunate. We will miss our older dinner mates!

 

But, later in the evenings when my wife and I were going to the disco and dance and have a few drinks, it seemed hard for the entertainment crew to get enough younger and middle-aged people to keep the party going.

 

The selfish part of me would like to see more folks in the 30-60 age range, but the nicest people we met were the oldest.

 

So, can we dine with older folks and party with middle-aged people....lol

 

Those of you who frequent large all-inclusives in Mexico, Cuba, DM etc will note how the dynamics of the resorts change from 900PM on. The older folks (for the most part) head for quiet bars and lounge areas and the younger ones get dressed up and head for the disco and party scene. If the resort is structured properly then it works for everyone. Also, in the day there are often official or unofficial quiet pools and areas. We really like the options, depending on whether we are feeling young or old...lol

 

I don't have the experience to know whether a cruise ship can successfully create that dynamic that would please all demographics.

[pattyj 1204]

I really hate to say this but on our recent cruise on the Solstice, we were disappointed in the noise level. The music at different venues was extremely loud. Even sitting in the library, where it should be fairly quiet, was loud with music from the 3rd floor foyer. We even commented to the maître's that the music in the MDR was too loud and annoying to allow for dinner conversation. So sad when I think back to our first cruise on the Summit and the quiet elegance we noted there. Not anymore.