Sound Level in Crooners, Wheelhouse

[Tedferg]

We just completed Northbound Alaska from Vancouver on Coral. Great cruise however the 'entertainer' volume in Crooners and Wheelhouse was way too loud. We like the music but also like to chat among our group and with new cruise friends. I don't see the need for speakers in every corner with the volume turned way up. I made comments on Cruise Review about this, is there another way to suggest they remove speakers in outer areas of these venues ?

[Coral]

How was Adventure Bound? Welcome back! 

 

I agree - sound is often too loud.

Edited June 10, 2019 by Coral

[Tedferg]

22 minutes ago, Coral said:

How was Adventure Bound? Welcome back! 

 

I agree - sound is often too loud.

Adventure Bound was superb, I was just about to email you 🙂 There was a tremendous calving at the Glacier. Icebergs are very different from sea level instead of six or seven decks up !

[Coral]

Yes they are!!!

 

I have a friend getting on Coral Princess Wednesday. I couldn't talk her into AdventureBound.

 

I love that color of blue!

[Thrak]

When there is an actual entertainer I don't mind the noise. However, I really dislike the "ambient music" they tend to play. It's really hard to find a nice quiet place to read or just relax. We also really (really!) find the band in the theater to be way too loud. I complained about that (again) in the survey and also complained (again) about the way they shine bright white lights into the faces of the audience in the theater. Who the heck decided that was a good idea?

[Shmoo here]

23 minutes ago, Thrak said:

When there is an actual entertainer I don't mind the noise. However, I really dislike the "ambient music" they tend to play. It's really hard to find a nice quiet place to read or just relax. We also really (really!) find the band in the theater to be way too loud. I complained about that (again) in the survey and also complained (again) about the way they shine bright white lights into the faces of the audience in the theater. Who the heck decided that was a good idea?

I TOTALLY agree.  I can't watch the performance once they start flashing those lights in my face.  I have to close my eyes and look away.

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, Thrak said:

When there is an actual entertainer I don't mind the noise. However, I really dislike the "ambient music" they tend to play. It's really hard to find a nice quiet place to read or just relax. We also really (really!) find the band in the theater to be way too loud. I complained about that (again) in the survey and also complained (again) about the way they shine bright white lights into the faces of the audience in the theater. Who the heck decided that was a good idea?

And I thought I was the only one they were trying to annoy. 😄

[Steelers36]

We are finishing up a Baltic cruise on Regal.  It seems that the emphasis has ramped up now on using the Piazza for every imaginable entertainment, including the house band.  So, it gets very loud - to the point that you feel like you are in a noisy bar when attempt to converse.  The sound booms around the upper level areas as the Piazza and Atrium areas were not designed for this type of sound/entertainment.  Yes, there were pianist and string trio as well, but all this other stuff, especially in the evening was not comfortable.  Tonight (last night), they are having an admittedly loud rock performance with 13 band members.  The Vista Lounge seems to be used for Bingo now and then and often has nothing scheduled at all.  They did do a "Ye Olde Pub Night" down there 2nd last night.  Otherwise, they are cycling almost every type of entertainment through the Piazza.  This was conceived by Martyn Moss, the long-time ED, on Regal and I get it as Piazza is the heart of the ship.  But it is also a congregational meeting and relaxing place and it is unpleasant to be blasted with sound.  

 

We also agree the sound is often over the top in the Theater.  I don't think it should be set with the assumption that half the audience are deaf or teenagers.  I am not an old fuddy-duddy, but when sound is up to the distortion point then something ought to change.  Martyn did agree that the sound guy working the Piazza often pumps it up beyond where it should be.  One night they had the Beatle Maniacs out there for a second show (instead of elsewhere) and the volume was cranked up for the last 2 or 3 numbers.  It's not a rock concert in an arena folks!!

 

 

[skynight]

Royal Class ships, in my opinion, are poorly designed. The Piazza is the only decent area where they can have entertainment, no other suitable lounges. It appears that with the Enchanted there are some changes in venues which may reduce some Piazza activity. But, an entirely new design is needed. Hopefully the new LNG ships will be totally different.

Music can always be controversial. Too loud, too soft, wrong genre, not enough dance tunes, too many dance tunes, too old, too new, too much elevator, too rap like, don't like country, etc. If you like loud then MUTS is the place to be.

[Tedferg]

Is there an email for a person at Princess where we might complain specifically about the sound volume ?

I mentioned recent experience on Coral - Crooners is laid out nicely in an L. Sitting in the opposite end from the pianist we were still drowned out by speakers in the ceiling. Wheelhouse on Coral is still the large roomy area, lovely tub chairs, no Salty Dog but still speakers everywhere, so no quiet corner!

 

Agree too about the theater - we could put up with that since it was a short event and we did not expect to chat to each other - but still way too loud.

 

Finally the Regal comments, we did the Baltic last year and found the Atrium to be ruined by noisy events - could not enjoy a quiet drink in Crooners while noise permeated from three decks below.

[Thrak]

11 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Is there an email for a person at Princess where we might complain specifically about the sound volume ?

I mentioned recent experience on Coral - Crooners is laid out nicely in an L. Sitting in the opposite end from the pianist we were still drowned out by speakers in the ceiling. Wheelhouse on Coral is still the large roomy area, lovely tub chairs, no Salty Dog but still speakers everywhere, so no quiet corner!

 

Agree too about the theater - we could put up with that since it was a short event and we did not expect to chat to each other - but still way too loud.

 

Finally the Regal comments, we did the Baltic last year and found the Atrium to be ruined by noisy events - could not enjoy a quiet drink in Crooners while noise permeated from three decks below.

 

Address your comments to: customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

I really wish more people would use this address to complain about these issues.

[Tedferg]

Thanks Thrak - I sent an email to that address.

[Coral]

I am going to sound old and I am not that old - I used to like it when the atrium was a classy place to be, would have a string quartet or a harp playing. Now, it is the loudest place to be and is used for everything including egg drops and Pop Choir tryouts or rehearsals (and sometimes all at once).

 

Princess used to be classy.

[MissP22]

35 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Is there an email for a person at Princess where we might complain specifically about the sound volume ?

I mentioned recent experience on Coral - Crooners is laid out nicely in an L. Sitting in the opposite end from the pianist we were still drowned out by speakers in the ceiling. Wheelhouse on Coral is still the large roomy area, lovely tub chairs, no Salty Dog but still speakers everywhere, so no quiet corner!

 

Agree too about the theater - we could put up with that since it was a short event and we did not expect to chat to each other - but still way too loud.

 

Finally the Regal comments, we did the Baltic last year and found the Atrium to be ruined by noisy events - could not enjoy a quiet drink in Crooners while noise permeated from three decks below.

We've complained for yeas now (along with many others) & they never do anything to correct the situation. 

Good luck.

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

I am going to sound old and I am not that old - I used to like it when the atrium was a classy place to be, would have a string quartet or a harp playing. Now, it is the loudest place to be and is used for everything including egg drops and Pop Choir tryouts or rehearsals (and sometimes all at once).

 

Princess used to be classy.

Egg drop !

That's one of my DH's favorite activities. 

Along with the airplane competition. 

[Thrak]

13 minutes ago, Coral said:

I am going to sound old and I am not that old - I used to like it when the atrium was a classy place to be, would have a string quartet or a harp playing. Now, it is the loudest place to be and is used for everything including egg drops and Pop Choir tryouts or rehearsals (and sometimes all at once).

 

Princess used to be classy.

 

My wife and I totally agree with this. We love to sit and listen to a string quartet (or trio) in the Atrium. It's relaxing and classy. These days it's often too "busy" in the atrium. Sad as we have only been cruising since 2011 and have noticed the change. As for the Pop Choir... GAH! Neither of us can stand to hear Sweet Caroline anymore. People yelling, "So good! So good! So good!" (which isn't even actually part of the freaking song!!!) make us cringe. We were at our grandson's football game and the band started playing that song and we both groaned out loud.

[Coral]

17 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

We've complained for yeas now (along with many others) & they never do anything to correct the situation. 

Good luck.

Egg drop !

That's one of my DH's favorite activities. 

Along with the airplane competition. 

Lovely. I am not even 50 and think I have outgrown Princess.

[FollowingTheSun]

11 hours ago, steelers36 said:

We are finishing up a Baltic cruise on Regal.  It seems that the emphasis has ramped up now on using the Piazza for every imaginable entertainment, including the house band.  So, it gets very loud - to the point that you feel like you are in a noisy bar when attempt to converse.

 

We were on the Regal on May.

We had to give up and leave the piazza on many nights due to the ridiculously loud volume, especially during 'activities'

The wait staff could see our pain as we arrived and tried to tell us that the racket would stop soon, but we said sorry and left.

 

Looking on the bright side, it did mean that our bar bill was lower than budgeted.

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's not just Princess that is doing this. We were on Celebrity Solstice a couple of months ago. For the first time in three cruises on that ship we were deafened by music from the entertainers blasting out of the overhead speakers in the bars. There was no escaping it.

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, FollowingTheSun said:

 

We were on the Regal on May.

We had to give up and leave the piazza on many nights due to the ridiculously loud volume, especially during 'activities'

The wait staff could see our pain as we arrived and tried to tell us that the racket would stop soon, but we said sorry and left.

 

Looking on the bright side, it did mean that our bar bill was lower than budgeted.

 

Yes, the Regal & Royal really over do the volume in the Piazza. 

I'm not sure if it's the openness that seems to amplify the volume echoing off the floor & walls but it was loud. 

It was so bad on the Regal that even a simply conversation with the Captain circle host 2 decks above was next to impossible without shouting.

[tailspintom]

Yep, probably my number one pet peeve on every single cruise line we have taken.  The exception to the rule to date has been Pacific Princess. 

 

As I have been blessed with total deafness in one ear, I am pretty careful in keeping the functional one working.  It is getting more and more difficult in attending any of ship functions.  It seems that the piazza, theater and the outside venues are all amped up to the point of being uncomfortable. I continue to mention this on the surveys and to cruise directors every chance that I get.

 

In a similar vein, I find that some social groups that converge in Skywalkers during the day seem to be oblivious to how loud their conversations are. Competing to be heard often times leads to shouting over each other to the annoyance of others who may be trying to read or otherwise relax. It is the nature of groups, I suppose.

 

Oh the difficulties we deal with in our lives. Life would be so much better without having to deal with others everywhere we go. I am sure that others feel the same way about our presence.

 

 

[happy cruzer]

Earplugs are useful at most music and sporting events.  And I have avoided the atrium when the music was too loud so I agree that the level is too loud for me.

 

One entertainment reviewer used to say if you are going to complain about crowds, smoke and noise you should stay home.  A bit extreme but it does show that if you go to those popular venues, you may need to be the one to adjust.

 

 

[firecrewcapt]

Sure is a whole bunch of whining and complaining here. You think the music is too loud, better not cruise on the new HAL ships, Nieuw Statendam or Koningsdam because they have 3 music venues, Rolling Stone Rock Room/Billboard On Board/BB Kings Blues Club they all ROCK with great music for all ages and it's loud, ROCK ON. Another venue is shared with BB Kings it's the Lincoln Center stage for the classical music and very subdued but great performers. That's my .02 worth.

[voljeep]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Yes, the Regal & Royal really over do the volume in the Piazza. 

I'm not sure if it's the openness that seems to amplify the volume echoing off the floor & walls but it was loud. 

It was so bad on the Regal that even a simply conversation with the Captain circle host 2 decks above was next to impossible without shouting.

yes, on the Regal, the talent in Crooners would stop as soon as the atrium activities kicked in and up

 

simply announced they would be back as soon as the 'activity' in the atrium stopped ...

[tailspintom]

48 minutes ago, firecrewcapt said:

Sure is a whole bunch of whining and complaining here. You think the music is too loud, better not cruise on the new HAL ships, Nieuw Statendam or Koningsdam because they have 3 music venues, Rolling Stone Rock Room/Billboard On Board/BB Kings Blues Club they all ROCK with great music for all ages and it's loud, ROCK ON. Another venue is shared with BB Kings it's the Lincoln Center stage for the classical music and very subdued but great performers. That's my .02 worth.

Whining and complaining? Sure it is what I happen to be good at.  And it isn't just confined to cruising. Nor does it keep me from cruising, any more than my whining and complaining about my golf game keeps me off the course.

 

 It isn't so much the venue that I mind.  It is the volume.  One can appreciate rock, the blues and classical music without it being painful. It is that sweet spot of loud enough but not terribly loud that one strives to experience. BB King and the Stones weren't  good because they played loud.  They were good because they played well. That is my nickel's worth. 🙂

[Tedferg]

25 minutes ago, tailspintom said:

 

 It isn't so much the venue that I mind.  It is the volume.  One can appreciate rock, the blues and classical music without it being painful. It is that sweet spot of loud enough but not terribly loud that one strives to experience. BB King and the Stones weren't  good because they played loud.  They were good because they played well. That is my nickel's worth. 🙂

Agree with your points - furthermore they do not need the extra speakers in Crooners and Wheelhouse - this would allow you to find a quieter part of the room. Does not help in Royal Class Atrium.