Wonderful cruise on the Grandeur

[wingit]

It’s a beautiful ship.  Loved the food wherever we went.  Service top notch.  Our Concierge suite was comfortably luxurious.  

If only there was not music piped in most all the public spaces… the pool deck, all the restaurants.  All hours of the day.  It wasn’t that the music was not to my taste (some of it was) - but it was non-stop and on a repeat loop. It did not enhance our experience.

 

I will of course fill out the customer survey and indicate my overall satisfaction with our cruise ~ along with this one sour note.  

[NYC-London]

I could not agree with you more. I believe it is contributing to the problem of loud conversation in the restaurants - although the music is played at a "low" level, for some people with hearing aids, the music sounds much louder than it actually is resulting in people raising their voice to be heard over the music. I noticed that in all the restaurants, when the music was not playing, the conversation volume was slightly reduced.

 

It is hard to find a truly quiet space with comfortable chairs  - I love reading in either the observation lounge or the outdoor enclosed area with the green couches on the 11th floor near the coffee machine, however I find the piped music to be very distracting.

[wingit]

Appreciate your comments NYC.  The one place we found that was quiet and peaceful was the relaxation area behind the Spa.  Of course it’s limited space and service there, but nonetheless a nice place to read and relax. 
 

I don’t know if overall most people like the music playing everywhere or if they’re neutral about it.  The customer surveys will reveal what the majority prefer I guess.  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thats disappointing, don't remember this in the past.

[snorkle lover]

It is very quiet and peaceful in the library and it is a beautiful library too.

[wingit]

True.  Beautiful serene library. 

[Whinenowine]

22 hours ago, snorkle lover said:

It is very quiet and peaceful in the library and it is a beautiful library too.

I was just about to ask this.  Looks stunning from the pics fellow CCers have posted. And I can only hope that there is no music piped in there,...or it's at a very low volumes if it is there.

[cruiseluv]

Either I’m not very observant or this is a new thing. I haven’t been on Grandeur but don’t recall piped music all over the place on the other ships

[jctdlt]

We don’t either

[carolina cruisin]

I will have to pay more attention I guess.  Have seen comments re music in CR and others before.  I never have noticed it.

[NDOMA]

We had a lovely Grandeur cruise these past two weeks, but I agree that Compass Rose was especially loud when it began filling up.  My impression was that it might have been in the design of the curved "posts" (not sure what to call them) holding up the ceiling, that perhaps the sound was redirected back down.  

While the piped-in music was a bit too loud, becoming distracting, and repetitive, being on a loop, at least some newer music was being played.  We were in our early 50s when we began sailing with Regent, and the music seemed aimed at passengers much older than we were.  It seems it has only been in the past two or three years that the music has been updated.  

 

[NYC-London]

We also do not remember having it on other ships and at first it surprised us because I thought my phone was on and everyone else could hear it - it is especially annoying if sitting directly under a speaker.

 

 

[papaflamingo]

19 hours ago, NDOMA said:

My impression was that it might have been in the design of the curved "posts" (not sure what to call them) holding up the ceiling, that perhaps the sound was redirected back down

We also thought Grandeur's Compass Rose was very loud. You could be right about the  curved "posts." Addition the windows have flat glass coverings for the "twilight" effect where in other ships they have curtains.  Curtains definitely help absorb sound, I imagine the glass covers on Grandeur "bounce" the sound right back into the dining area.  Have to admit, I thought that part was not a good design feature, not only the sound issue, but I like having the windows to look out during the day.  

[Scout16]

I was on the Voyager this past January and February and the elevator music in the various public rooms was not always on.  I think it may depend upon who the current CD was or even who was on duty in which part of the ship. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

That's disappointing, don't remember this in the past. As for CR, there's no excuse for bad acoustic architecture--this should be integral to the design from the get-go.

[mrstanley]

We are currently on the Grandeur.

Have not noticed anywhere onboard being loud.Lively perhaps which is a good thing! 

[JSOL1]

We were on Granduer over the Holidays and I don’t remember music being piped in either. Perhaps we didn’t notice though.

The ship is beautiful and we really enjoyed it…

[Amber14]

2 hours ago, mrstanley said:

We are currently on the Grandeur.

Have not noticed anywhere onboard being loud.Lively perhaps which is a good thing! 

I hope so! We especially love lively music by the pool.

[CruiserFromMaine]

I didn’t notice CR being particularly loud when we’re on just recently. As a hearing aid wearer, I tend to notice those things. I thought the music piped in was at an ok volume but sometimes the music didn’t go with the venue. 
 

Just another viewpoint for anyone reading this thread, and not disputing the observations of others. 

[Pcardad]

On 4/12/2024 at 10:57 AM, NDOMA said:

We had a lovely Grandeur cruise these past two weeks, but I agree that Compass Rose was especially loud when it began filling up.  My impression was that it might have been in the design of the curved "posts" (not sure what to call them) holding up the ceiling, that perhaps the sound was redirected back down.  

While the piped-in music was a bit too loud, becoming distracting, and repetitive, being on a loop, at least some newer music was being played.  We were in our early 50s when we began sailing with Regent, and the music seemed aimed at passengers much older than we were.  It seems it has only been in the past two or three years that the music has been updated.  

 

It's finally getting to the point where we can recognize 1 or 2 songs a day lol...it really needs to be updated again if they want younger guests.

[Mudhen]

I guess we’d be considered old coots but we’re not dead yet!

More updated music would be fun especially at the pool areas!

Maybe even some live music would be appreciated!

[wingit]

42 minutes ago, Mudhen said:

I guess we’d be considered old coots but we’re not dead yet!

More updated music would be fun especially at the pool areas!

Maybe even some live music would be appreciated!

I always enjoy the live music by the pool.  

[GOARMY]

Piping up re:  piped-in music.  

 

Recent experiences on Explorer and Mariner.  First:  paucity of live, classical music, particularly piano.  Or, inability or unwillingness of some pianists to play same, upon request.  "Don't do that; not my style."  

 

There ARE exceptions.  The pianist on our Mariner WW segment accommodated my request to play some Debussy classics.  At a pre-dinner cocktail-time Lounge venue; like the kind I played when courting my wife 54 years ago. 

 

Two nights later: she played Debussy's "La fille aux cleveux de lin" (Maid with the Flaxen Hair).  Magical, and appreciated.  Played it better than I did. 

 

So-noted, immediately, when talking to the Cruise Director; then on the Cruise Review. 

 

Similar experience late last year when on Explorer.  The pianist who often played at Tea Time did play some Chopin and Ravel selections.  He switched to same upon request.  Very professional.  

 

What was also noted on both Explorer and Mariner mid, and end of cruise evaluations was loud, vapid, mind-numbing "elevator"-quality vocals at La Veranda during breakfasts and lunches.  Asked, on-occasion, the Manager to at-least turn-down the volume, if it was impossible to put on more languid selections "paired" to enhance that venue's ambience. Screeching yells from a female (or male) vocalist put out the wrong vibe.  

 

Also--Regent has removed a classical music audio "channel" from those 25 or 30-odd possibilities piped-into Suites.  The only alternative is switching to the Bridge channel.  Music accompanying the "View from the Bridge" camera tends to be classical. 

 

Yes, I am "old school"; but, love the Beatles! 

 

GOARMY!

    

 

.  

Edited April 15 by GOARMY
Context

[tg75219]

Just finished a 16-night cruise on the Grandeur, and while I ate at Compass Rose ~10 times, I do not recall background music, which I guess is a good thing based on the comments.  That said, the music in the pool area was the most god-awful depressing mix of slow-tempo 1970s elevator music I've ever heard.  It was truly awful and it was on a loop, so you got to hear the same 30-40 songs every day.  I'm very tolerant of different types of music and typically don't even notice background music, but this music was so bad that I actually started to avoid going up to the pool area during the day, opting to sit on my balcony instead. 

[crusin7]

42 minutes ago, tg75219 said:

 It was truly awful and it was on a loop, so you got to hear the same 30-40 songs every day.  I'm very tolerant of different types of music and typically don't even notice background music, but this music was so bad that I actually started to avoid going up to the pool area during the day, opting to sit on my balcony instead. 

Chair Hog Repellent!