Today's Globe and Mail article - "Cruise lines update old ships with new tricks" detail the efforts they are making to keep up with the times. But not all changes are improvements.
The demise of "the formerly sedate piano bar" is lamentable and I for one only cruise on ships with such a bar. There has been a sea-change in music, from melodic, interesting songs to monotonous thump-thump which the younger set like to dance to now. The cruise lines vigorously market to this younger set but the fact is repeat cruisers are people with disposable income and available time, and this tends to be the older generation and this older generation likes pre-thump music.
The same change in music is closing cafes by the score along the Mediterranean coast as music licenses are cancelled due to complaints by nearby residents. Once upon a time it was pleasant to listen to the music from afar but not now, all that can be heard is the relentless thump of the bass.
I know this makes me sound like a dinosaur but dinosaurs have rights too and one is to have access to pleasant music and not to be assailed with music volume turned up to the threshold of pain.
