Do porthole hatches close?

[gargoyle999]

I've seen a lot of pictures of the porthole cabins and there seems to be hatches above the porthole itself. But they are always in a raised position. Do they close so you can cover the porthole if you wanted to?

[Cruise Cat]

I've seen a lot of pictures of the porthole cabins and there seems to be hatches above the porthole itself. But they are always in a raised position. Do they close so you can cover the porthole if you wanted to?

 

Are we talking about some sort of cover? Huh, never heard about those before. Where's Fly? I'll bet she knows....

[Vanessa L]

Portholes do not open. They have these cover things but they do not move, best I could tell. They simply close the curtains at night to keep the light out. Here is a shot of me sitting in the window seat of R29 on the Fantasy last year.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388804346216959362

[gargoyle999]

I looks like some kind of cover to me. But they are always open in the pictures I've seen. Not sure if it actually closes over the porthole or if it just is some sort of "decorative" thing.

[gargoyle999]

Here is a shot of me sitting in the window seat of R29 on the Fantasy last year.

 

That's the best picture I've seen of a porthole. Usually they are from across the room, but that is nice and close up. But that's the covers I'm talking about. There is a hook holding them up. But maybe the don't move if you take that hook out. Thanks for that picture!

[Cruise Cat]

Portholes do not open. They have these cover things but they do not move, best I could tell. They simply close the curtains at night to keep the light out. Here is a shot of me sitting in the window seat of R29 on the Fantasy last year.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388804346216959362

 

Based on this picture, I am certain the answer is YES. Just unhook the the hangar, put the cover down over the glass, flip the bolts 90 degrees and then tighten them down.

[Cuizer2]

I looks like some kind of cover to me. But they are always open in the pictures I've seen. Not sure if it actually closes over the porthole or if it just is some sort of "decorative" thing.

 

That's the best picture I've seen of a porthole. Usually they are from across the room, but that is nice and close up. But that's the covers I'm talking about. There is a hook holding them up. But maybe the don't move if you take that hook out. Thanks for that picture!

 

The hatches do close, thought it might take a tool (wrench) to close the hatch (the cruise line does not want a hatch cover coming down on someone's head).

 

The hatch cover is there in case the window breaks. This prevents an ocean view cabin from becoming an ocean experience cabin.

[firefly333]

I agree you could close them, but its easier to just close the curtains right?

[Vanessa L]

LOL, in the things we never consider column....it never occurred to me to attempt to close that hatch. I get from the bumps on the head getting in and out of the window seat that they are HEAVY!! I wouldn't want to attempt it alone, that's for sure!! As Fire said, I just close the curtains :)

[salty dingo]

Passenger portholes never open. However, during the Behind the Fun tour on Miracle, we went to some of the lower decks where they do have the type of porthole cover with "dogs" to tighten down in a storm. They were open when we were there. Not sure if they were all the way open or if there was glass - I think the cover was a safety feature in case the glass was broken by impact with the waves.

[firefly333]

Passenger portholes never open. However, during the Behind the Fun tour on Miracle, we went to some of the lower decks where they do have the type of porthole cover with "dogs" to tighten down in a storm. They were open when we were there. Not sure if they were all the way open or if there was glass - I think the cover was a safety feature in case the glass was broken by impact with the waves.

 

I dont think they mean open to feel the air from the ocean, I think all they mean is you can close the hatch part so you cant see out the port hole... from the inside. ... yes he said to cover the port hole ... so I dont think he means open them so you get fresh air, just close over them so its pitch dark.

[salty dingo]

so I dont think he means open them so you get fresh air, just close over them so its pitch dark.

That's what the curtains are for. But if you really like pitch dark, I suggest an inside cabin. You can sleep all day long and never know what time it is. They are less expensive also. We love insides.

 

I feel a balcony has value but a window has very little. After a short time at sea the window gets crusted with sea salt and you won't see clearly out of it.

 

Unless you have a condition like claustrophobia or someting there is not much value in a window. But a balcony, that is a totally different story.

[DGP1111]

Some of the port hole covers hinge from above, and some hinge from the sides. In both cases, yes, they can be closed, and then tightened with the surrounding screws.

[jhale]

the hatches do close. we had portholes on the fantasy last year and i have to admit to messing with them, lol. i've read that in severe weather they put metal plates over oceanview rooms that are close to the bow of the ship so i'm assuming that would be the only time they cover the porthole windows.

 

on a side note, it must have to be VERY SEVERE weather because on the celebration in 2000 the waves were coming over the portholes to the point that it looked like we were in a submarine, and they never used the covers, lol.

[CruiserKid]

Yes, they do close. I've booked TBA inside, but have ended up with a porthole. I have closed the covers to make the cabin pitch dark. They are very heavy, but they are easy to close without special tools. I closed them at night so I could sleep in late without a hint of morning daylight you can get from curtains alone.

[gargoyle999]

I have closed the covers to make the cabin pitch dark.

 

This is why I was asking! I know the porthole itself does not open. I have two cruises booked in a PT cabin. They were cheaper so I could get DW to agree that we could do it but she has this thing about wanting to see sunlight in the cabin.

 

As someone else posted I don't see any value in paying for a window. So if I can't have a balcony I would just assume have a true inside cabin. It's the cheapest and I would love it to be dark the entire time I'm sleeping and not have the sun shining in in the morning like DW wants. Or go take a nap in the afternoon and have it be totally dark. That sounds great! :)

 

So as a compromise with DW I booked a PT cabin. Can get some sunlight in the cabin but still at a low inside rate. I just think it would be fun to close the covers if possible (once or twice) so that it is totally dark when I sleep.

 

I just have never seen pictures of the covers closed so I wasn't sure if it could be done. Sounds like there is hope! :D

[amysb]

the hatches do close. we had portholes on the fantasy last year and i have to admit to messing with them, lol. i've read that in severe weather they put metal plates over oceanview rooms that are close to the bow of the ship so i'm assuming that would be the only time they cover the porthole windows.

 

on a side note, it must have to be VERY SEVERE weather because on the celebration in 2000 the waves were coming over the portholes to the point that it looked like we were in a submarine, and they never used the covers, lol.

 

 

Why am I not surprised by this? :D:D:D ONE WEEK TO GO!!!

[firefly333]

on a side note, it must have to be VERY SEVERE weather because on the celebration in 2000 the waves were coming over the portholes to the point that it looked like we were in a submarine, and they never used the covers, lol.

 

We had Riveria deck porthole, back when they were still 5As, and 25 plus waves that were slapping our port hole window for over 24 horus. I have pictures, but you cant tell much from seeing a wave against the window lol, they just look wierd with water spots and had salt spots when it was all over.

[jgmpuma]

Some our earliest cruises were on The Enchanted Isle, a really old ship. The portholes actually opened. We left them open at night to hear the water rushing by.

[All4fun&fun4all]

Portholes do not open. They have these cover things but they do not move, best I could tell. They simply close the curtains at night to keep the light out. Here is a shot of me sitting in the window seat of R29 on the Fantasy last year.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388804346216959362

 

I cant wait to do this. We are keeping the porthole room even if they upgrade us. Is it true that this room wont have a couch? Not that it matters because the couch only held our towel animals for the week. LOL

[Vanessa L]

I cant wait to do this. We are keeping the porthole room even if they upgrade us. Is it true that this room wont have a couch? Not that it matters because the couch only held our towel animals for the week. LOL

 

Correct. No couch. No problem, mon. I would take the cover and a pillow off the bed and put them in the window seat, wrap up in the robe...ahhhh....bliss!!! I'd lay up there for hours watching the ocean go by (saw lots of flying fish that way!), read, meditate, watch the sunset. It was amazing!!

 

Here is a couple of shots of the sunsets....

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388805095702602114

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388806043163227634

 

And here is the whole album if you want to see it:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#

[Sargent_Schultz]

 

[All4fun&fun4all]

Correct. No couch. No problem, mon. I would take the cover and a pillow off the bed and put them in the window seat, wrap up in the robe...ahhhh....bliss!!! I'd lay up there for hours watching the ocean go by (saw lots of flying fish that way!), read, meditate, watch the sunset. It was amazing!!

 

Here is a couple of shots of the sunsets....

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388805095702602114

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388806043163227634

 

And here is the whole album if you want to see it:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#

Thanks for the links! I am getting so excited about this and curling up with a blanket in my robe sounds like my style! :D

[librarysmile]

The hatches do close, thought it might take a tool (wrench) to close the hatch (the cruise line does not want a hatch cover coming down on someone's head).

 

The hatch cover is there in case the window breaks. This prevents an ocean view cabin from becoming an ocean experience cabin.

 

Cuizer2 - You really have a way with words. "This prevents an ocean view cabin from becoming an ocean EXPERIENCE cabin." completely cracked me up and I've been thinking about it all day. I'm going to have a porthole cabin for the first time on the Conquest this coming May and you just made the whole experience a little more magical. Thanks!!!

[barbmac]

Correct. No couch. No problem, mon. I would take the cover and a pillow off the bed and put them in the window seat, wrap up in the robe...ahhhh....bliss!!! I'd lay up there for hours watching the ocean go by (saw lots of flying fish that way!), read, meditate, watch the sunset. It was amazing!!

 

Here is a couple of shots of the sunsets....

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388805095702602114

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#5388806043163227634

 

And here is the whole album if you want to see it:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/vanessa.1963/CarnivalFantasyWithNewOrleansPartDeux#

 

Loved your pictures, they were great!!