Locked out on the balcony on the Summit

[dmk]

This also happened to my husband and myself about 5 years ago. We were sitting on the balcony at 1:00 a.m. when the door slammed shut. I thought we'd have to sleep out there all night.

We were lucky that our neighbours came out. They were able to get security to open the balcony door.

[sarahc78]

Just light a cigarette. Someone would be with you shortly.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA thats great LMAO!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Not correct in this case. On the M-Class ships there is a high level child proof latch on the inside that can be dropped to prevent the door from being opened. Unfortunately by poor design if the balcony door is closed with any force this latch can fall closed, thus in the right circumstances locking you out. In the past I have taped the latch open. The S-Class are better designed and the child proof latch has to be twisted to lock it in place.

 

Phil

 

The latch is the problem. Tape it open with your trusty duct tape. My sister learned this the hard way.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Just light a cigarette. Someone would be with you shortly.

 

Do I have to add a pack of cigarettes and a lighter to my emergency supply list now? :D

[Cruise Arizona]

I think I found a picture:

 

 

I think they only let you bring them on if they are a certified service animal trained for a specific task. If you have yours trained to open blacony doors then I'm sure you'll have not trouble bringing them on, however if your poat is just a companion or anxiety animal they may not let him on.

[boogs]

Can I pack my poat in a carryon, or does it need to go in checked baggage?

 

I smuggle mine aboard in a poat runner. You can get them at PoatsRhidden.com. Haven't had to go to the "naughty" room yet!

[jackdiamond]

Combination porcupine and goat. A question not often asked.

Seriously, what is a poat?

[Shining Clem]

A poat is the space between the letters A & S on your keyboard. It's only found when not using spell check or proof reading before posting.

 

Or as pointed out earlier ...... a porcupine with long legs & horns. Haven't any of you ever had poat cheese?

***********

Thanks for the warning on the veranda doors!

 

Sounds like the situation with those child guard caps - designed so only a kid can get them open - after someone sold Celebrity a zillon 'child proof' doors.

[CathyCruises]

Omg!!! Funniest thread I have EVER read on CC!! Laughing until I cried. Still shaking. DH who is not a regular reader does not get all the arcane references, thinks I am nuts for laughing my *** off!!

[Fixit2010]

maybe they should add balcony lock outs to the staff safety drills

[ghstudio]

On a more serious note, doors that accidentally can lock you outside are a serious design flaw....and Celebrity lawyers should be concerned. Can't get to your cabin to use the bathroom, can't get to your medication, can't get to a phone to call about any emergency and so on...

 

I guess a serious problem has never occurred due to this, but I suspect that the first time it does, the lawyers will have emergency buttons on every balcony within days.

[fleckle]

.......I guess a serious problem has never occurred due to this, but I suspect that the first time it does, the lawyers will have emergency buttons on every balcony within days.

.....or else cigarettes with lighters in an emergency kit attached to the rail.

[ghstudio]

.....or else cigarettes with lighters in an emergency kit attached to the rail.

 

suggested in jest, but I actually believe it would work faster than an emergency button

[mrsdoc3]

Combination porcupine and goat. A question not often asked.

 

You mean it's not a party boat?

[mrsdoc3]

I think I found a picture:

 

 

I think they only let you bring them on if they are a certified service animal trained for a specific task. If you have yours trained to open blacony doors then I'm sure you'll have not trouble bringing them on, however if your poat is just a companion or anxiety animal they may not let him on.

 

Hmm. Anxiety animal. I would say that this animal would definitely cause anxiety. I doubt they would be TSA approved.

[dmk]

To add to my story:

 

At the time, our neighbour first said "Pass me your room card and I'll come an open your door.". Dimwitted me at !:00 a.m. said sure and I marched back to the room to get it.

 

DUH!! I smashed head on into the balcony door, glasses and all. Then I sat on the balcony crying like a baby because I had really hurt myself.

 

Of course, I now look back in amusement...Just another funny story to tell:rolleyes:. But that really hurt.:eek:

[Hapytocruise]

Just light a cigarette. Someone would be with you shortly.

 

LOL...now that's funny:)

[Cruise Arizona]

To add to my story:

 

At the time, our neighbour first said "Pass me your room card and I'll come an open your door.". Dimwitted me at !:00 a.m. said sure and I marched back to the room to get it.

 

DUH!! I smashed head on into the balcony door, glasses and all. Then I sat on the balcony crying like a baby because I had really hurt myself.

 

Of course, I now look back in amusement...Just another funny story to tell:rolleyes:. But that really hurt.:eek:

 

Ouch, not fun at all.

[OCruisers]

Do I have to add a pack of cigarettes and a lighter to my emergency supply list now? :D

 

:D Guess so ... and we have to remember to take them to the balcony with us. Maybe ours will be a cheap CIGAR which smells horrid and makes more smoke! :p

[fleckle]

:D Guess so ... and we have to remember to take them to the balcony with us. Maybe ours will be a cheap CIGAR which smells horrid and makes more smoke! :p

Good idea to have both. Regular cigarette for a normal lockout that is not an emergency.

Cigar to draw immediate attention when you need to get to the bathroom right away.

[ChiGal1962]

:D Guess so ... and we have to remember to take them to the balcony with us. Maybe ours will be a cheap CIGAR which smells horrid and makes more smoke! :p

 

Nah, just duct tape one out on the balcony when you unpack.

 

Seriously, though, it never occurred to me that I could get locked out on the balcony! I'm sailing solo for the first time this fall, and I'm out on the balcony in early morning and late late night. Note to self: duct tape the latch AND use the towel prop.

[americandream]

I think I found a picture:

 

 

I think they only let you bring them on if they are a certified service animal trained for a specific task. If you have yours trained to open blacony doors then I'm sure you'll have not trouble bringing them on, however if your poat is just a companion or anxiety animal they may not let him on.

That's good stuff Arizona!

 

There was a lady on our recent Infinity sailing who had her 16 year old cat onboard because it was her "emotional support animal" (what a crock). She felt the need to bring it out to the Martini Bar one night towards the end of the cruise. I couldn't help but think how self centered she must be 1) to feel the need to show off to fellow passengers that she found a way around the rules and 2) to put her pet of 16 years through tremendous stress by exposing it to the the crowd and the horrible and obnoxiously loud club music in the Martini Bar.

 

Does a poat stress easily?

[miched]

The latch is the problem. Tape it open with your trusty duct tape. My sister learned this the hard way.

 

 

It wasn't the latch at the top of the door and I though that was it initially. It is the way that the handle operates and latch operates. When the handle is up the rod that goes thru the bottom of the door into the hole in the threshold is up in side the door. To close the door it is easy or natural to grab the handle because there isn't anything on the outside of the door. As you do this you may turn the handle down pushing the rod down. The rod now slides into the hole that is in the threshold and you are locked out. The design would work if there was a connecting handle on the outside of the door to unlock the door but there isn't any.

 

It is also a good idea to make sure that the little swing latch at the top of the door is secure becuase that could also cause a problem.

[ellbon]

i have several POATS.. they are very quiet and sleep thru almost anything but my screaming when i was locked in my room and wanted to get onto my balcony at 12 am.. amazing how fast someone comes up at that hour...

i have had doors replace and a door locks replace due to bad locks and room attendants locking my door when cleaning.. i always leave it open an inch or so i can walk out for breakfast, drinks or kindle reading....

i had to get the POATS to replace my smoking habit i got on another cruiseline.. i quit smoking when i got my new friends.

[cruise_csuf]

Just got off the Summit.

 

First day in the cabin I went out on the balcony while my wife took a shower. It was rather cool and windy. Went to go back into the cabin to get a jacket and found that I was locked out. Had to wait until my wife got out of the shower for her to open the door.

 

There is a design flaw. When the handle is down the door will lock and there is no handle on the outside. This will happen when you try to pull the door shut as you leave. There is a rather shallow indentation on the outside of the door but no handle. The door doesn't slide very easy so you reach around the door and pull on the inside handle and while doing so you pull the handle down. You will now be locked out. I showed this to the attendant and he agreed saying it happens. I told security and was told it happens and hopefully someone is inside or on another balcony.

 

I have been on many ships with different cruise lines sailing over 30 times and this is a first for me. This was in a AQ cabin that has just been "refurbished". You think that they would have corrected this.

 

 

Thanks for sharing this info. This would be one of my nightmares getting stuck out there all night.

 

Anyone ever wonder about people that disappeared from cruise ship due to a fall because they were trying to climb out of their balcony? Yike!