Stuffy cabins at night on HAL ships.

[bcscot]

I have shared my experiences on the Zuiderdam thread, but felt that a new thread was required as the existing thread is specifically about cabins on Zuiderdam with no A/C. I have never sailed on the Zuiderdam and I have never experienced a total absence of A/C on a HAL ship (although I have on another line).

Over the last ten years, we have sailed on 11 of the 15 HAL ships and have experienced various problems with smells and smoke but this thread is about a specific problem that we have only encountered (but regularly encountered) in the past two years, on ships upon which we had sailed before but without problems. We have experienced warm, stuffy cabins at night (OK during the day) on the Oosterdam, Zaandam and Rotterdam. This has been enough to cause us considerable discomfort with poor sleep, to the point that we would consider avoiding HAL ships in the future if this problem persists. My theory (and it is only that, no scientific evidence offered), is that the ventilation is being reduced at night in order to save on fuel. With a decrease in the provision of fresh air and reduced elimination of stale air, I think that the cabin air quality becomes poor.

Some people are sensitive to this type of problem and others are not. We like a cool bedroom with an open window, if possible, otherwise good ventilation and air conditioning, otherwise we sleep very badly.

The crew tend to focus on the room temperature, but a cabin can be warm and stuffy with poor air quality, without being very hot. Have any others experienced this specific problem on HAL ships? It would be good to know. Thank you.

[IRL_Joanie]

I have shared my experiences on the Zuiderdam thread, but felt that a new thread was required as the existing thread is specifically about cabins on Zuiderdam with no A/C. I have never sailed on the Zuiderdam and I have never experienced a total absence of A/C on a HAL ship (although I have on another line).

Over the last ten years, we have sailed on 11 of the 15 HAL ships and have experienced various problems with smells and smoke but this thread is about a specific problem that we have only encountered (but regularly encountered) in the past two years, on ships upon which we had sailed before but without problems. We have experienced warm, stuffy cabins at night (OK during the day) on the Oosterdam, Zaandam and Rotterdam. This has been enough to cause us considerable discomfort with poor sleep, to the point that we would consider avoiding HAL ships in the future if this problem persists. My theory (and it is only that, no scientific evidence offered), is that the ventilation is being reduced at night in order to save on fuel. With a decrease in the provision of fresh air and reduced elimination of stale air, I think that the cabin air quality becomes poor.

Some people are sensitive to this type of problem and others are not. We like a cool bedroom with an open window, if possible, otherwise good ventilation and air conditioning, otherwise we sleep very badly.

The crew tend to focus on the room temperature, but a cabin can be warm and stuffy with poor air quality, without being very hot. Have any others experienced this specific problem on HAL ships? It would be good to know. Thank you.

 

Stuffy rooms yes, on every HAL ship we've been on. Solution for me is to ask for a fan to circulate the air. No matter how well the AC or Heat is working I need to be able to feel the air circulating. If it does not circulate I begin to feel almost claustrophobic.

 

Joanie

[bcscot]

Stuffy rooms yes, on every HAL ship we've been on. Solution for me is to ask for a fan to circulate the air. No matter how well the AC or Heat is working I need to be able to feel the air circulating. If it does not circulate I begin to feel almost claustrophobic.

 

Joanie

For us, this problem has been far worse over the last two years, but only with HAL. We have recently come off the Rotterdam after 21 days on board. We had a large fan blasting the air around, for most of that time and it did help. However, the fan only circulates the stale air around the cabin so it was still stuffy and we still were not sleeping well, both of us experiencing bad dreams almost every night.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I have not noticed this situation as of yet. We keep the cabin as cold as we can. It is usually like a meat locker which may or may not help circulation of air.

[detroit70]

We were very uncomfortable in our Neptune Suite on the Rotterdam last July. We asked the concierge on embarkation day if someone could look into the problem, but she came to the room and said the temperature was acceptable and met the ship's standards. Friends in another cabin commented that our cabin was much warmer than theirs. The concierge did arrange for a fan, but it was still a fairly uncomfortable week.

 

We're booked on the Eurodam for the Baltic Adventure in late May. Does anyone have recent experience with this problem on the Eurodam?

[PCruzer]

We have experienced the same warm, stuffy cabins on our last few HAL cruises. They were fine during the day. It seemed to us that in the middle of the night...maybe 2 am or so....the AC and air flow would be greatly diminished. It was to the point that it would wake the two of us up every night.:(

[pris993]

We cruised on the Queen Victoria, Cunard, twice in one year. First time every thing was fine. Second time, we felt like our cabin was a sauna... no mater what we did we could not cool it down to comfortable temp. Called for service after 3 days of trying to adjust it ourselves. Good thing we did, apparently, the passengers on the cruise ahead of us, where cold and someone had stuffed 2 filters into the air conditioning unit to try and block the cooler air from circulating. After they removed the second filter we were fine and the room was confortable. Share because maybe someone needs to check the inside of the unit. We had our temp setting as cool as possible but room felt like a sauna.

[OlsSalt]

Do you turn the A/C down at night before you go to bed?

[OlsSalt]

…..apparently, the passengers on the cruise ahead of us, where cold and someone had stuffed 2 filters into the air conditioning unit to try and block the cooler air from circulating. After they removed the second filter we were fine and the room was confortable. Share because maybe someone needs to check the inside of the unit. We had our temp setting as cool as possible but room felt like a sauna.

 

Thanks for the report that indeed actions taken by other passenger can affect systems up and down the line. All of this needs to be explained better to passengers ahead of time, before people resort to self-help remedies including leaving balcony doors open if they have them.

[bcscot]

Thank you, one and all, for your input and for sharing your experiences. It is interesting that others have had this problem too.

We set the A/C to minimum and leave it there all cruise. The cabin can be very cold during the day, but still warm and stuffy at night.

On a previous Oosterdam cruise when we found our cabin to be too hot, an engineer was sent, who diagnosed the problem. The previous passengers had been too hot and had complained. Apparently there is some sort of baffle or valve in the A/C vent on the ceiling that can be adjusted to alter the temperature range in the cabin. When this was opened, we were fine. While experiencing our nocturnal stuffiness problem on the Oosterdam this summer, I insisted that they send an engineer to do the same (they were reluctant and a lot less helpful than previously). It was eventually done, but did not help. As I said the A/C was working well during the day, but seemed to be turned down during the night.

I do not believe that on these occasions, the problem was caused by other passengers.

[hmorrow]

We're on the NA now- our last night, and we're SURE they cut the air off or way down every night. It is SO HOT at night

We were just commenting to each other about this very topic!

Helaine

[Cindy]

I have noticed some stuffiness at night on several ships (all lines). I think in part it's because I always sleep with a fan at home, and I like it pretty cold to sleep.

Something we've done that's helped tremendously is to make sure we ask for our bed to be made up with a top sheet and a light blanket. No matter how cold it is in a room, I find the big duvets too heavy and warm. Being able to shed layers has helped me be a lot more comfortable at night.

I do think for whatever reason the air just isn't as effective at night. If I left my air during the day at the temperature I set it at for sleeping, I would be wearing a parka in the cabin!

[bcscot]

I have noticed some stuffiness at night on several ships (all lines). I think in part it's because I always sleep with a fan at home, and I like it pretty cold to sleep.

 

Something we've done that's helped tremendously is to make sure we ask for our bed to be made up with a top sheet and a light blanket. No matter how cold it is in a room, I find the big duvets too heavy and warm. Being able to shed layers has helped me be a lot more comfortable at night.

 

I do think for whatever reason the air just isn't as effective at night. If I left my air during the day at the temperature I set it at for sleeping, I would be wearing a parka in the cabin!

But you live in Texas, I live in Canada! :D It's been -27 C around here lately (after spending 3 weeks in the Eastern Med!). :)

[trixiee]

I actually notice this in hotel rooms too! Just a few weeks ago at a conference, several of us noticed that it was stuffy in the rooms, no matter what the temp.

[mamaofami]

This is an interesting topic and I hope someone from Hal is reading this thread and taking note of the fact that passengers are uncomfortable at night.

[Cindy]

But you live in Texas, I live in Canada! :D It's been -27 C around here lately (after spending 3 weeks in the Eastern Med!). :)

 

That's not a temperature I'd appreciate! 31+ years in Texas has redefined cold for me!

[dobiemom]

Is there some sort of a sensor that only "moves air" when there is movement? And when we're sleeping (no moving around) the air turns off?

[cruisin'girl]

This is an interesting topic and I hope someone from Hal is reading this thread and taking note of the fact that passengers are uncomfortable at night.

Somehow I think they've had enough first hand complaints that they already know.

[startwin]

I'm sure it's yet another cost-saving measure. Much like the office towers where I worked - the a/c went off at 6 pm, so if you worked late in the evening it was really uncomfortable. A good reason not to work late. However, not nice when you are on an expensive cruise and expect to be comfortable.:rolleyes:

[OlsSalt]

Toss up time: complain about higher cruise costs vs higher cabin temperatures. Anyone know for sure this is done for cost-cutting only and how much this saves each passenger?

[solocanadian]

But you live in Texas, I live in Canada! :D It's been -27 C around here lately (after spending 3 weeks in the Eastern Med!). :)

 

Good grief. Are you in Northern BC or Saskabush. I have a bro. in Regina & it is -30 there.:eek:

[solocanadian]

Toss up time: complain about higher cruise costs vs higher cabin temperatures. Anyone know for sure this is done for cost-cutting only and how much this saves each passenger?

 

Do you really think HAL will admit to this? I think not.:rolleyes:

[bcscot]

Good grief. Are you in Northern BC or Saskabush. I have a bro. in Regina & it is -30 there.:eek:

 

Not as far away as you think. ;)

[Typhoon1]

Talk to your steward. He will be more than happy to help you out.

[bcscot]

But what can he do?