Last straw!

[Hlitner]

My goodness, there has been a long history of A/C related complaints on the HAL board. The idea that we would have to get a "fan" on a cruise ship is not the kind of thing we want to hear. We used to think that the A/C issues on HAL were more a problem of "deferred maintenance" rather then a cost saving move. But the OP has us thinking that perhaps it is just one more cut-back (like reducing port times) designed at saving fuel. One irony is that if the OPs theory is correct, HAL is going contrary to the habits of many folks. In our case (and the same with many of our friends) we tend to turn down our home temperature at night because being cool helps us sleep better. Only HAL could come up with the idea that passengers would just "love" to sleep in warn stuffy cabins.

 

Hank

[doublebzz]

My goodness, there has been a long history of A/C related complaints on the HAL board. The idea that we would have to get a "fan" on a cruise ship is not the kind of thing we want to hear. We used to think that the A/C issues on HAL were more a problem of "deferred maintenance" rather then a cost saving move. But the OP has us thinking that perhaps it is just one more cut-back (like reducing port times) designed at saving fuel. One irony is that if the OPs theory is correct, HAL is going contrary to the habits of many folks. In our case (and the same with many of our friends) we tend to turn down our home temperature at night because being cool helps us sleep better. Only HAL could come up with the idea that passengers would just "love" to sleep in warn stuffy cabins.

 

Hank

 

I agree that HAL is cutting corners but do not believe a/c problems are related. As a former property manager, I can tell you that temperature issues are the single most frequent tenant complaint. Why - because temperature comfort levels vary widely according to individual taste. GeriatricNurse is a perfect example; she likes the temperature at 63F which, I imagine, many folks would consider freezing. Regrettably, temperature controls aboard cruise ships are simply not that sophisticated to accommodate to each individual's taste.

[Hlitner]

I agree that HAL is cutting corners but do not believe a/c problems are related. As a former property manager, I can tell you that temperature issues are the single most frequent tenant complaint. Why - because temperature comfort levels vary widely according to individual taste. GeriatricNurse is a perfect example; she likes the temperature at 63F which, I imagine, many folks would consider freezing. Regrettably, temperature controls aboard cruise ships are simply not that sophisticated to accommodate to each individual's taste.

 

Well, I think what you say is a lot of "hooey" when it comes to cruise ships. You see, there are these little things called "thermostats" that are located in each cabin and theoretically provide the ability to vary a cabins temperature by a wide variation. On every other cruise line we have cruised (and we have been on more then 65 different ships of 14 cruise lines) we have been able to set our cabin temp to where we were comfy. There was no problem if we wanted it at 75F when we were showering and getting ready for dinner, and no problem turning it down so we got it to 65-68 at night.

 

But on HAL, where they do have thermostats, we sometimes get the feeling they are put in the cabin for decoration...and are not actually connected to anything :(. Now I know this cannot be true (or can it?) but it sure seem that way. When we were on Veendam this past fall, once we got to the warmer waters of our cruise (this was a 28 day voyage) we were often not able to get our cabin below 75F...even when we had the thermostat at its lowest setting. And some days the temp was in the low 80s. While on the Westerdam last spring (for 35 days) we had less of a problem, but still were not able to get our cabin temp below about 72 on most nights.

 

And by the way, there is one warning sign of trouble to come. When you first get on a cruise and go to your cabin the first time, take a look at the cabin thermostat. If it is set at the lowest temperature that is not a very good sign.

 

Now I might agree that expecting a temp of 63 is a bit extreme, but one should easily be able to maintain a cabin temp in the 68-75 F range anytime...night or day. And the question we find ourselves asking is why we only have cabin temp issues on HAL ships? We still cruise different lines but it is only on HAL where we have this problem. In fact, if you look at the other major cruise line boards you will seldom to ever see anyone complaining about cabin temperature.

 

Hank

[doublebzz]

I don't take issue with the ambient temperature conditions you and others have mentioned. If you review my history of posts you will see I am a frequent critic of HAL's cost-cutting measures including the very vociferous "New Towel Policy" Thread. But, in this case, without any evidence, the allegation that HAL shuts off the fan motors at night to save electrical costs is not believable in my opinion. The fault is more likely related to ineffective maintenance or a/c systems that have outlived there useful life.

[Typhoon1]

Good luck wherever you choose to spend your cruise dollars.

[doublebzz]

Good luck wherever you choose to spend your cruise dollars.

 

to who is this addressed and what does it mean?

[jwh]

without any evidence, the allegation that HAL shuts off the fan motors at night to save electrical costs is not believable in my opinion.

 

Please read post 44. I was travelling with a group of 24 people. What I didn't make clear was this was 24 cabins (sole occupancy) in different categories and locations over the ship. ALL - without exception - made a point of checking the air-conditioning during the night and ALL - WITHOUT EXCEPTION - discovered it had been turned off. As Ripley would say 'Believe it or Not'. :) Surely 24 cabins experiencing the same situation - every night - could not be called a co-incidence!

[doublebzz]

Please read post 44. I was travelling with a group of 24 people. What I didn't make clear was this was 24 cabins (sole occupancy) in different categories and locations over the ship. ALL - without exception - made a point of checking the air-conditioning during the night and ALL - WITHOUT EXCEPTION - discovered it had been turned off. As Ripley would say 'Believe it or Not'. :) Surely 24 cabins experiencing the same situation - every night - could not be called a co-incidence!

 

I don't believe many posters, including myself, are doubting the conditions which you describe. The evidence I am suggesting is establishing whether it was intentionally shut off by HAL to save energy or a mechanical malfunction on a relatively old ship. The name of the game in the cruise business is customer satisfaction. Is it reasonable to believe HAL would alienate a huge amount of customers for the sake of some marginal savings in energy costs?

[punkinlr]

I have found this to be a true problem on each line DH and I have sailed - RCCL, NCL, Celebrity, Princess, Azamara..... Hate to say it, but it's more the norm than not these days. We're just in the habit of taking a fan with us.

 

Good Luck on your next cruise - whatever ship you sail ~

[CruiseMissives]

We just got off the Noordam on March 10th, and can relate to these comments about heat/cold temperatures at night. The first two nights in our balcony cabin, I woke up about 2am or so, hot, cranky and making things miserable by complaining to my poor husband. On the third morning, I checked our thermostat and found that it had been set much higher than the minimum cold where it had been. Perhaps it is a matter of routine for the stewards, having been told that when doing the turn-down service, to crank up the thermostats at nights in hopes no one will notice and thus saving whatever amps or ???

 

However, as soon as I started making sure the thermostat was set at extreme low before bed, for the rest of our 22 day b-to-back no one meddled with it again and we/I had no further problems. I can't stand a hot, stuffy room at night and had this continued, would not have been a happy passenger.

[Stratheden]

Last year on the Zuiderdam (on Inside Passage cruise) we set our thermostat at around 16c each night. Sometimes it would be set higher when we came back to our room but before going to bed each night we set it to 16c.

 

I then asked our room attendant for an extra blanket. He must have thought I was stupid, but I would much rather sleep in a cold room with an extra blanket.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Stratheden

[POA1]

We were on the Noordam from 2/28 - 3/10. Speaking strictly for room 7057, right side of the bed, approximately 36 inches off the floor, the temperature varied from 68.2°F to 71.9°F(*) with the "thermostat" in the same position. The temperature rose when our room faced the sun. It also rose on days when we were in port and the gangway doors were open.

 

(*) Just happened to have a laboratory grade recording digital thermometer sitting there. For those of you using the metric system, we were in cabin 3903. (7057 - 32)/1.8.

 

While I am kidding about the cabin number in Celsius, we really did have a digital recording thermometer, and that really is the temperature range.

Edited March 15, 2014 by POA1