Balcony door question

[taecruise2]

Do you need to take something with you to hold the door open on your balacony ?

[ducku2]

Do you need to take something with you to hold the door open on your balacony ?

 

we take a bungee cord with us.

it's about 16" long. that does the trick!

[PekingeseLady]

If you check the drawers for the bible you will notice a crease down the center. :eek: A book placed in to the opening at the Jam when door is open, will hold it open. ;) I usually have a paperback and use that. :D

[bptex]

We wedged a hair brush handle in it, which of course broke the brush.

[Vellamint]

Can we leave the doors open at night to listen to the ocean? I have read that it will turn off the air conditioning ....

 

Thanks

[KPfromCT]

We used to bring a bungee cord with us, but then we learned, on this great board, about the doorstop.

When the steward is making up your room, they use a doorstop to prop the door open.

When they're done, they leave it under the closet, right across from the bathroom door.

It wedges perfectly in the balcony door.

Just be sure to put it back in the morning.:D:D

 

Nothing better than listening to the ocean and letting the ship rock you to sleep at night. It's one of the best parts of cruising.:D

[SugarStar00]

We tried this on the victory and the humid/warm air kept setting off our smoke alarm! Even the shower did one time too....:rolleyes:

 

Kpinct, Im in CT also :)

[springs741]

Regarding the above information;

On some ships the A/C will turn off. Some people will circumvent this by using a magnet.

Most ships but not all have the room steward doorstop.

[volmoma]

Where do you put the magnet? Just curious.

[Shmoo here]

I knew there was a reason I copied and saved this from a thread a couple of years ago:

 

VERANDAH DOOR OPEN

 

All modern cruise ships are designed with many fire safety features to save your life in case there is a fire onboard.

 

One of those features is air pressure.

 

Cruise ship cabins are designed to have a slightly higher air pressure inside the cabin than outside the cabin. If there is a fire outside your cabin, the over-pressure inside will cause smoke and flames to move away from your cabin rather than move into it.

 

This system works great until you or your neighbors open the balcony door.

 

With the balcony door open, the air pressure drops in your cabin. The A/C system is designed to compensate for the lower air pressure by pulling air pressure from your neighbors' cabins into yours. This also pulls the cool air from their cabins into yours. And if your neighbors are smokers, it also pulls their smoke into your cabin.

 

The problem is that with your balcony door open, the A/C system never is able to compensate for the lower pressure. It keeps pulling more and more air from your neighbors, trying to compensate for your cabin. That's when all your neighbors start calling the front desk to complain that their A/C is not working properly.

 

A few cruise lines tried to counteract this problem by installing magnetic switches on the balcony doors. These magnetic switches automatically turned off ventilation to the cabins that left their doors open, making it safer and more comfortable for those smart enough to read and follow the signs on the door asking them to keep it closed.

 

Then some genius found a way to circumvent the system by placing a small magnet near the magnetic switch on the door, making his neighbors uncomfortable and less safe, but ensuring he could leave his balcony door open and have A/C at the same time.

 

The cruise lines gave up and removed the magnetic switches. Now you can leave your door open and ruin your neighbors' cruise without the help of the magnet.

[Cruisegirl6]

No wonder some ac units in staterooms don't work well, they overworking by those who keep their doors open, to those who want to keep their balcony doors open please be considerate and shut the ac. Honestly, I don't understand why anybody would want humidity in their room, just makes everything in the bed feel damp yuck.

[mitsugirly]

I guess I never really realized that Carnival has actual "doors" to the balcony? :confused: I'm use to the sliding glass doors on NCL.

 

So tell me about these "doors". Are they on all the Carnival ships? There are no sliding glass doors?

 

Do they automatically shut on you? Is there a chance of getting locked out somehow? This makes me a bit nervous now.

 

Do they open in or out? Balconies are small to begin with and I can't imagine having a door in the way propped open. If they open inside, does it get in the way inside when walking? We never leave our balcony doors (sliding glass) open during the night, so that's not a worry, but when we spend time out there for an hour or so here and there, we do have it open to the room to go in and out. (I don't like the muggy feeling it gives off inside the room either when left open too long and would never keep it open).

 

Where do you attach a bungee to?

 

I have read before about the door stops left in rooms and I have searched high and low and have only found 1 on all the cruises I have been on. I'm not going to rely on that at this point.

[astropilot]

Can we leave the doors open at night to listen to the ocean? I have read that it will turn off the air conditioning ....

 

Thanks

 

We leave our open every night :) and have never had a problem with the air. That being said -- be sure to close it before opening the cabin door or your cabin will become a wind tunnel.

[chengkp75]

I really hated it when people propped their balcony doors open with an object jammed between the door and frame at the hinge. This springs the hinge a little every time, and eventually the door doesn't close properly and we have to renew the hinges, and sometimes the latches because folks will keep slamming the door to get it to latch when the hinges are sprung.

[tandemcruzr]

I guess I never really realized that Carnival has actual "doors" to the balcony? :confused: I'm use to the sliding glass doors on NCL.

 

So tell me about these "doors". Are they on all the Carnival ships? There are no sliding glass doors? All balconies we've had on Carnival did not have sliding glass doors.

 

Do they automatically shut on you? Is there a chance of getting locked out somehow? This makes me a bit nervous now. All our balcony doors had a manual sliding lock up high on the door. It will not lock you out.

 

Do they open in or out? Balconies are small to begin with and I can't imagine having a door in the way propped open. If they open inside, does it get in the way inside when walking? We never leave our balcony doors (sliding glass) open during the night, so that's not a worry, but when we spend time out there for an hour or so here and there, we do have it open to the room to go in and out. (I don't like the muggy feeling it gives off inside the room either when left open too long and would never keep it open). Doors open out.

 

Where do you attach a bungee to? Don't know. Never leave our doors open.

 

I have read before about the door stops left in rooms and I have searched high and low and have only found 1 on all the cruises I have been on. I'm not going to rely on that at this point.

 

Answers above in red.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I knew there was a reason I copied and saved this from a thread a couple of years ago:

 

VERANDAH DOOR OPEN

 

All modern cruise ships are designed with many fire safety features to save your life in case there is a fire onboard.

 

One of those features is air pressure.

 

Cruise ship cabins are designed to have a slightly higher air pressure inside the cabin than outside the cabin. If there is a fire outside your cabin, the over-pressure inside will cause smoke and flames to move away from your cabin rather than move into it.

 

This system works great until you or your neighbors open the balcony door.

 

With the balcony door open, the air pressure drops in your cabin. The A/C system is designed to compensate for the lower air pressure by pulling air pressure from your neighbors' cabins into yours. This also pulls the cool air from their cabins into yours. And if your neighbors are smokers, it also pulls their smoke into your cabin.

 

The problem is that with your balcony door open, the A/C system never is able to compensate for the lower pressure. It keeps pulling more and more air from your neighbors, trying to compensate for your cabin. That's when all your neighbors start calling the front desk to complain that their A/C is not working properly.

 

A few cruise lines tried to counteract this problem by installing magnetic switches on the balcony doors. These magnetic switches automatically turned off ventilation to the cabins that left their doors open, making it safer and more comfortable for those smart enough to read and follow the signs on the door asking them to keep it closed.

 

Then some genius found a way to circumvent the system by placing a small magnet near the magnetic switch on the door, making his neighbors uncomfortable and less safe, but ensuring he could leave his balcony door open and have A/C at the same time.

 

The cruise lines gave up and removed the magnetic switches. Now you can leave your door open and ruin your neighbors' cruise without the help of the magnet.

 

I'll re-quote this for emphasis one more time. All mechanical systems are tested for balancing to allow air flow to everyone equally. Anyone interrupting this balance by propping open their door are being selfish towards fellow passengers. Next time your room is too hot just start knocking on doors instead of complaining to guest services. Its often fellow passengers who, with their me generation mentality, are the ones who ruin the experience for others. The doors are self closing for a reason. If you want to hear the ocean go sit on your balcony...its there for that purpose.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Sweet Dutch Girl

[chengkp75]

I'll re-quote this for emphasis one more time. All mechanical systems are tested for balancing to allow air flow to everyone equally. Anyone interrupting this balance by propping open their door are being selfish towards fellow passengers. Next time your room is too hot just start knocking on doors instead of complaining to guest services. Its often fellow passengers who, with their me generation mentality, are the ones who ruin the experience for others. The doors are self closing for a reason.

 

Actually, its pretty easy to determine which cabins have their balcony doors open, you just need to listen for the air whistling under the main door from the passageway. Get 3 or 4 in one cluster, and it sounds like a wind tunnel.

[chengkp75]

And while the effect of what Shmoo posts is correct in disrupting the balance of the a/c, the actual mechanics is not correct. There is no pulling of air from one cabin to another. I emphasize that the open door will affect the a/c in adjacent cabins.

[amyh13]

I don't understand the desire to keep your balcony door open? Outside=hot, inside=cool. Two separate places. We only book balconies and have never needed to prop the door open.

 

As far as types of doors go, we are on the spa deck for our next cruise. These balcony rooms were supposedly ocean view cabins with floor to ceiling windows. When they were converted to balconies, the used sliding doors to keep the floor to ceiling window effect.

[mitsugirly]

I don't understand the desire to keep your balcony door open? Outside=hot, inside=cool. Two separate places. We only book balconies and have never needed to prop the door open.

 

 

While everyone will have their own personal reason for doing this...I can only state mine.

 

I need to have the door open for a few reasons (when I'm out there).

 

I have a young daughter. I don't want her trying to open and close the door risking injury to fingers or whatever.

 

I also keep a very close watch on her. I don't allow her to go out on a balcony ever, unless we are out there. However, if I'm out there and she goes inside, I need to be able to see and hear her clearly at all times and have access to jump up and go in if needed. (No, she's a VERY good child who minds extremely well, but she is only 6 years old and I'm very overprotective).

 

We normally book interiors because it's just hard to justify spending so much more money on a balcony when we don't spend much time in there when cruising. We sleep, shower and change in there. However, the 2 times I have been in a balcony was only because of such a great price drop that I was able to snag a balcony for cheaper than what I had my interior booked and did a switch. When I'm in a balcony, it always makes me feel like I'm forced to spend more time in the room to justify having it.

 

This upcoming cruise on the Pride...I was forced to take a balcony. We have 3 people and for some reason Carnival had every single room blocked out for a 3 people booking except a balcony. :rolleyes: I even had my TA call to "try to pull some strings" and get them to do an over ride. No luck. Then of course after we booked (2 weeks later), not only did the prices drop, but they opened up the interiors AND the ocean views. We are sailing in 22, so of course our cruise was paid in full and no chance to "down grade". I have watched this cruise go back and forth with the "blocking of 3 people" rooms and I find it ridiculous!

 

So I'm sure there are many reasons as to why people may need their doors open. I can only speak for myself. I will never open the door at night or leave it open for an extended period of time. It just gets too hot and muggy in there. :)

[amyh13]

Funny. I too have 2 children with the youngest being 5. We also do not allow them out there by themselves (even though they are also very good). When closed, with the wind and such, my 9 yo can barely open it if at all. If it is closed, they must come and ask one of us from help. I look at it as a built in safety feature.

 

If we are out there I don't mind if they come in and out for brief periods but will go in with them if necessary.

 

Interesting to see a different method. Thanks for the post. I will have to be on my toes next cruise with a sliding door.

[Cruzlover7]

We leave our open every night :) and have never had a problem with the air. That being said -- be sure to close it before opening the cabin door or your cabin will become a wind tunnel.

 

We have always propped our door open at night by jamming a butter knife in the top. Also, never had a problem with A/C or dampness for that matter.

 

I apologize if this has caused other rooms to suffer. I did not realize this would affect another stateroom.

 

We have a OV for our April sailing, so it wont be a problem this trip.

[TerReuv]

When we were last on the Conquest, the doors did not need to be propped open. Ours stayed open when we opened it. Also, the air stayed on. Not sure what was different on the Conquest, but I had brought a door stop and it was not necessary.

[Wavesprite]

We were in a quad on the Miracle and so we had a ladder. We would open the door then jam the ladder leg in the space it held it open perfect...

[NOLAbebe]

As I have understood it, the problem is not so much that YOUR a/c will suffer, as much as it is the neighbors AROUND you. While I absolutely love the sound of waves and the ocean- and I mean fervently LOVE- I am also not going to be a complete a**hole and ruin someone else's special trip just because I "need" to hear it all night long. If you've read enough on these boards, you'll see that there are LOOOOOOOOONG threads of people expressing their uncomfortable experiences in cabins that just never seemed to cool down. I don't want to contribute to that. That just seems tremendously selfish.

 

For what it's worth, on our cruise, we had a Cove balcony and spent ample amounts of time out there with the door closed. The temperature difference between inside (cool, dry) and outside (HUMID, warm) was stark, and it was always a relief to go inside after spending time out there (we cruised in late September).

 

I will point out one more thing, which would have irked the crap out of me. I am diabetic, and carry two types of Insulin with me. Our room fridge was TERRIBLE, and barely kept cool (I say COOL, not cold at all). The concern I had about my medication was kept in check because our room- thank goodness!- actually stayed cool from the a/c, thus keeping the refrigerator slightly cooler if we didn't open it often. If I ever found out our room was hot and our fridge thus even harder to cool down because of someone else insisting on wedging their door open, I would be livid. :(