Balcony door question

[Butterbean1000]

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

 

Wow, I've cruised 8 times and never new this. Thank you for the great suggestion!

[dave_k58]

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

 

Thanks very much! I never knew this.

[dave_k58]

PS - I wish Carnival had sliding glass doors on all the balconies. We had one in a spa balcony on conquest and it was terrific.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

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. :)

 

 

 

You make a very valid point...... and while I do not cruise with a young child I can certainly see why you would want to keep your door propped-open. If my children were younger, I would do the exact same thing. It's a peace-of-mind thing.

 

 

 

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[CHOPPERTESTER]

There's also a little light switch for the fluorescent light outside. You can use like a night light when you keep your balcony door open all night.

 

I'm sure your neighbours won't mind.

Edited March 14, 2015 by CHOPPERTESTER

[Kitsunegari]

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

 

If you want the condensation to rain down on you and your bedding.

 

Worse, a stay cigarette finds it's way into your room.

[firemanbobswife]

You make a very valid point...... and while I do not cruise with a young child I can certainly see why you would want to keep your door propped-open. If my children were younger, I would do the exact same thing. It's a peace-of-mind thing.

 

 

My boys were 5 and 7 when we started cruising. Wherever they were, I was. No need to keep the door open.

 

As others have said, it's dang hot and humid out there. Why on earth would you want that stickiness inside and also mess up the AC? I can't remember if it's on Carnival or Celebrity, but I remember seeing signs by the balcony to keep the door closed.

 

I gave up on balconies on Carnival because I hate the doors. I always seem to get stuck with the door slammers next to me. Gotta love when you're trying to sleep and the whole wall rattles. NOT!

Edited March 14, 2015 by firemanbobswife

[dmdiver]

I've never wanted to keep my balcony door open. I want my cabin to be cool. Plus, what if you sail through a storm in the night? I see posts all the time about people sleeping with them open - I don't even sleep with windows open at home.

 

And the door-slamming neighbors - yes, that is extremely annoying. People either forget or simply don't care about how thin the walls are on ships. We've had people above us sound like they were jumping down off the furniture, had door slamming up until 1am from neighbors. I don't understand why people don't hold the door handle and shut it instead of allowing it to slam.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

My boys were 5 and 7 when we started cruising. Wherever they were, I was. No need to keep the door open.

 

As others have said, it's dang hot and humid out there. Why on earth would you want that stickiness inside and also mess up the AC? I can't remember if it's on Carnival or Celebrity, but I remember seeing signs by the balcony to keep the door closed.

 

I gave up on balconies on Carnival because I hate the doors. I always seem to get stuck with the door slammers next to me. Gotta love when you're trying to sleep and the whole wall rattles. NOT!

 

 

 

I just read another post on this thread that stated that the cabin neighbor's a/c may be affected by us leaving the balcony door propped open. I was not aware of this and would not want that to happen to anyone. We usually left ours open while waiting for room service in the morning or late evening..... Now that I am aware, I will no longer do this.

 

I honestly had no idea that the cabins to each side would be affected. :(

 

 

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[volmoma]

We're on the liberty a couple of cruises ago, balcony cabin.. Our cabin was soooo hot, we called GS and told them the thermometer on our clock registered 78. We noticed when we were on the balcony, one of the few times, our neighbors TV was playing. We looked around the partition and you guessed it, the door was popped open!!! GS was alerted and the next thing we knew someone from GS was in the cabin next door. The door was shut, kept shut for the remainder of the cruise. That night our cabin registered 70 and alls well with world. So PLEASE DONT PROP YOUR BALCONY DOOR OPEN! If you want or need to hear the ocean, SLEEP ON THE LIDO OR SERENITY DECK, and let your neighbors stay COOL.

[Martini Mom]

We use the tie from our robe.

[BeachChik]

Funny thing about this thread is even though someone who has worked on a ship has stated that leaving the door open WILL have an impact on how well your neighbors ac works, people still post about how they will and are going to do it on their cruise. Yet when someone posts about how they should be able to smoke on their balcony people jump all over them for being selfish and ruining other people's vacation.

 

Apparently people don't care that their neighbor might be sweating because their ac won't seem to cool the room because unknowing to them, their neighbor decided they should be able prop their balcony door open all night. Not only that but the humidity puts moisture all over everything.

[BeachChik]

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.

 

I have read post after post of people complaining it was hot in their room the entire cruise. Maintenance comes in and says nothing's wrong and other people will say they sailed on the same ship with no issues. I would guess that the people that open their doors are the cause.

[Shmoo here]

We're on the liberty a couple of cruises ago, balcony cabin.. Our cabin was soooo hot, we called GS and told them the thermometer on our clock registered 78. We noticed when we were on the balcony, one of the few times, our neighbors TV was playing. We looked around the partition and you guessed it, the door was popped open!!! GS was alerted and the next thing we knew someone from GS was in the cabin next door. The door was shut, kept shut for the remainder of the cruise. That night our cabin registered 70 and alls well with world. So PLEASE DONT PROP YOUR BALCONY DOOR OPEN! If you want or need to hear the ocean, SLEEP ON THE LIDO OR SERENITY DECK, and let your neighbors stay COOL.

Thanks for first hand confirmation.

[volmoma]

This just goes to prove that some people are so inconsiderate! " Thanks for the info on the ladder holding the door open! We tie ours with the belt to the robes! Put a book in the crack! Bring a bungee cord!!" May the sweat of a thousand camels trickle down your booty crack after each and every shower on your next cruise because someone has figured out a different way to HOLD THEIR BALCONY DOOR OPEN!!! [emoji35][emoji35][emoji35][emoji35]

Edited March 15, 2015 by volmoma

[chengkp75]

I have read post after post of people complaining it was hot in their room the entire cruise. Maintenance comes in and says nothing's wrong and other people will say they sailed on the same ship with no issues. I would guess that the people that open their doors are the cause.

 

Absolutely. As I said, Shmoo's post accurately defines to effect but not the mechanics.

 

Each cabin recirculates a portion of its air (80% of the "turn over rate") through a cooler that is solely for that cabin (located under the vanity or in the sanitary locker outside the cabin), and this is what the cabin thermostat controls. The other 20% is supplied as fresh air from outside, and then the same amount is exhausted via the bathroom vent. As Shmoo says, the ventilation system is based on pressure, and when a balcony door is open, that cabin loses the back pressure, so the outside air supply system forces more air to that cabin (trying to restore the pressure there), so there is less outside air supplied to other cabins. The recirculation cooler is not sufficient to keep the cabin cool on its own, without a good supply of cool outside air.

[dmdiver]

Funny thing about this thread is even though someone who has worked on a ship has stated that leaving the door open WILL have an impact on how well your neighbors ac works, people still post about how they will and are going to do it on their cruise. Yet when someone posts about how they should be able to smoke on their balcony people jump all over them for being selfish and ruining other people's vacation.

 

Apparently people don't care that their neighbor might be sweating because their ac won't seem to cool the room because unknowing to them, their neighbor decided they should be able prop their balcony door open all night. Not only that but the humidity puts moisture all over everything.

 

You know what - you're absolutely correct! I've never really understood the balcony smoking complaint, since I've never had anyone's smoke bother me while out on my balcony. I have, however, had a cabin (only once) that never seemed to be cool enough. Maybe that was the problem - inconsiderate neighbors. I would have preferred smokers.

[winddawn]

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

Personally I would not prop the balcony door open. The climate in the Caribbean tends to be very humid and since Carnival's cabin air conditioning is minimal at best, propping the balcony door open tends to make your cabin very uncomfortable. On some of the ships, the cabin A/C turns off automatically when the balcony door opens.

[Mithril379@aol.com]

Knowing the impact it will have on your neighbor's AC, propping open your balcony door for the night is obnoxious behavior.

[TerReuv]

Per JH - "It switches off the vast majority of the air through a sensor on the door, but does not affect the air flow in any other state room.."

 

So, looks like that is not true. However, I know that there will be those here that will argue that it is true. With all sorts of differing opinions I doubt anyone will know for a fact that propping the door to your balcony will really affect other rooms.

[katiel53]

Per JH - "It switches off the vast majority of the air through a sensor on the door, but does not affect the air flow in any other state room.."

 

So, looks like that is not true. However, I know that there will be those here that will argue that it is true. With all sorts of differing opinions I doubt anyone will know for a fact that propping the door to your balcony will really affect other rooms.

 

Sometimes I think John speaks and doesn't really know what he is talking about. I love him, but this wouldn't be the first time he's given out wrong info. I have more faith in what some posters on here have said than his take on this info.

 

I believe it is totally selfish to leave the door open at night, but there will be those from the entitled group who feel they can and will do what they want because it's their vacation and they paid for it. It's great that obviously the rest of us poor suckers got ours free so we follow the rules.

[chengkp75]

Per JH - "It switches off the vast majority of the air through a sensor on the door, but does not affect the air flow in any other state room.."

 

So, looks like that is not true. However, I know that there will be those here that will argue that it is true. With all sorts of differing opinions I doubt anyone will know for a fact that propping the door to your balcony will really affect other rooms.

 

That would be JH the marine engineer? Even the older Carnival a/c systems that only use a damper on the delivery register to "control" the a/c in the cabin, the balcony door switch only shuts off the recirculation cooling loop. The supply air loop of chilled outside air is required to be maintained in order to balance the exhaust from the bathroom vent. Therefore, the effect that I've described above will happen. You will also notice a flow of air from the passageway under the cabin door, which is taking cool air from the public spaces (the same as the cooled supply air to the cabin), so again, you are changing the air flow balance.

[BeachChik]

Per JH - "It switches off the vast majority of the air through a sensor on the door, but does not affect the air flow in any other state room.."

 

So, looks like that is not true. However, I know that there will be those here that will argue that it is true. With all sorts of differing opinions I doubt anyone will know for a fact that propping the door to your balcony will really affect other rooms.

 

Given that Chengkp75 has worked on a cruise ship in a maintenance/engineering type position (sorry I can remember exactly what) I tend to believe him over what JH says. And he has said that yes it does affect the AC. Some will continue to be inconsiderate and do it anyway.

[chengkp75]

Given that Chengkp75 has worked on a cruise ship in a maintenance/engineering type position (sorry I can remember exactly what) I tend to believe him over what JH says. And he has said that yes it does affect the AC. Some will continue to be inconsiderate and do it anyway.

 

That would be Chief Engineer, hence cheng. ;)

Edited March 16, 2015 by chengkp75

[TerReuv]

That would be JH the marine engineer? Even the older Carnival a/c systems that only use a damper on the delivery register to "control" the a/c in the cabin, the balcony door switch only shuts off the recirculation cooling loop. The supply air loop of chilled outside air is required to be maintained in order to balance the exhaust from the bathroom vent. Therefore, the effect that I've described above will happen. You will also notice a flow of air from the passageway under the cabin door, which is taking cool air from the public spaces (the same as the cooled supply air to the cabin), so again, you are changing the air flow balance.

 

I totally bow to your greater knowledge. Just wanted to see what he had to say, too.

 

The only time we left ours opened was waiting for room service. Couldn't hear them otherwise. But, I did notice that when we went out onto the balcony, if we pushed the door opened all the way, it caught and stayed opened. Then we had to pull it hard to close it again. Maybe a defective door? We were on the Conquest.