Air Conditioning in Balcony Rooms?

[Thorben-Hendrik]

 

There are two different AC systems in use on the ship. One is like a window AC unit at home, that merely takes the cabin air and cools it while recirculating it back to the cabin. This is what is controlled by the cabin thermostat, and by the balcony door interlock, if fitted. This system is designed to recirculate 80% of the cabin's volume each hour.

 

The second AC system is the one that is affected by the balcony door being open, and that affects the cabins around yours when you leave the door open. This system is not controllable from the cabin, and can not be shut off. This system is designed to bring fresh air into the cabin, about 20% of the volume per hour, and is balanced by the bathroom exhaust vent, which removes about 20% per hour. This system takes outside fresh air, cools it in a large air handler (in those big white spaces down the middle of most cabin decks), and supplies this air to all of the cabins in a particular fire zone (between those pesky doors in the passageway) for one or two decks, meaning one fan and cooler handles 30-50 cabins. Now, this air is sent to the cabin at a higher pressure than normal HVAC systems, for one reason. This "overpressures" the cabins, forcing any leakage at the door to go out into the passageway, not the other way around. This prevents any possible smoke ingress to your cabin in an emergency.

 

Now, what happens when you open your balcony door? You replace the 2" diameter bathroom vent, and the 3/4" x 3' crack under the door that maintains the pressure balance in the cabin, with a 3' x 6' opening to outside. This immediately drops the cabin pressure to atmospheric, and the fresh air supply AC system sends all of the air to your cabin trying to rebuild the over pressure. This means that the other cabins lose much of their supply of fresh air (cooled), and also their overpressure safety feature, and now air is drawn back into their cabins from under the door, from the passageway (warmer). Therefore, the other cabins in the zone lose some of their AC capacity, and start getting warmer air supplied to the cabin.

 

How can you tell if this is happening? Real simple. I used to do it daily when I worked on cruise ships. You walk down the passageway, and listen for the air whistling under a door. 99 times out of 100, I would find the balcony door open in that cabin. Also, if it is your cabin with the door open, when you open the door to the passageway, you will create a wind tunnel, that blows everything out of your cabin. It doesn't do this when the balcony door is closed, so the door being open obviously has an effect on the AC balance in other areas than your cabin.

 

Your humble opinion may think it is BS, but I've worked on ships for 42 years as an engineer, 35 as Chief Engineer, and I have intimate knowledge of shipboard AC systems. Yes, there is a proven effect on others from having your balcony door open, and I've had to deal with it constantly over the years I worked cruise ships, when we would get whole banks of cabins complaining about their AC.

Good explanation (y) - but we always had the units that you can shut off....

No sense in keep it on!

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Please read my post #42, above. You cannot turn off all the AC to your cabin, so there very definitely is a point.

There is a little switch that turns it off!

[ATC cruiser]

Deleted.

[ATC cruiser]

There is a little switch that turns it off!

 

 

 

In the chiefs second paragraph of his explanation he stated that you can’t turn it totally off. Or do you just choose to believe what you want to believe?

 

 

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[chengkp75]

There is a little switch that turns it off!

 

Every, single, cruise ship has two AC systems, one that is controlled by the cabin thermostat, and one that is not. It is controlled remotely by the main HVAC computer by the Refrigeration Engineer, and virtually never varies in set temperature, nor stops supplying air. The only way you can stop this air from entering your cabin is to trip the fire dampers by applying 120*C heat to its thermal link, which will close the damper until it is repaired.

 

You think you are turning off the AC completely, but you are not. You did not read my comment in post #48 carefully. I said:

 

"You cannot turn off all the AC to your cabin", and what I should have bolded as well was "all". Yes, as I explained, you can turn off the AC recirculation unit in your cabin, but you cannot turn off the fresh air supply.

[Saab4444]

Sleeping in 75 degree temps would be torture for me. I wouldn't get a wink of sleep.

 

In the winter time, at home, I close the heat vents to my bedroom and keep the door

 

shut. Sometimes it's 55 degrees in there and I love it.

 

On the ship, we turn the air all the way down and our room is usually around 70 degrees and sometimes goes down to 68

 

at night. There is a thermometer on my travel alarm clock. Nothing better than going

 

back to a cool room after laying out in the sun for a nice nap.

 

 

 

I believe this is another issue why ACs on ships sometimes do not work properly. Too many people cool the rooms down to the minimum so it always has to run at full power.

 

Beside the risk of catching a cold due to constantly cold blowing air after a day in the heat every doctor will confirm that this extrem temperature changes are not healthy for the body. I know Americans and some Asia are used to it but people from continental Europe usualy are not. I got sick several times due to undercooled rooms and blowing ACs in planes, offices and hotels.

 

 

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[Thorben-Hendrik]

Every, single, cruise ship has two AC systems, one that is controlled by the cabin thermostat, and one that is not. It is controlled remotely by the main HVAC computer by the Refrigeration Engineer, and virtually never varies in set temperature, nor stops supplying air. The only way you can stop this air from entering your cabin is to trip the fire dampers by applying 120*C heat to its thermal link, which will close the damper until it is repaired.

 

You think you are turning off the AC completely, but you are not. You did not read my comment in post #48 carefully. I said:

 

"You cannot turn off all the AC to your cabin", and what I should have bolded as well was "all". Yes, as I explained, you can turn off the AC recirculation unit in your cabin, but you cannot turn off the fresh air supply.

OK but if I turn off the switch that should be enough!

 

Why would it send COLD air when it is "turned off" ?:confused:

It may send some air.....but not cooled air?!

[bouhunter]

OK but if I turn off the switch that should be enough!

 

Why would it send COLD air when it is "turned off" ?:confused:

It may send some air.....but not cooled air?!

 

Good grief. Poor chengkp75 would have more success explaining this to my cat.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Good grief. Poor chengkp75 would have more success explaining this to my cat.

Could be very true!:D

She might learn to shut balcony doors!;p:')

What I have learned so far is to put down a towel - so the door-crack does not whistle....:halo:

From what I understand the open door only affects the non AC air system!

Edited March 2, 2018 by Thorben-Hendrik

[chengkp75]

OK but if I turn off the switch that should be enough!

 

Why would it send COLD air when it is "turned off" ?:confused:

It may send some air.....but not cooled air?!

 

What you are turning off is the fan and cooler that recirculates the air in your cabin. The other system, that you cannot turn off, supplies fresh air to the cabin. If this was just outside air blown into the cabin, it would be warm, and moist. This air is cooled before it gets to your cabin by a cooler and fan, as I said, in the large air handler rooms. These very large coolers cool the air so that the much smaller coolers in each cabin do not have to cool down warm outside air, but only maintain cool air in the cabin. This air is also cooled so that the dew point drops, and the moisture present in sea air is dropped out, reducing maintenance, and changing the comfort level of the AC. It is even assisted in cooling by using a heat exchanger that takes "cool" from the air being exhausted to the outside by the bathroom fans, and cools the incoming fresh air.

[WisconsinFan]

Maybe it is my imagination, but last year I believe on the Harmony our AC would not function if the balcony door was open. Maybe it was just a sign to trick me into believing that..... please just be nice to your neighbors- that is all we ask. Don't smoke on the balcony, don't leave your slider open for long periods of time and please don't pitch the left overs of your drink over the side (yes, that happened to me while I was out on my balcony- landed right on me and the women only two decks up said "sorry", a little late hunny!).

[chengkp75]

Could be very true!:D

She might learn to shut balcony doors!;p:')

What I have learned so far is to put down a towel - so the door-crack does not whistle....:halo:

From what I understand the open door only affects the non AC air system!

 

There is NO "non AC" air system. The fresh air supplied to your cabin is air conditioned by the same chilled water system that cools your cabin. And putting a towel down to keep the door from whistling is treating a symptom, not a cure, and it does nothing to keep your selfish behavior from affecting the other cabins around you.

[gluten free cruise]

We spent last summer on MSC Meraviglia with a balcony cabin and AC did not work only when the balcony door was open.

AC was great.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

What you are turning off is the fan and cooler that recirculates the air in your cabin. The other system, that you cannot turn off, supplies fresh air to the cabin. If this was just outside air blown into the cabin, it would be warm, and moist. This air is cooled before it gets to your cabin by a cooler and fan, as I said, in the large air handler rooms. These very large coolers cool the air so that the much smaller coolers in each cabin do not have to cool down warm outside air, but only maintain cool air in the cabin. This air is also cooled so that the dew point drops, and the moisture present in sea air is dropped out, reducing maintenance, and changing the comfort level of the AC. It is even assisted in cooling by using a heat exchanger that takes "cool" from the air being exhausted to the outside by the bathroom fans, and cools the incoming fresh air.

OK - but the system will have to live with our door being open - that is just too important for us!:cool:

We seldom sail in hot weather anyway!:halo:

[Thorben-Hendrik]

We spent last summer on MSC Meraviglia with a balcony cabin and AC did not work only when the balcony door was open.

AC was great.

That is not true.....from what is said here...:confused:

[chengkp75]

OK - but the system will have to live with our door being open - that is just too important for us!:cool:

We seldom sail in hot weather anyway!:halo:

 

So, everyone else around you has to live by your requirements. :o

 

That is not true.....from what is said here...:confused:

 

Again, what they mean is that many ships have a switch on the balcony door that does what you do, switch off the recirculation AC within your cabin. The effect of leaving a balcony door open is not evident to those in the cabin with the door open. It is evident to everyone else around you.

[reallyitsmema]

Maybe it is my imagination, but last year I believe on the Harmony our AC would not function if the balcony door was open. Maybe it was just a sign to trick me into believing that..... please just be nice to your neighbors- that is all we ask. Don't smoke on the balcony, don't leave your slider open for long periods of time and please don't pitch the left overs of your drink over the side (yes, that happened to me while I was out on my balcony- landed right on me and the women only two decks up said "sorry", a little late hunny!).

 

It is not you imagination. The newer ships, like Harmony and Anthem, have great AC in the cabins with the ability to get the cabin down to 68 degrees. If you do not have the balcony door closed and the handle in the locked position, the AC turns off. As soon as you close and lock the door, you will hear the system come back on and feel it from the large vents. We really enjoy the much improved cooling on these ships.

[shipgeeks]

One more reason I'm glad I prefer oceanview (not balcony) cabins.

[ATC cruiser]

I believe this is another issue why ACs on ships sometimes do not work properly. Too many people cool the rooms down to the minimum so it always has to run at full power.

 

Beside the risk of catching a cold due to constantly cold blowing air after a day in the heat every doctor will confirm that this extrem temperature changes are not healthy for the body. I know Americans and some Asia are used to it but people from continental Europe usualy are not. I got sick several times due to undercooled rooms and blowing ACs in planes, offices and hotels.

 

 

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The only way that you will catch a cold from air blowing on you is if that blowing air has the cold virus in it. You caught a cold from an airplane, hotel or office because the virus was in the air. Your in an enclosed environment, therefore easier to catch a virus. Much like noro on a cruise. Being hot or cold has nothing to do with it.

 

 

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[SFBayAreaShipLover]

And we all seem be for getting that leaving the Balcony door open, creates bigger problem. If the is a fire in the room or near by, and the door is blocked open, your setting up for the perfect storm. Feeding the fire with air and the wind fanning it. The ships A/c system and other ventilation system are designed to be shut down Incase of a fire, or be utilized to clear a area of smoke after a fire. These safety features are designed to save life’s.

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

I believe this is another issue why ACs on ships sometimes do not work properly. Too many people cool the rooms down to the minimum so it always has to run at full power.

 

Beside the risk of catching a cold due to constantly cold blowing air after a day in the heat every doctor will confirm that this extrem temperature changes are not healthy for the body. I know Americans and some Asia are used to it but people from continental Europe usualy are not. I got sick several times due to undercooled rooms and blowing ACs in planes, offices and hotels.

 

 

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You catch a cold by coming in contact with a virus, not a fan.

[jamesr3939]

I did have to run the heater in January during our cold spell. my bill doubled to $90 !!!!!

 

 

Mine too, it's $450.

[bleu.orchid21]

 

There are two different AC systems in use on the ship. One is like a window AC unit at home, that merely takes the cabin air and cools it while recirculating it back to the cabin. This is what is controlled by the cabin thermostat, and by the balcony door interlock, if fitted. This system is designed to recirculate 80% of the cabin's volume each hour.

 

The second AC system is the one that is affected by the balcony door being open, and that affects the cabins around yours when you leave the door open. This system is not controllable from the cabin, and can not be shut off. This system is designed to bring fresh air into the cabin, about 20% of the volume per hour, and is balanced by the bathroom exhaust vent, which removes about 20% per hour. This system takes outside fresh air, cools it in a large air handler (in those big white spaces down the middle of most cabin decks), and supplies this air to all of the cabins in a particular fire zone (between those pesky doors in the passageway) for one or two decks, meaning one fan and cooler handles 30-50 cabins. Now, this air is sent to the cabin at a higher pressure than normal HVAC systems, for one reason. This "overpressures" the cabins, forcing any leakage at the door to go out into the passageway, not the other way around. This prevents any possible smoke ingress to your cabin in an emergency.

 

Now, what happens when you open your balcony door? You replace the 2" diameter bathroom vent, and the 3/4" x 3' crack under the door that maintains the pressure balance in the cabin, with a 3' x 6' opening to outside. This immediately drops the cabin pressure to atmospheric, and the fresh air supply AC system sends all of the air to your cabin trying to rebuild the over pressure. This means that the other cabins lose much of their supply of fresh air (cooled), and also their overpressure safety feature, and now air is drawn back into their cabins from under the door, from the passageway (warmer). Therefore, the other cabins in the zone lose some of their AC capacity, and start getting warmer air supplied to the cabin.

 

How can you tell if this is happening? Real simple. I used to do it daily when I worked on cruise ships. You walk down the passageway, and listen for the air whistling under a door. 99 times out of 100, I would find the balcony door open in that cabin. Also, if it is your cabin with the door open, when you open the door to the passageway, you will create a wind tunnel, that blows everything out of your cabin. It doesn't do this when the balcony door is closed, so the door being open obviously has an effect on the AC balance in other areas than your cabin.

 

Your humble opinion may think it is BS, but I've worked on ships for 42 years as an engineer, 35 as Chief Engineer, and I have intimate knowledge of shipboard AC systems. Yes, there is a proven effect on others from having your balcony door open, and I've had to deal with it constantly over the years I worked cruise ships, when we would get whole banks of cabins complaining about their AC.

 

I appreciate the information you have provided :) My fiance bought me the Honeywell fan that was mentioned here by a couple of people for our next cruise, that way I am covered no matter what.

 

Just wondering how many outlets are located in the balcony rooms? Our previous cruise (through a different cruise line) only had 1 outlet (located by the TV) which was an inconvenience. Not sure if I would need to pack an extension cord or something.

[Cruisegirl6]

My Honeywell runs on batteries

[pootietang999]

We just got finished with a Caribbean cruise (my first cruise) through a different cruise line. We had a balcony room and while it was nice, I get terrible eczema when exposed to the sun/heat for long periods of time. The A.C. in our room almost seemed non-existent and from what I have read, it depends on if the surrounding rooms leave their balcony doors open or not.

 

 

 

I have heard that some people bring small fans with them or get the cabin steward to assist (something we didn't think to ask about during our recent cruise).

 

 

 

I am just curious as to how the A.C. on the balcony rooms are for a ship like the Serenade of the Seas (the one we will most likely be going on next year).

 

 

 

Thanks for the feedback :)

 

 

 

We had a hard time getting our room cool too on one of our cruises. We were told that the door handle had to be placed in a certain position for the A/C to work (locked position). After that we have never had any trouble with any of our cruises.

 

 

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