How do you decorate your balcony or windows of cabin?

[cruizinrican]

I've searched all the places I thought I might find on this topic but nothing comes up. So I would love people to post pictures specifically but any ideas would be appreciated.

[MSN-Travelers]

If I recall, most lines do not allow you to put/leave anything that may be flammable out on the balcony. So balcony decorations are out.

 

We have never felt the need to decorate windows but it is common to decorate the door & door entry area.

[spookwife]

i do not bother at all. takes up room in the luggage, a PITA to spend the time doing so and quite frankly I feel no need to stand out.

 

furthermore, they really do not like tape or other adhesive to be used at all. some doors are metal so magnets are fine

[sail7seas]

You might want to verify with your cruise line it is okay to decorate your balcony.

[OCruisers]

Please do check with your cruise line before putting any sort of decorations on your balcony. Normally, nothing is allowed to be put up out there permanently.

Some cruise lines are also picky about what is allowed on cabin doors.

Always better to know before you go. ;)

LuLu

[OzKiwiJJ]

We took a small set of solar powered lights. We wound them around the balcony and secured them with twist ties, making sure the solar power pack was facing out to sea. Our cabin steward was a bit concerned whne he first saw them but checked with someone and solar powered lights (with a sealed battery pack) were OK. This may vary from ship to ship though.

[cruizinrican]

We took a small set of solar powered lights. We wound them around the balcony and secured them with twist ties, making sure the solar power pack was facing out to sea. Our cabin steward was a bit concerned whne he first saw them but checked with someone and solar powered lights (with a sealed battery pack) were OK. This may vary from ship to ship though.

 

Thank you, I knew someone would come through for me.

[cb at sea]

I don't decorate my hotel door...and I don't decorate the cabin door!

[FlyerTalker]

I don't decorate my hotel door...and I don't decorate the cabin door!

I don't know how many thumbs up to give this...five, ten or twenty.

 

Though I will confess to putting up a string of lights for a Christmas cruise in Asia. INSIDE my cabin, for just myself and Mrs FT.

[shealea]

I was surprised when I first started reading here on CC that people decorate their balcony or door. I would have never thought of doing that. And I probably never will do it.

 

But, I can see that if I had young kids, they would have loved coming up with decorating ideas and helping with the decorating. I'm sure they would have wanted to do it! And it's a fun way to plan and get ready for the cruise!!

 

I think for me, a door magnet would be helpful so I can find my cabin. But, I would worry that someone would steal it!

 

I've also read here that cruise lines don't want any decorations on the balcony because they can come loose and go into the sea. If someone spotted something falling off, they may mistake it for a person going overboard. Plus, it's bad for the marine life.

 

I've always wanted to leave something on my balcony chair when in port, so I can take a picture of OUR cabin balcony from shore. I never, ever remember to do it though! ha!

[DirtyDawg]

I don't know how many thumbs up to give this...five, ten or twenty.

 

Though I will confess to putting up a string of lights for a Christmas cruise in Asia. INSIDE my cabin, for just myself and Mrs FT.

 

Well there you go then, OP, if FT can do it you sure can try. But remember to ask the cruise line about what they allow and don't allow on the balcony.

 

Personally I have never and will never decorate inside or outside my cabin, or hotel room. But if the OP wants to, I say go for it!

 

While we are confessing here I must admit that I once decorated my dorm room in University, but that poster of Farrah was well worth breaking my no decorating pledge.;)

Edited February 11, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[Floridiana]

We took a small set of solar powered lights. We wound them around the balcony and secured them with twist ties, making sure the solar power pack was facing out to sea.

 

Oh no! I hope you will never be my cabin neighbor. I hate it when the light is on out there all night. Spoils the view of the stars. Ships produce enough light pollution out of necessity, no need to add to it right next door.

[sail7seas]

Oh no! I hope you will never be my cabin neighbor. I hate it when the light is on out there all night. Spoils the view of the stars. Ships produce enough light pollution out of necessity, no need to add to it right next door.

 

I agree.

 

When there are lights on late at night on a neighboring balcony, I try to be understanding and think the neighbors probably don't realize how annoying that can be to cabins on either side of them. I always hope they will have the courtesy to shut them off. I don't know why someone would purposely add more lights than what is already provided by the ship? :confused: Fine anyone who wishes decorations but I really don't understand why they would think other guests welcome it.

 

[6rugrats]

I would never decorate either; just stuff to drag on board, put up and take down. Agree that you really can't decorate your balcony anyway.

[got2gocruzn]

We always take a Canadian Flag and fly it while in port..

[BlueRiband]

Never have, never will. (I also sail on a ship where this practice is considered déclassé.)

 

Thoughtless decorating can leave one with a very expensive post-vacation bill. Cabin walls or doors can be damaged from dyes that bleed into the surface or from strong adhesive strips that pull off the finish when removed. If this happens the cost will be billed to the occupant.

 

On one ship decorative Christmas stickers permanently stained the cabin wall panels and they had to be replaced. One cabin was billed $7K and two others $5K each.

Edited February 11, 2015 by BlueRiband

[Laurie S.]

I decorate our door but nowhere else.

[sail7seas]

I decorate our door but nowhere else.

 

 

You cannot see my facial expression or read my body language but I truly am curious as to WHY? It is so far from anything I'd think to do, I don't understand why people decorate doors or verandahs. I've heard the 'I can locate by door on the long corridor if I have decorations on it". Doesn't every ship have cabin numbers posted at each door? They always run in consecutive order so no problem knowing if you are going in the right direction. Why ribbons and bows and posters and whatever to find one's door? PLEASE know I mean no offense.

 

[Shorex]

I always take a close look at other ships when we are in port. This is actually a marketing opportunity for cruise lines (and they know it) as the ship is being shown off to potential customers -- someone might think "wow, that ship looks beautiful, maybe I'll try that line next time."

 

Now, if there are a number of homemade "decorations" on balconies, I'd think, "nah, looks like summer camp." Never trying that line.

 

Along with other reasons already mentioned for not decorating a balcony, I can't imagine a cruise line would allow it.

[gooch47]

Not something I'd ever do. And they don't like anything left on balconies because they could be fire hazards. So I was surprised to see Christmas decorations on a balcony on the Island Princess. They mostly had tinsel wrapped around the railings, but I couldn't see the rest of the balcony. It looked kind of tavky to me.

[Shmoo here]

 

You cannot see my facial expression or read my body language but I truly am curious as to WHY? It is so far from anything I'd think to do, I don't understand why people decorate doors or verandahs. I've heard the 'I can locate by door on the long corridor if I have decorations on it". Doesn't every ship have cabin numbers posted at each door? They always run in consecutive order so no problem knowing if you are going in the right direction. Why ribbons and bows and posters and whatever to find one's door? PLEASE know I mean no offense.

 

 

Some of us just enjoy doing it. It's like personalizing our "space" or landscaping our yard.

[renjrusa]

I agree with you, maybe something clever or a whiteboard to let others know where you are.. Most doors are magnetic...

[Shmoo here]

Some of us just enjoy doing it. It's like personalizing our "space" or landscaping our yard.

 

I do want to clarify - I don't decorate our verandahs, only use some pictures/signs on our door. Most ships/cruiselines we've been on don't allow extra "stuff" on the verandahs beyond the supplied chairs/tables.

[6rugrats]

Some of us just enjoy doing it. It's like personalizing our "space" or landscaping our yard.

 

Yes, like when you see those old toilets or truck tires, filled with dirt and planted with flowers, ceramic donkeys or other animal figures placed in strategic spots around the yard, empty whiskey bottles attractively hung on tree branches, or used pickup seats on the front porch for relaxing. Just to class up the place and make it feel homey.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Never have, never will. (I also sail on a ship where this practice is considered déclassé.)

 

Thoughtless decorating can leave one with a very expensive post-vacation bill. Cabin walls or doors can be damaged from dyes that bleed into the surface or from strong adhesive strips that pull off the finish when removed. If this happens the cost will be billed to the occupant.

 

On one ship decorative Christmas stickers permanently stained the cabin wall panels and they had to be replaced. One cabin was billed $7K and two others $5K each.

 

 

Déclassé? Isn't that a fancy word for "tacky?"