Balcony door open at night?

[Ginb56]

Hello all. Do you know if it is actually ok to have your balcony door ajar or open at night? It’s obviously something that’s done by others too, from other threads,  and a reason for booking a balcony. But I’ve heard mixed views after asking our steward before - and was told balcony doors shouldn’t be left open at night as it creates a whistling noise in the corridor and with your adjoining cabins. I must admit, I have heard a noise when passing one or two cabins late evening - does it maybe happen if your aircon is still on fairly high. Not sure... So just wondering if there’s a ship rule about being kept closed at night?  Any experiences you can share would be welcome - I’d love to have ours partly open in Sept at night for some fresh air. 

[kerryincork]

You should keep your door closed.

1. When you have the door open your air con automatically turns off. Depending where you are in the world your room could become very humid.

 

2. By having the balcony open it causes a pressure differential between your cabin and the corridor, which can cause the whistling noise. It can also cause your doors to slam which can cause an injury to you if you did not expect it.

 

3. Air conditioning on a ship is not the same as a building on land. So though each room has its own controls. The ducting is linked between cabins.

When you have the door open for a long time it affects the temperature probes in the ducting. Causing the central system to start heating up the air trying to maintain whatever the set temperature is. This causes the cabins in the same zone to heat up. So the cabins around you will start getting hot.

 

4. There is usually a notice on or near the door jam of the balcony doors stating that they have to be closed. The heavy curtains obscure the notice, so a lot of people never read the caution.

 

Have a good cruise

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by kerryincork
Grammar

[john watson]

The question therefore is, what are you trying to achieve by  having the balcony door ajar overnight?  What benefit are you trying to get and what are you attempting to eliminate?

 

Regards John

[the english lady]

Totally agree with kerryincork. You cause problems for others having the balcony door open (besides the fact there is a sticker on it to say do not leave open) If you are somewhere warm/hot/humid you would just be getting the warm/hot/humid in your cabin.

[Monorail Orange]

Imagine the propped open door coming loose in the middle of the night and slamming shut... yikes. To put it midly, that'd certianly wake you up. And probably your neighbours left, right, above and below.

Edited June 2, 2019 by Monorail Orange

[Les_ldh]

4 minutes ago, Monorail Orange said:

Imagine the propped open door coming loose in the middle of the night and slamming shut... yikes. To put it midly, that'd certianly wake you up. And probably your neighbours left, right, above and below.

 

‘Also the possibility of the sea becoming rough while you’re asleep and you getting wet 🤣

[ohnonotmeagain]

I take the point if it's hot, you let hot air in but as to causing a problem for others.... What happens during the day if your balcony door is open for long periods? How does it effect them? The handle has a lock position, so can lock it open a couple of inches. One of the reasons I book a balcony is to get fresh air, day and night. And to hear the ocean waves. 

 

P's always have air con off with door open.

Edited June 2, 2019 by ohnonotmeagain
P's addeed

[jeanlyon]

But you can't actually turn the aircon off?  You can only turn it to low.  So if you leave the door open, it will upset the sensors.

[ohnonotmeagain]

19 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

But you can't actually turn the aircon off?  You can only turn it to low.  So if you leave the door open, it will upset the sensors.

ok low but my point still remains.... what happens during the day?

[Pennbank]

One would have thought that The annoying whistling sound caused to others by leaving a balcony door open, would stop the occupier of the cabin from doing it. .

 

If you ignore the notice and a fire spreads or a  serious incident  occurs due to you ignoring that sign, then you could be in extreme trouble and prosecuted. 

 

Be prepared for a knock/phone call from security at anytime during the night, possibly being kicked off at next port.

 

Signs are placed for a reason!

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by Pennbank

[crompton21]

Google the Sea Princess fire (in which someone died).  Sea Princess is the same class of ship as Oceana.  The balcony door creates a fire prevention zone between the inside of the ship and the exterior balconies.  If the door is left open against the instructions clearly provided then you are putting the ship and all of those onboard at risk.

 

Overly dramatic, yes probably.  Factually correct, yes definitely.

[Ginb56]

Thank you for all the advice and explanations. I hope this is read then by the many people who, in innocence, book a balcony cabin to get some fresh air day and night. We’re not all seasoned cruisers like most of the respondents are judging by your tone, so the comments are useful and the warnings make sense. Thank you for that.

The reason I’d asked for some clarification is that I don’t sleep well, whereas hubby does so to be able to sit outside for a few hours would be lovely - not wanting to wake hubby or neighbours by opening and sliding the door. Having it ajar would help but evidently that’s a no-no now.

I’m assuming during the day you can have the door open as much as you like, even on sea days?

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, Ginb56 said:

Thank you for all the advice and explanations. I hope this is read then by the many people who, in innocence, book a balcony cabin to get some fresh air day and night. We’re not all seasoned cruisers like most of the respondents are judging by your tone, so the comments are useful and the warnings make sense. Thank you for that.

The reason I’d asked for some clarification is that I don’t sleep well, whereas hubby does so to be able to sit outside for a few hours would be lovely - not wanting to wake hubby or neighbours by opening and sliding the door. Having it ajar would help but evidently that’s a no-no now.

I’m assuming during the day you can have the door open as much as you like, even on sea days?

 

Hi, have to say I'm with you and would love to be able to hear the sea at night --- it would send me to sleep , but sadly the whistling noise would keep everyone awake

 

Sorry, but the same applies during the day time too - they ask you to keep it closed for the same reasons.

 

Hope you have a great cruise though. My favourite place to be is on a balcony, glass in one hand and a good book in the other.

 

[eddie11]

No.

Why would you?

Just be inside or be outside, don’t subject people around you to the inconvenience of draughts (gales), whistling and potential heating issues.

The notice says Keep the Door Closed - so keep the door closed.

 

Please

[PORT ROYAL]

3 minutes ago, Ginb56 said:

Thank you for all the advice and explanations. I hope this is read then by the many people who, in innocence, book a balcony cabin to get some fresh air day and night. We’re not all seasoned cruisers like most of the respondents are judging by your tone, so the comments are useful and the warnings make sense. Thank you for that.

The reason I’d asked for some clarification is that I don’t sleep well, whereas hubby does so to be able to sit outside for a few hours would be lovely - not wanting to wake hubby or neighbours by opening and sliding the door. Having it ajar would help but evidently that’s a no-no now.

I’m assuming during the day you can have the door open as much as you like, even on sea days?

 

On our one and only P&O we were informed that leaving the balcony door open for even short periods, and I quote "Can, and does, fk up the thermostats for the whole deck".

 

[terrierjohn]

9 minutes ago, Ginb56 said:

I’m assuming during the day you can have the door open as much as you like, even on sea days?

My understanding is that day or night keeping the balcony door open will have the same negative effect on the aircon system, but you could always ask P&O for clarification.

Edited June 2, 2019 by terrierjohn

[jake 26]

Unless the weather is adverse we always have our balcony door slightly open at night because we think it nullifies 'cabin throat', and we also find the sound of the sea to be soothing. We have yet to be thrown off the cruise or even reprimanded.

The whistling sound is caused when it is windy because the venturi effect of the wind causes pressure imbalance. Normally that doesn't happen.

Tin hat on!

[Harry Peterson]

9 minutes ago, jake 26 said:

Unless the weather is adverse we always have our balcony door slightly open at night because we think it nullifies 'cabin throat', and we also find the sound of the sea to be soothing. We have yet to be thrown off the cruise or even reprimanded.

The whistling sound is caused when it is windy because the venturi effect of the wind causes pressure imbalance. Normally that doesn't happen.

Tin hat on!

Tin hat on indeed round here! I’ve always assumed that the real reason is that leaving the doors open increases the cost of the air conditioning for obvious reasons.

 

It’s an odd setup when one cabin affects a whole block of others. Were they really designed that way?

 

And does everyone religiously close the doors during the whole time spent on the balcony? Have to say I’ve not seen much evidence of that.

[Monorail Orange]

7 hours ago, Les_ldh said:

 

‘Also the possibility of the sea becoming rough while you’re asleep and you getting wet 🤣

haha

I'd be more worried at a nosey seagull rocking up to pinch the biscuits when the ship is docking.

 

[eddie11]

An article from cruisecritic from 2011

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=4370

 

There’s nothing new under the sun, is there?

[the english lady]

1 hour ago, jake 26 said:

Unless the weather is adverse we always have our balcony door slightly open at night because we think it nullifies 'cabin throat', and we also find the sound of the sea to be soothing. We have yet to be thrown off the cruise or even reprimanded.

The whistling sound is caused when it is windy because the venturi effect of the wind causes pressure imbalance. Normally that doesn't happen.

Tin hat on!

The whistling sound is there whatever the weather. Obviously worse when it is windy or when the ship is in motion. so as the ship tends to be moving at night the whistling sound will be there all night. As someone has already pointed out you can sit on the balcony or you can sit outside. The only time we had our balcony door open was in the caribbean when we seemed to be in and out a lot. didn't take much effort to pull it to.

Finally if someone (cabin steward) knocks on your door, opening it creates a wind tunnel. The doors are heavy. It shutting suddenly could trap someones fingers...one would hope not the cabin stewards.

[CCFC]

5 hours ago, crompton21 said:

Google the Sea Princess fire (in which someone died).  Sea Princess is the same class of ship as Oceana.  The balcony door creates a fire prevention zone between the inside of the ship and the exterior balconies.  If the door is left open against the instructions clearly provided then you are putting the ship and all of those onboard at risk.

 

Overly dramatic, yes probably.  Factually correct, yes definitely.

 

I think you mean the Star Princess which is similar to Ventura.

[jake 26]

53 minutes ago, the english lady said:

The whistling sound is there whatever the weather. Obviously worse when it is windy or when the ship is in motion. so as the ship tends to be moving at night the whistling sound will be there all night. As someone has already pointed out you can sit on the balcony or you can sit outside. The only time we had our balcony door open was in the caribbean when we seemed to be in and out a lot. didn't take much effort to pull it to.

Finally if someone (cabin steward) knocks on your door, opening it creates a wind tunnel. The doors are heavy. It shutting suddenly could trap someones fingers...one would hope not the cabin stewards.

English lady I take your point but, as I said originally, we have the door 'slightly open' at night for the reasons stated. I would hope the steward would not be entering at that time, and even then ' slightly open' would not create a wind tunnel.

Regarding the risk of trapping fingers I am sure we are adult enough to handle everyday hazards.

Many ships have sliding balcony doors which can be secured in any position and some switch off the air con when open.

As a previous poster has said one of the prime reasons the cruise lines want the doors closed is economy, rather than the negative effect on the air con which is robust enough to handle an open door.

[the english lady]

I suggest next time you have the balcony door open..even just a bit, you then open the cabin door to the corridor. The wind tunnel effect will be there. If they wanted to save money surely they would just not have any air con at all in any cabin. 

[tartanexile81]

My OH hs a serious health condition which is affected by the air con so we aways book a balcony cabin and leave the door ajar slightly at night. We also have a mini dehumidifier in the cabin which we keep on all day. I have seen messages in the Horizon about keeping the door closed and though I feel guilty that we don't do it, my husband's health is paramount to me.