Closet Light Hack

[SargassoPirate]

Not all whiz bang "enhancements" dreamed up by whiz kids to look busy and justify their jobs are really enhancements.  Case in point - the light for the closet that one used to be able to turn on and off on your own is now on a motion sensor.  Looks good on paper, sounds good at the presentation.  

 

In reality, the first night on my cruise the darn thing kept turning itself on all night. The clothes in the closet were swinging back and forth and setting it off.  

 

The next day I fixed it.  Wrapped a little painters tape around the sensor.  When I need the light, I reach up and move the tape a little and the light comes on. It's on a timer, so it goes off on its own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by SargassoPirate

[pompeii]

We complained about this to our steward (actually stewards plural, because we had to change cabins) on the Regal in Nov, and they both taped over it for us.  So if you forget to bring your own tape, ask your steward to take care of it for you.  BTW, we tried to cover it with a couple of bandaids, but they didn't do the trick.

 

We didn't need to move the tape to get the light to turn on, there was a switch that operated it.  

Edited January 10, 2023 by pompeii

[Catchum]

I have electrician's tape on my packing list for Princess cruises. I'm not sure who thought that turning a light switch on was beyond the wit of Princess cruisers.

[BamaVol]

1 hour ago, Catchum said:

I have electrician's tape on my packing list for Princess cruises. I'm not sure who thought that turning a light switch on was beyond the wit of Princess cruisers.

I’m pretty sure it’s the turning off that many don’t remember. It sounds like the timer was all they needed.

[Musky Ike]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

When I need the light, I reach up and move the tape a little and the light comes on. It's on a timer, so it goes off on its own.

I don't know about all ships, but on the Emerald there are two closet area lights, the old one you can still turn on and off with the switch near the door. No need to move the tape for light. They also have the motion sensor lights below the bedside stands. I covered that sensor after the first night of it coming on when the covers flopped along side.

[SargassoPirate]

5 minutes ago, Musky Ike said:

I don't know about all ships, but on the Emerald there are two closet area lights, the old one you can still turn on and off with the switch near the door. No need to move the tape for light. They also have the motion sensor lights below the bedside stands. I covered that sensor after the first night of it coming on when the covers flopped along side.

Nothing like a manual switch for the light on the Caribbean Princess.  I tried every switch and nothing helped.  

 

I carry a little travel tool kit, part of which is duct tape if it moves and shouldn't and WD40 if it's supposed to move but doesn't.  I recently added some painter's tape wrapped around my small Sharpie.

 

If you don't like the motion sensor on the nightstand, a rolled up pool towel will take care of those if you don't feel like crawling on the floor to cover the sensor.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

is it me or we didn't have any motion sensor lights on Enchanted?

 

I had to bring my own night light, though, for the bathroom. It's not motion sensor activated, but it is USB charged. 🙂

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

I recently added some painter's tape wrapped around my small Sharpie.

 

Nice! I was just trying to figure out to *easily* pack some tape...that is PERFECT!

[realnice46]

4 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Not all whiz bang "enhancements" dreamed up by whiz kids to look busy and justify their jobs are really enhancements.  Case in point - the light for the closet that one used to be able to turn on and off on your own is now on a motion sensor.  Looks good on paper, sounds good at the presentation.  

 

In reality, the first night on my cruise the darn thing kept turning itself on all night. The clothes in the closet were swinging back and forth and setting it off.  

 

The next day I fixed it.  Wrapped a little painters tape around the sensor.  When I need the light, I reach up and move the tape a little and the light comes on. It's on a timer, so it goes off on its own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[realnice46]

4 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Not all whiz bang "enhancements" dreamed up by whiz kids to look busy and justify their jobs are really enhancements.  Case in point - the light for the closet that one used to be able to turn on and off on your own is now on a motion sensor.  Looks good on paper, sounds good at the presentation.  

 

In reality, the first night on my cruise the darn thing kept turning itself on all night. The clothes in the closet were swinging back and forth and setting it off.  

 

The next day I fixed it.  Wrapped a little painters tape around the sensor.  When I need the light, I reach up and move the tape a little and the light comes on. It's on a timer, so it goes off on its own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your comment made my day, I’m still laughing. So many stupid ideas companies come up with these days I think the same thing they hired someone new and they have nothing to do so they come up with crazy ideas that make no sense. Thank you for making my day!

[Yehootu]

4 hours ago, Catchum said:

I have electrician's tape on my packing list for Princess cruises. I'm not sure who thought that turning a light switch on was beyond the wit of Princess cruisers.

Painters tape isn't as sticky as electrical tape, works great.

[realnice46]

I use a battery operated Luminessence LED Voltive Candle purchased at Dollar Tree for night light then I don’t have to worry about a plug.

[Catchum]

1 minute ago, Yehootu said:

Painters tape isn't as sticky as electrical tape, works great.

Good point - it is just electrical tape is n smaller roll but wrapping some round a sharpie is a great refinement. By the time I'm too old to cruise I will have got the hang of it!

[buckeye7]

Thank you for including the pictures. I've been wondering where the sensor is! 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Same here!

[Shelly97060]

Going to wrap painters tape around a pen now!  On Diamond the light by the closet would come on and stay on for several minutes which was really annoying in the middle of the night! 

[SargassoPirate]

2 hours ago, realnice46 said:

Your comment made my day, I’m still laughing. So many stupid ideas companies come up with these days I think the same thing they hired someone new and they have nothing to do so they come up with crazy ideas that make no sense. Thank you for making my day!

I also say it happens when they let the kids sit at the big table.  Saw it at work too many times over the years.

[h-sar]

Thank goodness for Cruise Critic! I happened to see a similar post prior to our Regal cruise in Dec where the person used a bandaid. I did the same last week - fortunately had a larger bandaid in my emergency kit that did the trick.

[Musky Ike]

6 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Nothing like a manual switch for the light on the Caribbean Princess.  I tried every switch and nothing helped.  

Yup two separate lights here. One switched and one on sensor. At least in the mini-suite. I guess it was easier to put a second one than to replace the old one.

[sloopsailor]

How about Royal? Does it have the same lights?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, sloopsailor said:

How about Royal? Does it have the same lights?

I honestly don't know what they are talking about. We had none of this on Enchanted a month ago, or on Regal in 2019.

[miagirl]

10 hours ago, Catchum said:

I have electrician's tape on my packing list for Princess cruises. I'm not sure who thought that turning a light switch on was beyond the wit of Princess cruisers.

Sorry, I'm about to sound like a sourpuss.  I doubt Princess came up with that idea without prompting.  One too many frivolous lawsuits from people who couldn't manage to operate a light switch.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Hi @miagirl!  I love your avatar pic. It’s just perfect!

 

We were on the Ruby for extended cruises when contractors installed this system in late 2019. We watched them over several days make their way down the corridor on Riviera Deck, working on a few cabins at a time, so we knew what was coming, but nothing could have prepared us for our lights taking on a life of their own. The worst was the one in the hallway. I’d be going into the safe and the light would shut off, and it was dark in our inside cabin and I was on crutches at the time. Luckily, the guys were still working down the hall, and I implored them to at least give me 60 seconds to do what I needed in the safe and they did. Since then…we cover the sensors with duct tape until the final morning of the cruise. 

[tml1230]

Duct tape....leave home and cruise or travel without it at your own peril !!

[JoRoy218]

Wish I had read about painters tape last week. We were on the Regal and that closet light drove me nuts! Thanks for sharing.