Bad weather for Queen Anne

[Millieloulou]

Watching cruise mapper it looks as if the ship is going to miss another port(Oslo) or is she going to ride out the storm and try again later.Glad I’m not on board.

[Planning to cruise]

The UK weather forecast reports that the storm affecting parts of the country is moving to Scandinavia.  

[Ulsteinvik]

Queen Anne was supposed to dock in Skagen today but was not possible due to the storm. Tomorrow Oslo should be no problem.

[bluemarble]

Queen Anne is back on course to Oslo after completely a large loop around the Skagerrak. She continues to report Oslo as her destination via AIS and the Port Calls page on the Port of Oslo website is still listing her for an 8:00am arrival tomorrow morning.

 

 

 

[Ukulele girl]

Currently on Queen Anne and we got into Oslo this morning on time after storm cleared during the night. The wind was strong and the swell high but Anne remained fairly steady. The decks were closed and the balcony doors locked to keep everyone safe. The singer in the theatre wore trainers to be more secure but didn't move as she sang. The day started bright but it's now cloudy and occasional rain. Having been on QM TA in a force 9 many years ago I would say that Anne was very stable and certainly as comfortable in the bad weather as QM was.

[exlondoner]

Can you explain a bit more about the locking of the balcony doors?

[alc13]

19 hours ago, Ulsteinvik said:

Queen Anne was supposed to dock in Skagen today but was not possible due to the storm. Tomorrow Oslo should be no problem.

Of the two, I think you have the better outcome.  We enjoyed Oslo very much.  Skagen is pretty but not nearly as interesting.

[sucramdi]

8 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Can you explain a bit more about the locking of the balcony doors?

I'm curious as well, I've been out on my (sheltered) balcony on QM2 while all exterior decks were closed due to high winds. 

[Ukulele girl]

I haven't enquired of anyone about the doors to the balcony being locked but they definitely were. My husband and I both checked the key turn in each direction and we couldn't open the door. We assumed that there was a built in externally operated locking system for use during bad weather. I will see if I can get some clarification in the next day or two.

 

Another issue of rougher weather is jangling coat hangers which were difficult to silence. Even if the unused hangers were lifted off, the metal tops still banged together in the wardrobe. I think the solution will be to use every hanger with whatever clothes can be found. As the cruise passes the dirty clothes are put in my laundry bag in the base of a wardrobe so more hangers become 'free'. They were rattling again this morning even though the weather isn't very rough, just a gentle swell.

[Colin_Cameron]

My wife thought our's was locked as well. With the application of a lot of brute force I managed to get it open about 1/4 inch but no further. It was just the wind stopping it.

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

I haven't enquired of anyone about the doors to the balcony being locked but they definitely were. My husband and I both checked the key turn in each direction and we couldn't open the door. We assumed that there was a built in externally operated locking system for use during bad weather. I will see if I can get some clarification in the next day or two.

 

Another issue of rougher weather is jangling coat hangers which were difficult to silence. Even if the unused hangers were lifted off, the metal tops still banged together in the wardrobe. I think the solution will be to use every hanger with whatever clothes can be found. As the cruise passes the dirty clothes are put in my laundry bag in the base of a wardrobe so more hangers become 'free'. They were rattling again this morning even though the weather isn't very rough, just a gentle swell.

We have had jangling hangers due to the overabundance of hanging space.

 

Solution was to remove the hangers, which can't be done with the 'slot into' hangers.

 

I have in the past, sellotaped empty ones together, sellotape being one of the diy extras always in a case.

[exlondoner]

33 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

My wife thought our's was locked as well. With the application of a lot of brute force I managed to get it open about 1/4 inch but no further. It was just the wind stopping it.

Yes, usually when we come back from dinner, we have found the balcony door has been locked, but can be unlocked. If there is a strong wind, you need very strong arms to open it though.

Edited August 25 by exlondoner

[Winifred 22]

On QA recently the steward always locked the balcony with the key and closed the curtains at turn down. We had very calm seas so I suppose it was just a security thing. Usually unlocked it when I opened the curtains when I returned after my meal or the show. Can’t remember what happened other times. On QM2 always have sheltered balcony. 

[david63]

I always find rattling hangers to be an issue, on every ship, on the last night when the wardrobes are empty!

[Pushpit]

For safety reasons (e.g. if there was a fire in the corridor) I very much doubt the balcony doors were centrally locked such that someone in the stateroom cannot get out. It's also quite a tricky bit of engineering to do this for hundreds of doors.

 

Whereas at turn-down service the steward would normally ensure the door was bolted closed, using the turn-bolt on the door. But you would be free to open it again. As noted, if the wind is up there could well be a reverse suction effect, with a pressure difference, so that you would need quite a lot of arm welly to get the door open, and if you did get it open there would be quite a bit of whistling going on as you did so. When that happens then I tend to get the message since the other risk is that once out of the balcony can you then get back into your stateroom? Pushing the door open from the outside is easier than pulling from the inside, it should be said.

 

It's quite common for the captain to request or to advise that balcony doors not be opened during bad weather.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

For safety reasons (e.g. if there was a fire in the corridor) I very much doubt the balcony doors were centrally locked such that someone in the stateroom cannot get out. It's also quite a tricky bit of engineering to do this for hundreds of doors.

 

Whereas at turn-down service the steward would normally ensure the door was bolted closed, using the turn-bolt on the door. But you would be free to open it again. As noted, if the wind is up there could well be a reverse suction effect, with a pressure difference, so that you would need quite a lot of arm welly to get the door open, and if you did get it open there would be quite a bit of whistling going on as you did so. When that happens then I tend to get the message since the other risk is that once out of the balcony can you then get back into your stateroom? Pushing the door open from the outside is easier than pulling from the inside, it should be said.

 

It's quite common for the captain to request or to advise that balcony doors not be opened during bad weather.

I hope you are right. The thought of being locked in my cabin is terrifying, exactly because of the (very unlikely) scenario you describe.

[Pushpit]

Well as someone who sometimes works in a high rise hospital, we're all trained to throw chairs, legs first, at windows. Or charge at the window with the chair. If you get the middle of the glass area it will shatter. This PSA is hopefully something no-one here needs to do, but should bear in mind. I can imagine the risk in hotels is greater though.

Edited August 25 by Pushpit

[exlondoner]

33 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

Well as someone who sometimes works in a high rise hospital, we're all trained to throw chairs, legs first, at windows. Or charge at the window with the chair. If you get the middle of the glass area it will shatter. This PSA is hopefully something no-one here needs to do, but should bear in mind. I can imagine the risk in hotels is greater though.

I think the available chairs in my cabin might be too heavy for me to hurl at anything, though one never knows if desperation is driving. However, I think it would be preferable to allow the doors to be unlocked from inside. 

Edited August 25 by exlondoner

[BigMac1953]

34 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

Well as someone who sometimes works in a high rise hospital, we're all trained to throw chairs, legs first, at windows. Or charge at the window with the chair. If you get the middle of the glass area it will shatter. 

 

I think they need to update your training.

 

If you wish to break a double glazed unit then you should aim for a CORNER not the middle.

Edited August 25 by BigMac1953

[alc13]

48 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

Well as someone who sometimes works in a high rise hospital, we're all trained to throw chairs, legs first, at windows. Or charge at the window with the chair. If you get the middle of the glass area it will shatter. This PSA is hopefully something no-one here needs to do, but should bear in mind. I can imagine the risk in hotels is greater though.

That is useful information.  Like how to fend off a shark attack (punch it in the eye).  Both unlikely to be needed, but good to know!

[Colin_Cameron]

1 hour ago, Pushpit said:

Pushing the door open from the outside is easier than pulling from the inside, 

QA balcony doors open outwards.

[TouchstoneFeste]

13 hours ago, alc13 said:

Like how to fend off a shark attack (punch it in the eye).

No, no. Use the chair. That's what threw you overboard in the first place, right?