bungee cord??

[Sultan]

I keep hearing to bring a bungee cord to hold the balcony door open. Does anyone know how long of a bungee cord to bring? I don't have a clue. And I'm still waiting for the answer on how much do you tip the shoeshine boy?

Silly questions but I want to know.:D

[vesw01]

We just got off the Valor and the bungee cord was GREAT!! We just used one maybe a foot long (give or take). You are just going from the handle over - we grabbed a small pack of different sized from the Dollar Store to bring, just in case

 

No clue about shoe shine - didn't even know that was an option

[Zyzygy]

As noted, you just hook the door handle of the opened door to a loop around the wooden balcony top rail.

 

If you only wanted to "crack" the balcony door open, you'd need a longer cord or a door stop.

 

Or, you'd just wedge a balcony chair or table, or a room trash can in the door.

 

And don't forget the ever-useful duct tape.

[Caribbean Wanderer]

I keep hearing to bring a bungee cord to hold the balcony door open. Does anyone know how long of a bungee cord to bring? I don't have a clue.

 

Whether you need this or not depends on the ship. I just returned from cruising on the Conquest and did not need it at all. The balcony door on our Verandah deck balcony locked open on its own. You might check some recent reviews of the ship you are going on and see what they have to say after their experience.

[DqALEX]

As noted, you just hook the door handle of the opened door to a loop around the wooden balcony top rail.

 

If you only wanted to "crack" the balcony door open, you'd need a longer cord or a door stop.

 

Or, you'd just wedge a balcony chair or table, or a room trash can in the door.

 

And don't forget the ever-useful duct tape.

Thats what I use, a chair to hold it open.

[ladycaveat]

Okay ya all . . . I will have my first balcony on my cruise in January. Have to ask what may sound like a dumb question but why would one want to prop or whatever (bungee cord) the balcony door open? Wouldn't it get really hot in the cabin with the door open? Also, aside from duck tape being used to tape a suitcase closed . . . what exactly does one use duck tape for? I've been on a lot of cruises and still can't figure out why duck tape is listed as something one needs to bring. Help . . . . :p

[SmooCruise]

We used our bungee cord (2 ft long) to hold the door open at night. I loved going to sleep listening to the sound of the waves lapping against the ship. Plus we got a nice breeze at night. And it didn't seem to affect our air conditioner the way I've read that it does. Our air conditioner stayed on even when the balcony door was open. I hooked the cord on the handle of the door and then through the opening in the glass at the edge of the balcony. I don't know how people could hook it over the top of the balcony???

[LUPY48]

On the Glory, all you needed was the rubber doorstop that the steward uses to keep the door open while he's cleaning.

[AppleValleyCruisers]

Okay ya all . . . I will have my first balcony on my cruise in January. Have to ask what may sound like a dumb question but why would one want to prop or whatever (bungee cord) the balcony door open? Wouldn't it get really hot in the cabin with the door open? Also, aside from duck tape being used to tape a suitcase closed . . . what exactly does one use duck tape for? I've been on a lot of cruises and still can't figure out why duck tape is listed as something one needs to bring. Help . . . . :p

 

Not a dumb question. Yes, we found it too hot or perhaps more importantly too humid to have the door open at any time. If you want fresh air, go out on the balcony (that was our motto, at least). Duct tape can be used to repair torn luggage, fix mask straps, as improvised handcuffs ;) etc etc

[vincenzo0506]

When the balcony door is open, and you open the cabin door to the hallway, there is about a second or 2 before the pressure reverses and air is rusing in from the hallway out the balcony door.

 

So, don't leave any loose cash or important papers laying around, or you my be doing a MOB drill to recover them.

 

vincenzo:)

[5668200]

I asked this same question a few weeks back and every single response, and I got a lot of them, said DO NOT bring a bungee cord. The room gets way too hot and humid with the door open and, as mentioned above, if you have anything light weight laying on your dresser, etc. and open the hall door you run the risk of losing it out the balcony door. Funny that so many are now saying, yes bring the cord. Most said, just open the door long enough to go out to the balcony and close it quicky behind you. Funny how answers change in just a few weeks.

[GoinCruisin]

I asked this same question a few weeks back and every single response, and I got a lot of them, said DO NOT bring a bungee cord. The room gets way too hot and humid with the door open and, as mentioned above, if you have anything light weight laying on your dresser, etc. and open the hall door you run the risk of losing it out the balcony door. Funny that so many are now saying, yes bring the cord. Most said, just open the door long enough to go out to the balcony and close it quicky behind you. Funny how answers change in just a few weeks.

 

There are just a few responses here out of the THOUSANDS of members.. I don't think many have changed their minds... just different posters, LOL

 

I don't like keeping the door open... too much condensation and humidity :D

[Capsu78]

I brought one for the first time on the Liberty, and used it mostly when one or the other of us was out on the deck. I did realize toward the end of the cruise I could just use the foot block from my cabin door, but sometimes just having the bungee hanging off the chair outside the door made it simply convenient.

I did have to figure out how to utilize the space between the glass panels but figured it out early.

I think the most useful reason to hold the door open is so that you can move inside to out without the door close noise. Easier on the person napping.

I might reconsider in a more humid climate, or if I had kids opening and closing the cabin door frequently... but that won't happen again for these "empty nesters" anyway.

PS. I just left the bungee and powerstrip on the ship when I left as at this point in my life I have so much of this stuff laying around, I feel like I am lightenings lifes load when I leave stuff behind. Less weight in the baggage home.

[CraftyDD]

We held balcony door open with bunge cord and fooled the door by putting a magnet on doorjam catch to keep a/c running - that way the room stayed cool as well. It is wonderful to sleep with the door open

[GoinCruisin]

We held balcony door open with bunge cord and fooled the door by putting a magnet on doorjam catch to keep a/c running - that way the room stayed cool as well. It is wonderful to sleep with the door open

 

Just a note to others reading this... PLEASE do not do this... there is a reason the AC system shuts down on certain ships when the door is open :rolleyes: The stewards are instructed to look for those magnets... I'm sure the people that have been on the ships when the AC froze up and they had no AC, in the Caribbean... wouldn't appreciate hearing the stories of those who kept their AC on and door open so they could sleep well. If the AC were to shut off, it would be VERY WARM... can you imagine the strain it puts on the system?? Please don't do this... bad advice.