What should we expect from air conditioning? Now and in the future?

[happy cruzer]

I have been noticing many comments about being hot on the ship. Mainly in the cabin.

 

So I wondered:

 

How is the ac designed? I don't think there is one unit per cabin. Is there? What does the thermostat do? Just let in more air? I would love for an expert to tell us about ships ac.

 

And what should we expect for the cooling? Looks like alot of people want that cabin at 62 to no more than 70. Is the ship designed for that in all cabins and public areas at the same time?

 

In our newer "green" world will we be able to expect to set a thermostat as low as we like when we travel? I think part of the new US energy plan is to have utility companies have access to our home thermostats to level the energy usage, i.e. make your house the temperature they think reasonable.

 

Any thoughts on how this will affect cruising?

 

Cheers.

[Ambrosia64]

Never been hot on a ship except maybe on deck. In fact usually take a sweater or wear long sleeves (light) in dining room. Never hot in the cabin either - each one has it's own temp control. Don't worry about the idiotic energy plans - none of the ships are registered to the US and don't have to follow the regulations.

 

I have been noticing many comments about being hot on the ship. Mainly in the cabin.

 

So I wondered:

 

How is the ac designed? I don't think there is one unit per cabin. Is there? What does the thermostat do? Just let in more air? I would love for an expert to tell us about ships ac.

 

And what should we expect for the cooling? Looks like alot of people want that cabin at 62 to no more than 70. Is the ship designed for that in all cabins and public areas at the same time?

 

In our newer "green" world will we be able to expect to set a thermostat as low as we like when we travel? I think part of the new US energy plan is to have utility companies have access to our home thermostats to level the energy usage, i.e. make your house the temperature they think reasonable.

 

Any thoughts on how this will affect cruising?

 

Cheers.

[PennyAgain]

Never been too hot on a ship but have been too cold especially in the dining room. I wish that it wasn't so cold!

 

As far as my house is concerned, the thermostat is ruled by my budget not the government. I keep it moderate and not cooler in summer or warmer in winter than I am willing to pay.

[paul929207]

The public rooms on ships are always on the cool side to me, and if I am cool my wife has icicles hanging from her chin.

 

Cabins (on Princess) have individual controls. We have put ours to cool and warm temps and the system has responded

[EGG]

IThe only time I've been hot on a ship was on one cruise in a balcony cabin. It was a Panama Canal partial transit and from the minute I stepped off the plane the weather outside was very hot and humid. I suspect one of our cabin neighbors was sleeping with the doors open. The rest of the ship was fine.

[cb at sea]

We've never been hot during the night on a cruise....(lucky???) Yes, if you leave your balcony door open, the AC won't work. And, it get's MIGHTY humid in the Caribbean...

I'm sure there are times when the AC breaks--it does at my house, every couple of years!

It can happen anywhere. But, if you keep your drapes drawn, and the door to the outside closed, you should be ok.

The thermostat SHOULD keep your cabin at the temp. that you set it at.

[Travelcat2]

Sorry, but, in my opinion, your question is too generic. Our cruise line has one ship that tends to be hot in the cabins. It really depends on the ship you will be cruising on. Also, are you on the side of the ship where the sun sets?

[SeaTeach]

I have been noticing many comments about being hot on the ship. Mainly in the cabin.

 

So I wondered:

 

How is the ac designed? I don't think there is one unit per cabin. Is there? What does the thermostat do? Just let in more air? I would love for an expert to tell us about ships ac.

 

And what should we expect for the cooling? Looks like alot of people want that cabin at 62 to no more than 70. Is the ship designed for that in all cabins and public areas at the same time?

 

In our newer "green" world will we be able to expect to set a thermostat as low as we like when we travel? I think part of the new US energy plan is to have utility companies have access to our home thermostats to level the energy usage, i.e. make your house the temperature they think reasonable.

 

Any thoughts on how this will affect cruising?

 

Cheers.

Cool is what you'd normally receive on the ship unless there is a problem. I am always jacking the air to reflect warmth (about 75), only to return to the room to find that the steward has lowered the "stats." My next move is to place tape over the control knob or make use of a post it.:p

 

IMO the party in charge of paying is the party that's in charge of the thermostat. I have changed the way that some things are done i.e. bought a filtering system instead of cases of water, doing laundry during off peak hours, recycling, etc. I am trying to be green to a certain extent, but I do not like to be cold. I have even tried putting on more stuff while inside, but was even colder when I went outside.:( Those are my thoughts about having "interference " from the utility company.

[Aplmac]

As far as my house is concerned, the thermostat is ruled by my budget not the government.

I keep it moderate and not cooler in summer or warmer in winter than I am willing to pay.

As far as my house is concerned

the thermostat is ruled by my concern for a sustainable Planet

and atmospheric conditions we might all be able to live with, in 100 yrs time (vicariously, via grandchildren)

-not by budget or by Government decree.

 

Think ever-climbing CO2 levels (what's THAT?)..and like who cares? :cool:

 

We have such a long way to go in the re-education of humanity, don't we?

So many people simply aren't getting the message

or is it that they don't want to heed the message?

 

.

[BruceMuzz]

You may be surprised to learn that most cruise lines have a "corporate temperature" standard for their ships.

This temperature decision is based on many factors:

 

--Average demand by passengers

--Outdoor ambient temperature

--Capacity of existing A/C equipment

--Power requirements for Propulsion versus Hotel

--Price of fuel

 

Most mass market cruise lines today set their average indoor temperatures at around 74 degrees farhenheit.

 

However, this temperature can be a problem for several reasons:

 

If you are sailing on a ship with a dark blue hull (HAL or Cunard), the tropical sun can heat up the outer areas of the ship very quickly. The hull holds and radiates this heat for many hours.

 

Most ships are designed to have an over pressure of air in passenger cabins. This is a safety concern. In a fire, the over pressure in your cabin will drive smoke and flames away from you - rather than into your cabin. If your neighbors leave their balcony doors open, the A/C system will rob air from your cabin to try to maintain pressure in theirs. This warms up your cabin very quickly.

 

As passengers get larger and larger, they have increasing problems to maintain a comfortable body temperature. They overheat very quickly and cool down very slowly. Cruise Lines are talking about the need to re-think indoor temperature standards to keep all those large people comfortable.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks Bruce. Your technical points are very educational. The over pressure info explains why the halls was feel warm sometimes. Ambient temps change as the ship relocates, I bet that causes some problems.

 

So how many ac units are on the ship? Do they serve very large areas? The theromstat in the cabin, does it really control air temp or air flow/mix of hot and cold air? I think most of us think it is just like a home ac unit.

 

Also how do the maintenance people deal with "broken" ac complaints. Is it really that a passenger wants the cabin colder than the ac will provide in many cases? What are the most common maintenace issues with the ac?

 

Also do you see insider discussions about conservation, like what has happened with the water? i.e. not washing linens each day and water saving fixtures. Are there discussion to save fuel that is used to provide ac?

 

Thanks.

[BruceMuzz]

happy cruzer,

 

Although the systems on some ships are different, most mass market ships are very similar.

 

Depending on the size of the ship, there are 2, 3, or 4 massive A/C units onboard. These machines draw more power than any other machines on the ship. When you occasionally see the ship's light flicker a bit, it is usually a signal that one of more of the A/C units has started up.

 

Chilled water or chilled brine are the mediums of choice to transfer "cold" to the air handling units or fan rooms that are scattered around the ship.

 

The ventilation system sends the chilled air through ductworks to your cabins. Your thermostat controls:

1) the volume (via dampers) of chilled air entering the cabin

2) the temperature (via electric heating elements) of the air entering your cabin.

 

If you set the thermostat to the coldest setting, the dampers are left wide open and the heating elements are off.

As you set the temperature higher, the dampers close somewhat and the electric heating elements in the ductwork are activated to warm up the chilled air.

 

There are also exhaust ducts pulling air out of your cabin. The balance between the force of the air pumped in and the air being sucked out determines the amount of over pressure air in your cabin. So long as your neighbors in your vertical fire zone leave their balcony doors closed, the over pressure air in your cabin pretects you in case of fire. As soon as they open their doors, your over pressure disappears and you are in further jeapardy in a fire situation.

 

When a passenger insists that the A/C is broken, it is usually the case that they want the air colder than the ship can make it.

It could be that their cabin is at the far end of an A/C duct, with less cool air reaching them.

It could be the case of neighbors leaving their balcony doors open.

It could be the case that these pax are just very large and need colder air than the ship can provide.

It could be the case that the fan delivering air to the cabin is not performing well.

 

It is possible on some ships to adjust the air delivery fan to run faster, delivering more cooled air to the cabin.

 

Water conversation is another story.

We are constantly trying to reduce water consumption.

No only is it a good environmental goal, but producing and making water is quite expensive.

[happy cruzer]

happy cruzer,

 

Although the systems on some ships are different, most mass market ships are very similar.

 

Depending on the size of the ship, there are 2, 3, or 4 massive A/C units onboard. These machines draw more power than any other machines on the ship. When you occasionally see the ship's light flicker a bit, it is usually a signal that one of more of the A/C units has started up.

 

Chilled water or chilled brine are the mediums of choice to transfer "cold" to the air handling units or fan rooms that are scattered around the ship.

 

The ventilation system sends the chilled air through ductworks to your cabins. Your thermostat controls:

1) the volume (via dampers) of chilled air entering the cabin

2) the temperature (via electric heating elements) of the air entering your cabin.

 

If you set the thermostat to the coldest setting, the dampers are left wide open and the heating elements are off.

As you set the temperature higher, the dampers close somewhat and the electric heating elements in the ductwork are activated to warm up the chilled air.

 

There are also exhaust ducts pulling air out of your cabin. The balance between the force of the air pumped in and the air being sucked out determines the amount of over pressure air in your cabin. So long as your neighbors in your vertical fire zone leave their balcony doors closed, the over pressure air in your cabin pretects you in case of fire. As soon as they open their doors, your over pressure disappears and you are in further jeapardy in a fire situation.

 

When a passenger insists that the A/C is broken, it is usually the case that they want the air colder than the ship can make it.

It could be that their cabin is at the far end of an A/C duct, with less cool air reaching them.

It could be the case of neighbors leaving their balcony doors open.

It could be the case that these pax are just very large and need colder air than the ship can provide.

It could be the case that the fan delivering air to the cabin is not performing well.

 

It is possible on some ships to adjust the air delivery fan to run faster, delivering more cooled air to the cabin.

 

Water conversation is another story.

We are constantly trying to reduce water consumption.

No only is it a good environmental goal, but producing and making water is quite expensive.

 

Great food for thought. I think I now understand the issues involved between your two excellent posts I know what to expect and how much can be done if there is an issue.

[kath00]

This is totally fascinating for me because I am travelling with my parents and my mother is VERY heat sensitive. She has a heart condition when her heart will race if it's too warm. She's on meds and is well controlled but she is concerned about the temp control in the cabins.

 

Needless to say, we are looking at going to Alaska! BUt I hear the crew overcompensates the cold of the glaciers with heating up the public spaces and have too heard that most of the ships' common areas can be a bit on the warmer side...

 

I see ads in some cruise magazines for suites that have their own temperature control. It seems like a "perk" for suites? Sounds great for us but I wonder if this is different than the mass AC control you are talking about.

 

Katherine

[happy cruzer]

This is totally fascinating for me because I am travelling with my parents and my mother is VERY heat sensitive. She has a heart condition when her heart will race if it's too warm. She's on meds and is well controlled but she is concerned about the temp control in the cabins.

 

Needless to say, we are looking at going to Alaska! BUt I hear the crew overcompensates the cold of the glaciers with heating up the public spaces and have too heard that most of the ships' common areas can be a bit on the warmer side...

 

I see ads in some cruise magazines for suites that have their own temperature control. It seems like a "perk" for suites? Sounds great for us but I wonder if this is different than the mass AC control you are talking about.

 

Katherine

 

So what temp makes your mom happy? I tend to agree with Bruce that temps average 74.

And that if there is a problem the crew can get you that temp. The issue normally arises in the Caribbean when people want around 62 or so.

 

You may consider cruising Alaska in fall, you may have better luck with the interiour temps. All the ac units will hopefully have been adjusted to keep it cool during the summer months of cruising. JMHO

[pezzinewyork]

We're traveling to Alaska next week and also wondered about the on board temps. I wasn't sure what to bring to wear while on board, cool weather or warm weather clothes. Anyone know??

[kath00]

I asked mom and she said she has her AC on 70 through the day. 74 seems a bit warm for a public place (I am thinking malls and movie theaters which I think are usually cooler) but I dunno. I would guess she could get her cabin down to 70 ok. I looked at the Cruise Critic poll where many people prefer to sleep in 65-70 degrees (me included!).

 

Katherine

[PennyAgain]

If having the correct temp is a health issue, notify the cruise line and have your TA do so if you used a TA. The cruise line knows which rooms are cooler than others.

 

If that fails, make sure you make this all perfectly clear when you board the ship. Silence is not golden in this situation.

[GlendaleCruiser]

As far as my house is concerned

the thermostat is ruled by my concern for a sustainable Planet

and atmospheric conditions we might all be able to live with, in 100 yrs time (vicariously, via grandchildren)

-not by budget or by Government decree.

 

Think ever-climbing CO2 levels (what's THAT?)..and like who cares? :cool:

 

We have such a long way to go in the re-education of humanity, don't we?

So many people simply aren't getting the message

or is it that they don't want to heed the message?

 

.

 

IS THAT YOU, AL?:eek:

[Aplmac]

IS THAT YOU, AL?:eek:

No...just one of the 29 people on the planet that the environmental message has got thru to. :cool:

 

The other six and a half billion humans needn't be bothered by stuff like that

it's all poppycock anyway.. :)

 

.

[fann1sh]

Glendale Cruiser, I hear you....but like kath00's mom, I have health issues. Without air conditioning, I'd have died before age 30. I compensate in many other planet friendly ways.

 

The range of temperatures considered "normal room temperature" can vary 10 degrees F/6C depending on where you live. In winter, my house is never warmer than 65F. In summer, I need it no higher than 70F.

[sg1phileshipper]

The public rooms on ships are always on the cool side to me, and if I am cool my wife has icicles hanging from her chin.

 

LOLOLOL. That's a good one :D

 

Cindy

[GlendaleCruiser]

Glendale Cruiser, I hear you....but like kath00's mom, I have health issues. Without air conditioning, I'd have died before age 30. I compensate in many other planet friendly ways.

 

The range of temperatures considered "normal room temperature" can vary 10 degrees F/6C depending on where you live. In winter, my house is never warmer than 65F. In summer, I need it no higher than 70F.

 

You are addressing someone else, not GlendaleCruiser. I have no issues with AC since I live in Arizona and it was 115 yesterday. It's another poster in Barbados that wants to tell you where to set your thermostat.