Are fans or white noise machines allowed?

[Dug720]

That's why there is a dial that you can turn up so that the AC doesn't kick on. I would rather breathe ocean air than stale air that comes out of a duct any day.

But leaving the verandah door open doesn't just affect your cabin. It affects every cabin on your HVAC circuit - including interior and ocean view non-verandah cabins. All the air gets pulled towards yours leaving nothing to go to the other cabins and making them stuffy.

 

[artnerds]

But leaving the verandah door open doesn't just affect your cabin. It affects every cabin on your HVAC circuit - including interior and ocean view non-verandah cabins. All the air gets pulled towards yours leaving nothing to go to the other cabins and making them stuffy.

What, exactly, is your source on this? It seems to imply that my verandah door being open a few inches somehow manages to create a vacuum powerful enough to pull cold air through an A/C system that is not actually turned on, such that no cold air is left for anyone else. This pretty much defies the basic concepts of how modern A/C works. It is further belied by my actual experience, which is warm breeze coming into my stateroom, not a suction of air going out of my stateroom.

 

[Dug720]

What, exactly, is your source on this? It seems to imply that my verandah door being open a few inches somehow manages to create a vacuum powerful enough to pull cold air through an A/C system that is not actually turned on, such that no cold air is left for anyone else. This pretty much defies the basic concepts of how modern A/C works. It is further belied by my actual experience, which is warm breeze coming into my stateroom, not a suction of air going out of my stateroom.

There have been posts by people who actually have degrees in it that explain it. I'm not at my computer right now, but it's definitely out there. @PrincessShmoo I think is aware of the same information.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

There have been posts by people who actually have degrees in it that explain it. I'm not at my computer right now, but it's definitely out there. @PrincessShmoo I think is aware of the same information.

I got this from another board (which I don't think I can link), posted by someone who works on ships, and is quite knowledgeable about such engineering things. Of course, those who want to believe it will, and those who don't, won't.

All cruise ships - for safety reasons - are divided into several Vertical Fire Zones.
These zones are nearly self-sufficient - especially with regards to ventilation.
This allows the Captain to completely seal off one or more zones to prevent the spread of smoke or fire, while the remaining zones can be operated more or less normally.

As a result, as many as 60-90 cabins -in a vertical configuration that covers several decks - are serviced by the same ventilation and A/C systems.

First, let's debunk a myth. You cannot turn OFF the ventilation to your cabin. You can turn down the cool air feed from the A/C, and some ships will allow you to turn down the fan speed.
But you cannot turn it OFF. Only a ship's engineer can do that.

The reason being that most ships are designed for the ventilation system to maintain an overpressure of air in ALL passenger cabins. This is a safety measure for fire emergencies.
In case of fire, the overpressure in your cabin will cause smoke and flames to move away from your cabin - rather than toward, or into it.

What happens when you leave your balcony door open?
The overpressure from your cabin disappears as the air rushes outside.
The ventilation system attempts to compensate by robbing the cool overpressure air from all your neighbors, pumping it into your cabin. But the overpressure is never achieved, so long as you leave your balcony door open. The system continues to take cool air from your neighbors as long as your door remains open.

Despite many caution notices in the daily programs, and occasional reminders in announcements, there is a certain percentage of cruisers who cannot or will not pay attention. They continue to leave their doors open, causing A/C problems for their neighbors, and safety hazards for themselves in case of fire.

A few cruise lines attempted to work around these careless people by installing magnetic switches on the balcony doors. These switches would automatically turn off the ventilation to any cabin with a balcony door left open.
But some enterprising passengers discovered that placing a small magnet near this switch would keep the switch open and the A/C pumping into their room - even though the doors are open.
These clever people then posted this information on Cruise Critic on numerous occasions, allowing their fellow cruisers to defeat the safety mechanisms, and cause continuing A/C problems for the cruise lines.
I am only willing to post that info here as the cruise lines have all but given up their attempts to convince cruisers to act responsibly. They have stopped installing the magnetic switches on the balcony doors.
They have instead decided to rely on passengers' common sense - which as we well know is not very common on cruise ships any more.

 

[Dug720]

I got this from another board (which I don't think I can link), posted by someone who works on ships, and is quite knowledgeable about such engineering things. Of course, those who want to believe it will, and those who don't, won't.

All cruise ships - for safety reasons - are divided into several Vertical Fire Zones.
These zones are nearly self-sufficient - especially with regards to ventilation.
This allows the Captain to completely seal off one or more zones to prevent the spread of smoke or fire, while the remaining zones can be operated more or less normally.

As a result, as many as 60-90 cabins -in a vertical configuration that covers several decks - are serviced by the same ventilation and A/C systems.

First, let's debunk a myth. You cannot turn OFF the ventilation to your cabin. You can turn down the cool air feed from the A/C, and some ships will allow you to turn down the fan speed.
But you cannot turn it OFF. Only a ship's engineer can do that.

The reason being that most ships are designed for the ventilation system to maintain an overpressure of air in ALL passenger cabins. This is a safety measure for fire emergencies.
In case of fire, the overpressure in your cabin will cause smoke and flames to move away from your cabin - rather than toward, or into it.

What happens when you leave your balcony door open?
The overpressure from your cabin disappears as the air rushes outside.
The ventilation system attempts to compensate by robbing the cool overpressure air from all your neighbors, pumping it into your cabin. But the overpressure is never achieved, so long as you leave your balcony door open. The system continues to take cool air from your neighbors as long as your door remains open.

Despite many caution notices in the daily programs, and occasional reminders in announcements, there is a certain percentage of cruisers who cannot or will not pay attention. They continue to leave their doors open, causing A/C problems for their neighbors, and safety hazards for themselves in case of fire.

A few cruise lines attempted to work around these careless people by installing magnetic switches on the balcony doors. These switches would automatically turn off the ventilation to any cabin with a balcony door left open.
But some enterprising passengers discovered that placing a small magnet near this switch would keep the switch open and the A/C pumping into their room - even though the doors are open.
These clever people then posted this information on Cruise Critic on numerous occasions, allowing their fellow cruisers to defeat the safety mechanisms, and cause continuing A/C problems for the cruise lines.
I am only willing to post that info here as the cruise lines have all but given up their attempts to convince cruisers to act responsibly. They have stopped installing the magnetic switches on the balcony doors.
They have instead decided to rely on passengers' common sense - which as we well know is not very common on cruise ships any more.

Thanks!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

What, exactly, is your source on this? It seems to imply that my verandah door being open a few inches somehow manages to create a vacuum powerful enough to pull cold air through an A/C system that is not actually turned on, such that no cold air is left for anyone else. This pretty much defies the basic concepts of how modern A/C works. It is further belied by my actual experience, which is warm breeze coming into my stateroom, not a suction of air going out of my stateroom.

I got this from another board (which I don't think I can link), posted by someone who works on ships, and is quite knowledgeable about such engineering things. Of course, those who want to believe it will, and those who don't, won't.

All cruise ships - for safety reasons - are divided into several Vertical Fire Zones.
These zones are nearly self-sufficient - especially with regards to ventilation.
This allows the Captain to completely seal off one or more zones to prevent the spread of smoke or fire, while the remaining zones can be operated more or less normally.

As a result, as many as 60-90 cabins -in a vertical configuration that covers several decks - are serviced by the same ventilation and A/C systems.

First, let's debunk a myth. You cannot turn OFF the ventilation to your cabin. You can turn down the cool air feed from the A/C, and some ships will allow you to turn down the fan speed.
But you cannot turn it OFF. Only a ship's engineer can do that.

The reason being that most ships are designed for the ventilation system to maintain an overpressure of air in ALL passenger cabins. This is a safety measure for fire emergencies.
In case of fire, the overpressure in your cabin will cause smoke and flames to move away from your cabin - rather than toward, or into it.

What happens when you leave your balcony door open?
The overpressure from your cabin disappears as the air rushes outside.
The ventilation system attempts to compensate by robbing the cool overpressure air from all your neighbors, pumping it into your cabin. But the overpressure is never achieved, so long as you leave your balcony door open. The system continues to take cool air from your neighbors as long as your door remains open.

Despite many caution notices in the daily programs, and occasional reminders in announcements, there is a certain percentage of cruisers who cannot or will not pay attention. They continue to leave their doors open, causing A/C problems for their neighbors, and safety hazards for themselves in case of fire.

A few cruise lines attempted to work around these careless people by installing magnetic switches on the balcony doors. These switches would automatically turn off the ventilation to any cabin with a balcony door left open.
But some enterprising passengers discovered that placing a small magnet near this switch would keep the switch open and the A/C pumping into their room - even though the doors are open.
These clever people then posted this information on Cruise Critic on numerous occasions, allowing their fellow cruisers to defeat the safety mechanisms, and cause continuing A/C problems for the cruise lines.
I am only willing to post that info here as the cruise lines have all but given up their attempts to convince cruisers to act responsibly. They have stopped installing the magnetic switches on the balcony doors.
They have instead decided to rely on passengers' common sense - which as we well know is not very common on cruise ships any more.

This has been posted here a few times and has been proven wrong so many times but keeps being posted as evidence from an unknown poster whose background we do not know.

Its like someone answering questions and threads here and never done it themselves.

The old chestnuts and myths keep being recycled.-This one is FIVE years old posted in 2010 and on Cruise critic, shortly after its posted there are photos of cruise companies with verandah doors propped open.


What happens when you leave your balcony door open?
The overpressure from your cabin disappears as the air rushes outside.
The ventilation system attempts to compensate by robbing the cool overpressure air from all your neighbors, pumping it into your cabin. But the overpressure is never achieved, so long as you leave your balcony door open. The system continues to take cool air from your neighbors as long as your door remains open.

This is just so untrue,

The problem on Internet forums is you cant validate who is saying, what, there are 'accounts' for famous people but not run by them, anyone can say they are a ships engineer, anyone can imply they have been on a cruise and haven't.

As said if the evidence is a third party forum post that is five years old, lets see a current engineer chip in.

 

[C6PT7]

So in your experience, why would the cruise lines ask that you keep your balcony door closed?
What experience and qualifications do you have to say that information is untrue?

edited to add a post from March 2015 from a current chief engineer for NCL (I hope that is current enough?)

"Absolutely. As I said, Shmoo's post accurately defines to effect but not the mechanics.

Each cabin recirculates a portion of its air (80% of the "turn over rate") through a cooler that is solely for that cabin (located under the vanity or in the sanitary locker outside the cabin), and this is what the cabin thermostat controls. The other 20% is supplied as fresh air from outside, and then the same amount is exhausted via the bathroom vent. As Shmoo says, the ventilation system is based on pressure, and when a balcony door is open, that cabin loses the back pressure, so the outside air supply system forces more air to that cabin (trying to restore the pressure there), so there is less outside air supplied to other cabins. The recirculation cooler is not sufficient to keep the cabin cool on its own, without a good supply of cool outside air."

 

[artnerds]

So in your experience, why would the cruise lines ask that you keep your balcony door closed?
What experience and qualifications do you have to say that information is untrue?

The sign says "Please keep verandah door closed to maximize stateroom air conditioning," which to me means "if you do not close the door, the A/C may not effectively cool your room." That makes sense to me.

The sign does not say "Please keep verandah door closed. Keeping it open may compromise the comfort of other passengers." I would think that if keeping the verandah door open a few inches will contribute to the suffocation of my fellow passengers, Disney wouldn't hesitate to tell me that.

It would not bother me if I were proven wrong. Quite the opposite, I don't want to negatively impact others' experience if, in fact, I am doing that. But let's have real sources and real information, not unsourced hearsay.

 

[C6PT7]

Google chengkp75 airconditioning. I can't link to the site

 

[SirDuff]

So in your experience, why would the cruise lines ask that you keep your balcony door closed?
What experience and qualifications do you have to say that information is untrue?

edited to add a post from March 2015 from a current chief engineer for NCL (I hope that is current enough?)

"Absolutely. As I said, Shmoo's post accurately defines to effect but not the mechanics.

Each cabin recirculates a portion of its air (80% of the "turn over rate") through a cooler that is solely for that cabin (located under the vanity or in the sanitary locker outside the cabin), and this is what the cabin thermostat controls. The other 20% is supplied as fresh air from outside, and then the same amount is exhausted via the bathroom vent. As Shmoo says, the ventilation system is based on pressure, and when a balcony door is open, that cabin loses the back pressure, so the outside air supply system forces more air to that cabin (trying to restore the pressure there), so there is less outside air supplied to other cabins. The recirculation cooler is not sufficient to keep the cabin cool on its own, without a good supply of cool outside air."

But nothing in that quote says that it affects other cabins - which is the issue of contention. It might very well be true, but there is nothing in what you've quoted that addresses it.

 

[C6PT7]

"Each cabin recirculates a portion of its air (80% of the "turn over rate") through a cooler that is solely for that cabin, and this is what the cabin thermostat controls. The other 20% is supplied as fresh air from outside, and then the same amount is exhausted via the bathroom vent. As Shmoo says, the ventilation system is based on pressure, and when a balcony door is open, that cabin loses the back pressure, so the outside air supply system forces more air to that cabin (trying to restore the pressure there), so there is less outside air supplied to other cabins. The recirculation cooler is not sufficient to keep the cabin cool on its own, without a good supply of cool outside air."

But nothing in that quote says that it affects other cabins - which is the issue of contention. It might very well be true, but there is nothing in what you've quoted that addresses it.

 

[Mindee]

That's a good idea about the ocean noise, thanks!

 

[artnerds]

Google chengkp75 airconditioning. I can't link to the site

Just because someone, who gives no indication of how he has such knowledge, posts something on a website, that doesn't make it a fact.

No, a reliable source would be, for example, a cruise company. Or an engineer who has worked on cruise ships.

 

[Dug720]

But nothing in that quote says that it affects other cabins - which is the issue of contention. It might very well be true, but there is nothing in what you've quoted that addresses it.

What part of "there is less outside air supplied to other cabins. The recirculation cooler is not sufficient to keep the cabin cool on its own, without a good supply of cool outside air." isn't clear? That pretty clearly states that it affects other cabins.

if you want ocean noise, put it on your white noise app or get a white noise maker that includes ocean surf.

 

[Dug720]

Just because someone, who gives no indication of how he has such knowledge, posts something on a website, that doesn't make it a fact.

No, a reliable source would be, for example, a cruise company. Or an engineer who has worked on cruise ships.

Pretty sure what was quoted was from a chief engineer on NCL.

 

[artnerds]

Pretty sure what was quoted was from a chief engineer on NCL.

Please show me where it says that.

 

[Dug720]

Please show me where it says that.

So in your experience, why would the cruise lines ask that you keep your balcony door closed?
What experience and qualifications do you have to say that information is untrue?

edited to add a post from March 2015 from a current chief engineer for NCL (I hope that is current enough?)

"Absolutely. As I said, Shmoo's post accurately defines to effect but not the mechanics.

Each cabin recirculates a portion of its air (80% of the "turn over rate") through a cooler that is solely for that cabin (located under the vanity or in the sanitary locker outside the cabin), and this is what the cabin thermostat controls. The other 20% is supplied as fresh air from outside, and then the same amount is exhausted via the bathroom vent. As Shmoo says, the ventilation system is based on pressure, and when a balcony door is open, that cabin loses the back pressure, so the outside air supply system forces more air to that cabin (trying to restore the pressure there), so there is less outside air supplied to other cabins. The recirculation cooler is not sufficient to keep the cabin cool on its own, without a good supply of cool outside air."

Bolded in the second quote.

 

[C6PT7]

Just because someone, who gives no indication of how he has such knowledge, posts something on a website, that doesn't make it a fact.

No, a reliable source would be, for example, a cruise company. Or an engineer who has worked on cruise ships.

Well none of us can call the chief engineer on the ships to ask them, but here is a quote from representative at HAL
"In addition to affecting sleeping conditions in the room with the open door, passengers may also affect the air-conditioning in surrounding rooms if they leave their balcony doors open overnight, thereby negatively impacting the experience of others, says Holland America's Mary Schimmelman.

 

[artnerds]

Well none of us can call the chief engineer on the ships to ask them, but here is a quote from representative at HAL
"In addition to affecting sleeping conditions in the room with the open door, passengers may also affect the air-conditioning in surrounding rooms if they leave their balcony doors open overnight, thereby negatively impacting the experience of others, says Holland America's Mary Schimmelman.

I applaud you on finding a real source rather than all the ridiculous hearsay that has been floating about until now.

I promise that, on my next cruise, I will ask the Concierge Host to find out if this is a real problem on Disney's ships from engineering before I do it.

 

[SirDuff]

link to post I'm trying to quote

I am so sorry. I somehow totally missed that and went right from the outside air supply forcing more air in to the cooler not being able to work on it's on. I try to read carefully, but clearly failed here.

Again, sorry (and thanks for pointing it out without calling me an idiot!)

ETA - I guess quoting didn't work since C6PT7 didn't having anything quotable (so I added something so that the link was valid).