Refrigerators?

[carlennaro]

Is it true that all the rooms have mini-fridges? Is that all categories? If so, what size are they...what can fit?

Thanks!

 

[mmouse37]

They are not true refridgerators....as they do not have a compressor. They are more like a cooler. The questions as to why there are these instead of fridges was brought up on the 1/4 Magic Q&A with the Captain.

The reason they are not fridges....is because fridges need a compressor and compressors generate heat....which would be too much of a drain the on the air conditioning system. The coolers in the room do not put out any heat into the cabin. They are about the size of a dorm refridgerator and can hold a bunch of cans and bottles of water. It is not that tall, so an average bottle of wine would have to lean on its side.

They chill things down overnight and keep them cold. We had no problem with them at all

Made sense to me!!

MJ

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

I'm having a bit of difficulty with the "they don't generate heat" aspect of things. They might not generate as much heat as a fridge with a compressor, but they still generate heat.

It's all a matter of (if you'll forgive the pun) degree.

It's also likely that with the lack of mechanical components (like a compressor), these fridge's are slightly more energy efficient (which also means not as much heat is gerated as a by-product).

Don't mind me, just picking nits...

 

[carlennaro]

Thanks for the response. As long as it keeps things cool, that is good enough for me!

PS...Mmouse37...I'm a Piermont native, now living in Northvale! Saw you are from Tappan. "It's a small world..."

 

[kajohn]

I don't understand how they cool if there is no refrigeration unit in it. Do the cabin stewards put ice in them? I have heard you can request a pitcher of lemonade from room service, and leave it in there, will that work, and will it stay cold?

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

The stewards do not put ice in the unit - there are no moving parts; just electronics.

It's still a refrigeration unit - it just doesn't use a compressor and freon to transfer the heat inside the box to the outside.

Sometime back as I recall, NASA developed methods to move heat from one medium to another without using mechanical components. The underlying method of transfering heat is basically the same as with a mechanical component (as I barely know Maxwell's demon, I won't attempt to explain).

You can purchase similar products at your local Wal-Mart or Target store in the camping section - coolers which plug into 12volt sources (which also have the ability to heat as well).

 

[inkkognito]

Interestingly enough, some of them seem to work a lot better than others. We have been in staterooms where it seemed like there was no cooling power at all, and in other rooms it kept our items very nicely chilled. We had a good one on our 7-day Magic cruise in 5650. It just seems to be the luck of the draw.
Anyone remember the old days, when those things were stocked minibars rather than guest coolers?
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[mmouse37]

Oh yes...I certainly remember those days Barb.....another thing I noticed on this cruise was that the bottled water was not in the room this time around. I remember they used to keep a few bottles of water on the desk and if you drank them you were charged!!! I am glad...the kids always though those were complimentary until I explained that anything you took out of the mini-bar was charged to room and it was quite costly!!!

carlennaro......it is a small world!!!! Did you attend TZHS....both my hubby and myself grew up in Orangeburg and graduated from TZ in '75 and '77....had our first house on Lester Drive and then moved to Tappan about 10 years ago!! We know alot of people from Piermont!!! Two of my teens go to TZ now, one a senior and one a freshman!! We are always at Cost Cutters or Friendly's or Mickey D's in Northvale!!!


MJ

 

[mmouse37]

bump