Decorating doors

[lambcom]

A few weeks ago, a new to HAL cruiser asked a bunch of questions one of which was "can I decorate my stateroom door" -- or words to that effect. Someone replied that indeed you could.

My question: why in heaven's name would anyone want to decorate their cabin door? Surely there are better things to do during a cruise (including snoozing in a deck chair) than decorating your door! And why would you want to decorate your door in the first place? So people walking by could say to each other "boy, there must some really obsessive-compulsive people in that cabin"?

Awaiting enlightenment....

[peaches from georgia]

I have never seen a door decorated on a cruise. Doesn't mean it isn't done, but I have never seen it (nor would I ever do it myself). Would anyone decorate their door in a hotel? Don't see the difference.

Agree with you, lambcom.

[scopewest]

I think it might be a fun thing to do. If I were with a large group, that might be an easy way to spot a groupmate's cabin without memorizing cabin numbers. My worry is that I hear about kids running around ripping decorations off. On my NYEve cruise the Oosterdam had wreaths hanging on everyone's cabin door which made for a festive look. And the O hung them off the top of the doors so that they couldn't be easily reached.

[Iggipolka]

My spouse and I decorated our stateroom door when we were on our honeymoon. We put up wedding themed wrapping paper and a couple of silver and purple balloons (our wedding colors). It was quite fun and our neighbors and steward loved our door. As a side benefit, it made finding our cabin very easy!

[ehrkes]

Hey

DOOR DECORATORS UNITE!

I am an artist, so I 'um like to decorate our door........the last few cruise we have used:

Spongebob Squarepants Sign (him smiling and saying Bon Voyage-dont know where I got that?)

and another cruise I did a Valentine decoration on the outside cabin door-once of those honeycomb hearts...

another cruise I did FLags of the countries we were visiting/ since it was around the Olympics time......so I just printed up the countrys flag that we were visiting like The Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico...............and I think it is respectful and cool..

and lastly, I put up a magnetic photo holder, and added our last cruising photos full of big smiles and wrote a little note saying, This is not your cabin....it belongs to Shawn and Laura for the week!


So, I like cabin decorated doors, I know strange and cool at the same time...hope this defends cabin decorators...


Ehrkes :p

[dakrewser]

Awaiting enlightenment....

Some do decorations because they're artists - real, or "frustrated".

I do it so I can find my cabin after the Crow's Nest empties out....;)

[TeresaJenkins]

A few weeks ago, a new to HAL cruiser asked a bunch of questions one of which was "can I decorate my stateroom door" -- or words to that effect. Someone replied that indeed you could.
My question: why in heaven's name would anyone want to decorate their cabin door? Surely there are better things to do during a cruise (including snoozing in a deck chair) than decorating your door! And why would you want to decorate your door in the first place? So people walking by could say to each other "boy, there must some really obsessive-compulsive people in that cabin"?
Awaiting enlightenment....

I was the person asking the question.

The reasons:

1. It would help me and others find my room.
2. The doors that I have seen decorated were very attractive.
3. Yes, I have other things to do, but getting the things together for my upcoming cruise (like the door magnets) will make the cruise seem like it is closer.
4. Coming from Va. I probably won't be able to "snooze in a deck chair" until the late evening or the next day due to temp and the sea.

I hope this answers your questions.

[dakrewser]

3. Yes, I have other things to do, but getting the things together for my upcoming cruise (like the door magnets) will make the cruise seem like it is closer.


Note that magnets don't work on Vista-class ships. Not on the door, the frame, the wall or the "mailbox." :(

-dave

[heyabbott]

If there's a sock on the door knob, I'm occupied;) .


There's a bumper sticker that was amended.

If this ship's a rockin', don't come a knockin':D

[lambcom]

Fascinating! I guess Peaches and I are the only people who don't have an appreciation for door decorating.

I'm most amused by the people who said the decorations help them find their rooms. My usual technique is to get off the elevator and say to myself "turn right, then right again and it's the third door on the left." It seems to work every time.

[JaniceB]

Dave,

Thanks for the tip on finding your way back to your room from the Crow's Nest. I might have to try the door decoration so I won't have to worry about my husband not finding his way back from the Crow's Nest.

Janice

[heyabbott]

Fascinating! I guess Peaches and I are the only people who don't have an appreciation for door decorating.

I'm most amused by the people who said the decorations help them find their rooms. My usual technique is to get off the elevator and say to myself "turn right, then right again and it's the third door on the left." It seems to work every time.

As my Dad used to say, who grew up on an island, if you're in the water, you've gone too far.

[dakrewser]

I'm most amused by the people who said the decorations help them find their rooms. My usual technique is to get off the elevator and say to myself "turn right, then right again and it's the third door on the left." It seems to work every time.

With three banks of elevators - some of which are forward of your cabin and some aft - that can be difficult. Add to it the situation of pairs of elevators facing each other in most banks and the problem is compounded.

Do you sometimes find your key won't open your door?:)

[peaches from georgia]

Call me crazy, but I always find the number on the door works just fine letting me know which is my room. :)

Strange there are so many here saying they decorate. I have never seen a door decorated yet. Maybe it is done just on certain decks? :p

[Rosarymb]

My mom's coming, and as a dyslexic, she has her "left" and her "other left." A visual something on the door will keep her from feeling frustrated. And keep us from explaining to alarmed shipmates that my 66 year old mom is not a cat burglar....

[heyabbott]

Call me crazy, but I always find the number on the door works just fine letting me know which is my room. :)
:p

put a different number on each door?

brilliant

[CDRMark]

Took our first ever cruise in November for DW birthday. It was over Thanksgiving. We decorated our door for both occasions with balloons and wrapping paper. It was for festive reasons, not due to being lost. (Haven't been lost on a ship since USS John F. Kennedy)
While serving in the USN, those of us who lived onboard decorated at every opportunity, more as a way of making it 'homey' and marking our territory.
On Maasdam it was just plain fun for us and our visitors.
Cheers
MarkB

[KSCnCA]

My name is Karen C. and I am a door decorator. It helps with the precruise anticipation! I spend about 1 minute of the cruise putting the "decoration" on the door and everytime I go through the door I smile. What's so bad about that?

And who's to say what is better to do on a cruise? That is why there are some many things to do: we are all different! Don't decorate your door but don't give those of us who do demeaning titles!

[trubey]

Are people with decorated doors the same people who have lawn ornaments at home?

susan.

[Ziggy7]

We decorated our doors on 2 different cruises, I have pictures of them in my Zuiderdam pics and in my Monarch of the seas pics. Our cabin stewards always enjoyed them as did our neighbors :) We did too. Dont care much what others thought, if we liked it and it didnt affect others cruise, we didnt care :) Some do it and some Dont, who cares really :)

[scopewest]

What does everyone use to stick the decorations to the door? I like the idea that it's a way to anticipate your cruise ahead of time.

[Ziggy7]

I hot glued magnet strips to the back for the Zuiderdam but the doors are not metal, only the frames are so we hung it from the top frame which worked out ok. On the Monarch we used magnet hooks to hang the sign on and we bought cruise critic magnets and just stuck them on the door :)

[AmyinVail]

As my Dad used to say, who grew up on an island, if you're in the water, you've gone too far.


LMAO! :D

I've never noticed a decorated door before - I think it's cute! I'll definetly be on the look-out now!

[dakrewser]

Are people with decorated doors the same people who have lawn ornaments at home?

susan.

Do you have something against flamingos? :rolleyes:

http://www.offbeattravel.com/austin-f.jpg

-dave
"I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don't give a damn." :)

[Ziggy7]

Do you have something against flamingos? :rolleyes:

http://www.offbeattravel.com/austin-f.jpg

-dave
"I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don't give a damn." :) OMG Dave, I love it, your too funny hehehehehehee :)

[flamingogal]

http://www.offbeattravel.com/austin-f.jpg

These are not lawn ornaments, they are my children!!! They don't go on cruises, because they don't stick well to the doors. :p (they are really well behaved in the shallow sides of the aft pool. ;)

[cyrus4kids]

My husband and I cruise every year and each time I decorate our door...And yes I do use lawn decorations too...We enjoy giving others something to see..And you should see our house at Christmas...Move over Grizwalds the Cyrus's are here...We should start a Door Decorating Club and post ideas and patterns for future cruises.....Proud of Who I am...and What I do...

[bepsf]

I decorate my door (I know, big surprise there - haha....)


...and, no - I don't have lawn ornaments (I don't have a lawn on the 15th floor, but that's besides the point....)

I always put include Post-it notes and a pen stuck to the door w/ velcro so that folks can leave notes inviting me to drinks, etc.

[trubey]

Now I know why no one ever invited me for drinks. Or rather, I hope I now know why I was never invited for drinks.

susan.

[Ziggy7]

My husband and I cruise every year and each time I decorate our door...And yes I do use lawn decorations too...We enjoy giving others something to see..And you should see our house at Christmas...Move over Grizwalds the Cyrus's are here...We should start a Door Decorating Club and post ideas and patterns for future cruises.....Proud of Who I am...and What I do...Did you look at my pics ???? Did you take pics ??? I would love to see pics of decorated doors :) Anyone ?????

[Iggipolka]

http://www.offbeattravel.com/austin-f.jpg


Ok..this is too funny. The wife and I actually put flamingos on our cabin door! We got pink flamingo swizzle sticks and also 2 stuffed animal pink flamingo's while at Key West and taped them to the door.
I donno why...it was just one of those cruise moments. We certainly don't have them on the lawn at home!

[KSCnCA]

Ziggy - I have pix of our door signs on our last two cruises. It will be an ongoing thing now, but we haven't posted anything. I can email you pix if you like. I love the idea of a door decorators anonymous club! :)

[Ziggy7]

Ziggy - I have pix of our door signs on our last two cruises. It will be an ongoing thing now, but we haven't posted anything. I can email you pix if you like. I love the idea of a door decorators anonymous club! :)I would love to see them :) Thanks!


ziggysmoney@ yahoo dot com

[PurrSusan]

Add us to the door decorating club!! Last time we cruised we were celebrating our 50th birthdays so we put a big "50" sign on the door with our first name & dates of birth each on a star with glitter paint (we used plasti-tak to hang these so we wouldn't damage the door). We received lots of compliments on our door and, as someone else already said, it made us smile everytime we went through our door. We will be cruising again in Oct & I already have our door decorations ready!!! It takes us about 5 minutes to put our decorations up and we don't consider it a waste of time---we think of it as being creative & we love it! Susan & Jim

[TinaLee]

We didn't do it ourselves, but our very sweet friends from Phoenix decorated the doors of everyone traveling with them (including us) on our Caribbean Princess cruise last summer. Our daughter is a classical music major, hence the 'theme' selected for our door. There were also 'foo-drink', tropical clothing, gambling, and shopping themes (as best I can recall).

http://images.ofoto.com/photos642/1/55/26/89/53/3/353892655103_0_ALB.jpg

now to see if my copy and paste actually works...

TinaLee

[Time2sail]

The door was well done but I really liked the pictures of the food.

[Ziggy7]

Ziggy - I have pix of our door signs on our last two cruises. It will be an ongoing thing now, but we haven't posted anything. I can email you pix if you like. I love the idea of a door decorators anonymous club! :)Thanks, your pictures were great!

[Ziggy7]

The door was well done but I really liked the pictures of the food.hehehee thanks :)

[Ziggy7]

Add us to the door decorating club!! Last time we cruised we were celebrating our 50th birthdays so we put a big "50" sign on the door with our first name & dates of birth each on a star with glitter paint (we used plasti-tak to hang these so we wouldn't damage the door). We received lots of compliments on our door and, as someone else already said, it made us smile everytime we went through our door. We will be cruising again in Oct & I already have our door decorations ready!!! It takes us about 5 minutes to put our decorations up and we don't consider it a waste of time---we think of it as being creative & we love it! Susan & JimWelcome to the club, and your door decorations sounds awesome!

[cyrus4kids]

Sorry that I never have taken any pics of our door decorations..but sure will from now on...Don't have pink flamingos in my yard..but I do have a herd of Real Deer (Bucks and Does), Squirrels, Turkeys and Raccoons...God has provided us with a mixture of lawn ornaments...we really enjoy feeding them and naming them, especially as the newbies are born each spring. Going on the Caribbean Princess Sept 24th...Last Princess Cruise someone liked our WV magnets and took them as souvenirs....

[setsail]

We just cruised in Dec. and decorated our door like a package. Red paper, ribbon, blank cards for cruisers to sign,etc. The pax on our side loved it because they could find their cabin and it also put crew members in the spirit as some came up to our floor just to look.Our cabin steward said we could even leave the decorations when the cruise was over, which we did.

[DavidNDC]

It's okay to use paint when decorating one's door, yes? I'm on the Zuiderdam May 14 and I'd like to do something in keeping with the ship's colors! Something lasting.

Heh. :)

[TeresaJenkins]

I always put include Post-it notes and a pen stuck to the door w/ velcro so that folks can leave notes inviting me to drinks, etc.

Great idea! I think I'll do the same.
Thanks for the tip.:D

[TeresaJenkins]

Add us to the door decorating club!! Last time we cruised we were celebrating our 50th birthdays so we put a big "50" sign on the door with our first name & dates of birth each on a star with glitter paint (we used plasti-tak to hang these so we wouldn't damage the door). We received lots of compliments on our door and, as someone else already said, it made us smile everytime we went through our door. We will be cruising again in Oct & I already have our door decorations ready!!! It takes us about 5 minutes to put our decorations up and we don't consider it a waste of time---we think of it as being creative & we love it! Susan & Jim

Someone mentioned that the magnets/magnet paper won't work on the Maasdam; can you tell me what you put your decorations up with? Any help would be great.
Thanks a million!

[cruisinjudy]

There were 250 CCers on our December Infinity Hawaii cruise. Many of us decorated our doors. Here is the one we had on our door.

[dakrewser]

There were 250 CCers on our December Infinity Hawaii cruise. Many of us decorated our doors. Here is the one we had on our door.

Will the Infinity's doors hold magnets?

-dave

[cruisinjudy]

Yes, Dave, Infinity doors could take magnets. We used a magnet with a clip on it. We had trouble with it until I put it above the "mailbox" as it kept getting hit as we went in and out as it was only anchored on top.
The door signs on deck nine all disappeared, but the rest of the decks had no problem. We have no idea what happened on deck nine.

[Oceanwench]

I've seen decorated doors on very cruise I've gone on [except Windjammer].

Balloons, crepe paper, posterboard, etc. etc.
I always smile and make a mental note to self: Make a door decoration for next cruise. And then I always forget!

I enjoy looking at the various decorations -- sometimes I learn more about my fellow cruisers -- who just got married, who is celebrating a 50th birthday, who lives in Boston or Houston or Cleveland.

It's just a fun thing to do for some people. I've also heard of people who take along strings of lights to decorate their balconies!

As for me ... I definitely would go with flamingoes.

[Silverfox]

We have decorated our door for the last 20 cruises I'd say. Nothing elaborate, usually a poster appropriate for the season:

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"
"HAPPY EASTER"
A Halloween pumpkin
Something Irish in March
A Valentine for February
Etc.

We'll be sailing in March for our 50th and our friends 25th anniv. You can be sure each cabin door will have an appropriate "something" on it.

It takes 3 minutes to put up -- using sticky stuff. Makes it look festive and we've had so many compliments on the decorations. Only once was one removed and we found it just several doors away.

Try it -- you might like it!

[dakrewser]

Yes, Dave, Infinity doors could take magnets.
The door signs on deck nine all disappeared, but the rest of the decks had no problem. We have no idea what happened on deck nine.

Thanks - We'll be on deck 8, so hopefully the "de-decorator" won't visit us!

[wander]

On longer trips some of the larger travel agencies provide an escort (or two or even three) for a large group of clients, along with some extra goodies, pillow gifts, etc. On our last long cruises (64 day cruise and past World Cruise) at least two such agencies were represented on board. In that case, each escort placed a particular decoration on the cabin door of each of their clients - made it easier to distribute the pillow gifts, notices of special shore excursions, cocktail parties, etc. They also put something special on a door when a client had a birthday or anniversary. However, this would probably not occur on most cruises as there needs to be an "escort" to tend to this all. I know that at least one agency has escorts on the present World Cruise, but do not know what, if any, decoration they used this year.

[PurrSusan]

Teresa, I used plasti-tak to put things on the door. It sticks to just about anything! You just pull off a piece and squeeze it in you hand until it gets soft (almost looks like gum!). Then you stick it on the back of your pictures and stick them on the door. It works great and you can re-use it. You can get this at paper supply stores or anywhere that sells teaching supplies. Teachers use this a lot to keep from making marks on the walls. Hope this helps you!! Have a great cruise! Susan

[PurrSusan]

Hey Ziggy 7---I'll try to scan & e-mail you my door picture. I don't have a scanner at home so I'll have to wait until I get to work on Monday. :) Susan

[Ziggy7]

Hey Ziggy 7---I'll try to scan & e-mail you my door picture. I don't have a scanner at home so I'll have to wait until I get to work on Monday. :) Susan
That would be great thanks! :)

[TeresaJenkins]

Teresa, I used plasti-tak to put things on the door. It sticks to just about anything! You just pull off a piece and squeeze it in you hand until it gets soft (almost looks like gum!). Then you stick it on the back of your pictures and stick them on the door. It works great and you can re-use it. You can get this at paper supply stores or anywhere that sells teaching supplies. Teachers use this a lot to keep from making marks on the walls. Hope this helps you!! Have a great cruise! Susan

Thank you a million Susan!

[flgirl]

Here is a great door from last week's cruise on the Zuiderdam. I admired this door so much as I passed it that I invited the door designers up for a drink in our room. They were such a nice couple. They were with a group of people that had a door decorating contest.

Their door says "From Snow and Ice to Paradise". My son just loved looking at their pictures of snow. The designers are from Michigan and they told me it would be OK top post this.

http://members.aol.com:/flgirl/doordecor.jpg

[Ziggy7]

Here is a great door from last week's cruise on the Zuiderdam. I admired this door so much as I passed it that I invited the door designers up for a drink in our room. They were such a nice couple. They were with a group of people that had a door decorating contest.

Their door says "From Snow and Ice to Paradise". My son just loved looking at their pictures of snow. The designers are from Michigan and they told me it would be OK top post this.

http://members.aol.com:/flgirl/doordecor.jpgThat looks awesome !!! Very nice! Thanks for sharing!:)