No more opening doors between balconies

[Dr. Pam]

Possibly, but it also provides an alternative escape route.....assuming the fire was in your room.

 

 

The only other reason I can think of is that it would encourage large groups of people to congregate on he balcony together. Thinking spring break atmosphere here. There may be less a tendency to congregate if there was less room to move around.

 

We have connecting central park balconies on Oasis in December. Hopefully they won't have a problem opening the partition. If I remember I can post our experience with this when we return, after 12-24-11.

 

We are on the Oasis Dec 31. WE have a Grand Suite connecting to a OV balcony (for our teenage kids). Please report back.....as we definitely would like an "extended balcony".

[pcur]

I heard this two years ago, and it was proven when one captain allowed the balcony door to be open, and when his reliver came aboard, he declared it not proper and had it closed.

 

Since then, I have not known anyone that has been allowed to have the connecting balcony door left open.

 

Maybe just now, corporate is backing the captains......or maybe the rule has been there, and now corporate is making it clear, so that anyone asking for the connecting door to be opened, can be told that corporate says that it cannot be done.:confused:;)

 

Rick

 

I've stayed out of the "open balcony dividers" discussions until now, because the last time I posted I got pretty well fried.

 

You are correct. Actually, this is an OLD policy that the fleet just did not enforce very well. It's always been a policy to keep them closed because of possible fire hazards. I've been surprised the last several years to hear of all the open partitions. I was told they were only opened for cleaning.

 

So, I guess RCCL decided to enforce it's own policy, even though it's a very, very unpopular one.

[Christine Frances]

It was wind issues on our NCL cruise. If it was too breezy the doors would bang back and forth as there was no catch. There were 2 days of the 14 that the steward would not open the doors for us due to wind. Other times we would be able to have the partition doors open during the day but they were always closed by the steward at turn down.

[johneeo]

I've stayed out of the "open balcony dividers" discussions until now, because the last time I posted I got pretty well fried.

 

 

Glad to see you survived.;)

[Ashland]

Just to play devil's advocate here for a minute. Let's say you are travelling with a group of friends, with four balconies in a row, and you happen to have one of inside ones within your group. Everyone else wants one giant balcony, but you do not. Sort of puts you in an awkward position don't you think? I mean just because you booked with friends does not mean that you wanted to lose the privacy of your own balcony. You paid your cruise fare anticipating being able to chat with your friends, but not having them walk by your door. Perhaps the company has received complaints from passengers about this?

That's an easy one to answer..don't cruise with those friends or book a cabin next to them then you won't have to feel "awkward"..or keep your drapes closed..:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

Just to play devil's advocate here for a minute. Let's say you are travelling with a group of friends, with four balconies in a row, and you happen to have one of inside ones within your group. Everyone else wants one giant balcony, but you do not. Sort of puts you in an awkward position don't you think? I mean just because you booked with friends does not mean that you wanted to lose the privacy of your own balcony. You paid your cruise fare anticipating being able to chat with your friends, but not having them walk by your door. Perhaps the company has received complaints from passengers about this?

 

I'm a big boy. If I don't want the divider open and my friends on my balcony I can speak up to them a fight my own battles. I don't need RCI smoothing things over for me by denying open dividers to everyone else on the cruise who might want them open.

 

Exactly what type of complaints do you think RCI has had about this issue? People writing and saying that they were too afraid to tell their friends that they don't want to share their balcony so please make a rule that they have to stay closed?

[johneeo]

That's an easy one to answer..don't cruise with those friends or book a cabin next to them then you won't have to feel "awkward"..or keep your drapes closed..:rolleyes:

 

We have done a couple of cruises with 18 to 20 in our group.

 

We have discussed and planned excursions, the itinerary, what time for dinner ..... just about everything.

 

With one exception ...... where anyone's rooms were located. As a matter of fact, I am happy not to be next to or near anyone.

[Ocean Boy]

Navigator and Mariner, both have "swing door" type dividers, these I can see being a safety issue as there is now way to secure then once opened, Freedom and Allure class have sliding dividers that slide back along the fixed part of the divider, no safety issue there

 

You are telling us that RCI built these multi million dollar ships, that just happen to move and rock back and forth, and they didn't think of including devices to secure the divider in the open position? I don't believe that for one second. AND, on previous thread, people, with personal experience, have posted that the dividers could, indeed, be secured in the open position.

[pcur]

You are telling us that RCI built these multi million dollar ships, that just happen to move and rock back and forth, and they didn't think of including devices to secure the divider in the open position? I don't believe that for one second. AND, on previous thread, people, with personal experience, have posted that the dividers could, indeed, be secured in the open position.

 

You are slightly missing the point: I don't think RCCL WANTS the dividers to stay open. All the ships have a device to keep them open for cleaning, but they may not all have it for keeping them open for long periods of time, and while at sea.

[Ocean Boy]

You are slightly missing the point: I don't think RCCL WANTS the dividers to stay open. All the ships have a device to keep them open for cleaning, but they may not all have it for keeping them open for long periods of time, and while at sea.

 

I am not missing the point at all. RCI may not WANT the dividers open and that is fine. Just don't try to say it is because the sway back and forth and bang around. There is a mechanism to keep them on the open position just as there is a mechanism to keep them in the closed position.

[Christine Frances]

I am not missing the point at all. RCI may not WANT the dividers open and that is fine. Just don't try to say it is because the sway back and forth and bang around. There is a mechanism to keep them on the open position just as there is a mechanism to keep them in the closed position.

 

I am glad to hear that RCI has that mechanism because we had to use our chairs to hold open the dividers on NCL.

[lovelife]

It was allowed on Allure of the Seas last month.

 

 

Balcony Divider Removed

[Pitbull1130]

Just got off the Allure of the seas two weeks ago. I asked to have the partition open between our balcony and our friends balcony. The woman I asked was the floor supervisor, she opened the partition, and gave me her card and said if we need anything else, call her directly!! Every cruise I have been on, the partition was opened.

 

Us too, everytime we've asked they been opened..........

[pcur]

Just don't try to say it is because the sway back and forth and bang around.

 

I didn't say that; someone else did.:confused:

[johneeo]

I am glad to hear that RCI has that mechanism because we had to use our chairs to hold open the dividers on NCL.

You didn't bring your duct tape?:eek:

[will773]

This is really a shame! On the Navigator in April, they wouldn't open the dividers... :confused: In June on Allure, they would. It was so great to be able to walk back and forth between the cabins freely without having to go out into the hallway. Plus the balcony was HUGE! :D

[dedosr]

Now that makes sense. :eek:

 

Good thing no one has ever gotten injured horsing around at the pool. Would be a real drag if the Captain had to shut down the pools for all cruises.

 

The Captain could really limit the liabilities if he were to declare that NO ONE is allowed on their balcony because of the legal liabilites.

 

Common sense is an endangered species.

 

Yea I know what you mean, The last cruise I was on on the Allure, someone had to much to drink on the Rising Tide Bar, and as they were getting off they fell and got hurt, Now they don't use the Rising Tide Bar anymore, Its just used for storage and sometimes as a freight elevator for staff only!!!

[Pushka]

"Have too" No..but it's something that certain cruisers traveling together that have specifically booked cabins next to each other want....And just what is going to go wrong that can't go wrong if you have a connecting cabin and those doors open :confused:

Connecting cabins only connect two cabins. I agree, two cabins with open balcony dividers would not represent as much a problem as multiple cabins having multiple balconies exposed.

Could you give me an example of something going wrong because adjoining balconies were opened?

The more people mixing together on a balcony the more risk of something going wrong. Add alcohol to the mix. Then think of the cabins directly above and below the open balconies. Now before you say that royal suits have huge balconies, there are not the same number of passengers in the royal suite as there would be with say, five cabins opened up. But I see someone has already explained how this went wrong.

 

In life there are risks that we just have to deal with, like slipping around the pool and these are pretty much unavoidable but we try to reduce the risk as much as possible, eg by not allowing running around the sides. But creating a massive balcony with multiple people in a private space (as opposed to a public space which can be monitored, eg with cameras) just seems a stupid risk for any respoinsibke cruise liner to take.

 

While the people on this forum are most likely responsible cruisers, can you imagine the situation that could develop if say ten cabins of 25 year olds ordered alcohol for their rooms, opened up the balconies and partied all night long. Cruise lines can't discriminate because of age, so a blanket policy seems appropriate.

[Ashland]

Connecting cabins only connect two cabins. I agree, two cabins with open balcony dividers would not represent as much a problem as multiple cabins having multiple balconies exposed.

 

The more people mixing together on a balcony the more risk of something going wrong. Add alcohol to the mix. Then think of the cabinets directly above and below the open balconies. Now before you say that royal suits have huge balconies, there are not the same number of passengers in the royal suite as there would be with say, five cabins opened up. But I see someone has already explained how this went wrong.

 

In life there are risks that we just have to deal with, like slipping around the pool and these are pretty much unavoidable but we try to reduce the risk as much as possible, eg by not allowing running around the sides. But creating a massive balcony with multiple people in a private space (as opposed to a public space which can be monitored, eg with cameras) just seems a stupid risk for any respoinsibke cruise liner to take.

 

While the people on this forum are most likely responsible cruisers, can you imagine the situation that could develop if say ten cabins of 25 year olds ordered alcohol for their rooms, opened up the balconies and partied all night long. Cruise lines can't discriminate because of age, so a blanket policy seems appropriate.

Can you imagine them climbing over and around the balconies :eek::eek:...better to have them open ;Age doesn't guarantee maturity..just too bad some have ruined it for others)

[Pushka]

Can you imagine them climbing over and around the balconies :eek::eek:...better to have them open ;Age doesn't guarantee maturity..just too bad some have ruined it for others)

 

I used 25 as I think that is the youngest age you can occupy a cabin. And yes, any age can represent a risk.

 

If RCL open up the partitions they are basically saying it is OK to go out and party en masse in private. So they take on the liability if something goes wrong. Anyone climbing over a partition is taking on their own liability for doing something completely stupid and so RCL can wipe their hands, which is appropriate.

 

Saying that we should legalize something just so that people doing risk their lives doing it anyway is like saying we should legalize drugs so people don't get hurt in the process of obtaining them.

[Mooguy]

It was wind issues on our NCL cruise. If it was too breezy the doors would bang back and forth as there was no catch. There were 2 days of the 14 that the steward would not open the doors for us due to wind. Other times we would be able to have the partition doors open during the day but they were always closed by the steward at turn down.

 

On a cruise a few years ago and our neighbors had their divider opebned with the people next to them. We had to call the front desk several times because that thing would be banging like mad and they were not around to stop it..

[TonyFred]

We were on the Freedom the last week of October traveling with best friends in the adjoining hump balcony next to ours. We asked the room steward to open the divider and he didnt hesitate. We enjoyed the balconies all week long. So ask...you never know.

[Christine Frances]

You didn't bring your duct tape?:eek:

 

Dang!! Yes I did but forgot I had it - kept thinking I should have brought a bungie cord:D

[Ashland]

I used 25 as I think that is the youngest age you can occupy a cabin. And yes, any age can represent a risk.

 

If RCL open up the partitions they are basically saying it is OK to go out and party en masse in private. So they take on the liability if something goes wrong. Anyone climbing over a partition is taking on their own liability for doing something completely stupid and so RCL can wipe their hands, which is appropriate.

 

Saying that we should legalize something just so that people doing risk their lives doing it anyway is like saying we should legalize drugs so people don't get hurt in the process of obtaining them.

Hmm..Much better to party in public so RCI is liable :rolleyes:.... RCI age requirement is 21 (if sailing without a parent ) only time this doesn't apply is if they are legally married..I don't think drugs are illegal so people don't get hurt when trying to "obtain" them :D..The subject here is "policy" not legalization.

[rubrrick]

I've stayed out of the "open balcony dividers" discussions until now, because the last time I posted I got pretty well fried.

 

You are correct. Actually, this is an OLD policy that the fleet just did not enforce very well. It's always been a policy to keep them closed because of possible fire hazards. I've been surprised the last several years to hear of all the open partitions. I was told they were only opened for cleaning.

 

So, I guess RCCL decided to enforce it's own policy, even though it's a very, very unpopular one.

 

 

Peggy..........you have been cruising for many more years than most that are here on Cruise Critic.

 

It's sad, when I read some of the reasons given by CC members that are mature, that are acting like children to what corporate has said.

 

I would treat the balcony door situation, just like the alcohol situation.

 

If you are a old time cruiser, and want something special done........don't advertise it!

 

OB.........you are the classic example....someone that I like, but likes to flaunt items that would be better just left unsaid.;)

 

Stepping down.................

 

Rick