Solarium Roofs

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

One minor complaint that I have with RCI is they have invested in engineering and design of a rolling roof over the solarium s. They pay a weight penalty in fuel to have a stronger roof that can move. They have to pay for extra maintenance on the movement system. I have been on 8 cruises on ships that have solarium and I have never seen the roof on the solarium open. Why invest in the design and weight if you never use it?

[Clarea]

I think Royal has decided that it's not worth investing in movable roofs. The last ship built with a movable roof was Jewel in 2004.

[rummenroman]

I too have never seen them open. I just chalk it up to "it's too expensive" to fix, maintain etc. Much like I have never seen the revolving bar move on any of the Radiance ships. It functions without the movement, so why spend the money for parts to fix it. Neither of these affect my cruise either way, so I could care less.

[dancinman66]

They are a big plus in real hot climates though as it gets so hot otherwise

 

 

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[Alex282]

I too have never seen them open. I just chalk it up to "it's too expensive" to fix, maintain etc. Much like I have never seen the revolving bar move on any of the Radiance ships. It functions without the movement, so why spend the money for parts to fix it. Neither of these affect my cruise either way, so I could care less.

 

While the roof didn't open (so far as I saw), I can say that the revolving bar was certainly moving on the Radiance in February this year. It didn't make anything taste any better or add anything extra to the room, but the rotating was absolutely commented on by a lot of people we spoke to while we were watching it.

[tomatosauce]

I too saw the bar rotating on the Radiance in February and it worked quite well during the "Exclusive top tier event". On the same cruise I really wanted them to open the roof as the solarium was so hot and steamy.

[kwazi07]

They are a big plus in real hot climates though as it gets so hot otherwise

 

 

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That is very true. However, its not like the roofs aren't able to open. The first day we were on Enchantment, eating lunch at the Park Cafe, they opened and closed it fully TWICE while we were eating. It stayed shut for the whole cruise.

 

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[BillOh]

One minor complaint that I have with RCI is they have invested in engineering and design of a rolling roof over the solarium s. They pay a weight penalty in fuel to have a stronger roof that can move. They have to pay for extra maintenance on the movement system. I have been on 8 cruises on ships that have solarium and I have never seen the roof on the solarium open. Why invest in the design and weight if you never use it?

 

I certainly understand the sentiment. I did see once on Jewel where they opened the roof 6 feet to let full shine and air over the plants near the roof.

 

 

Now that I think about it, they had also repainted the pool that week, so they were probably allowing paint fumes out.

Edited September 5, 2014 by BillOh

[ehfl]

One ship (I think it was Monarch), had a very expensive and prominently display clock that apparently never worked.

 

With the solarium roof, I think it may be a case of "not my job". They may have simply overlooked assigning someone to make the decision as to whether the roof should be opened or closed. All the staff probably think it's someone else's responsibility.

[setsail]

Opening while under way is like riding in a car with the windows down, fuel consumption goes up. When these ships were built, fuel price was much lower.

[JMG]

I get your point about the expense of these roofs and a ship ported out of Florida does not need this feature. But there are other ports where opening/closing the roof is an asset to the passenger comfort.

 

Baltimore is a cold weather port and the roof of the Enchantment and Grandeur opens/closes depending on the time of year, weather, and location of the ship. On cooler days it is nice to be able to be by the pool in a warmer area.

[Ocean Boy]

One minor complaint that I have with RCI is they have invested in engineering and design of a rolling roof over the solarium s. They pay a weight penalty in fuel to have a stronger roof that can move. They have to pay for extra maintenance on the movement system. I have been on 8 cruises on ships that have solarium and I have never seen the roof on the solarium open. Why invest in the design and weight if you never use it?

 

Probably not much need to do much maintenance on the system if they don't use the mechanism much.

[jayblue]

On my one and only trip on Enchantment (in its inaugural year), the opened it in Key West. The mosquitos attacked. They didn't open it again that trip.

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

One ship (I think it was Monarch), had a very expensive and prominently display clock that apparently never worked.

 

With the solarium roof, I think it may be a case of "not my job". They may have simply overlooked assigning someone to make the decision as to whether the roof should be opened or closed. All the staff probably think it's someone else's responsibility.

 

Sovereign of the seas had the clock.

[leaveitallbehind]

The Solarium roof was open for times on two or three days on each of our 2013 and 2014 Grandeur Bermuda cruises.

[GoldenDomer]

I certainly understand the sentiment. I did see once on Jewel where they opened the roof 6 feet to let full shine and air over the plants near the roof.

 

 

 

Now that I think about it, they had also repainted the pool that week, so they were probably allowing paint fumes out.

 

BillOh - I was on the Jewel earlier in the summer. Your photo reminded me of my hopes that the upcoming drydock scheduled for JOS will address the non-worldly color evolution taken on by the currently installed decorative greenery.

[Lokip53]

The roof was opened and closed numerous times on both of our Grandeur sailing out of Baltimore.

 

It definitely gets use on that ship.

[DonnaK]

BillOh - I was on the Jewel earlier in the summer. Your photo reminded me of my hopes that the upcoming drydock scheduled for JOS will address the non-worldly color evolution taken on by the currently installed decorative greenery.

 

LOL - I was thinking the same thing! Those "plants" are the oddest color

[whitshel]

It looks like Quantum will have a roof more like the S class with Celebrity. Not movable but the window panes can open and close.

[yj2cute]

Opening while under way is like riding in a car with the windows down, fuel consumption goes up. When these ships were built, fuel price was much lower.

 

They certainly use this feature on Carnival's ships. While on the Splendor, the roof was open almost all the time. I didn't even realize it was a retractable roof until they started closing it when we were approaching a rain storm. It was pretty cool to watch actually. If opened fully I don't think there would be much drag to burn more fuel, it would be just an open deck.

[Scotty G]

I can say that the revolving bar was certainly moving on the Radiance in February this year.

 

The one on Jewel OTS was in use when we were aboard. Just a novelty but made sitting at the bar a little more interesting.

[leaveitallbehind]

One minor complaint that I have with RCI is they have invested in engineering and design of a rolling roof over the solarium s. They pay a weight penalty in fuel to have a stronger roof that can move. They have to pay for extra maintenance on the movement system. I have been on 8 cruises on ships that have solarium and I have never seen the roof on the solarium open. Why invest in the design and weight if you never use it?

 

As clarea pointed out earlier, the last ship to have this feature was launched in 2004 and Grandeur - as example - was launched with this feature in 1996. I think in that time period it was just another RCI innovation but is no longer a feature on more recent ship classes.

[quantumleap]

The roof was opened and closed numerous times on both of our Grandeur sailing out of Baltimore.

 

It definitely gets use on that ship.

 

 

 

Grandeur is the only ship I can say I've seen it open and close as well...several times on the same cruise in fact (several years ago)!

 

:)

[MichaelCMTX]

I too have never seen them open. I just chalk it up to "it's too expensive" to fix, maintain etc. Much like I have never seen the revolving bar move on any of the Radiance ships.

 

I got spoiled with the bar rotating on the Radiance and wondering "Huh?" on Serenade.

 

Probably not much need to do much maintenance on the system if they don't use the mechanism much.

 

Might or might not be the case. I have one of those nifty retracing roofs on my car and it's been advised to not go the whole winter with it shut. So the moving parts stay willing to move.

 

I also think it's a lot like the aquariums on the Voyager class ships. There's some things the designers think are Awesome Possum, because they never need to fix, maintain, clean or repair them.

[KristyM79]

I was just on the Freedom and the roof of the solarium was open the whole time.