Cutting Air-Conditioning to Save Fuel Costs

[Bob NC]

I thought that I read something on cruise critic about a person who said you can take the vent off and it helps, or something like that. Also something about the maintenance person CAN do something to make it cooler, if you slip him a tip. I am not sure exactly what it was. Does anyone know a way to make it cooler if maintenance says there is nothing wrong with it?

 

My last cruise on the Glory had a hot room. Taking the cover off the vent helped. However, every time I took the cover off when I came back to the room it had been replaced. I finally hid the thing and everything was great for the rest of the cruise. For a while there I thought I would have to carry it around with me so they would stop putting it back.

[Kristi Williamson]

We leave on the Liberty next week and I will not tolerate a blistering room at night. We like a cool room when we're sleeping and for what we pay to sleep in that closet, I want my AC to work. Period.

 

Carnival, if you're listening, don't cut costs here. You'll regret it. People are NOT going to cruise the Caribbean and come back in to a sweltering room after burning up all day in the sun. Ain't gonna happen. And anything above 73 degrees is a hot room to us. Room temp should be the customers control, not Carnival's. They forfeit that when they rent that room to a paying customer, in my opinion.

[jackson bernard]

How some of you manage to get their homes that cool is beyond me - A/C systems aren't designed to cool the inside of a home more than 20 degrees below outdoor temperature. Sure, some will do it, but that is exceeding the design parameters of the equipment.

 

Not true. That 20 degrees you speakith of is the temp difference between the return and output. As the room gets cooler, the return air gets cooler. Thenthe output of the ac gets even cooler, cooling the room even more.

 

How else would they keep all those hotels cool in las vegas when the temp hits 110

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[jimbo5544]

If what people are saying is true then Carnival better fix this problem and fast. I'm sorry I'm a big Carnival fan but I am in no way going to go on vacation to be hot and miserable while relaxing in my cabin. I think passengers have put up with enough of the cutbacks as it is from all of the cruise lines. I guess if it keeps up it will be land vacations for my family. Sweating while trying to sleep is where I draw the line. :(

Nothing has changed in regards to how warm or cool the rooms are. If you were happy before you will be fine now.

[andy.capitan]

Not true. That 20 degrees you speakith of is the temp difference between the return and output. As the room gets cooler, the return air gets cooler. Thenthe output of the ac gets even cooler, cooling the room even more.

 

How else would they keep all those hotels cool in las vegas when the temp hits 110

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Not if they keepeth the balcony doors open. Amazing what insulation and common sense can do.

[A2Mich]

Not true. That 20 degrees you speakith of is the temp difference between the return and output. As the room gets cooler, the return air gets cooler. Thenthe output of the ac gets even cooler, cooling the room even more.

 

How else would they keep all those hotels cool in las vegas when the temp hits 110

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True-to an extent. If you oversize ductwork and equipment enough, you can get more performance. However, once the evaporator temperature and suction pressure drops too low, you run a very real risk of returning liquid refrigerant back to the compressor. By simply using the 20 delta drop, can you cool your home to 60 degrees? Nope-not going to happen. Maybe I should send a memo to all of the residential HVAC manufacturers and let them know that their guidelines and recommendations are all wrong. I'll be sure to do that this weekend....

 

 

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[A2Mich]

Not if they keepeth the balcony doors open. Amazing what insulation and common sense can do.

 

 

What's common sense??? Haven't seen many people with that trait in quite some time....deal with idiots every day. Change my filter? WHAT filter? :D

 

 

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[S.S.Oceanlover]

Nothing has changed in regards to how warm or cool the rooms are. If you were happy before you will be fine now.

 

If your room was nice and cool last time there is no chance you will draw the short straw next cruise and wind up in a hot cabin next cruise?

 

Bill

[bambilin]

I thought that I read something on cruise critic about a person who said you can take the vent off and it helps, or something like that. Also something about the maintenance person CAN do something to make it cooler, if you slip him a tip. I am not sure exactly what it was. Does anyone know a way to make it cooler if maintenance says there is nothing wrong with it?

 

 

One of the maintenance guys offered to leave the vent off for us. It helped a bit, but it still was only cool when your face was right under it. Considering it was near the foot of the bed.....

 

My cruise on the Dream in August was my 27th cruise and this was the first time we had a room that was it comfortable.

 

 

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[andy.capitan]

Besides keeping the balcony door shut and the curtain pulled if in direct sun, something else came to mind.

 

Some people also insist on propping the cabinet door open that contains the mini-fridge. Yes, it might cool the ingredients down a little more by venting all the hot air that was previously trapped out into the cabin raising the cabin temperature. Duh.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Besides keeping the balcony door shut and the curtain pulled if in direct sun, something else came to mind.

 

Some people also insist on propping the cabinet door open that contains the mini-fridge. Yes, it might cool the ingredients down a little more by venting all the hot air that was previously trapped out into the cabin raising the cabin temperature. Duh.

 

I was going to try all your suggestions on my last cruise but couldn't find the window or the balcony. Duh!

 

Bill

[ATHENA3]

Besides keeping the balcony door shut and the curtain pulled if in direct sun, something else came to mind.

 

Some people also insist on propping the cabinet door open that contains the mini-fridge. Yes, it might cool the ingredients down a little more by venting all the hot air that was previously trapped out into the cabin raising the cabin temperature. Duh.

 

 

Or you could leave the mini fridge door open to help cool down the room

[Bgentles]

Or you could leave the mini fridge door open to help cool down the room

 

 

The "mini fridge is a storing cabinet, no "fridge" involved.

 

 

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[Bgentles]

We leave on the Liberty next week and I will not tolerate a blistering room at night. We like a cool room when we're sleeping and for what we pay to sleep in that closet, I want my AC to work. Period.

 

Carnival, if you're listening, don't cut costs here. You'll regret it. People are NOT going to cruise the Caribbean and come back in to a sweltering room after burning up all day in the sun. Ain't gonna happen. And anything above 73 degrees is a hot room to us. Room temp should be the customers control, not Carnival's. They forfeit that when they rent that room to a paying customer, in my opinion.

 

 

Just off Liberty 9/26, no problem, room cool and comfy on Lido deck.

 

 

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[Terre]

We've noticed over the last 4-5 years that our cabins (no matter which cruise line) were getting warmer and warmer. On the Fantasy a couple of weeks ago, the cabin was comfortable during the day, but during the night, the temperature went up to around 73, which is too warm for us. I have begun requesting a fan which helps some.

[ATHENA3]

The "mini fridge is a storing cabinet, no "fridge" involved.

 

 

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On your next cruise look for the fridge. Some rooms have a mini-fridge to store cold beverages, meds and more . My post to andy.capitan was a joke about leaving the door open on that cold box.:D:D:D

[chengkp75]

Only been doing this for 10+ years and every manufacturers class I've been to all say the same thing.....so guess I'm not the only one who's wrong then....

 

 

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I'll start off by saying that I don't have much experience with residential A/C other than to remove the cover from my through wall unit for the 5 days a year we need it in Maine, but I've got a bit of experience with marine systems.

 

I think you and JB are talking apples and oranges. I know you started out talking about cooling houses, and he brought up hotels in Vegas. I think there are significant differences between residential units and commercial/industrial/marine systems.

 

Most residential units use capillary tubes for their expansion device, correct? That's sort of a fixed device that doesn't react to environmental changes well, if I remember my HVAC classes well.

 

Commercial unit have a TX valve to control superheat, to prevent liquid flood back, and that can adjust refrigerant flow to meet current demands. Commercial units also use a EPR valve to keep the refrigerant saturation temperature above 32*F to keep the coils from freezing, another cause of liquid flow back.

 

I know that on ships, we routinely get the accommodation temperature more than 20* below the outside temperature, and even exceed the 20* difference between supply/return air, if demand requires it. As I've said before, we very often (actually nearly always) cool the air below the desired delivery temperature to drop out the maximum amount of humidity, and then use a reheater to bring the delivery air temperature to what is desired.

[Orison]

Nothing has changed in regards to how warm or cool the rooms are. If you were happy before you will be fine now.

 

I haven't found that to be true on the same ship in the same exact cabin.

[Bgentles]

On your next cruise look for the fridge. Some rooms have a mini-fridge to store cold beverages, meds and more . My post to andy.capitan was a joke about leaving the door open on that cold box.:D:D:D

 

Apparently, the three suites I've had that included "mini fridge" didn't work. I always bring water and diet coke and was looking forward to not having to keep them in a cooler. When I went to add them to the "fridge" I realized it was not cool at all. I called GS to let them know it was not working and was told they are not meant to cool, just hold beverages to use with ice and glasses. Maybe, you have to have a better room than a suite to get a real fridge! This was the case on The Liberty, Sunshine, and Sensation suites in the past two years. In years past we did have a fridge on the Glory that cooled somewhat. And, I did get the joke, LOL!! I had one room that I used the ice bucket with a fan to try to cool it down:D

[A2Mich]

I'll start off by saying that I don't have much experience with residential A/C other than to remove the cover from my through wall unit for the 5 days a year we need it in Maine, but I've got a bit of experience with marine systems.

 

 

 

I think you and JB are talking apples and oranges. I know you started out talking about cooling houses, and he brought up hotels in Vegas. I think there are significant differences between residential units and commercial/industrial/marine systems.

 

 

 

Most residential units use capillary tubes for their expansion device, correct? That's sort of a fixed device that doesn't react to environmental changes well, if I remember my HVAC classes well.

 

 

 

Commercial unit have a TX valve to control superheat, to prevent liquid flood back, and that can adjust refrigerant flow to meet current demands. Commercial units also use a EPR valve to keep the refrigerant saturation temperature above 32*F to keep the coils from freezing, another cause of liquid flow back.

 

 

 

I know that on ships, we routinely get the accommodation temperature more than 20* below the outside temperature, and even exceed the 20* difference between supply/return air, if demand requires it. As I've said before, we very often (actually nearly always) cool the air below the desired delivery temperature to drop out the maximum amount of humidity, and then use a reheater to bring the delivery air temperature to what is desired.

 

 

Thanks for the info residential AC's have not used cap tubes in a long time, with the exception of window shakers. Split systems either use a TXV or may still have a fixed orifice. They can be tweaked to create more than a 20 degree delta, but not by much. The point I was trying to make is that a residential HVAC system is designed for about a 20 degree delta as well as roughly 20 degree delta from outdoor temperatures. That is one of the design parameters that a typical residential HVAC system is designed for. Commercial applications with RTU's MAU's and chillers are engineered much differently and for a larger demand.

 

 

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[rob6465]

We had a group of friends sail on Magic in august and they had no ac for entire week. They called it "maintenance". Yea right.

[jackson bernard]

Thanks for the info residential AC's have not used cap tubes in a long time, with the exception of window shakers. Split systems either use a TXV or may still have a fixed orifice. They can be tweaked to create more than a 20 degree delta, but not by much. The point I was trying to make is that a residential HVAC system is designed for about a 20 degree delta as well as roughly 20 degree delta from outdoor temperatures. That is one of the design parameters that a typical residential HVAC system is designed for. Commercial applications with RTU's MAU's and chillers are engineered much differently and for a larger demand.

 

 

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Homes in warm climates routinely cool more than 20 degrees. If it 110 degrees out the homes can certainly be cooled ti less than 90

 

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[A2Mich]

Homes in warm climates routinely cool more than 20 degrees. If it 110 degrees out the homes can certainly be cooled ti less than 90

 

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Then again, the systems may have been intentionally oversized for that climate. Systems in this part of the country are sized for 20 degrees below ambient--bottom line. Other parts of the country may be different then.

 

 

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[NavarreCruiser]

My experience is 6 Carnival cruises on 5 different Carnival ships so far this year, and millions of other passengers agree with me.

 

Our Carnival cruises this year has been 8 cruises on 6 different ships and the cabin temperature at night on the last 2 cruises has definitely been warmer than the previous 60 Carnival cruises. You don't speak for millions.

[firemanbobswife]

Just off of Glory and everywhere inside including the dining rooms were FREEZING! I even had to put my cabin temp all the way to red because I was shivering even wearing pajamas. So I would say that's a big "No" to that theory.