Door vs wall decorating

[kdinkus1]

Has door decorating become more popular on cruise ships? Have you done it and/or been in a contest? It seems to me that wall decorating is more prevalent on today's cruise ships. When I made a comment about this very thing on a 'door decorating' site, 95% of the posters felt: 'Door decorating is fine... Wall decorating was 'too much'.

 

Though I am a door decorator, I am thinking about doing a small portion of the wall next to the door but haven't made up my mind yet for my next cruise. Thankfully, over the years, we have found ways to hang our items so that no damage is done to the walls or the doors. And I have no doubt that everyone is respectful in cleaning their space up before they disembark. None of us want to add more work for our cabin stewards or take the chance that this 'privilege' will be taken away by Carnival.

 

"What say you?"

Edited June 16, 2015 by gammy3gks

[elliair]

I prefer door decorating versus wall decorating. Passengers get a smile out of the door decorating. I buy the gel stickers at Big Lots. Easy on and easy off. With the wall decorating, I don't want to see it all the time - and I don't like clutter.

[CruiseCrAzieS]

I have actually noticed that door decorating has become less popular. At least on our last few cruises it was. Our last cruise we only saw 1 door that had a sign and decoration on it. We did see a few people who tied curling ribbon on the "mailbox" right outside there door to find their room easier.

[riffatsea]

I don't "get" door decorating. Would you do it at a hotel on land? If not then why do it on a ship?

I suppose if you have young children and you want to make sure they know where your cabin is then it makes some sense but surely also decorating the wall is a bit much?

[waterwatcher]

Our door decorations were stolen on first cruise so we didn't bother with them on second cruise.

[falkcor]

When I made a comment about this very thing on a 'door decorating' site, 95% of the posters felt: 'Door decorating is fine... Wall decorating was 'too much'.

 

"What say you?"

 

i would have to agree with that statement - that wall decorating is just 'too much'...

 

the walls are already decorated. they have murals / artwork on the walls, etc.

 

i don't exactly 'get' door decorating to begin with... sure i get the it's easier to find your cabin (though i just look for the little number plaque next to the door - works every time!)... but to migrate from a door to then take over surrounding walls? i'm sorry, i don't want to see that, and i bet your room steward doesn't either.

[sachmo9085]

I would say that door decorating is not extremely popular. On our last cruise, we cruised with friends and had a total of four rooms. I get so excited for cruises and I like to decorate our doors, so I packed decorations for everyone's door and had themes for each door. My brother-in-law accidentally stated he like a Justin Bieber song before he knew it was Bieber singing it, so I found some ridiculous Bieber poster and Bieber valentines at the dollar store for their door, our door had a grass hula skirt and some other festivities on it, and I don't remember what I had for the others :/ I had also found white boards (all at the dollar store) and those were excellent for keeping in touch throughout the day. I know some people don't care for the door decorating, but if you enjoy it like I do, then do it! I think the wall might be a bit much, but far be it from me to stop someone else's fun =) As long as you're not leaving a mess behind when you leave for the steward to have to clean (and I'm sure you won't) then decorate on!

[jenne252]

I like the door decor. We do it just be it makes me happy :)

[2boys2girls]

We just got back from an awesome cruise on the Breeze. We decorated our door for the 1st time and I'm glad we did! I just got stuff from the dollar store like pics of flip flops and surfboards and tiki huts and a "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" sign and while I was putting the stuff on our door, had several people walking by commenting on it...in a very positive way!

There seemed to be quite a few doors decorated, from graduation celebrations to anniversary and birthday celebrations, to mother/daughter trips and much more. There was one door that someone had made a wreath out of brightly colored flip flops and than decorated the wreath with other tropical things...so cute!

I have to say that even though my kids are 19, 18 and 14, that decorated door stopped than from walking right past our room many a time!!

[eponym]

I like the door decor. We do it just be it makes me happy :)

 

What are you using in the photo for the decorations, and what are you using to get them to stay in place?

 

Trade secrets please. Our kids didn't have a lot of luck with comand strips...

[elliair]

I don't "get" door decorating. Would you do it at a hotel on land? If not then why do it on a ship?

I suppose if you have young children and you want to make sure they know where your cabin is then it makes some sense but surely also decorating the wall is a bit much?

 

I'm not in a hotel room for 7-30+ days. I'm on a ship where it's somewhat of a traditional thing.

[jenne252]

I use the poster putty. It comes off clean! It's just scrapbook paper and cardstock..nothing fancy :)

[eponym]

I'm not in a hotel room for 7-30+ days. I'm on a ship where it's somewhat of a traditional thing.

 

I agree. Cruising on a ship is way different than staying at a hotel/resort for land vacation, and we think it is supposed to be. We hope that it continues to be distinctively different in many ways, whether door decorating without destruction, and other innocent and fun rituals and traditions.

[SadieN]

An issue with wall decorating---

Some emergency lighting can be blocked by the decor.

 

One cruise our room steward was using an icepick??? to clean some crevices. He was getting dust out of the lighting channels. Then we saw his supervisor check up on him.

[GUT2407]

I don't "get" door decorating. Would you do it at a hotel on land? If not then why do it on a ship?

I suppose if you have young children and you want to make sure they know where your cabin is then it makes some sense but surely also decorating the wall is a bit much?

 

 

I must agree.

[GUT2407]

In all my cruises I've seen maybe half a dozen decorated doors.

 

Maybe it's just not an Aussie thing.

[Club Disney Chandler]

It's funny how things are different between cruise lines. These are our doors one day on our last DCL cruise. We actually changed the characters on a daily basis, but all the other stuff stayed up and we ended up even adding more as the week went on. We may have to curb our enthusiasm on the Vista next year.

 

[kdinkus1]

I prefer door decorating versus wall decorating. Passengers get a smile out of the door decorating. I buy the gel stickers at Big Lots. Easy on and easy off. With the wall decorating, I don't want to see it all the time - and I don't like clutter.

 

Thanks for your input! I am not sure what 'get stickers' are or how they stay on but plan on heading to Big Lots today... Thanks for the heads up!! :)

[kdinkus1]

I have actually noticed that door decorating has become less popular. At least on our last few cruises it was. Our last cruise we only saw 1 door that had a sign and decoration on it. We did see a few people who tied curling ribbon on the "mailbox" right outside there door to find their room easier.

 

Interesting... I know that on my last cruise (with my DH), the CD had a contest for the best door decorations. Sadly, (:rolleyes:) I thought mine was an easy win but someone had bought a one-piece pirate decoration that covered the entire door that took 1st place. Have to admit, my decorations couldn't beat a pirate sitting on a 'jeweled' throne! (potty, that is!) ha ha It was hilarious!!

[kdinkus1]

I don't "get" door decorating. Would you do it at a hotel on land? If not then why do it on a ship?

I suppose if you have young children and you want to make sure they know where your cabin is then it makes some sense but surely also decorating the wall is a bit much?

 

I understand your thinking because we have cruised with some friends that asked me the same thing. However, when they saw how much fun I had doing it as well as the many great comments that come from people who have said something, they finally got it. As for the difference between decorating a hotel door and a cabin door, I see it this way... I only stay a night or two at a hotel so it doesn't have a 'resort' like atmosphere to me. (Maybe if it was the 'Atlantis Hotel', I would feel differently.) Whereas on the ship, we stay a week or more and I do see it as a floating resort. JMO :D

[kdinkus1]

i would have to agree with that statement - that wall decorating is just 'too much'...

 

the walls are already decorated. they have murals / artwork on the walls, etc.

 

i don't exactly 'get' door decorating to begin with... sure i get the it's easier to find your cabin (though i just look for the little number plaque next to the door - works every time!)... but to migrate from a door to then take over surrounding walls? i'm sorry, i don't want to see that, and i bet your room steward doesn't either.

 

I don't decorate to find my door (or at least any more ;)); but I do it because I have found it to be great fun. However, I would be uncomfortable decorating down the walls because of my neighboring cabins. What I might enjoy for 7+ days, they might not, so out of consideration for them, I probably won't.

 

As for the room stewards, I always ask if they have a problem with me decorating the cabin door and so far, it's been positive. However, I do understand that I mustn't put so many decorations on it that the stewards would have difficulty entering/exiting. (To me, that would be 'over-the-top'). I mentioned this on another site that we must be ever mindful of these fantastic men and women who take care of our rooms and our needs! The funny thing about the stewards is that oftentimes, they will pitch in and help me as well. Give me suggestions AND even add to it! I had one who went off ship at one of the ports and brought back some items that he personally added to the door. From the rest of that time on, other stewards would do the same thing. It soon became 'over-the-top' decorating but was incredibly fun!! :D

[kdinkus1]

Our door decorations were stolen on first cruise so we didn't bother with them on second cruise.

 

I am so sorry to hear that!! I guess I am just one of the lucky ones... I make most of mine or go to the Dollar Stores so in case that does happen, I'm not out a lot of money!

[kdinkus1]

I would say that door decorating is not extremely popular. On our last cruise, we cruised with friends and had a total of four rooms. I get so excited for cruises and I like to decorate our doors, so I packed decorations for everyone's door and had themes for each door. My brother-in-law accidentally stated he like a Justin Bieber song before he knew it was Bieber singing it, so I found some ridiculous Bieber poster and Bieber valentines at the dollar store for their door, our door had a grass hula skirt and some other festivities on it, and I don't remember what I had for the others :/ I had also found white boards (all at the dollar store) and those were excellent for keeping in touch throughout the day. I know some people don't care for the door decorating, but if you enjoy it like I do, then do it! I think the wall might be a bit much, but far be it from me to stop someone else's fun =) As long as you're not leaving a mess behind when you leave for the steward to have to clean (and I'm sure you won't) then decorate on!

 

I bet the Justin Bieber door was a hit!! :D Too funny!

 

Wow... 4 cabin doors! Did you do them all by yourself or did others get involved as well? Pretty cool! I would be curious to know how difficult it was for you to 'design' so many doors. Were they all together too? (I actually had one cruise where the steward asked me to leave some of the items behind because he was going to put them up on his door later. I had no reason to take them home so I left them on the bed when we left. I hope he used them!)

 

And yes... I always make sure I clean up afterwards. (I only use things that can be taken off without leaving a residue!)

[kdinkus1]

I like the door decor. We do it just be it makes me happy :)

 

Decorating makes me happy too!! It's always fun to see what people do on their doors... Thanks for sharing!

[kdinkus1]

We just got back from an awesome cruise on the Breeze. We decorated our door for the 1st time and I'm glad we did! I just got stuff from the dollar store like pics of flip flops and surfboards and tiki huts and a "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" sign and while I was putting the stuff on our door, had several people walking by commenting on it...in a very positive way!

There seemed to be quite a few doors decorated, from graduation celebrations to anniversary and birthday celebrations, to mother/daughter trips and much more. There was one door that someone had made a wreath out of brightly colored flip flops and than decorated the wreath with other tropical things...so cute!

 

I wondered if anyone would respond that had cruised recently with graduates because I figured that there would be lots of decorations on the cabin doors announcing it. Was there a contest on this cruise?

 

I'm glad you had a great time decorating your first cabin door! It is pretty special isn't it? Especially when you walk to your room and see people stopping and staring and smiling as they walk by your door! :D