Can we Open Balcony doors between cabins?

[Radbooks]

Hi,

 

We're going on the Grand Princess in December and have two balcony cabins booked. Is it possible to open the door out on the balcony between the cabins so we can have access to both rooms?

 

Thanks!

[JF - retired RRT]

Yes...but. If the balconies are straddling a fire wall (i.e. one cabin is in the 400s and the next cabin is in the 500s) the firewall goes all the way through the ship including the balconies, therefore no door between balconies.

[satxdiver]

If there is a door that can be opened on your balcony, make a request to the room steward to open it.  They will be happy to do it as long as they are assured the two cabins are traveling together and both want the door opened. 

[Colo Cruiser]

Most of the time yes however, per the comment above from JF sometimes not.

The notations on the deck plans/cabins on the Princess website are not always accurate.

Sometimes they have a notation that they do not open to the adjacent cabin and sometimes when they should they don't.

[Radbooks]

3 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Yes...but. If the balconies are straddling a fire wall (i.e. one cabin is in the 400s and the next cabin is in the 500s) the firewall goes all the way through the ship including the balconies, therefore no door between balconies.

That sounds good... we're in C218 and C222 which are right next to each other so hopefully no firewall! 🙂

[JF - retired RRT]

Just now, Radbooks said:

That sounds good... we're in C218 and C222 which are right next to each other so hopefully no firewall! 🙂

You're good. Just ask your steward to unlock the balcony divider.

[Cruise-Crazzy]

Last cruise we had 3 cabins in a roll.  had 2 balconey doors open.  Ask the steward.

[BigGuy25]

We really enjoy opening the patio doors when we’re traveling with family or friends.  The last time we sailed Royal Caribbean (several years ago) we were disappointed that wouldn’t allow balcony doors to be opened.  

[Lucky TGO]

10 minutes ago, BigGuy25 said:

We really enjoy opening the patio doors when we’re traveling with family or friends.  The last time we sailed Royal Caribbean (several years ago) we were disappointed that wouldn’t allow balcony doors to be opened.  

Did the Steward tell you why you couldn’t open the doors?

Tony 

[chengkp75]

8 hours ago, Lucky TGO said:

Did the Steward tell you why you couldn’t open the doors?

Tony 

Most cruise lines allow the Captain the discretion to determine how many balcony doors, or how many in a row, can be opened.  It is a fire safety issue, and each Captain has his/her own risk tolerance.  NCL took the decision away from the Captains after too many complaints of "theirs is open, how come we can't) and blanket stopped allowing them opened.  I'm a bit surprised at Princess' tolerance in this issue, after the Star Princess fire, which is when openable balcony dividers were first introduced.  As a result of the Star fire, it was mandated that balcony dividers, on newbuild ships, be able to be opened, for fire crew access from one balcony to the next, not for passenger convenience.

[lola2013]

My friends and I had 734 and 738 on Caribe deck on the Caribbean Princess last year.  We had the balcony door open so we could visit with each other; however, at night we found we needed to use a chair to keep the door from banging shut.  In the morning, the chair was removed and we had easy access again.

[CruzinNoony]

1 hour ago, lola2013 said:

My friends and I had 734 and 738 on Caribe deck on the Caribbean Princess last year.  We had the balcony door open so we could visit with each other; however, at night we found we needed to use a chair to keep the door from banging shut.  In the morning, the chair was removed and we had easy access again.

 

Bring a roll of duck tape.  That will solve the banging door problem.

[lola2013]

Great idea...thanks!

[Beave8920]

1 hour ago, CruzinNoony said:

 

Bring a roll of duck tape.  That will solve the banging door problem.

 

Bungie cord works way better!...but take a couple in case one is too short.

[BoopTennis]

This is why we cruise with Princess. We always cruise with family or friends and love to open up all the balcony dividers! 

[Haboob]

On 8/25/2019 at 12:28 PM, JF - retired RRT said:

Yes...but. If the balconies are straddling a fire wall (i.e. one cabin is in the 400s and the next cabin is in the 500s) the firewall goes all the way through the ship including the balconies, therefore no door between balconies.

 

Uhh...  No.

 

The balconies are outside of the fire containment.   There may be other reasons that a particular balcony partition doesn't have a pass-through, but that's not one of them.

 

The clue is the 3" gap below the partitions, even at the fire containment boundaries.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Haboob said:

 

Uhh...  No.

 

The balconies are outside of the fire containment.   There may be other reasons that a particular balcony partition doesn't have a pass-through, but that's not one of them.

 

The clue is the 3" gap below the partitions, even at the fire containment boundaries.

Uh, yes.  Even though there is a gap under and over the partitions, the partitions act as wind breaks, and as a result of the Star Princess fire mentioned in my previous post, the fire zone boundaries were extended on all ships out to the outer edge of the balcony.  Even a divider at the fire zone boundary is capable of being opened, for fire crew access as noted, but they will not be opened for passenger convenience.