Just a couple of days ago, summer officially began with the solstice on June 20, 2024. With the start of summer also comes sunshine – and with sunshine comes heat.
But for one couple who recently cruised on Carnival Valor, the conditions aboard the Conquest-class ship – particularly inside the staterooms – were too warm.
In a message sent to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on Facebook, the unidentified passengers alleged that their cabin was too hot to sleep at night, and that the air conditioning was ineffective, claiming the coldest temperature their room ever reached was 69 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 21 degrees Celsius.
“Our room was always too warm for us at night. The coldest it ever got down to was 69. I used the Thermometer Plus app on my phone, and it is 100% accurate,” reads the post. “70 degrees is too hot for us to sleep.”
The passenger went on to say that they and their partner are both “fluffier people” who weigh around 400 pounds each, and because of the extra weight, they both tend to feel warm more easily – which they felt the cruise line was punishing them for.
“Yes, we are fluffy people, but we should not be punished for that,” continued the passenger.
The recent guest goes on to state that they always bring their own fan and choose a cabin where the air conditioning vents are near the end of the bed – which they claim are hard to find and is information Carnival needs to have clearly displayed on its website.
The disgruntled passenger then goes on to provide John with their theory for why the cabins get so hot.
“If you get a cabin where the bed is by the balcony, it feels warmer as the AC is further away from the bed…the reason why the rooms get so warm is because I think people keep the balcony doors open,” said the cruiser.
This theory suggests that some guests leaving their balconies open could affect other passenger accommodations, even rooms that kept their balcony door closed – which is simply not true as each cabin is insulated and has its own air conditioning system.
John Heald Responds To Air Conditioning Complaints
With summer underway, Heald decided to respond to the air conditioning post via a Facebook live video, which was posted on June 20, 2024, from his home in the UK.
He assured his followers that the AC onboard all 27 Carnival ships works well, and gave some possible reasons for the warmth, as well as solutions.
The first, potentially most obvious reason, is that it’s summer. The 2,990-passenger Carnival Valor is currently operating a series of 4 and 5-night Western Caribbean Cruises out of New Orleans, Louisiana, which is a region that is known to be quite hot.
During the summer, temperatures in the Caribbean average in the high 80s and low 90s (degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures are also typically warmer in port than at sea because the air is not as cooled by the ocean.
“Sometimes, when the ship is in port, these temperatures can go up, not in the cabin. It does get warmer now, when the ship is alongside and the doors are open so the gangways can come out and the other doors are open, perhaps for some stores to be placed on board,” said Heald.
However, this should not impact the temperature in the cruise cabin, unless the balcony door is open. Heald advised that the air conditioning may also shut off if the balcony door is open for an extended period of time – but only in the specific cabin where the door is open.
“If you leave your balcony door open, it only affects the temperature in your cabin. It does not shut off the air in other cabins around, but it will turn off your air conditioning. So, please, if you’re in a balcony cabin, make sure your door is closed,” continued Heald.
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He also advised cruisers who prefer to keep things cooler to bring their own fans – most fans smaller than 12 inches in diameter are allowed – and to tell guest services if you are uncomfortable on your cruise.
“As much as I want to help you, there’s no point writing to me after the fact. Please do report on board. Call guest services and say ‘it’s a little warm in my cabin, do you think somebody can come check’ and they will,” added Heald.
Carnival’s ambassador isn’t able to problem solve for this couple since their sailing has concluded, but members of the 1,150-person crew likely would have been happy to assist if the passengers had asked for help.
