Carnival Clears the Air on Sleeping With Balcony Doors Open

You can sleep with the balcony door open. Just be considerate about it.

That’s the latest clarification from Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald, who recently addressed a frequent point of confusion among cruise passengers. 

Some guests have written to Heald in complaint, saying that passengers sleeping with their balcony doors open are inconsiderate because it allegedly shuts off air conditioning for neighboring cabins. 

According to Heald, that’s simply not true.

“Some people have said that passengers who leave the balcony door of their cabin open that it is selfish because it turns the air conditioning off for other cabins in that area,” Heald said in a social media post. 

“That is not true. Regardless of those who say it is, I have confirmed with the highest level, the chief engineers on the ships, and they confirm it only turns off the air conditioning in your cabin and does not affect those around you.”

Heald acknowledged that many guests enjoy the sound of the ocean and choose to sleep with their balcony door open and says it’s “lovely.”

However, he also reminded guests who want to take in the salt air as they sleep to use caution.

Remember two things, he pleaded. Open balcony doors may slam shut due to wind and swells.

“Watch your hands and be careful,” is his first rule of thumb while the second is a reminder that the slamming door creates a noise that carries and actually is inconsiderate to nearby passengers.

He recommended placing an object in the opening to prevent the door from slamming and reminded guests that opening both the cabin and balcony doors can create a wind tunnel that could cause a disturbance.

“Please be gracious and think of others,” Heald added.

Balcony Behavior Has Limits

The open-door air conditioning debate isn’t the only balcony topic that draws strong opinions from cruise passengers. Heald also referred to a recent passenger who brought his mattress and bedding onto the balcony to sleep on it.

“That is not allowed for safety reasons, cleanliness reasons, for all sorts of reasons,” said Heald. “You cannot take your mattress and put it on your balcony. Don’t do it. Just don’t.”

Heald has fielded hundreds of questions over the years about what’s allowed, what’s frowned upon, and what could get passengers into trouble when it comes to balcony behavior.

Smoking remains one of the biggest points of contention. 

While some guests assume it’s acceptable to smoke on their balcony, Heald has repeatedly clarified that Carnival’s smoking policy prohibits it outside of designated areas.

Violating that policy can result in a $500 cleaning fee or even disembarkation. Heald has emphasized that smoke can easily drift into neighboring cabins, posing both a comfort and fire safety concern.

Another common issue? Noise.

Not only do open balcony doors bang in the wind, especially at night, but many passengers have complained about neighboring guests listening to music or talking on their phones loudly on balconies.

Carnival Cruise Line has addressed this issue by implementing a ban on Bluetooth speakers, with Heald confirming this policy multiple times on his platform.

Initially banned from public areas and balconies, the cruise line did a fleet-wide ban in November 2024.

The company also reminds guests that they must use earphones when listening to music or watching shows, movies, and reels on their phones in an effort to preserve peace and ensure any public safety announcements can be heard.

Another no-no is hanging laundry or other items on balcony railings. Not only is it unsightly, it can pose fire hazards and can affect the environment if things get blown overboard.

Balconies may be a favorite cruise feature, but they come with boundaries for safety and common courtesy.