If you’ve never been on a cruise before, you might be wondering, are cruise ships cold? Is it warm inside a cruise ship? Is it cold on a cruise ship at night?
Cruise ships are generally temperature regulated. This means you get to enjoy a stable, comfortable temperature if you are indoors. This is achieved by having an air conditioning system. However, the temperature outdoors may be cold, especially when cruising in colder waters.
In this post we’ll explore these questions so that you can be prepared no matter the temperature, which makes packing much easier!
How Do Cruise Ships Keep Temperature Stable?
Cruise ships keep the temperature stable indoors by using air conditioning systems. These systems are usually centrally controlled. You may be able to control the temperature in certain places, such as in your rooms.
For example, on our recent P&O Iona cruise, the communal indoor areas of the ship maintained a steady 22 degrees celsius.
Almost all cruise ships have air conditioning systems to regulate the temperature inside the ship. These air-conditioning systems are usually centrally located.
This means the air is first regulated at a centralised location before being pumped into the rooms via air ducts.
Depending on the location the cruise ships sail to, the air conditioning system may be different. If the ship sails in places with hot and cold temperatures, the air conditioning system may be able to cool down or warm up the air.
The air conditioning system may be delivered from the air via pumps. Some cruise ships may also install heating coils on the floor, particularly if the ship sails into colder waters.
However, at times, the public open spaces, such as the dining room, atriums, and theatres, might be particularly cold if there aren’t many people. The operator cannot predict how many people will be inside these places.
As a result, the operator may operate the air conditioner assuming the place is full of people. However, if there are not many, the place may feel cold.
It may help to still bring some warm clothing, even if you are going on a summer cruise into the Caribbean or Hawaii. This will be useful if you tend to get a bit chilly, but it will also be useful if you’re outside on the ship at night.
Does The Weather Affect The Ship Temperature?
The weather may affect a cruise ship’s temperature, especially outdoors. The effect is less pronounced indoors since the air conditioning system regulates the temperature inside. However, weather conditions can cause the ship to have resupply issues, potentially causing issues with air conditioning.
Generally, cruise ships’ indoor temperature is regulated at a stable temperature, regardless of the outdoor temperature. This is because the air conditioner works in all the areas you can access, such as cabin rooms and public spaces.
However, the outdoor temperatures are not air-conditioned. This means the ship’s open deck, or any outdoor area, will be based on the air temperature of the local area.
For example, if the ship is in a tropical area, then the ship’s outdoor area may be warm and muggy. However, if the ship is sailing around Alaska, then the ship deck could be freezing cold.
This may be a rare occurrence, but suppose the cruise is stranded and cannot get resupply. This may mean the ship could run low on fuel, and the ship may shut off the air conditioning system to save some.
If this happens, the ship’s indoor temperature may be warmer or colder than usual.
Can You Adjust The Air Conditioning In Your Cabin Room?
You should be able to adjust the air conditioning in your cabin room. Just like hotels, you should have a control board to adjust your air conditioner’s temperature and fan intensity. If you prefer air circulating round your cabin room, you can also bring a small fan.
Although cruise ships’ air conditioning system is usually centralised, you can still control your cabin. The temperature control system is similar to what you see in hotels.
There should be some sort of switchboard on the walls. You can control the air conditioner’s temperature and how strong the fan blower works there. In many cases, this should be enough to adjust the AC to give you the desired temperature.
Some travellers may enjoy a cooler room, especially during tropical cruises. To them, the fan blower from the AC is not enough. As a result, they may bring a small fan during the cruises to generate some drafts in their cabin room.
This is, however, optional. The AC should often be enough to give you the right temperature.
Another thing that may be adjustable is the underfloor heating. This system may be available on ships that sail into colder waters.
These heaters should also have a control board mounted on the wall to allow you to adjust the level of heating desired.
Does Air Conditioning Spread Illness?
Air conditioning in cruise ships usually uses fresh air instead of recycling it. Many also have filters that help sanitise the air. This means the air blown out from your air conditioner should be free from germs or viruses that spread illness.
Previously, many cruise ships used recycled air for air conditioners. This means the air sucked out from the ship is filtered, temperature adjusted, and then sent back into the cabin and public indoor spaces.
This is a common, sensible practice since filtering and temperature-regulating fresh air may need more energy. Recycling air saves energy and operating costs too.
However, following the Covid-19 pandemic, many people fear that air conditioning can now spread illnesses, especially if the air is recycled. This did not help when there was news about illnesses spreading on cruise ships.
As a result, more and more cruise ships are now using air-conditioning systems that do not recycle used air but bring in fresh ones from the outside.
Before the pandemic, up to 80% of cruise ships recycle their air. Today, the percentage is much lower.
Many cruise ships’ air conditioning systems also have filters installed to filter the air. These filters are designed to remove nasty bacteria and viruses from the air.
These improvements in air conditioning technology should be able to keep your cabin air free from nasties that could spread illness. You can breathe easily now when cruising.