'Yes you can': Expert clears up common cruise balcony debate but slams 'bonkers' trend
A cruise expert has cleared up a common debate surrounding balconies on ships.
Many cruisers say they dream of drifting off to sleep to the sound of the sea coming in via their balcony.
However it has long been drilled into regular cruisers that leaving the cabin door open is a big mistake.
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Two empty chairs on a cruise ship balcony overlook the wake of the ship Getty Images/iStockphoto
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald has now cleared it up. And he said it's okay to breathe in that sea air at night.
As long as you don't follow a viral TikTok trend, that has seen influencers boast about dragging their entire mattress outside onto the balcony to lay on.
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Not only is it unsafe but it can also damage the mattress and dirty the bedding.
John dubs that move "bonkers" but has shared the truth about leaving the door open.
"It was NOT on one of our ships and I hope that nobody ever tries to do this when they cruise with us," he said on Facebook.
Some cruisers say they put mattresses on the balcony for TikTok, which is not allowed. TikTok
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"If you want to sleep in the night air then you can sleep with your balcony door open, that is absolutely fine to do," he wrote.
"The answer is yes, you can, and it doesn't actually affect the air-conditioning in any other cabin, except yours.
"But it does turn the air-conditioning off in your cabin.
"But I know lots of you like to do this, so that you can listen to the sound of the sea."
Cruise ships have many passenger balconies. Getty
If you didn't know though, there is a good reason you need to keep the balcony door closed when you leave the room, something these cruisers found out the hard way.
Madison Lloyd, from comic duo SketchShe, posted a video which saw her battling to get back inside her cabin, which had become a giant wind tunnel.
More things to know about balconies on cruise ships
Meanwhile, another cruiser was dubbed 'tacky' for drying their clothes on board a luxury new ship.
You're not allowed to hang things from balconies, for safety reasons. That includes laundry, towels and banners or flags.
Curtains are also supposed to be kept closed at night.
Smoking and vaping is also banned on balconies.
There are various rules to follow on cruise ships. Callum Snape/Supplied
If you're wondering whether to splash out on a balcony however, some experts say you can often just go for an inside cabin to save cash.
That means it's 'inside' the ship and has no windows.
"If you are doing a short cruise, save your money and just book an interior or ocean view," Katrina Middleton, from 360Cruising, recently told 9Travel.
"Interiors are a brilliant way to make a cruise more affordable and we have had some of our best sleeps in them because they're dark and cool.
"We are hardly ever in ours except to sleep and shower. That extra money on a balcony might be better spent on experiences."
