Sir, That's Not Fecal Water Flooding Your Cruise Ship Stateroom, That's Brown Glue

[nickt41]

Haven't seen this posted yet so...

http://consumerist.com/consumer/complaints/sir-thats-not-fecal-water-flooding-your-cruise-ship-room-thats-brown-glue-270728.php

Discuss...

[jtl513]

I wish they had given the cabin # ! :eek: :(

[pms4104]

Interesting that the mainstream media never reported this incident.

In any event, wonder if HAL's response woulda been different had the affected passenger placed a ship-to-shore call to the CDC at whatever outrageous price. I suppose while onboard one coulda moved up the chain of command til there was some semblance of satisfaction. Well, then there's always Seattle ... just a ship-to-shore call away.

[Kruiser1]

This is absolutely uncalled for. I would NOT have been in that cabin for the remaining 3 days of the cruise!

[Chivalrygirl]

Sorry to say it happened also on the repositioning cruise on this ship last year, I have been badly yelled at for talking about it. So interesting was this post.

Mind I would have shouted the whole of the atrium down, they would have done something if it had of been me.

[bepsf]

....there are some officer's cabins on Deck 6 Forward that they could have put these people into.

Like CG, I would have been in the Atrium raising Holy H***.

[jhannah]

Ewww!

This should have been taken care of and the people moved. The brown glue excuse is terribly lame.

[serendipity1499]

Yes it often happens on all Cruise Ships on all Cruise Lines..Last year a pipe broke in the corridor & seeped through to our carpet in the cabin on another ship...They immediately took care of the problem though..Fortunately there was no odor in our cabin, or we would have been raising cain with the Hotel Manager..LOL

Malfunctions of Marine Toilets usually occur when people try to flush items down them other than the prescribed Marine toilet paper...Kleenex, flushable wipes & Tampons can not be flushed down a Marine Toilet..

We take Hefty Scrap Bags with us to use for flushable wipes etc..There are 50 in a box (under $3.00) & can be purchased in your supermarket..

Scroll down & click on "complaints" on that same WEB site...There is a similar account of the Continental Flight from Amsterdam to Newark on June 14..Can you imagine the toilets overflowing into the aisles..250 Passengers had to share one semi functional toilet for 8 hours...They were told to restrict their bodly functions & not put any paper into the one toilet.. :eek:

[hammybee]

On the same Web site there is a similar account of the Continental Flight from Amsterdam to Newark this week....Can you imagine the toilets overflowing into the aisles..250 Passengers had to share one toilet for more than 8 hours...They were told to restrict their bodly functions & not put any paper into the one toilet.. :eek:

Years ago, on a 7 ( not a typo) hour flight from Lagaurdia to Chicago, a similar problem occured with a toilet. Someone eventually faked a heart attack which forced the plane to land in Milwaukee. I remember this as if it were yesterday. It put an end to my youthful perception that business travel was glamorous. Ahhh, the good ole days......

[hammybee]

....there are some officer's cabins on Deck 6 Forward that they could have put these people into.

Like CG, I would have been in the Atrium raising Holy H***.

You know, I am hard-pressed to believe any cruise line would not find alternative accommodations for passengers in a cabin like this or that passengers would not INSIST something be done for them. If this did go down the way it is portrayed, it is the cruising version of Dumb and Dumber.

[deora24]

We were on this trip. The cabin at the end of our hallway on main deck 5 had an issue that sounds just like the mentioned article. We saw the door open several times...crew members sopping up the carpet...disgusting smells... I also mentioned elsewhere that our whole section of cabins was not "flushing" for most of day 6.

[jtl513]

You know, I am hard-pressed to believe any cruise line would not find alternative accommodations for passengers in a cabin like this ...But what if there truly were NO other cabins available because all of the "spare" cabins had been taken by others already? What is the ship supposed to do then, put them in crew space? Put them up in the infirmary?

[serendipity1499]

Years ago, on a 7 ( not a typo) hour flight from Lagaurdia to Chicago, a similar problem occured with a toilet. Someone eventually faked a heart attack which forced the plane to land in Milwaukee. I remember this as if it were yesterday. It put an end to my youthful perception that business travel was glamorous. Ahhh, the good ole days......

What I don't understand is why that Continental Pilot did not turn back before he reached the point of no return from Shannon..The passengers claim the toilet explosion happened shortly after they left Shannon..That flight should have been canceled & the Passengers put up in a Hotel..JMO

Funny, I had the same perception about Travel until my company sent four of us standby to Hong Kong to work at a TA's convention.. They refused to give us confirmed space, because so many TA's were going directly from the U.S to Tokyo & Hong Kong..Lufthansa gave us standby from JFK to FRA (w/stops in HAM & CPH) & then back over the pole to Anchorage & Tokyo..We had three crew changes who insisted on trying to feed us & ply us with champagne..All we wanted was sleep..Those were the days when ladies wore the very tight fitting undergarments in order to have a flat tummy...:rolleyes:

[hammybee]

But what if there truly were NO other cabins available because all of the "spare" cabins had been taken by others already? What is the ship supposed to do then, put them in crew space? Put them up in the infirmary?

The ship has to do whatever is necessary to acommodate the situation and if that means an officer bunks with someone else or space is made in the infirmary, so be it.

On the otherhand, if the passenger was the cause of the problem, by flushing something inappropriate down the toilet, well then, they got what they deserved.

[hammybee]

Those were the days when ladies wore the very tight fitting undergarments in order to have a flat tummy...:rolleyes:

I was on the cusp of the demise of this particular undergarmet. And now I see my almost 19 year old DD has bought a Spanx, which by any other name is a...... We digress :)

[Chivalrygirl]

But what if there truly were NO other cabins available because all of the "spare" cabins had been taken by others already? What is the ship supposed to do then, put them in crew space? Put them up in the infirmary?

If it was me I would have ended up in the skippers cabin, I would have performed so badly and loudly.

Continental, now thats a dirty word from the past :eek: We did a Auckland to London and back again straight through both ways on them some years ago, I never did a long haul flight ever again until last year when the lure of a HAL cruise from Vancouver to Auckland got the better of me. :D

[TPKeller]

That is really gross... I'm a regular reader of the consumerist site. I just posted a comment directing readers to this thread.

And yes, I think if I had to choose between a deck 2 inside cabin or any other cabin with this stuff soaking in the carpet... that's pretty much a no-brainer.

Theron

[PathfinderEss]

I think anyone who travels has run into problems, some minor some serious. Why weren't these passengers put into another cabin? I don't understand, there are always a few cabins held back for these kind of emergency, or at least I've been told that. What makes a great cruiseline is how they handle their problems, not that they don't have problems.

[hammybee]

[/COLOR][/SIZE]

I think the cruising business has changed substainally as cruise lines are pressured by shareholders to achieve profits, sometimes at the expense of common sense. The goal is to sell every cabin and they often do.

[Scrumpy]

I am so sorry this has happened and those involved have my sympahty (if they ever find their way here).

I am stunned at the lack of response on the part of the staff. I would like to think that when this kind of thing happens, HAL immediately takes action. Guess not... It blows my mind that such a ridiculous excuse was given, too. I've cleaned a lot of carpet and what comes up isn't usually brown. Kinda gray maybe, but not brown and not with that kind of odor!

It's a crying shame, and absolutely negligent, that the occupants were not relocated, regardless of the possible inconvenience to staff. Between the infirmary and the brig, you'd think they'd have some room somewhere even if the cruise was fully booked. Personally, between my keen sense of smell and my strong gag reflex, they probably would have moved me without a fuss after having to clean and re-clean the cabin. :eek: Just thinking of it makes me sick to my stomach and I wasn't even there. I'm not surprised people ended up sick. The poor guy stepped in that mess wearing socks! I cringe at the thought. Like stepping on a diaper. I'm not big on litigation but I swear sometimes it seems like the only way to get a company's attention.

In any case, I think Camp637 has the right idea. Take that CDC phone number onboard and let her rip if something happens! I might not do a good job being the squeaky wheel, but there are those that can do some loud squeaking - and have the authority to follow through.

Also, just because one person on that sewage line might have done something stupid, it doesn't mean everyone on that same line should suffer. It was probably one of those sweet little angels trying to flush oranges like I've read about on here before. <ducking>;)

[Scrumpy]

I think the cruising business has changed substainally as cruise lines are pressured by shareholders to achieve profits, sometimes at the expense of common sense. The goal is to sell every cabin and they often do.

Sadly, that has become the rule for many, if not most, businesses. Once upon a time, people took customer service and responsibility to their community seriously. Now, it's a human interest story when a company does the right thing.

[LAnn]

What a disgusting situation. If that had been us, no way would we have remained in that cabin. We'd have taken all our stuff and camped out in one of the lounges if they told us no other cabin was available. I'm serious.

LeeAnn

[deora24]

What a disgusting situation. If that had been us, no way would we have remained in that cabin. We'd have taken all our stuff and camped out in one of the lounges if they told us no other cabin was available. I'm serious.

LeeAnn
That's exactly what I was thinking...had the whole scenario...sleep in the comfy chairs in the library with the great ocean view...shower in the spa...

[hammybee]

That's exactly what I was thinking...had the whole scenario...sleep in the comfy chairs in the library with the great ocean view...shower in the spa...

I would be camping out too and while doing so, making quite a spectacle of the situation. Can you picture blanket tents with hand laundered underwear, hanging on a make shift clothes line?

[Alaska adventurer]

I'll be cruising on the Statendam in 10 days and have a cabin on the main deck so I'm wondering if it was my cabin that was involved and if they have fixed the situation by replacing the carpet and not just covering it up.

I know that others will have been sailing on the ship since then but I still have concerns. As a new cruiser, I see that these ship dock and then turn right around with a new group of passengers. When do they have time to fix something like this? From the looks of the picture, the whole carpet should be replaced but can they do that in Vancouver or Seward in a couple of hours?

[bepsf]

Continental gave those airline pax a $500 voucher for another flight.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/21/national/a085821D88.DTL (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/21/national/a085821D88.DTL)

[bepsf]

What is the ship supposed to do then, put them in crew space? Put them up in the infirmary?

Yes - even the Captain's cabin if that's what's necessary to provide accomodations free of sewage and filth.

Even folks in the lowest categories didn't pay good money for third-world living conditions.

[Copper10-8]

I'll be cruising on the Statendam in 10 days and have a cabin on the main deck so I'm wondering if it was my cabin that was involved and if they have fixed the situation by replacing the carpet and not just covering it up.

I know that others will have been sailing on the ship since then but I still have concerns. As a new cruiser, I see that these ship dock and then turn right around with a new group of passengers. When do they have time to fix something like this? From the looks of the picture, the whole carpet should be replaced but can they do that in Vancouver or Seward in a couple of hours?

They can do those type of repairs on the ship within hours! Each ship has carpenters on board. Semi big job involving moving some furniture out? Sure it is, but it can be done.

I'm not one to do a lot of complaining about things like worn furniture on my balcony, scratched paint in a lifeboat, pesky photographers, etc. but this was no "little thing". The hotel manager himself should have been involved in making these pax feel whole again. If there were no vacant pax cabins on Statendam, these folks should have been moved elsewhere i.e. in officer country until that entire cabin was disinfected, cleaned and the carpet replaced. And yes, many times these type of "overflowing" problems are caused by pax throwing stuff down their toilets that don't belong in there. HAL needs to do something here besides a $150 pp credit

[serendipity1499]

Continental gave a voucher of $500, which may or may not have appeased the passengers..

Agree, Passengers should have been put elsewhere & as others have said even in crew quarters if necessary.. Hal often has The Cast, Entertainers & Gentlemen Dance hosts, on Passenger decks..I would think one of those cabins should have been found..

Wonder really how much of a "stink" (sic) this Gentleman made at the front desk..I would be livid & insisting on seeing the Hotel Manager, First officer, Captain if necessary...Don't really think many Passengers actually understand that the HM is in charge..

It would be interesting to know if the passengers made a complaint to Seattle and what the outcome will be..IMO that small shipboard credit was an insult!:(

Betty

[RedmondCruiser]

I agree that you need to lean on the Hotel Manager for resolution of this sort of problem. The front desk will probably give you the least amount of effort. If the Hotel Manager had to occupy that cabin I wonder how long it would take to fix the problem ?

Holland America seems to be doing the least to rectify problems while doing everything it can to squeeze every last cent out of every revenue stream possible.

I wonder if the Alaska State Health Dept or the organization that rates the ships sanitary grade were to get involved if more action would occur ?

[mamaofami]

I find this situation outrageous. When problems like this happen, solutions ARE available. There is a whole "crew" floor where the crew beds down. Some officers could have been moved down there. Even if the penthouse had to be opened up, these poor people should not have had to remain in the cabin unless the situation had been rectified.

I think this situation needed much more than the front desk.

I know my DH would have found a creative solution. Camping out with hanging laundry sounds good to me. I would have opted for one of those lounge chairs in the Crow's Nest if the Crow's Nest wasn't otherwise occupied by a group.

There are problems and then there are problems. This one should have been rectified immediately.

[Scrumpy]

[quote=mamaofami;10560814]I would have opted for one of those lounge chairs in the Crow's Nest if the Crow's Nest wasn't otherwise occupied by a group. quote] (MY emphasis)

Good one.

[Robin7]

I think this situation needed much more than the front desk.

I know my DH would have found a creative solution. Camping out with hanging laundry sounds good to me. I would have opted for one of those lounge chairs in the Crow's Nest if the Crow's Nest wasn't otherwise occupied by a group.

There are problems and then there are problems. This one should have been rectified immediately.

Count me in on being one of you who would 'camp out' somewhere. It makes me wonder if the 'complainer' made a big enough stink about it on the ship or just waited until he/she got home. Some people just roll over and submit to the least little authority--i.e. front desk workers. I would have escalated my complaining until everyone on the ship knew me AND my problem. Now, I'm not one who normally complains about ANYTHING, but this problem would have made me come 'unglued'.

Robin

[photodoodle]

On the otherhand, if the passenger was the cause of the problem, by flushing something inappropriate down the toilet, well then, they got what they deserved.

There is an unfortunate tendency on this board to blame the passenger when Holland America falls short, but this really takes the cake.

Nobody deserves sewage in their cabin for 3 days, even if they made a mistake. But consider this, it could have been another cabin that caused the problem. Or it could have been the result of faulty plumbing and not the result of a passenger mistake. In any case, no one deserves to spend nearly half their vacation in a puddle of molten poop for any reason.

[Chivalrygirl]

That particular ship also has more than its fair share of Code Red situations, my DH made the comment last night, is it noro virus or does it come from leaking sewerage? One begins to wonder

[Mary Ellen]

There is an unfortunate tendency on this board to blame the passenger when Holland America falls short, but this really takes the cake.While hammy did consider that blame may fall on the passenger with the 'brown water' cabin (NO basis for that IMHO), it is possible that someone else - cabins away, or possibly even another deck, it all depends on the plumbing set up - could have put something inappropriate down the toilet. The resulting clog could occur anywhere down the line. Either way, HAL did NOT do the right thing.

Oh, I do NOT consider a few posters (less than a handfull) "an unfortunate tendency" and it occurs on EVERY board.

[hammybee]

There is an unfortunate tendency on this board to blame the passenger when Holland America falls short, but this really takes the cake.

Nobody deserves sewage in their cabin for 3 days, even if they made a mistake. But consider this, it could have been another cabin that caused the problem. Or it could have been the result of faulty plumbing and not the result of a passenger mistake. In any case, no one deserves to spend nearly half their vacation in a puddle of molten poop for any reason.

Actually, I do feel that a passenger who tosses what should not be tossed, into their toilet, deserves sewage in their cabin. I also believe they should pay for the down stream consequences.

[hammybee]

While hammy did consider that blame may fall on the passenger with the 'brown water' cabin (NO basis for that IMHO), it is possible that someone else - cabins away, or possibly even another deck, it all depends on the plumbing set up - could have put something inappropriate down the toilet. The resulting clog could occur anywhere down the line. Either way, HAL did NOT do the right thing.

Oh, I do NOT consider a few posters (less than a handfull) "an unfortunate tendency" and it occurs on EVERY board.

And maybe this did not even happen. Ever consider that what we read , especially on the Internet, may or may not be true or is skewed?

And if it did, as portrayed, HAL really blew it.

[pms4104]

And maybe this did not even happen. Ever consider that what we read , especially on the Internet, may or may not be true or is skewed?

And if it did, as portrayed, HAL really blew it.
Three sides to every story: his, HAL's and the truth, which generally is somewhere between the first two.

And, no, $150 OBC is far from satisafactory ... but if you accept that as fair settlement you have little right or reason to bad-mouth HAL. Indeed, there is an art to complaining properly and getting what you expect ... and the place to have done that was onboard, not in the media.

[crazy4cruisn]

Would you please let us know how the ship is when you return? Hopefully all problems will be taken care of!
Anyone know the cabin number of problem cabin or the area on the main deck? We leave are booked on the main deck midship for September.

[cruzinnluvinit]

Haven't seen this posted yet so...

http://consumerist.com/consumer/complaints/sir-thats-not-fecal-water-flooding-your-cruise-ship-room-thats-brown-glue-270728.php

Discuss...
did you get a sample for analysis? You could have sent the results to the ship and let them know the glue story doesn't fly.

Linda

[cruzinnluvinit]

You know, I am hard-pressed to believe any cruise line would not find alternative accommodations for passengers in a cabin like this or that passengers would not INSIST something be done for them. If this did go down the way it is portrayed, it is the cruising version of Dumb and Dumber.
I think they book EVERY room, so there is nowhere but the infirmary and I wouldn't want to be where I know sick people are.

Linda

[serendipity1499]

did you get a sample for analysis? You could have sent the results to the ship and let them know the glue story doesn't fly. Linda

Who is this question directed to:confused: ...The person who made this complaint on the Consumerist Web site has not posted on these boards..

Nick is simply directing us to look at this complaint on another site..

[serendipity1499]

Would you please let us know how the ship is when you return? Hopefully all problems will be taken care of!
Anyone know the cabin number of problem cabin or the area on the main deck? We leave are booked on the main deck midship for September.

Don't believe anyone on this board would know the cabin Number unless they were on that ship with the person who posted the complaint on the Consumerist WEB site...

In any event, overflowing &/or stopped up toilets is common curse on all ships...However they have on board maintenance people who should be able to fix the leak & change the carpet..

I agree with Hammy, there are always other cabins (not necessarily Passenger cabins) that could have been utilized if these passengers made a big enough "stink"..

I can't believe anyone who stepped into that mess would have tolerated it for their family for one day, let alone three days..And accepting the paltry OBC is preposterous! .. Something seems to be missing from this story.. JMO..

Betty

[Scrumpy]

Okay ya'll, I'm getting a whole lot of that 'blame the victim' vibe. Again. MOST of us have some limits on our behavior. In this day and age, if you raise too much cain, you can get in a lot of trouble. I mind my behavior on in the airport and I mind it on a ship. You probably won't ever hear me raising my voice to anyone and I've found crying isn't that effective either - even when you are definitely in the right and definitely being shafted by those in authority (at the airport, anyway). I did say, half-jokingly, that they'd have to move me if I were in a simiar situation because I would be puking my guts out over and over. Hey, maybe they wouldn't and then what would I do? Sleep on deck or on the balcony, I guess.

I don't know how much trouble someone is supposed to make or how they're supposed to respond when they are repeatedly rebuffed. Sometimes that calm perserverance does not work, obviously. What would satisfy ya'll? What would you think crossed a line? I have a feeling that if the dad had ended up tossed in the brig or put off at one of the ports for continuing to escalate that we would then hear criticism of THAT behavior and told persistence alone would have paid off. Sometimes, it does not pay off. If you haven't experienced that yet, then you have no idea of how frustrating it can be and how truly powerless you can feel.

[serendipity1499]

Okay ya'll, I'm getting a whole lot of that 'blame the victim' vibe. Again. MOST of us have some limits on our behavior. In this day and age, if you raise too much cain, you can get in a lot of trouble. I mind my behavior on in the airport and I mind it on a ship. You probably won't ever hear me raising my voice to anyone and I've found crying isn't that effective either - even when you are definitely in the right and definitely being shafted by those in authority (at the airport, anyway). I did say, half-jokingly, that they'd have to move me if I were in a simiar situation because I would be puking my guts out over and over. Hey, maybe they wouldn't and then what would I do? Sleep on deck or on the balcony, I guess.

I don't know how much trouble someone is supposed to make or how they're supposed to respond when they are repeatedly rebuffed. Sometimes that calm perserverance does not work, obviously. What would satisfy ya'll? What would you think crossed a line? I have a feeling that if the dad had ended up tossed in the brig or put off at one of the ports for continuing to escalate that we would then hear criticism of THAT behavior and told persistence alone would have paid off. Sometimes, it does not pay off. If you haven't experienced that yet, then you have no idea of how frustrating it can be and how truly powerless you can feel.

A person does not have to be loud in order to be heard.. But, you must be persistent! There is no reason to feel powerless when you have a legitimate complaint, if you handle it correctly...This obviously is a legitimate complaint!

If I had stepped into that mess, & was concerned about my family's health, I would have been very persistent.. I would have asked to speak to the Supervisor of the Dept...And then if the supervisor could not help me I would ask for a Manager & continue on up the line...If necessary I would have asked to see the Capt... As others have said I also would have refused to allow my family to stay in that cabin after I stepped in that mess! It was disgusting! "It's the squeeky wheel that gets the oil"..

Surely you jest & really don't believe that a Capt. would throw someone in the Brig for bringing a complaint of this nature to his attention!

No where, in that post does the person say that he followed up with HAL in Seattle or the CDC...If you have a complaint as serious as that, it should be followed up...

I'm not blaming the victim! I'm just saying he should have been more proactive..

JMO...Betty

[DoctorFeelgood]

... if these passengers made a big enough "stink"...

OK.... I had a straight face through the whole thread until I read that one.:D

[serendipity1499]

OK.... I had a straight face through the whole thread until I read that one.:D

That's why I used it, but no one else thought it was funny...Oh well I'll never make a living being a comedian.....LOL:D :D

[hammybee]

That's why I used it, but no one else thought it was funny...Oh well I'll never make a living being a comedian.....LOL:D :D

Good one Betty.

[hammybee]

There is a report on the NCL board of passengers from a series of cabins that did not have AC. The way the story goes is that they were each offered $150 OBC. On disembarkation day, the passengers had a sit down in the lobby. They wanted a free cruise. Reportedly, NCL called the Coast Guard in and they were hauled off.

Oh, if cruise ships could talk.........

[photodoodle]

There is a report on the NCL board of passengers from a series of cabins that did not have AC. The way the story goes is that they were each offered $150 OBC. On disembarkation day, the passengers had a sit down in the lobby. They wanted a free cruise. Reportedly, NCL called the Coast Guard in and they were hauled off.
Oh my! I wonder if the cruise lines have collectively decided that $150 is the standard buyoff amount for an "inconvenienced" customer. This is hardly enough when you've sweltered your way through your vacation, or worse, had the stinky seepage.

That's why I think these kinds of discussions are important. Sadly, the passenger who had a bad experience may or may not be made whole. But future passengers may benefit if the cruise lines learn that shoddy treatment of passengers will be publicized. It's not exactly the cover of Time, but people who read travel & cruise boards are important to the reputation of a line.

These two stories show how difficult it is to judge another passenger's response to a bad experience. Some say the person who accepted the $150 buyoff for the sewage problem was too passive. Some will say a sit-down on disembarkation day is too aggressive. I think it's important that we be supportive of other passengers: one because this is a passenger-centric venue, and two because sharing information is how we can influence cruise lines to continue to improve.

[Juanita462]

We will never set foot on the Statendam again - we spent 11 of a 17 day cruise smelling horrible sewage smells through most of the ship. We were lied to repeatedly - found out 2 years later from someone who worked on that ship that a valve had broken and flooded the crew quarters with sewage. Imagine living with that for 11 plus days. But why lie about it - only one crew member was honest and said he wasn't going to lie, that there was a sewage smell. all the rest said "what smell"

Also there has been noro on all three cruises that we took on the Statendam - over two weeks on a longer cruise. I keep watching the sanitation reports and they obviously are not reporting this as none of our cruises were reported as having noro when there was - and not just a few, I think it was 69 pax and 39 crew.

There is no excuse for not moving those pax to other accomodations - however they manage it. How dangerous to stay in a room with raw sewage saturating the carpet.