Celebrity Beyond has a mold problem

[BKTE]

Just got off the Beyond (Transatlantic Oct. 30 to Nov. 13) and to say we were disappointed would be an understatement.  Without going into too much detail - we had a musty odor in our SkySuite (11209) which I foolishly brushed off as just a "down south smell".  Every time I opened the door I got that odor for a split second. Day by day we got sicker and sicker until Day 10 when I realized what was happening - we were sick due to mold exposure.  Coughing, headaches, sneezing... 

 

I will post a more extensive review on this but I did want to post a warning to anyone boarding this ship.  If your cabin smells at all musty / moldy DO NOT brush it off.  It is not unique to a single cabin as we spoke to many other people experiencing similar symptoms (although not all as bad as ours).  Don't underestimate the damage a musty cabin can do on your health - particularly if you have other conditions like asthma (which my partner has).

 

I'm also curious as to how many other people onboard experienced a similar issue. Anyone?

 

However, just wanted to flag this for everyone -  take care.

[hcat]

did you report it?

what was done?

is it from the A/c system?

or bathroom?  carpets?

 

we had no issues but good to know

[cw2go]

3 minutes ago, BKTE said:

 

I'm also curious as to how many other people onboard experienced a similar issue. Anyone?

 

However, just wanted to flag this for everyone -  take care.

 

Have sailed Beyond twice this year and had no musty oder. 

[deliver42]

We were on the Beyond last December with no odore.

[BKTE]

Glad to hear someone had no issues.  Yes, the issue was reported many times - they checked the AC and flushed the plumbing / drains (supposedly) but it was in the carpet, drapes etc.  They finally managed to move us to another cabin on the final night and the difference was immediate.  I almost slept through the night.  

[TinaM67]

I cannot believe I am reading this. We just woke up on day 5 of our 9 night cruise on the Beyond, deck 11 Sky Suite. Since day 1 we smelled a musty odor in the bathroom, which progressively got worse.  My husband's nose has not stopped running and I have a sore throat. We suspected a connection, but weren't sure. 

 

I was going to mention the musty odor to our room attendant this morning, but now it seems that the odor is gone.  I wonder if they did something.  We shall see. Anyway, thanks for the confirmation.

[BKTE]

Even if you can't smell it, it is still there.  I waited until day 7 of our 14 day trip before I reported it to the Retreat staff.  I would say something sooner, rather than later and don't waste time with your stateroom attendant or 'AG' (butler).  It will go no where...

It became a major problem for us (we're now home with respiratory and sinus infections).

[Jim_Iain]

I had a similar problem in a RS on Apex.    It was coming from the bathroom but permeated the room.  They sent up maintenance 3x to no avail.   They then profusely apologize an gave us $1,000 Future Cruise Certificate each.   That night I though back to my home plumbing day and said ...AHHHH...I bet it's the trap in the drain line -  I poured a waste basket full of water down the floor drain and - Bam.   Fixed.     We had been in high seas and though it may have somehow emptied it.

[George C]

We had a similar problem on aft sky suite, they gave us each 350 certificates, this was last thanksgiving time .

[Tyler414]

Was in a sunset veranda deck 9 in January 2023.  No issues with odors or noise. 

[CanuckCFAN]

We were in an MC Suite on Deck 6 for the October 30th crossing and the smell of sewage (not mold) was suffocating. The entire Deck 6 (midship) smelled absolutely rank. The "Retreat Team" was made aware, and maintenance was called. We spotted the maintenance team several times working in our hall but no improvement was made...  The cabin itself was fine but deck 6 midship/starboard was a mess.

Edited November 17, 2023 by CanuckCFAN

[Cap_D]

We likely had a similar smell and issue on Apex in CS, and on Edge in SS.  On Apex, the odor was coming from the bathroom, and most apparent upon entry into the room and then into the bathroom area after opening the magnetic doors. Like @Jim_Iain we believe it was the floor drain or the vicinity. The smell was made worse due to the Bigelow soap scent.  We said something a few times, but it was also amid other service related issues.  The insult was we had to use the phone to address this, a few times, and found ourselves standing right over the source (since one of the phones is in the bathroom, none are cordless, etc). The Edge variant seemed to go away, but that cruise was fewer days.

 

Agree:  smell something or see something, say something, post something, email, QR code submit it, tell the captain and other stripes when they walk around, etc   There is not as much QC or clear lines of responsibility as there should be to prevent it apparently.  And, the housekeeping staff aren't on top of it, and possibly don't have a sense of smell if they have been onboard for a while.  

 

Edited November 17, 2023 by Cap_D

[mahasamatman]

From the reports here, it sounds like it may be some problem endemic to the Edge class. I'm glad we have no plans to sail on one of them for at least the next two years.

[hcat]

oh boy.. 2 more E class booked and no more after that.

 

.That said we were on Ref when it was new and cabin down the hall had a sewage back up..into the hallway.  Lived with blowers all week .

 

and we had mildew in bthrm on Infinity..

 

closed environments are difficult.. 

[Cap_D]

Recently experienced the same smell issue at a high end Las Vegas property.  I'd say the difference in experiences was that in Vegas the hotel management was MIA, and non responsive to reasonable requests to address the issue.  On Celebrity we found the shipboard management responsive and marshalled resources to address the issue.  

 

One more observation for those reading in the future, in the SS there's a drain in the bathroom floor under the waste basket (and perhaps in the toilet closet), and in the CS the drain is in the toilet closet, along with drains in the tubs and showers.   That plus the Bigelow soap seems to create the sewer gas smell.  There may be other issues, and certainly visual cues that one may see, too.  Our experience was with the smell.  We didn't see anything that was visible. 

[Bill Miller]

Sounds like rough sailing on the Beyond. ...Like Beyond what you should have to deal with in an expensive suite or any cabin. First wacky rattling noise issues in cabins and now mold. Yikes! 

Wondering if there were shipyard labor issues when this ship was built? Back in the day, if your car was manufactured on a Monday, there might be quality problems. A lemon. Holy mackerel, what's going on with Celebrity Quality Control?

Also, not an Edge class ship problem, but did they ever get the refrigeration working in the ship morgues? Remember the guy they stashed in the drink cooler?

 

Edited November 17, 2023 by Bill Miller
spelling

[Lastdance]

OMgosh, this is alarming.  We were on Beyond in May for a b2b in a Sunset Suite.  I got headaches, but when my DH and I returned home, we were both ill with sinus issues, not to mention just feeling unwell with visits to our doctor.  Mine was so bad, that I was put on antibiotics.   My DH is doing fine now, but I just had allergy tests due to being unwell since we have returned.  My tests show mold as a cause.  We are boarding Beyond in less than two weeks, in a Sky Suite on deck 10.  Thank you so much for sharing this information, as I had no idea about the ship as a “possible” cause/issue.  This will be on my radar now, as I have had to see an ENT who specializes in these issues.  I am on a steroid at the moment.  Of course, I am not going to just blame the ship, but if I do begin to feel unwell, will report it immediately and check the drains etc.  Thank you!

Edited November 17, 2023 by Lastdance

[Cap_D]

By no means is this medical advice:  but I'd bring a Claritin D or generic antihistamine with decongestant (review the label for side effects, etc), and consider bringing an antibiotic, along with Motrin, in case they are needed.   That won't address mold or the causes, but it may help you with breathing and inflammation.  

[hcat]

we run air purefiers in our bedrooms st home ( ever since the smoke from Canada fires)  but even the smallest one  might not be packable.

Scary!

 

What is the issue with Co Bigelow.. We use the shower stuff...no problems we know ,,,of with our drain????

[Stem to Stern]

 I tend to pack every possible medication known to mankind, but I will now also be adding Plink to my packing list for my two first-ever Edge-class bookings.

[zitsky]

9 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

 I tend to pack every possible medication known to mankind, but I will now also be adding Plink to my packing list for my two first-ever Edge-class bookings.

 

They still sell Alka Seltzer?  Thanks for tip!

 

P.S.  We were in a Sky Suite on Beyond.  I think I noticed a smell in the bathroom but it wasn't that strong.  We always take allergy meds at home due to seasonal allergies and outside mold.  I don't remember it being much worse on the cruise.  

[Cap_D]

30 minutes ago, hcat said:

we run air purefiers in our bedrooms st home ( ever since the smoke from Canada fires)  but even the smallest one  might not be packable.

Scary!

 

What is the issue with Co Bigelow.. We use the shower stuff...no problems we know ,,,of with our drain????

We found the scent to blend in with the sewer gas smell that we sometimes dismissed the smell as just the soap products.   It's a decent enough brand, and would be an okay scent on its own. The same company that makes the Bigelow products dles6 a lot of the travel sizes and hotel products for various other brands.  The liquid soap also may have some ingredient in it to help dissolve mineral based suntan lotion (zinc oxide), as passengers are likely slathered in it on Caribbean/Bahama and Med trips. 

 

We usually bring our own preferred soap for trips of any extended stays, and an unscented bar or small bottle of diluted of Dr Bonners castile soap to help with suntan lotion removal, also great on clothing for stains and to help avoid yellowing of whites.  (Puracity has a very good stain spray too, would also recommend Laundress stain bar or stain solution, but they had a recall issue and new product is just returning to market. Have not had success with oxi products to address yellowing). 

Edited November 17, 2023 by Cap_D

[PTC DAWG]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I had a similar problem in a RS on Apex.    It was coming from the bathroom but permeated the room.  They sent up maintenance 3x to no avail.   They then profusely apologize a gave us $1,000 Future Cruise Certificate each.   That night I though back to my home plumbing day and said ...AHHHH...I bet it's the trap in the drain line -  I poured a waste basket full of water down the floor drain and - Bam.   Fixed.     We had been in high seas and thought it may have somehow emptied it.

 This is the first thing to check, just do it. 

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, mahasamatman said:

From the reports here, it sounds like it may be some problem endemic to the Edge class. I'm glad we have no plans to sail on one of them for at least the next two years.

I have been on the Apex with zero issues..

[Bill Miller]

No disrespect to Cap_D, but on a semi luxury cruise line ya really shouldn't need these prophylactic remedies because of shipboard contamination. But I understand where your coming from.  

You'd think Celebrity and their contracted medical advisors would be all over this, but... the pandemic is over.

"Washy-washy," Richard Fain.  One of my favorite cruise line CEO's. Enjoy your retirement Richard.