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Britannia worse experience in 9years of cruisingMos


Gayn
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Terrible two weeks ever, 9 years of cruising this was the worse experience ever. This was supposed to de- stress me in preparation for surgery on my return. Flag Ship Brittania.

Unfortunately on entering our balcony cabin there was an unpleasant smell. Reported it to the cabin steward who said he would contact a plumber. The carpet was deep cleaned, lemon gel wiped on doors and lemon gel put into the air conditioning.

The smell intensified a cross between decomposition and sewage!!!!!!

Contacted management they stated they would have engineers look into the problem.

We slept with the balcony windows slightly open. We discovered that the smell was coming from the air conditioning, we complained and complained engineers would open the panel outside our cabin and the next thing we had lemon smell through the air con.

The smell affected 3 cabins, along the corridor and outside the lift on our deck.

On the Tuesday we stood outside the cabin with adults from nearby cabins demanding to see someone in charge to resolve the issue, previously an officer went into the cabin and admitted he could smell something, yet when he came along with 3 other officers and went in they came out denying there was a smell!!!!!!!!!!

I asked a passing gentleman to go in he came out and stated there was a sewage smell in there!!!!!!! Yet these officers denied there was a smell.

 

We were all asked to vacate the cabins for 45 minutes while air con was being flushed. It eased the issue for an extremely short time but came back. We were offered a cabin at the rear of the ship where smokers congregate and a fantastic balcony view of the. Tender boats.

 

All I wanted was the issue to be resolved not being lied to.

I have since emailed the head office as I was told I would get an engineer report as I requested one.

I am still waiting the report and some form of compensation for a disastrous two weeks.

I have emailed CEO Christopher Edgington who has passed my complaint onto Ms McClatchey.

I await a resolution.

This was on the Flag Ship Brittania.

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Will have to check it was on level 10.

I have again requested the report they are not forwarding it to me.

The smell was that of decomposition.

Really are not being helpful, I have asked for email of person higher than the person who is doing absolutely nothing to resolve this issue.

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We were on level 10 a few weeks back and a sewage smell was evident in the corridor for the whole two weeks on the starboard side between the launderette and the lift at the rear.. only noticed as we walked by from further up the corridor.

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We had a similar experience on Britannia last year, our cabin was on C deck (which I think is deck 12) C301 which is an accessible cabin.

We also had several visits from progressively senior hotel staff, but they failed to identify where it came from, or cure it. Like you it was also noticeable in the corridor outside, which made me think it was coming from the inspection hatch, and was therefore possibly seepage from the main waste pipe.

Fortunately it was only a 7 day cruise so the discomfort was limited, but still not a smell you want to return to every time you enter your cabin.

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We were in cabin E612 The smell was unbearable. I am still requesting an engineers report, I was told by senior person that he could not give me a verbal technical report but it would be sent to head office and that I could email them for the report.

We went to a meeting on board ship with Deck manager, assistant Deck manager and were told there had never been any other issues like this.

To blatantly lie sums up this entire experience.

Emails I have received are of no help whatsoever!!!!!!!

Unbelievable customer services.

Britannia should be at half mast.

If there is nothing to hide what's the problem in sending me the report?

Or is there a big big issue with this ship that cannot be solved, this certainly is not the Flagship of the fleet. I believe more people should post if they had similar experiences.

Two week nightmare holiday was not cheap, I hope head office reads this as I am disgusted with their attitude.

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Yes we noticed an off smell at one point along the corridor on Brittania but thankfully nowhere near our cabin. It was quite pungent and there was an engineer almost constantly at the hatch at that point everytime we passed.

 

We had plumbing problems on Ventura, it's an unfortunate fact that these things do happen on ships. It is however often how the staff onboard handle it that makes all the difference.

 

Be persistent, P&O are usually fair (eventually) if there has been a real issue onboard. It unfortunate that there is no way of recording a smell, in our case we could take pictures of the mess.

 

 

Between smells and soot Brittania does have some annoying issues which is unfortunate as it is a lovely ship and provides a great holiday.

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Yes we noticed an off smell at one point along the corridor on Brittania but thankfully nowhere near our cabin. It was quite pungent and there was an engineer almost constantly at the hatch at that point everytime we passed.

 

We had plumbing problems on Ventura, it's an unfortunate fact that these things do happen on ships. It is however often how the staff onboard handle it that makes all the difference.

 

Be persistent, P&O are usually fair (eventually) if there has been a real issue onboard. It unfortunate that there is no way of recording a smell, in our case we could take pictures of the mess.

 

 

Between smells and soot Brittania does have some annoying issues which is unfortunate as it is a lovely ship and provides a great holiday.

 

The soot is a design fault that also affects Regal/Royal Princess which are the same design. We cruised on Brittania on the maiden in an aft balcony cabin and had the problem then. Every morning the cabin steward would clean the balcony and wipe furniture down but after that if you ever wanted to sit on your balcony you had to wipe the seats just to make sure they were clean. Would have no hesitation on cruising on Britannia but would not book an aft stateroom/suite.

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Thanks majortom10.

We actually sailed on Brittania two years ago with no issues apart from a few teething problems and decided to try it again this year.

However it was a disaster from day 1 and I fully agree with your comments, it is how the staff handle the situation and how senior management at head office respond.

In the end I had to tell them to stop putting chemicals in the bathroom and through the air conditioning as it was affecting my breathing and giving me a tight chest.

 

This holiday was three weeks prior to my surgery designed to really de- stress me and relax me, unfortunately it really did have the opposite affect and I felt worse after the cruise than before.

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Hi happy traveleruk it does depend on your expectations. Personally I find the ship too big to cater for the amount of people on board.

The food in the horizon was too repetitious if you like pork you will be ok unable to cook roast potatoes.

We heard people not recommend going to certain restaurants again due to quality of food.

The hygiene on board was horrendous no one insisted on people using the sanitisers before going into dining areas considering the toilets were directly outside we often saw people come out and no hand wash.

From reading past posts there have been several outbreaks of novirus

Didn't attempt going swimming it was always packed, again too big a ship too many people.

The entertainment theatre was again too small for the amount of people if you want to see a show go 30/40 minutes before it starts. If you want a drink you need to get it from the bar before going in.

We did not have clean towels everyday, quite often I wiped the bathroom area down waited two days for a glass for toothbrushes, possibly petty issues but they were petty in comparison to the smell of decomposition and sewage coming through the air conditioning.

Having been cruising for nine years this is the first and only time I have ever complained. AND still I am not being forwarded an engineers report as to the smell I inhaled for two weeks. If there isn't an issue then why haven't I been sent it.

Very very poor customer service. Actually sent an email to CEO Christopher Edginton who passed me onto his team and Ms Ayesha McClatchey is supposedly dealing with the complaint.

However as I said it is and does depend on your own expectations, considering the amount spent on this cruise it was not value for money.

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Hi Gayn,

We were on Britannia this year and it was the worst cruise we have had. We didn't have a problem with any smells but we did have a soot problem. We spent a good part of the first week complaining at reception as my o.h.

Shorts got covered in soot after sitting on a sun bed.if you tried to sit on deck 16 aft table and chairs were always covered in soot.

I did e mail customer services but after getting no reply e mailed c.edginton. Had a reply back (not from him) saying they had a soot problem occasionally just telling me a load of rubbish.

Hope you get a more satisfactory reply.

Lyn

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Hi Lyn more people should come forward about the issues. A young couple in a suite had a major problem with the soot on her balcony, she was so distressed as her baby had been crawling around the balcony , again this is a health issue hope it didn't affect baby as she was only 9months old.

Yes continually being fobbed off.

Absolutely disgusting customer service and this is supposed to be the Flag Ship!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your comments, we are looking to book a cruise for next year and wouldn't touch Britannia with a barge pole.

Happy future sailing Lyn.

Don't let this incident put you off, I absolutely love cruising the most relaxing holiday ever and so many places to visit and meeting fantastic people on board.

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Gayn

 

By rubbishing the company, and seeking to recruit others to enhance your position, and further more, adding other peoples situation on to yours, will not help you.

 

Time and reason and privacy is what is required IMHO.

 

Those that shout loudest usually do so from a position of weakness IMHO

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I sailed on Brittania two years ago no issues a fab cruise, however when an issue arises that does not give value for money, inhaling a smell which made the lady in the next cabin physically vomit at one point on entering her cabin. Two weeks putting lemon gel in the cabin and air conditioning really did not resolve the issue.

 

Reporting an issue is not a sign of weakness, in fact it raises an awareness of issues that can arise.

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Gayn

 

By rubbishing the company, and seeking to recruit others to enhance your position, and further more, adding other peoples situation on to yours, will not help you.

 

Time and reason and privacy is what is required IMHO.

 

Those that shout loudest usually do so from a position of weakness IMHO

Well said.This unfortunately happened to you on your cruise but that doesn't mean to say it should stop others from going on Britannia.

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It's raising an individuals personal experience.

Not enhancing any claim, refused to sign mandatory claim.

 

Critic gives individual views, individual experiences, people make individual choices, personal choices.

 

Reviews highlight all aspects of people's experiences.

 

When booking any holiday it's people's expectations, value for money. It's up to the company to rectify issues brought to their attention by customers so other customers will not experience the same issues it's 'due care to customers'.

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Gayn

 

Using other peoples experience,to try and enhance your claim again!

 

Having had some dealings with customer care over a number of years

Your way does not work.

 

Filed in the round cabinet on the floor.

 

I am glad that P&O don't appear to treat customer care in the way that you describe. I take it you are joking about e bin?

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I know everyone has their right to complain about their experiences, but I must admit I lost all interest in this particular complaint when I read the following line

 

"I am still waiting the report and some form of compensation for a disastrous two weeks'

 

It just screams to me that this is purely about compensation and not really about Britannia listening to its customers and making improvements.

 

I'm sure the experience of having a nasty smell in the cabin is certainly not ideal, but did it really ruin a 2 week vacation. Don't most people only spend a minimal time in their cabin and instead spend their time on exploring the many ports the ship docks at.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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