Gayn

Thanks Sapphire4 appreciate your advice.

Thank you for all your advice, I will definitely contact them more directly by telephone on Monday. It does wear you down, so again I really appreciate all your comments.

Been passed onto another team member who says she will investigate the issue and get back to me when she has more information on the engineers report.

Not holding my breath on any feedback.

I totally agree this no doubt is an isolated incident which could have been handled in a much better way.

Again I have to reiterate I sailed on Brittania two years ago without any issues.

On numerous other cruises I have had an amazing time, you visit beautiful places meet wonderful people and make good friends.

Poor customer service has exasperated this issue.

Thank you for all the advice I read them with great interest.

As stated previously I have never had any cause on previous cruises to complain as there are some issues on board ships that you accept as part of cruises.

But I agree 'due care' to passengers must be a priority.

Hi daib my issue is I have requested in numerous emails for an engineers report as to what I inhaled in the cabin for two weeks.

At times the smell woke us up.

This is a legitimate complaint which has not been resolved.

This issue has to be addressed by P&O so no other passenger should endure the same issue.

Selborne you seem to have experienced problems before.

Thanks for the advice.

The CEO passed it onto someone and now I have been passed onto someone else.

Will keep you updated on any or no progress made.

Hi Mandylennon the engineer was continually working on panel between our cabin and next door, further down they had ladders opening up air con in a particular cabin

It really was a cross between decomposition and sewage.

It was really unpleasant.

I was awaiting surgery on my return declined due to very personal reasons and the fact it was at the rear of the ship where smokers congregated no offence my husband is ex smoker my son smokes. This would have impacted on my health issues.

My husband gave up smoking due to my issues.

I also suffer with severe vertigo so on all cruises we book midship so this would not affect me.

So anyone who has vertigo always go for mid ship.

Hi Florry ive only been dealing with P&O head office by email but thanks for your help.

Hi Florry and Mrs Tinkywinky

Thank you. Time is very precious life is not all about compensation but getting the truth.

I was blatantly lied to by senior officers on the ship, so yes I do want answers.

My several requests have been ignored, it just makes me more determined to find answers.

The issue needs to be rectified for future passengers.

The issue is not about compensation but on principal.

The issue I am having with the company is their reluctance not to forward an engineers report to me as to what I had inhaled for two weeks.

Every individual is entitled to their opinion on a very bad experience or a fantastic experience, that is the purpose of forums or is this a forum where only great amazing reviews are wanted.

Reality is; some individuals have bad experiences, however again I state this incident has not put me off cruising and it is individual and personal choice as to where people go on their vacations.

Initially instinct kicks in but when it was offered I declined. Basically the mandatory form is very intimidating telling you not to mention the issue with anyone.

Basically the whole situation could have been handled better by senior staff,

Imagine everyday returning to your room after an offshore visit which I have to say are always the highlights of the cruise.

Then hoping that the smell had gone but only to find the balcony windows closed and the smell hits you as soon as you enter.

This continued for the two weeks. The carpet was deep cleaned as it started absorbing the smell.

This was not just the normal blocked drain smell it was a smell of decomposition/ sewage and this was coming from the air conditioning.

So much lemon gel wiped on the door and through the air conditioning was unbelievable masking the smell for an hour or so.

As stated I refused compensation as I refused to sign the mandatory form stating that I could not discuss the issue with anyone.

This cruise was for pre surgery on our return.

I needed to rest daily, my issue is the fact that they are reluctant to forward an engineers report as to what I inhaled in the cabin for two weeks.

We were woken up at times during the night with the over powering smell.

We kept our balcony windows open.

This was ongoing for two weeks.

Havent made a claim refused to sign mandatory form when they offered it, not to disclose experience with others.

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'.

This experience should not put anyone off going on Brittania.

As stated I have been on it before had a great time.

Personal opinion on an extremely bad experience.

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.

Hi fully agree keep on sailing but not on Britannia.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.