Our smokey smelling cabin

[PescadoAmarillo]

Never say never.

 

Over the years, on various threads that have discussed this topic, I have posted that we have never encountered a cruise ship cabin that smelled of smoke. Others have posted that Princess must have some high-powered deodorizer, or air cleaners, that remove the smell before the next occupant moves in.

 

Well, on our 39th cruise, we learned that it can and does happen. In fact, it happens with several cabins on every sailing that Princess makes. This came directly from someone in the Passenger Services Department on the Emerald.

 

We were looking forward to our first stay in one of the "sideways" cabins on the Emerald, but I knew when we first opened the door that things were not good. There was a HEAVY smell of cigarette smoke. Immediately I phoned the PSD and was told that Housekeeping would be called. I smelled the decorative pillows on the bed (all smokey), the bed cover (ditto), the shower curtain (ditto again) and two of our four pillows (and yet again) and all smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. Leaving the shower curtain in place, we left the other items on the end of the bed with a note requesting that the shower curtain also be changed out. We then left for an hour in search of lunch.

 

When we returned, nothing had been moved in the cabin, nothing had been cleaned, and our luggage was sitting outside the cabin. We left it there, not want to bring it into the cabin. At this point, I walked down to the PSD, waited in the Elite line (thankfully shorter than the other one) and reported the issue in person. I was immediately told that the ship was sailing full and there were no other cabins available. I never asked for another cabin...we wanted R515. But that seems to be the default reply when a passenger complains of smoke. What I really wanted was some of that super duper deodorizer and an air cleaner...we were in an inside cabin, and that air was never going to totally change over on its own. Once again, I was told that Housekeeping would be notified.

 

When we put our lifevests on during muster drill, they reaked of smoke. At this point getting a bit more irritated, we climbed back to our cabin and added the life vests to the pile of items to be replaced. Just before sailaway, our cabin steward (who shall remain nameless) appeared. We, of course, complained about the smell. He agreed that it was bad and to change out the soft items and spray deodorizer and have the carpeting cleaned. He also said that there were no air cleaners on the Emerald to place in the cabin. We went to sailaway hopeful that this would be resolved when we returned. Our suitcases remained in the hallway.

 

Part of the issue with R515 is that the closets (there are two) have doors on them. The closets smelled even more than the cabin did. When we returned to our cabin, the soft furnishings had been replaced and our room smelled like a bathroom mixed with the smell of smoke. The carpet still hadn't been cleaned. We had no shower curtain. Unable to shower, wearing the clothes in which we had boarded, we settled on the Horizon Court for dinner. About 7 pm we returned to our cabin to find the carpet cleaner just leaving and the Housekeeping supervisor and our cabin steward checking things out. They said they had wiped down the walls with a disinfectant and replaced the shower curtain. They were doing the same to a balcony cabin just down the hall from us. Our cabin was a bit better, but still not good. We waited a couple of hours for the carpet to dry, dragged our luggage into our cabin, and moved the stinky life vests (which remained, but were put back into a closet, stinking it up) under the bed. We still didn't unpack...the closets were as stinky as before.

 

On Day 2 of our cruise we requested one more carpet cleaning. The first one had accomplished a bit, and the supervisor told us the night before that two were generally required. We unpacked just enough to take showers and put on clean clothes and headed out to breakfast. When we returned, it had been completed - the carpet was again wet. But the smokey smell remained, less of course, but still very obvious. This was getting serious. Not knowing what else to do, I took the washcloths in our bathroom, mixed some Cheer detergent and water in the sink, and started wiping things down myself. I rinsed the cloths over and over...the yellow nicotine was unbelievable. I scrubbed every inch of closet, walls, carpeted toe kick, the upholstered area around the bed, the lampshades, the shelves - everything. Finally, I reached up and cleaned the air intake vent in the ceiling. OMG, talk about black with filth! In doing that, I dislodged two dryer sheets that a former occupant had stuck up there trying to de-stink the cabin. And finally, knowing that air was sucked in from the hall through the vent in the door, I cleaned that, rib by rib, inside and out. Filthy!

 

At that point, the smell of Cheer was stronger than the smell of smoke, and, while we still noticed the smoke smell immediately upon entering the cabin, after we were there awhile we no longer did. We unpacked at noon on Day 2 of our cruise, and our vacation finally began. A few days later, we no longer noticed the smell upon entering the cabin, and we definitely left the cabin in better shape than we found it.

 

We later heard from a couple whose cabin also smelled of smoke. They also refused to unpack in it, were told there were no other cabins available (of course) and gathered their luggage, went to the gangway and checked out to leave the cruise. Miraculously, the ship grew another cabin, and they were relocated to the same category of cabin in a less desirable location.

 

So, some observations:

-Our cabin steward KNEW our cabin smelled of smoked. Perhaps his supervisor did too. Still NOTHING was done in between cruises to alleviate the issue (as proven by the smokey bed covering and pillows). Perhaps they were hoping we were also smokers, but, in fact, I have asthma and was still recovering from pneumonia less than a month earlier.

 

-There is no super-duper deodorizer. It doesn't exist. There is a very strong smelling one that reminds one of a public restroom deodorizer. And it simply overlays the smoke smell, it doesn't eradicate it.

 

- If the cabin steward and supervisor actually DID wash down the walls that first day, they did the poorest job of it I have ever seen. I paid for my Catholic high school tuition by cleaning after school. I've cleaned nicotine off windows in the teachers' lounge. There is no mistaking it. And our walls and all hard surfaces were covered with nicotine.

 

-These cruise ship cabins we like to believe are so immaculate really aren't. If you're tall enough, run a finger over the air intake vent in the ceiling. It's enough to make you gag.

 

-Princess allows smoking in all cabins and on balconies. If they want to continue this ill-advised practice, I suggest that they charge smokers at least an extra $250 per cabin to fund a cleaning crew that does nothing but de-stink cabins between cruises, replacing everything including mattresses.

 

Who lost out here, because someone was exercising their right to smoke? Certainly not the smoker, not Princess, maybe the steward a bit, and his supervisor. Maybe the carpet cleaner. But WE lost out, we lost a full 24 hours of our cruise because of Princess's policy.

 

So, next time we begin a heated "It's my right to smoke, and as long as I do it in my cabin it shouldn't bother you in YOUR cabin", please remember that that's just not true. The smoke doesn't magically disappear when the smoker leaves the ship. And someone else is left to clean up the mess.

 

And please don't get this thread locked. Just as we all want to hear from someone who misses the ship, has to leave the cruise early due to illness, any of the bad stuff, to see how it got resolved, I think people deserve to read about our experience and how it finally got fixed.

[Toto2Kansas]

It sounds to me like your room steward was not doing his/her job very well. I would have been calling them to re-clean and not taken no for an answer. I would have called them over and over until the room was acceptable. There is no way I would have been on my hands and knees cleaning the stateroom myself. I will do a lot to help them out, but totally cleaning my stateroom, especially when they seemed to know there was a problem, is something I refuse to do on my cruise.:mad: That is their job, and it is up to them to do this type of work, not the passengers. One reason I don't even consider booking an inside stateroom. I have to have something to open for fresh air, could not live without it.

[red4u2]

Never say never.

 

Over the years, on various threads that have discussed this topic, I have posted that we have never encountered a cruise ship cabin that smelled of smoke. Others have posted that Princess must have some high-powered deodorizer, or air cleaners, that remove the smell before the next occupant moves in.

 

Well, on our 39th cruise, we learned that it can and does happen. In fact, it happens with several cabins on every sailing that Princess makes. This came directly from someone in the Passenger Services Department on the Emerald.

 

We were looking forward to our first stay in one of the "sideways" cabins on the Emerald, but I knew when we first opened the door that things were not good. There was a HEAVY smell of cigarette smoke. Immediately I phoned the PSD and was told that Housekeeping would be called. I smelled the decorative pillows on the bed (all smokey), the bed cover (ditto), the shower curtain (ditto again) and two of our four pillows (and yet again) and all smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. Leaving the shower curtain in place, we left the other items on the end of the bed with a note requesting that the shower curtain also be changed out. We then left for an hour in search of lunch.

 

When we returned, nothing had been moved in the cabin, nothing had been cleaned, and our luggage was sitting outside the cabin. We left it there, not want to bring it into the cabin. At this point, I walked down to the PSD, waited in the Elite line (thankfully shorter than the other one) and reported the issue in person. I was immediately told that the ship was sailing full and there were no other cabins available. I never asked for another cabin...we wanted R515. But that seems to be the default reply when a passenger complains of smoke. What I really wanted was some of that super duper deodorizer and an air cleaner...we were in an inside cabin, and that air was never going to totally change over on its own. Once again, I was told that Housekeeping would be notified.

 

When we put our lifevests on during muster drill, they reaked of smoke. At this point getting a bit more irritated, we climbed back to our cabin and added the life vests to the pile of items to be replaced. Just before sailaway, our cabin steward (who shall remain nameless) appeared. We, of course, complained about the smell. He agreed that it was bad and to change out the soft items and spray deodorizer and have the carpeting cleaned. He also said that there were no air cleaners on the Emerald to place in the cabin. We went to sailaway hopeful that this would be resolved when we returned. Our suitcases remained in the hallway.

 

Part of the issue with R515 is that the closets (there are two) have doors on them. The closets smelled even more than the cabin did. When we returned to our cabin, the soft furnishings had been replaced and our room smelled like a bathroom mixed with the smell of smoke. The carpet still hadn't been cleaned. We had no shower curtain. Unable to shower, wearing the clothes in which we had boarded, we settled on the Horizon Court for dinner. About 7 pm we returned to our cabin to find the carpet cleaner just leaving and the Housekeeping supervisor and our cabin steward checking things out. They said they had wiped down the walls with a disinfectant and replaced the shower curtain. They were doing the same to a balcony cabin just down the hall from us. Our cabin was a bit better, but still not good. We waited a couple of hours for the carpet to dry, dragged our luggage into our cabin, and moved the stinky life vests (which remained, but were put back into a closet, stinking it up) under the bed. We still didn't unpack...the closets were as stinky as before.

 

On Day 2 of our cruise we requested one more carpet cleaning. The first one had accomplished a bit, and the supervisor told us the night before that two were generally required. We unpacked just enough to take showers and put on clean clothes and headed out to breakfast. When we returned, it had been completed - the carpet was again wet. But the smokey smell remained, less of course, but still very obvious. This was getting serious. Not knowing what else to do, I took the washcloths in our bathroom, mixed some Cheer detergent and water in the sink, and started wiping things down myself. I rinsed the cloths over and over...the yellow nicotine was unbelievable. I scrubbed every inch of closet, walls, carpeted toe kick, the upholstered area around the bed, the lampshades, the shelves - everything. Finally, I reached up and cleaned the air intake vent in the ceiling. OMG, talk about black with filth! In doing that, I dislodged two dryer sheets that a former occupant had stuck up there trying to de-stink the cabin. And finally, knowing that air was sucked in from the hall through the vent in the door, I cleaned that, rib by rib, inside and out. Filthy!

 

At that point, the smell of Cheer was stronger than the smell of smoke, and, while we still noticed the smoke smell immediately upon entering the cabin, after we were there awhile we no longer did. We unpacked at noon on Day 2 of our cruise, and our vacation finally began. A few days later, we no longer noticed the smell upon entering the cabin, and we definitely left the cabin in better shape than we found it.

 

We later heard from a couple whose cabin also smelled of smoke. They also refused to unpack in it, were told there were no other cabins available (of course) and gathered their luggage, went to the gangway and checked out to leave the cruise. Miraculously, the ship grew another cabin, and they were relocated to the same category of cabin in a less desirable location.

 

So, some observations:

-Our cabin steward KNEW our cabin smelled of smoked. Perhaps his supervisor did too. Still NOTHING was done in between cruises to alleviate the issue (as proven by the smokey bed covering and pillows). Perhaps they were hoping we were also smokers, but, in fact, I have asthma and was still recovering from pneumonia less than a month earlier.

 

-There is no super-duper deodorizer. It doesn't exist. There is a very strong smelling one that reminds one of a public restroom deodorizer. And it simply overlays the smoke smell, it doesn't eradicate it.

 

- If the cabin steward and supervisor actually DID wash down the walls that first day, they did the poorest job of it I have ever seen. I paid for my Catholic high school tuition by cleaning after school. I've cleaned nicotine off windows in the teachers' lounge. There is no mistaking it. And our walls and all hard surfaces were covered with nicotine.

 

-These cruise ship cabins we like to believe are so immaculate really aren't. If you're tall enough, run a finger over the air intake vent in the ceiling. It's enough to make you gag.

 

-Princess allows smoking in all cabins and on balconies. If they want to continue this ill-advised practice, I suggest that they charge smokers at least an extra $250 per cabin to fund a cleaning crew that does nothing but de-stink cabins between cruises, replacing everything including mattresses.

 

Who lost out here, because someone was exercising their right to smoke? Certainly not the smoker, not Princess, maybe the steward a bit, and his supervisor. Maybe the carpet cleaner. But WE lost out, we lost a full 24 hours of our cruise because of Princess's policy.

 

So, next time we begin a heated "It's my right to smoke, and as long as I do it in my cabin it shouldn't bother you in YOUR cabin", please remember that that's just not true. The smoke doesn't magically disappear when the smoker leaves the ship. And someone else is left to clean up the mess.

 

And please don't get this thread locked. Just as we all want to hear from someone who misses the ship, has to leave the cruise early due to illness, any of the bad stuff, to see how it got resolved, I think people deserve to read about our experience and how it finally got fixed.

 

Thank you for such a great post!! this is the best explanation possible for cigarettes to be banned in the cabins besides safety issues, a little off topic here, but when i used to go clean my mothers house, an avid smoker, there was the same yellowish film on all the walls, that is what happens after years of smoke and no amount of freshner will take that out.. lets hope this doesnt turn out to be another debate on peoples rights and lets just hope this may enlighten a few people that werent aware that this can occur!!

[Richie2pies]

Moral of the story:

Don't rent inside cabins if you're a non-smoker. Better to have a balcony door to open to get some air.

[red4u2]

Moral of the story:

Don't rent inside cabins if you're a non-smoker. Better to have a balcony door to open to get some air.

 

I think that OP point was that smoke can stain walls and the smell can penetrate to the point that it wont come out, having a balcony cabin that you are asked by a sticker on the door to keep closed will not help the situation.

[lizzy77]

Yes I can understand that you were upset and you have every right to be so. I would not be happy with a cabin that was smelling from cigarette smoke neither. We have been fortunate so far in never having this happen to us when cruising overseas. In Australia however, NO ONE is allowed to smoke in their cabin and that is a good thing.

I do doubt that they didn't have any cabins available as I thought that they had to ensure there were some spares in case of any bad problems.

[DrivesLikeMario]

PA - It's rare for you to report on something negative, so the conditions you were in must have been bad. So sorry you had to go through that!! I think it was smart of you to take it into your own hands and do the cleaning yourself after they tried and failed. I think that's the only thing that would've made me feel better too.

 

I wish Princess wouldn't allow smoking in the cabins.

[Astro Flyer]

PescadoAmarillo what a nightmare!!!

 

You went way above what should be necessary and much further than any passenger should ever have to do & then to have the problem compounded by being denied another cabin is ridiculous!

 

I think it's an outstanding suggestion to have a $250 fee charged for any cabin that reeks of smoke at checkout. If a passenger leaves a cabin in such a condition, then they should be responsible to reimburse Princess for the extra cleaning cost. That would be the proper way to provide the next passenger with the clean cabin they deserve.

 

Thanks for your informative post about your experiences with some excellent solutions on how to improve such a situation in the future. I never understand posts that only complain about things without proposing a way to fix the problem…constructive criticism is what helps everyone.

 

Hopefully your next 39 cruises will never again have such a horrible experience…one that no passengers should every have to endure. Princess owes you an apology & to make things right by compensating you for what you had to do in an effort to make your cabin habitable…it’s the right thing for Princess to do!

[seamanfs]

I fully agree with the deposit for smokers. ( I feel Princess should ban smoking from cabins but that's another thread I guess!!! ) We ONCE took the last room at a motel that was smoking and could not believe how awful it was to be in there even with the window open so I can appreciate and sympathize with you!! We will keep our fingers crossed for a clean room on the Ruby in February or I will be on the phone and down to PSD bugging them until it's fixed. Can't tolerate smoke smell in cabins.

[gertz]

I disagree with the above that Princess owes you anything. And I completely agree with you on everything you posted.

 

Princess allows smoking, we all know that and yet we continue to book. The only thing that might change this is a drop in revenue because of smoking and I doubt that will happen.

 

I think we might be caught between the proverbial rock and a hard spot. Unless someone has a brilliant idea on how to cure this. Which I doubt also.

[Toddy709]

IMHO, there are very, very few times when Princess actually should pay compensation. However, when you have to scrub your own cabin to make it habitable, after numerous failed attempts with Princess staff to get the problem rectified, then I do think the person inconvenienced deserves some sort of compensation.

 

At some point I think Princess will see that smoking doesn't pay and will a) ban it in cabins and hopefully balconies, or b) have a smoking surcharge in order to offset their expenses in the extra cleaning required when a smoker vacates a cabin.

[2little time]

Thanks for the information. I will know to pack my Febreeze and cleaning cloths!

[Astro Flyer]

I disagree with the above that Princess owes you anything. And I completely agree with you on everything you posted.

 

Princess allows smoking, we all know that and yet we continue to book. The only thing that might change this is a drop in revenue because of smoking and I doubt that will happen.

 

I think we might be caught between the proverbial rock and a hard spot. Unless someone has a brilliant idea on how to cure this. Which I doubt also.

 

It's your prerogative to disagree with my thought that Princess owes them anything for the OPs situation. If a passenger has to clean their cabin to make it habitable when Princess doesn't do it, then why should the OP not be entitled to be reimbursed for doing it.

 

The OP had a "brilliant" idea on how to work within Princess' smoking policy...charge those leaving a smoky cabin a $250 cleaning fee to make it clean for the next passenger. Most smokers will smoke in moderation in their cabins however the few who leave it in an inhabitable condition should be the ones required to pay for it. If not, then notify them a few days before the end of their cruise that a $250 cleaning fee will be posted to their onboard account which gives them a few days to clean it up themselves. Guess too many never learned that when we make a mess, then we're responsible to clean it up...not Princess without recovering the extra cost & certainly not the next unlucky passengers in such a cabin.

[Loonbeam]

Same way hotels do. Designated Smoking and Non Smoking cabins. Yes, there will be a debate over who should get the more 'desireable' cabins, but as long as they are marked you can make that a factor in your decision to choose a cabin.

 

I have no problem with Princess allowing smoking as long as they have the mechanism in place to assure that non-smokers will have a clean cabin option. In the above example, this is not the case. In the scenario above, I would probably have done what the other couple did and threaten to disembark and claim a refund due to inadequate lodging.

 

I disagree with the above that Princess owes you anything. And I completely agree with you on everything you posted.

 

Princess allows smoking, we all know that and yet we continue to book. The only thing that might change this is a drop in revenue because of smoking and I doubt that will happen.

 

I think we might be caught between the proverbial rock and a hard spot. Unless someone has a brilliant idea on how to cure this. Which I doubt also.

[Pam in CA]

I have no problem with Princess allowing smoking as long as they have the mechanism in place to assure that non-smokers will have a clean cabin option. In the above example, this is not the case. In the scenario above, I would probably have done what the other couple did and threaten to disembark and claim a refund due to inadequate lodging.

I agree. If Princess allows smoking in cabins, they should have the means to thoroughly clean them after a smoker. Any smoker. Not sure what I would have done other than what the OP did, but I might have been tempted to do what the 2nd couple did. If I didn't get a thoroughly cleaned cabin in a reasonable period of time, i.e., by dinnertime, I would have told them I was taking my luggage to one of the lounges and camping out there. To me, a smokey, smelly cabin (or hotel room) is unusable. I will get sick and it's Princess' fault.

 

I think the OP should write Princess with their experience (condensed) so they are aware of the issue and the failure to fix it. It's unfortunate but Princess seems to bend over backwards so as to not offend a passenger while ignoring the fact that by doing so, they are offending others. IMHO, they can't have it both ways.

[Astro Flyer]

Yes I can understand that you were upset and you have every right to be so. I would not be happy with a cabin that was smelling from cigarette smoke neither. We have been fortunate so far in never having this happen to us when cruising overseas. In Australia however, NO ONE is allowed to smoke in their cabin and that is a good thing.I do doubt that they didn't have any cabins available as I thought that they had to ensure there were some spares in case of any bad problems.

 

Is this an Australian regulation?

 

Is this on all cruise lines or only on some of them?

 

Thanks!

[Tapi]

Our last cruise (on a different cruise line but with similar policies as Princess) was definitely affected by cigarrette smell. Even though we couldn't smell cigarrette in our cabin, it permeated throughout the cabin hallways, right outside the casino, night club, and along the promenade.

 

Before I say anything else, I'm 100% supportive of giving smokers places where the can enjoy cigarrettes, and I believe that there are places where smoking SHOULD be expected. However, these places NEED TO BE SUITABLE AND ENOUGH TO ACCOMODATE ALL SMOKERS ONBOARD! Don't give them half a casino, or a handful of tiny areas that are poorly designated. No wonder they smoke in their cabins!

 

Cabins are DEFINITELY not suitable for smoking. PERIOD!

[Pam in CA]

Is this on all cruise lines or only on some of them?

It couldn't be an Australian regulation because on our Sapphire cruise from Sydney to LA, smoking was allowed in cabins and on balconies.

[Tapi]

And for those who think that Princess SHOULD allow smoking in balconies. I have only one thing to show you:

 

[Astro Flyer]

It couldn't be an Australian regulation because on our Sapphire cruise from Sydney to LA, smoking was allowed in cabins and on balconies.

 

We had the same experience on our '09 Sydney to LA with smoking allowed.

 

I'm wondering if it could be an Australian regulation on all ships sailing only within Australia?

 

We're all painfully aware of the adverse affects of the outdated Jones Act on US cruises, so it appears that all foreign governments can regulate ships.

 

Maybe Australia prohibits cabin smoking for cruises only sailing within their country?

[Astro Flyer]

That's why our Star Princess' balcony was so much newer than the other parts of our ship! :eek:

[stretchcruz]

Wow, what an experience. I hope that you contacted Princess and let them know. I, as well, have asthma and travel with my nebulizer and meds. I would not have been able to stay in that cabin.....and now don't book balconies because of the smoke from other balconies! Would be nice if they banned smoking inside the cabins, RCI has done it and their revenue still seems to be up.

The "turnover" between cruises is low and the amount of cabins a stateroom attndant has to take care of seems to be up, so it seems that would certainly contribute to cleaning not being done very efficiently (ie:the vents). It's a shame.

[seamwoman]

We love Princess and just became platnium. On our Dec 8 cruise to Hawaii we had a cigar smoker next to us! The first afternoon the smell in our cabin was overwhelming and my husband called personal relations. They were understanding but not forthcoming with any solution. The next morning we woke to the overwhelming odor and he called again. The rep said they would check into it. They talked to our neighbor who said he would smoke on the balcony. An officer came to check things out and said they would deoderize the

cabin and hallway but I'm sensitive to odors and asked they not spray the cabin.

Our neighbor continued to smoke on the balcony which was awful since we paid for a Caribe balcony which was almost useless because of the smell. The policy in the patter is conflicting vs smoking in cabins. If the ship wasn't full I didn't want to move since I picked our cabin for the location and balcony. It was the only negative on a fantastic cruise but it was a big one! In all my visits to CC I don't ever remember a thread about smoking???????? Princess has to do something about this! I understand smoking is not allowed on Celebrity. Karen

[1 HappyCruiser]

The exact same thing happened to us on an NCL cruise a few years ago & we refused to unpack our stuff in the cabin. They fortunately found us another room but if they hadn't before sailing time I think we would have left the ship.

 

To all those people who say that Princess cleans the cabins thoroughly between occupants, this proves that they only clean the room a little as necessary & wait for someone to complain & proceed from there. Unfortunately in a situation as bad as this not much that the steward can do except put in the cleaning effort that PescaadoAmarillo had to expend and having him do so in addition to their other duties isn't likely to happen.

[rjp6902]

One word.....Celebrity. Probably your best chance of not getting a stinky cabin. After three of my last four cruises being on Princess, I'm going to give it a whirl. The reek of smoke drives me nuts too :rolleyes: