Royal update: not so live on the Royal

[ibfern]

9/3/14

 

Problems on the Royal

 

Woke up this morning ready to embrace the day. We got on the ship yesterday, having spent a lovely 10 nights in Berlin. I had been on the Royal last year for 30 days and experienced some issues so I was ready to embrace a new and improved ship. This was not to be. In room A718, the toilet was clogged first thing this this morning. This caused extreme discomfort to us and I spent the morning calling for help. Just like last year, nobody came to fix the toilet until I called 5 times, not my favorite way to start a cruise. We had to vacate the room and race to use the public bathrooms, then to the front desk to ask for help in person, this being the most effective method of eliciting help on this ship. Good grief, I swear I am not doing anything different on this ship than I do on others so I don't understand what the problem is. Could it be related to the power blackout we had yesterday right after we boarded?

 

My cruise critic friends took my rear facing deluxe balcony C743, the infamous soot room, and are beside themselves with how bad it smells, how much tar is on their balcony, and how unusable it is. Please beware that the issues around the sooty aft cabins, and the plumbing problems still exist. If you have booked any of the aft cabins beware that there has been no fix. Also, laundry service is taking 3 days as of yesterday, so be prepared for this.

[Alessandrina]

O dear, that doesn't sound pleasant.

Hopefully the issue will be addressed soon.

Cheers.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I hope things improve.

 

Just curious, How do you know the laundry is taking three days if you got on the ship yesterdaY?

[Pam in CA]

If the toilet issue isn't resolved soon, talk to the Captain's Circle host and give them the names of who you spoke to and the result.

 

Thanks for the head's up about the laundry. That'll affect my packing. Sounds like Princess didn't learn a thing from last year's cruise.

[IECalCruiser]

Will you be on board for the 25 days between Warnemunde and New York?

 

I hope they can get you toilet issues fixed. That is not a good way to cruise :(

 

You have sailed Princess many, many more days than we have but I have learned that for serious problems that require immediate attention that it is best to go to Passenger Services in person and to work your way to the top. It has only happened twice in 18 cruises but that is what we needed to do.

 

Sorry to hear about the odor and soot issues on the aft balcony cabins. We will be on the Regal in a week but stayed away from the aft deluxe balconies. Haven't heard how effective the changes are on the Regal.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[jacketwatch]

Bad news indeed. Sorry for U. Pls. Keep us posted as to the follow up.

[Pam in CA]

Will you be on board for the 25 days between Warnemunde and New York?

 

I hope they can get you toilet issues fixed. That is not a good way to cruise :(

 

You have sailed Princess many, many more days than we have but I have learned that for serious problems that require immediate attention that it is best to go to Passenger Services in person and to work your way to the top. It has only happened twice in 18 cruises but that is what we needed to do.

 

Sorry to hear about the odor and soot issues on the aft balcony cabins. We will be on the Regal in a week but stayed away from the aft deluxe balconies. Haven't heard how effective the changes are on the Regal

To answer for Amelia, yes, she's on the Royal through to NYC.

 

And yes, the best way to address a toilet issue is to contact the Passenger Services Desk. However, I've found that they often don't even report it to the engineers since so many people report toilet issues that are just a delayed flush, which is pretty common. I learned through a bad experience to call the PSD and stop by, making a note of who you spoke to, the time and the result. And each time it's reported, add to the list. If it's not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, contact the Captain's Circle Host with all of the details.

 

That's what I finally did at day 8 of a 10-day cruise without a working toilet. God knows, I was patient as both I and my cabin steward (and his supervisor) were reporting the issue 4-5x a day all eight days. It was disgusting and even literally crying at the PSD didn't get a response. The Captain's Circle Host had it fixed in 20 minutes. Armed with my details, I wrote to Princess after getting home and let them know what happened and the response failure. Within a week, I was contacted directly by Alan Bucklew's assistant and I received a substantial credit for my very nasty inconvenience.

[bhopal21]

Within a week, I was contacted directly by Alan Bucklew's assistant and I received a substantial credit for my very nasty inconvenience.

 

You should have been comped that cruise and given a substantial discount on a following one.

 

I'm sorry but I just don't have the patience you exhibited Pam and I commend you for it.

 

Mike:)

[Pepes Pal]

9/3/14

 

Problems on the Royal

 

Woke up this morning ready to embrace the day. We got on the ship yesterday, having spent a lovely 10 nights in Berlin. I had been on the Royal last year for 30 days and experienced some issues so I was ready to embrace a new and improved ship. This was not to be. In room A718, the toilet was clogged first thing this this morning. This caused extreme discomfort to us and I spent the morning calling for help. Just like last year, nobody came to fix the toilet until I called 5 times, not my favorite way to start a cruise. We had to vacate the room and race to use the public bathrooms, then to the front desk to ask for help in person, this being the most effective method of eliciting help on this ship. Good grief, I swear I am not doing anything different on this ship than I do on others so I don't understand what the problem is. Could it be related to the power blackout we had yesterday right after we boarded?

 

My cruise critic friends took my rear facing deluxe balcony C743, the infamous soot room, and are beside themselves with how bad it smells, how much tar is on their balcony, and how unusable it is. Please beware that the issues around the sooty aft cabins, and the plumbing problems still exist. If you have booked any of the aft cabins beware that there has been no fix. Also, laundry service is taking 3 days as of yesterday, so be prepared for this.

Amelia, so sorry for your inconvenience. I've been awaiting your live but not expecting this. Hope things improve quickly for you & hope Princess "higher-ups" are reading this.

On another note will you be able to work out the dining issue?

 

Anxious to see you & Ken soon! Try to have fun in spite of this.

 

Judy& Joseph

[shredie]

Almost sounds like the Royal is cursed! ;)

[cibaygirls]

This is a shame to hear. I have an aft balcony booked for an upcoming cruise at the end of October. I hadn't heard much, either positive or negative, regarding the soot issue. I am on a different deck but am hoping it will all work out. Guess I will pack a "sooty" outfit that I don't mind getting dirty to spend time on the balcony. I realize I am rolling the dice, which really is a shame as I have booked this room quite in advance and am, or was, really looking forward to it.

 

Dana

[ibfern]

The toilet issues were finally resolved for now, fingers crossed that was all we experience. That is such a bummer to experience in the morning!

 

Our room Steward told us to expect the laundry to take 3 days. We spent 10 days in Berlin and had a more than Normal amount, I wish I would have just used the laundry room but it's very crowded and I didn't think about it until after I turned it in. Travel brain is slower! ;)

 

Waiting to see all of you soon! I am getting ready to do a five day port marathon and figured I'd start a live thread after that, but if you have any questions I will endeavor to answer them as quickly as I can given my time constraints.

 

Trivia in Wheelhouse was so crowded, overflowed into the Crown grill and everybody in a tizzy about that. Otherwise same old trivia stuff, water bottles and not enough room for all of us who enjoy it.

 

Food good, staff nice, and lots of selling! Entertainment is good, lots of movies on TV and.big screen.

 

Stay away from aft rooms unless you have hearty lungs and can't smell, and don't mind your shoes getting black with tar. Had our M and G today, the environmental officer was there and he was overwhelmed with sooty questions, but he told us to ask questions, be careful what you ask for!

 

More on the ship later, I'll report on the ports as I experience them, and hope to have positive info to share, as always.

 

Amelia

[ibfern]

Amelia, so sorry for your inconvenience. I've been awaiting your live but not expecting this. Hope things improve quickly for you & hope Princess "higher-ups" are reading this.

On another note will you be able to work out the dining issue?

 

Anxious to see you & Ken soon! Try to have fun in spite of this.

 

Judy& Joseph

 

Hi Judy and Joseph,

 

I got the dining all set, no worries on that. Safe travels and see you in Copenhagen.

[ibfern]

If the toilet issue isn't resolved soon, talk to the Captain's Circle host and give them the names of who you spoke to and the result.

 

Thanks for the head's up about the laundry. That'll affect my packing. Sounds like Princess didn't learn a thing from last year's cruise.

 

Thanks Pam for your sage advice, I did go to pax services and handed in a note which seems to move things along for my clogged toilet. I hope it behaves itself but tonight I don't like the way it is sounding. Crossing fingers it behaves itself!

 

I don't understand why the laundry is taking so long, there are not that many elites on board now, but that does not bode well for the TA since many more elites will board! Pack accordingly...and travel safe!

[Shogun]

Hi ibfern

 

Sorry to hear things did not get of to a good start,

Do you know who the Customer Services Director or the Head of Housing Keeping is,

 

If you have issues request they meet you in your cabin

 

HGM these days is not easy to get to

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[rehab444]

So sorry you had to experience toilet difficulties on your very first day. You'd think the crew would be very responsive to such a problem. Glad it's resolved now.

 

Caryn and I are looking forward to seeing you and Ken on the Princess Anniversary Cruise in Dec 2015.

 

We've booked an Australia/New Zealand cruisetour beginning January 28, 2016. Would love for you and Ken to join us.

 

Have a great time on the rest of the cruise. I've always enjoyed reading your "lives from" which are always so informative. (Maybe Caryn will let me do a Baltic Cruise some day.)

 

Stan

[RNGALNG]

So the toilets that are not working are facing aft? Or are the ones near the aft that face sideway also having the troubles? And what about the smell of the soot, can it be detected on the side facing aft rooms?

[ssbeagle]

One of the main reasons I didn't want to go on this cruise with you all is because it's on the Royal. I didn't like it last year because when you have a problem it takes a lot to get it solved. I remember laundry took 6 days and it was the last day of the cruise and we still didn't have our laundry back until that evening when we were supposed to have our bags out before we went to dinner. I hope you are enjoying the ports and tours.

 

We will be on our next cruise in 42 days.

[GeeDunk]

9/3/14

 

Problems on the Royal

 

 

Amelia --

 

Very hard for me to understand how the same problems with the Royal still exist:confused:

 

After the TA last Fall, one would think that the problems would be addressed;

evidently they weren't.:(

 

There is no excuse for the Laundry and Plumbing issues.

 

The soot issue probably will not be resolved until the Royal goes into DryDock.

 

Hey -- Enjoy your Cruise; say Howdy to Ken for me.

 

Cyril

[ssbeagle]

I wonder if the same problems exist on the new Regal.

[hubofhockey]

This summer, I know there were issues of no hot water in some showers. Friends of ours were given $100 to $150 for the inconvenience. Our showers were fine. I hope they fixed that problem.

[Seago2]

I wonder if the same problems exist on the new Regal.

 

My thoughts exactly as I sit on a 24 hour old booking :o

[bhopal21]

This summer, I know there were issues of no hot water in some showers. Friends of ours were given $100 to $150 for the inconvenience. Our showers were fine. I hope they fixed that problem.

 

 

Can you imagine how long anyone would put up with a non-functioning toilet, no hot water and 5 day laundry turnaround in a resort hotel??

 

I can, less than 24 hours.

 

Mike:)

[Pam in CA]

Amelia, glad your toilet issue was taken care of. Mike, as for being comped, the credit paid for a 2-week cruise. :)

 

I posted a question about the laundry on the Princess FB page. Their response was that the laundry operations are now running smoothly. Corpspeak. :)

 

I'm doing laundry as I type in preparation for packing in a couple of days. Give everyone a hug for me! Not long now.

[IECalCruiser]

Amelia, glad your toilet issue was taken care of. Mike, as for being comped, the credit paid for a 2-week cruise. :)

 

I posted a question about the laundry on the Princess FB page. Their response was that the laundry operations are now running smoothly. Corpspeak. :)

 

I'm doing laundry as I type in preparation for packing in a couple of days. Give everyone a hug for me! Not long now.

In a little over a week we will know if there are issues with toilets and laundry on the Regal. Had already packed enough to be able to work with a three day laundry delay before Amelia's thread. Will be keeping our fingers crossed :rolleyes: