Raw Sewage ruined cruise in Grand Suite

[andreamarc]

Just back from our cruise in a Grand suite U108 on Paradise. Not good. I usually don't spend a lot of time on these boards when I return, but I think it is my duty to warn people considering spending the money on a Grand suite. It's not so grand. We spent the whole cruise unable to go on the balcony unless we were willing to tolerate the stench of raw sewage gas smells. It was so bad it infiltrated the room and really came blasting in if we had the door open enough just to get in and out. Needless to say, we did not spend time on the balcony.

This is a party boat with a lot of people drinking heavily and smoking tons of cigarettes. All that is fine unless you don't do it and don't like it.

I will cruise NCL if I want suite (VIP) treatment. You absolutely will not be happy with Carnival if you expect that booking a suite will get you any VIP consideration. There is none.

Paradise would be ok if I were getting a free or really inexpensive cruise. We will not book an expensive cabin again.

 

Oh, the beds were like rocks- a surprise I did not expect in the Grand suite.

[Tapi]

Just back from our cruise in a Grand suite U108 on Paradise.....It's not so grand.

 

You absolutely will not be happy with Carnival if you expect that booking a suite will get you any VIP consideration. There is none.

 

Sorry that it wasn't what you expected. But may I ask? Did you research this ship, or suite perks on Carnival? Paradise is one of Carnival's oldest and smallest ships, whose staterooms have never been refurbished. Also, a little bit of researched would've revealed that there are basically ZERO suite perks on Carnival. While I understand that you may be disappointed, you should've known these facts before you sailed.

 

IMHO, Paradise and other Fantasy class ships are great for quick, inexpensive, unpretentious getaway. So I honestly don't get people that spend extra on a "suite" on Carnival, specially on these older, smaller ship. For that amount you can sail on a balcony stateroom on a newer ship, on a longer itinerary, or on a different cruise line.

[crewsweeper]

I'm curious if you informed guest services or housekeeping about the odor?

If so, was there anything they tried to do to remedy the situation?

 

As far as your cruisemates being "party-on-to-the-max", well that's usually the case for shorter cruises.

[kelkel2]

I'm sorry you had a sewage problem ruin your cruise. Did you say something to guest services? If so what did they say? I do know that a sewage smell can be bothersome. We had a problem with it on our Princess cruise that we paid a lot of money for. But it wasn't constant thankfully and we didn't let it ruin our vacation.

 

As far as the suite perks, the great thing about CC is that people are willing to answer questions about things like that before you book a suite. IF you didn't know what the suite perks were before you booked a suite, you should have asked or done some research. You can't get mad at Carnival because they don't offer the perks that other lines do and you didn't do your homework and went in with unfair expectations.

 

As far as the crowd goes, it's very common knowledge that the smaller ships typically take short cruises and with the short cruises come rowdier crowds. That can lead to more drinking and louder groups. I'm sorry that upsets you, but that's just the way it is.

 

I do feel sorry that you spent that much money on a suite, but was there anything positive at all about your cruise?

[Disconnections]

This seems to be a recurring theme with various issues involving Carnival Paradise's suites recently.

[Havingfun2010]

I'm sorry you had a sewage problem ruin your cruise. Did you say something to guest services? If so what did they say? I do know that a sewage smell can be bothersome. We had a problem with it on our Princess cruise that we paid a lot of money for. But it wasn't constant thankfully and we didn't let it ruin our vacation.

 

So a smell in your stateroom that is sewage in nature will ruin any vacation. Not exactly sure why you think any different, and I'm not sure why you are personally sorry. This is a recurring issue on many Carnival ships, and guest services will not do anything about it.

As far as the suite perks, the great thing about CC is that people are willing to answer questions about things like that before you book a suite. IF you didn't know what the suite perks were before you booked a suite, you should have asked or done some research. You can't get mad at Carnival because they don't offer the perks that other lines do and you didn't do your homework and went in with unfair expectations.

 

As far as the crowd goes, it's very common knowledge that the smaller ships typically take short cruises and with the short cruises come rowdier crowds. That can lead to more drinking and louder groups. I'm sorry that upsets you, but that's just the way it is.

 

It is mostly common on Carnival ships. Other cruise lines are not as bad. So with it being not very typical, maybe the just assumed the number one party cruise line, would be different? Being respectful should be the norm, regardless of what cruise line.

 

I do feel sorry that you spent that much money on a suite, but was there anything positive at all about your cruise?

 

You are sorry again? Why? Have to live with a disgusting smell, and loud people can ruin a vacation. You being sorry does not fix disrespectful guests and poor maintenance.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Havingfun2010

[kelkel2]

You are sorry again? Why? Have to live with a disgusting smell, and loud people can ruin a vacation. You being sorry does not fix disrespectful guests and poor maintenance.

 

I don't really know why you are attacking my post. I told him I was sorry. I have dealt with a sewage smell outside of our balcony. It sucks. I know how it feels. I was just curious if he said anything to guest services and what they said. I doubt theres anything that can be done but I would be curious to see what they would say. As far as our situation ours came and went and wasn't constant so it didn't really ruin our vacation or our experience.

 

As far as the crowd being rowdy, I don't really know what you would expect Carnival to do. As long as they are not over drinking or underage drinking they can't really ask them to stop having fun?

[jimbo5544]

I don't really know why you are attacking my post. I told him I was sorry. I have dealt with a sewage smell outside of our balcony. It sucks. I know how it feels. I was just curious if he said anything to guest services and what they said. I doubt theres anything that can be done but I would be curious to see what they would say. As far as our situation ours came and went and wasn't constant so it didn't really ruin our vacation or our experience.

 

As far as the crowd being rowdy, I don't really know what you would expect Carnival to do. As long as they are not over drinking or underage drinking they can't really ask them to stop having fun?

 

There are some posters here who have agendas (they have long since left the "hidden" aspect. It is best to ignore them and move on.

[cjknox]

Just back from our cruise in a Grand suite U108 on Paradise. Not good. I usually don't spend a lot of time on these boards when I return, but I think it is my duty to warn people considering spending the money on a Grand suite. It's not so grand. We spent the whole cruise unable to go on the balcony unless we were willing to tolerate the stench of raw sewage gas smells. It was so bad it infiltrated the room and really came blasting in if we had the door open enough just to get in and out. Needless to say, we did not spend time on the balcony.

This is a party boat with a lot of people drinking heavily and smoking tons of cigarettes. All that is fine unless you don't do it and don't like it.

I will cruise NCL if I want suite (VIP) treatment. You absolutely will not be happy with Carnival if you expect that booking a suite will get you any VIP consideration. There is none.

Paradise would be ok if I were getting a free or really inexpensive cruise. We will not book an expensive cabin again.

 

Oh, the beds were like rocks- a surprise I did not expect in the Grand suite.

 

While I'm sorry you had to endure sewage smells its not an experience that is endemic to the Paradise, or Carnival ships. You may encounter this issue on any line or ship regardless of it's age

.

[cb at sea]

When you pay for a suite on Carnival, there are really no "perks" other than the added space in your room.

 

NCL has the best suite "perks" going.

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

Carnival is the Southwest Airline of the Seas.

[Disconnections]

Carnival is the Southwest Airline of the Seas.

 

Is NCL the Sprit Airlines of the Seas?

[Big_G]

Carnival is the Southwest Airline of the Seas.

 

I don't see the analogy. I've never smelled sewerage or experienced drunks on any Southwest flight I've taken. :confused:

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

Is NCL the Sprit Airlines of the Seas?

 

My point is that Carnival is incredibly inexpensive, and that is a big reason why people choose them. Basically, it's what everyone else is saying as they make excuses for what happened. When people say things like, "Why would you book a suite on Carnival?", that kind of proves the point. Why does Carnival offer suites if they are going to have uncomfortable beds and smell like sewage? Nevermind the perks. The price difference between a Carnival suite and one from NCL or RCI should be fair warning that many of the perks won't be there, but is a comfortable bed and no sewage smell too much to ask? Carnival seems to be embracing being the Southwest of the Seas. They aren't building new ships. They consider throwing a burger joint onboard and some EPA mandated scrubbers to be a rehab to their aging fleet.They are cheap though, and that's not a bad thing, but it is going to attract the booze cruise crowd. I enjoy sailing on the Pride when it's in Baltimore. It's a very cheap getaway and I will partake in the Cheers program. I don't go in with any expectations, so I have never been let down. The ports are awful. The ship is a bit tired and dark, but after the 6th drink you really don't notice it.

[jimbo5544]

My point is that Carnival is incredibly inexpensive, and that is a big reason why people choose them. Basically, it's what everyone else is saying as they make excuses for what happened. When people say things like, "Why would you book a suite on Carnival?", that kind of proves the point. Why does Carnival offer suites if they are going to have uncomfortable beds and smell like sewage? Nevermind the perks. The price difference between a Carnival suite and one from NCL or RCI should be fair warning that many of the perks won't be there, but is a comfortable bed and no sewage smell too much to ask? Carnival seems to be embracing being the Southwest of the Seas. They aren't building new ships. They consider throwing a burger joint onboard and some EPA mandated scrubbers to be a rehab to their aging fleet.They are cheap though, and that's not a bad thing, but it is going to attract the booze cruise crowd. I enjoy sailing on the Pride when it's in Baltimore. It's a very cheap getaway and I will partake in the Cheers program. I don't go in with any expectations, so I have never been let down. The ports are awful. The ship is a bit tired and dark, but after the 6th drink you really don't notice it.

There are so many places to tear a post like this apart I don't know where to start. What the heck does a cruise lines plans for scrubbers have to do with a suite? The answer is nothing. Anybody who cruises on Epic cannot talk about an ugly ship. Comfortable beds and sewage smells....really? What is your time line for building new ships (only the last 12 months)? How long did epic sit rusting while they sat on the corner for alms for poor cups trying to get another backer to finish the ship? Carnival is the value proposition, but last I looked, NCL is pretty much sailing at the same price point. I can go on if you would like.

Edited December 23, 2014 by jimbo5544

[MCC retired]

Sorry about the smell , totally unacceptable no matter what the category .

If it lasted the entire cruise , you should have been compensated upon onboard complaint verification.

 

As far as the Party types , OP chose the short cruise which attracts them.

 

As far as the Smokers , I yearn for the first few years when the Paradise was 100% Smoke Free (workers building it were not permitted to smoke either).

 

As far as Carnival Suites ,postings here and most TA's will tell you that they just don't compare to any other cruise line , and the $$$ reflects that.

[SadieN]

Carnival Suites gets you a larger cabin and priority embark. Not much else. It's in the descriptions.

[Disconnections]

I don't go in with any expectations, so I have never been let down.

 

For once, I'm going to keep my mouth shut and let the above speak for itself when you are paying for a product/service.

[rdler]

I understand that some people do not mind sewage smell, nor particularly care about perks (but you could have found out that Carnival doesn't offer any). Your experience actually sounds rather dismal to me, and although one cheerleader pointed out that sewage smells are endemic on ships, I would have been disappointed too.

 

I hope you have better luck if you choose to take future cruises.

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

For once, I'm going to keep my mouth shut and let the above speak for itself when you are paying for a product/service.

 

 

Let me explain what I am talking about. My last sailing on Carnival was February of this year. We have two ships that leave the port of Baltimore. The Carnival Pride and the RCI Grandeur of the Seas. Both ships are about the same size. The Grandeur was built in 1996 with a complete refurb in 2012, I believe. The Pride was built in 2002. It just had the 2.0 deal done in October. When I priced the two cruises last February, the Pride was $1500 for two people in a balcony room. The Grandeur was $5000 for two people in a balcony room. That is quite a huge difference. My expectations for the Grandeur would have been sky high for that price. I just got off an NCL Breakaway cruise in a suite with 4 people that wasn't much more than that $5000. Obviously I wasn't expecting much for such a huge price difference. Honestly it was a nice cruise, but other than the sewage smell, I noticed many of the things that the OP mentioned. There was a lot of smoking and drinking, and this was a seven night cruise. It didn't bother me because I was partaking in it. The bed was hard as a rock. If you were on the Serenity deck for any amount of time, you were covered in soot from the smokestack (maybe the new scrubbers will fix that). Looks are subjective, but I don't know what Carnival was thinking with the Renaissance look of the Pride, but that really isn't going to affect my good time. My girlfriend at the time actually fell and broke her wrist on the last night of the cruise. The medical center was closed and a nurse called my room and told me to put ice on it. The next morning I asked if we could get a priority disembark so I could get her to a hospital, and I was told no. Despite all of that, if I could sail the Pride again for $1500 for a balcony when she comes back to Baltimore, I would probably do it. Any more than that, and I will drive to New York and get on the Breakaway.

[PathfinderEss]

Sorry your cruise did not go well for you and thanks for the heads up.

[Disconnections]

Let me explain what I am talking about. My last sailing on Carnival was February of this year. We have two ships that leave the port of Baltimore. The Carnival Pride and the RCI Grandeur of the Seas. Both ships are about the same size. The Grandeur was built in 1996 with a complete refurb in 2012, I believe. The Pride was built in 2002. It just had the 2.0 deal done in October. When I priced the two cruises last February, the Pride was $1500 for two people in a balcony room. The Grandeur was $5000 for two people in a balcony room. That is quite a huge difference. My expectations for the Grandeur would have been sky high for that price. I just got off an NCL Breakaway cruise in a suite with 4 people that wasn't much more than that $5000. Obviously I wasn't expecting much for such a huge price difference. Honestly it was a nice cruise, but other than the sewage smell, I noticed many of the things that the OP mentioned. There was a lot of smoking and drinking, and this was a seven night cruise. It didn't bother me because I was partaking in it. The bed was hard as a rock. If you were on the Serenity deck for any amount of time, you were covered in soot from the smokestack (maybe the new scrubbers will fix that). Looks are subjective, but I don't know what Carnival was thinking with the Renaissance look of the Pride, but that really isn't going to affect my good time. My girlfriend at the time actually fell and broke her wrist on the last night of the cruise. The medical center was closed and a nurse called my room and told me to put ice on it. The next morning I asked if we could get a priority disembark so I could get her to a hospital, and I was told no. Despite all of that, if I could sail the Pride again for $1500 for a balcony when she comes back to Baltimore, I would probably do it. Any more than that, and I will drive to New York and get on the Breakaway.

 

I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. I really don't care. I'm still trying to figure out how you could possibly say that you don't care about the product or service you are paying to receive. That comment speaks for itself and is the problem that society had created where it allows companies to continuously devalue and destroy a product to pinch a few pennies here and there because the majority is too afraid to speak for themselves or vote with their wallet when they aren't as satisfied with a product as they should be.

 

I have my expectations when conducting business with any company. If they aren't able to live up to my expectations and I am not satisfied, I take my business elsewhere.

 

I don't go in with any expectations, so I have never been let down.

 

By the way, how could your expectations be sky high for the Grandeur of the Seas because it would have costed $5,000, but absolutely no expectations for the Carnival Pride because it was $1,500? Surely you at least expected to have the basic necessities to live and be provided with safe/secure living conditions.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Disconnections

[Out to sea!]

Just back from our cruise in a Grand suite U108 on Paradise. Not good. I usually don't spend a lot of time on these boards when I return, but I think it is my duty to warn people considering spending the money on a Grand suite. It's not so grand. We spent the whole cruise unable to go on the balcony unless we were willing to tolerate the stench of raw sewage gas smells. It was so bad it infiltrated the room and really came blasting in if we had the door open enough just to get in and out. Needless to say, we did not spend time on the balcony.

This is a party boat with a lot of people drinking heavily and smoking tons of cigarettes. All that is fine unless you don't do it and don't like it.

I will cruise NCL if I want suite (VIP) treatment. You absolutely will not be happy with Carnival if you expect that booking a suite will get you any VIP consideration. There is none.

Paradise would be ok if I were getting a free or really inexpensive cruise. We will not book an expensive cabin again.

 

Oh, the beds were like rocks- a surprise I did not expect in the Grand suite.

 

[NOSaints1]

We booked Celebrity and got the concierge class and you get some pretty good perks, wo getting a suite. We sailed on the Valor last month and got an OS and all you got was priority boarding.

 

 

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[cruizinisthebest]

Sorry about the smell , totally unacceptable no matter what the category .

If it lasted the entire cruise , you should have been compensated upon onboard complaint verification.

 

As far as the Party types , OP chose the short cruise which attracts them.

 

As far as the Smokers , I yearn for the first few years when the Paradise was 100% Smoke Free (workers building it were not permitted to smoke either).

 

As far as Carnival Suites ,postings here and most TA's will tell you that they just don't compare to any other cruise line , and the $$$ reflects that.

I don't know about yearning for the days when the Paradise was smoke free. I sailed her in 2002 when she was smoke free. The cruise was filled to the brim with kids and senior senior citizens. Most boring cruise I Have Ever Been On. This was a seven day sailing when she used to leave from Miami. We've been on 4 fantasy class ships and Paradise is my least favorite.

Just so happened we were upgraded to a suite for this ship. Sheer luck. I remember the room being the best part about the ship. But I wouldn't pay for one on any ship. I've learned over the years that the suite perks are MIA on Carnival.

 

Anyway, they did away with her or any other vessel being 100% smoke free for a reason.

Edited December 24, 2014 by cruizinisthebest