Currently on Caribbean Princess - No Toilet

[High C's]

:mad:

We are currently on the TA cruise on the CB. Since boarding in FLL, our toilet has not worked. It may flush once or twice a day, but that's it. We've reported it to the cabin steward, his supervisor, and the front desk. We have been told it hasn't been flushed "enough" to work properly. Umm, ok. :confused:

 

The best response was the one today from the Purser's Desk who told me that the toilets on board "are not meant to be flushed in the morning". I KID YOU NOT!

 

Needless to say we elevated it to a supervisor, who sent the plumber AGAIN to fix it. We are getting quite anxious as we are on board until May 20. A month without a functioning toilet is too much to expect.

 

Any suggestions on what we can do while we are on board? We have never had this type of issue before. And I can assure you that we have ALWAYS used the facilities before noon! ;):rolleyes:

 

Thanks in advance for all constructive suggestions. :)

[partybarbie]

We had this same problem on the Ruby last week. I was calling Passenger Services every other day for the plumber to come and fix the toilet. It doesn't do any good to tell the cabin steward, because he isn't the one who fixes the toilet.

 

I'm sure that I wasn't the only person calling, as this seemed to be a problem for many of the cabins on our floor. One of the water pipes in the hallway also started leaking, and we had no water to the cabins in our area for several hours.

 

Sometimes people flush facial tissues, adult "baby wipes", and other things, down the toilet. This will create a blockage. Only toilet paper should go down the toilet. If you are only flushing the paper, then there isn't much you can do about what others are flushing.

 

Hopefully there is a public restroom near your cabin for emergencies.

[Astro Flyer]

Hi Jackie...hopefully you'll soon have a permanent fix for your issue. :)

 

Anyone who gives an answer saying that toilets shouldn't be flushed in the morning needs to find another job. :rolleyes:

 

There was an Hotel General Manager & an Executive Housekeeper on our just completed Crown cruise & maybe you could contact them or maybe the Captain's Circle host could get you in contact with someone who could expedite a repair.

 

Thankfully we have not had your problem & hopefully it's repaired soon.

[cflutist]

We recently had the same problem on the Grand Princess.

 

One morning, the toilet would not flush.

We reported it to the Purser's Desk who explained that it would be fixed from the outside, so don't wait for maintenance to arrive inside the cabin.

 

A maintenance man came within the hour and unblocked it by fishing out a "baby wipe".

He said that the section that was blocked served only 3 PH suites, us, and one on each side of us that were both occupied by senior couples (we chatted across the balcony partitions earlier to both of them).

 

I talked to the cabin steward, explained the situation, and he said he would gently talk to the offending party. Didn't have any toilet trouble the rest of the cruise.

[Pam in CA]

Contact the Captain's Circle Host(ess) with the details of when you've reported it, to whom and the response. They can double-check the reports and see what was actually reported to engineering.

[Mackenzie1]

I had this problem recently on the Star Princess a few times, and the cabin steward explained that the problem is passengers who flush down foreign objects like baby wipes and fruit. She said that when it happens, the plumber cleans out the drain to fix it, but then the problem continues. In my survey, I suggested that Princess include a one page insert in the first Princess Patter reminding passengers (in seven different languages) not to flush foreign objects down the toilet. I hope Princess takes notice because it has to be passengers just not knowing any better.

[OCruisers]

Contact the Captain's Circle Host(ess) with the details of when you've reported it, to whom and the response. They can double-check the reports and see what was actually reported to engineering.

 

Totally agree with Pam! Do this for sure.

LuLu

[Shmoo here]

I had this problem recently on the Star Princess a few times, and the cabin steward explained that the problem is passengers who flush down foreign objects like baby wipes and fruit. She said that when it happens, the plumber cleans out the drain to fix it, but then the problem continues. In my survey, I suggested that Princess include a one page insert in the first Princess Patter reminding passengers (in seven different languages) not to flush foreign objects down the toilet. I hope Princess takes notice because it has to be passengers just not knowing any better.

 

Only problem with this is - people who flush that stuff down the toilet don't think those things are "foreign objects". And will continue to do it.

[Bemidji Ty]

Contact the Captain's Circle Host(ess) with the details of when you've reported it, to whom and the response. They can double-check the reports and see what was actually reported to engineering.

 

Yes

[4x4bob]

The next step above the passenger service desk supervisor is the the Hotel Manager.

 

I suggest you request an immediate meeting with him. Explain who you have talked to before and the funny answers that they have given you.

 

If he does not have the problem fixed. Request a second meeting with him and tell him you want a meeting with the Capt or any senior officer that the Capt designates to meet with you. Also, at that point I would request another cabin, one with a working bathroom because getting dressed in the middle of the night to hike to a public bathroom is going to prevent you from "Coming Back New".

 

Bob

[Alabaster Cruiser]

Just curious as to which cabin you are in. We recently did CB cruise from Houston and had problems also. The room smelled of sewage and the toilet was hesitant to flush. Did report it-- nothing done. Did address it in the survey.

[GUT2407]

Agree with Pam's advice.

[GUT2407]

There a really needs to be public toilets on each floor.

 

Matters like this would still be a problem but at least you wouldn't need to run as far.

[emmak8]

Please let us know when all is fixed. This is a situation in need of urgent attention.

[countrykel]

:eek:

 

I'm sorry this is happening to you!! We board in Southampton on May 8th. Hoping to not have any 'issues', especially of this nature.

[Lucky TGO]

I agree with Pam.

Tony

[TM]

We had this same problem on the Island a couple of years ago. Off and on for 2 - 3 days. Finally our room steward got one of his buddies who was part of the engineering staff to fix the problem.

[RSF Cruiser]

We had a similar problem - toilet didn't flush well, and there was a raw sewage smell in our room (Vista Suite). After engineering coming to the room several times and our room steward flushing a deodorizer down the toilet to mask the odor, all to no avail, we finally talked with the hotel manager, and the problem seemed to be solved. The whole issue was not pleasant... Good luck - we were on the ship for only seven days...

[antsp]

If the passenger service desk told me toilets shouldn't be flushed in the morning I would be asking for a A4 piece of paper and a marker pen. I could then make a sign to display a there desk. Don't remember reading that one in the patter.

[easyboy]

One morning, the toilet would not flush.

We reported it to the Purser's Desk who explained that it would be fixed from the outside, so don't wait for maintenance to arrive inside the cabin.

Had the same problem and fixed in the same manner on CB years ago. From the wall on the corridor just near the door.

[chengkp75]

Just curious as to which cabin you are in. We recently did CB cruise from Houston and had problems also. The room smelled of sewage and the toilet was hesitant to flush. Did report it-- nothing done. Did address it in the survey.

 

We had a similar problem - toilet didn't flush well, and there was a raw sewage smell in our room (Vista Suite). After engineering coming to the room several times and our room steward flushing a deodorizer down the toilet to mask the odor, all to no avail, we finally talked with the hotel manager, and the problem seemed to be solved. The whole issue was not pleasant... Good luck - we were on the ship for only seven days...

 

For future reference on your next cruise, the "sewer" smell is generally from the floor drain in the bathroom (either a trough drain at the door or a round floor drain under the toilet, not the shower drain). These drains have traps in them, just like under your sinks at home. The purpose of the trap is to have some water "trapped" in the bends to keep the gases from backing up. The floor drain in your bathroom generally sees very little water, so the A/C tends to evaporate what water is in there, and the smell comes in. A glass of water down the drain daily will solve the problem. As a note, the "gray water" from the sinks, showers, and floor drain is a totally separate piping system from the "black water" from the toilet.

 

For the OP, yes, escalate to the Hotel Manager. It sounds like there is weak vacuum in your area, so there may be a partial blockage somewhere in the line, and needs to be cleared. All the other excuses are complete BS, and you can ask them to also check the "control valve and its timing ports" on your toilet to show them you know a little bit about what is going on.

 

Another thing to try. Don't just poke the flush button, but push and hold for a 2-3 count. This may temporarily solve the problem but also points to the control valve as the culprit.

Edited April 26, 2016 by chengkp75

[long cruiser]

I would write a letter to the princess customer service office in lax.

They have to respond to your inquiry.Make sure you have return signature required.

You may get future ship board credits.

long cruiser

[framer]

We had an issue once on our way to HI. The steward and passenger service both failed to correct the issue. We were getting stupid answers. The wife, a master letter writer, she wrote the Hotel General Manager a letter which we turn into the passenger service deck. We got the problem fixed, a phone call from him making sure the problem was fixed and a free steak dinner:D.

 

framer

[FritzG]

We had this same problem on the Ruby last week. I was calling Passenger Services every other day for the plumber to come and fix the toilet. It doesn't do any good to tell the cabin steward, because he isn't the one who fixes the toilet.

 

I'm sure that I wasn't the only person calling, as this seemed to be a problem for many of the cabins on our floor. One of the water pipes in the hallway also started leaking, and we had no water to the cabins in our area for several hours.

 

Sometimes people flush facial tissues, adult "baby wipes", and other things, down the toilet. This will create a blockage. Only toilet paper should go down the toilet. If you are only flushing the paper, then there isn't much you can do about what others are flushing.

 

Hopefully there is a public restroom near your cabin for emergencies.

 

What cabin were you in on the Ruby? We're sailing on her in two weeks.

[moki'smommy]

It seems that on Princess, the process to get anything done is not to go thru the room steward. We made 3 requests/inquiries, and in each case were told that it couldn't be done.

 

The best was the mattress topper--we asked thru the Access office in advance. They told us that they would note it, but we should ask the steward on board. When we asked the steward, he said that we should have asked in advance. :( My daughter has a disability, and we asked if we could get one of the footstools that we could see on some other balconies--no, they are for "suites only," even though we could identify them on balconies that were not suites. I don't even remember what the third thing was, but again, the answer was "no."