*/*/*Sewage Smell*/*/*

[Jamericannn]

I noticed on most of the recent reviews about the Glory a lot of people are complaining about the smell of sewage on different parts of the ship.

Do you guys notice this on other ships as well?

Did the scent got worse over the years?

[stevenr597]

In the past cruise ships were able to dump their "sewage" in the open sea. For the past several years this is no longer permitted, and sewage must be processed and store for removal when the ship docks. In most cases this is not a problem, but at times, on certain ships one may detect a sewage odor in certain parts of the ship. We have experienced this on Carnival in the past, but have also experienced it on Princess and Celebrity. While not desirable, this may be an unfortunate consequence of the ships not wishing to damage the environment.

[klfrodo]

I've noticed it on almost all ships we've sailed on.

14 cruises since 2000, Carnival and RCCL.

location on ship and severity varies.

[Jamericannn]

Thank you both.

[sparks1093]

If you go to the thread "Question about Toilets" our resident expert provides a very thorough explanation.

[Jamericannn]

If you go to the thread "Question about Toilets" our resident expert provides a very thorough explanation.

 

Ok. I will check it out.

[chengkp75]

In the past cruise ships were able to dump their "sewage" in the open sea. For the past several years this is no longer permitted, and sewage must be processed and store for removal when the ship docks. In most cases this is not a problem, but at times, on certain ships one may detect a sewage odor in certain parts of the ship. We have experienced this on Carnival in the past, but have also experienced it on Princess and Celebrity. While not desirable, this may be an unfortunate consequence of the ships not wishing to damage the environment.

 

Uh, no. Ships do not "process and store for removal" in port. The ships have advanced waste water treatment plants that treat all the waste water generated on the ship to near drinking water quality, typically better than most municipal treatment plants, and then the treated effluent is discharged at sea. What is left over from the treatment process is mostly paper fibers, since the system processes water so quickly that the bacteria do not have time to digest paper (unlike your septic tank or the municipal treatment plant's ponds). This solid waste is then either incinerated or pumped overboard at sea. As this is sanitized paper fibers, it is considered treated waste, and is harmless to the environment.

 

As I've stated on many threads about "sewage" smell, the occasional smell outside may be from the holding tank vents (prior to treatment the waste water collects in tanks), or the incineration process. The smell inside the ship that appears and disappears in various areas is caused by the water in gray water (sinks, showers, and deck drains, not toilets) drain traps drying out. Just like your sink at home, every sink, shower, and deck drain has a U-trap (that inconvenient thing under the sink) that holds water to prevent odors from backing up. The low humidity of the AC air will dry out traps that don't see a lot of water, like the bathroom floor drain in your cabin (not the shower drain, look for a gutter at the door, or a drain tucked away under the toilet). Typically, a glass of water down these drains every day keeps the odors under control. Another problem with the traps is that vessel motion tends to "spill" the trap water down the pipe, causing the same problem as evaporation. When smelt around public areas, there is usually a "back of house" area with a deck drain that needs water.

[lizzyplague]

I've never smelt anything "sewage-y" on any cruise I've ever been on. My nose must not be as sensitive. :rolleyes:

[stevenr597]

Uh, no. Ships do not "process and store for removal" in port. The ships have advanced waste water treatment plants that treat all the waste water generated on the ship to near drinking water quality, typically better than most municipal treatment plants, and then the treated effluent is discharged at sea. What is left over from the treatment process is mostly paper fibers, since the system processes water so quickly that the bacteria do not have time to digest paper (unlike your septic tank or the municipal treatment plant's ponds). This solid waste is then either incinerated or pumped overboard at sea. As this is sanitized paper fibers, it is considered treated waste, and is harmless to the environment.

 

As I've stated on many threads about "sewage" smell, the occasional smell outside may be from the holding tank vents (prior to treatment the waste water collects in tanks), or the incineration process. The smell inside the ship that appears and disappears in various areas is caused by the water in gray water (sinks, showers, and deck drains, not toilets) drain traps drying out. Just like your sink at home, every sink, shower, and deck drain has a U-trap (that inconvenient thing under the sink) that holds water to prevent odors from backing up. The low humidity of the AC air will dry out traps that don't see a lot of water, like the bathroom floor drain in your cabin (not the shower drain, look for a gutter at the door, or a drain tucked away under the toilet). Typically, a glass of water down these drains every day keeps the odors under control. Another problem with the traps is that vessel motion tends to "spill" the trap water down the pipe, causing the same problem as evaporation. When smelt around public areas, there is usually a "back of house" area with a deck drain that needs water.

 

Wow!!! Thanks for the education. It does appear in any case that the cruise industry has gone to great lengths to make sure that they are friends of the environment. I just read that Carnival is going to power a new class of ships by liquid natural gas. They have come a long way from the old fashioned coal burners.

[chengkp75]

Wow!!! Thanks for the education. It does appear in any case that the cruise industry has gone to great lengths to make sure that they are friends of the environment. I just read that Carnival is going to power a new class of ships by liquid natural gas. They have come a long way from the old fashioned coal burners.

 

While I hope that Carnival and the other cruise lines are successful with their plans to utilize LNG fuel, they still have a long way to go and a lot of money to spend to get the infrastructure necessary to supply LNG in sufficient quantities in the ports required. It can be done, and most likely will be done, but it won't be without heartache. And with the exception of a few specialized colliers (ships that carry coal as cargo), coal burning ships disappeared about a 100 years ago.

 

And yes, it took several lawsuits and fines to drag the cruise lines into alignment with MARPOL regulations, but they are really some of the greenest ships around, only discharging treated sewage and ground up food into the seas, and recycling as much as possible.

 

If you ever get to Hawaii, and the island of Maui, you will notice that many of the delivery trucks smell like french fries as they drive past. NCL's ship (used to be 3 ships) out there recycle about 1000-1500 liters of cooking oil every week to a plant that turns it into bio-diesel.

[Beave8920]

 

As I've stated on many threads about "sewage" smell, the occasional smell outside may be from the holding tank vents (prior to treatment the waste water collects in tanks), or the incineration process. The smell inside the ship that appears and disappears in various areas is caused by the water in gray water (sinks, showers, and deck drains, not toilets) drain traps drying out.

 

Chengkp75.......thanks for the education - very interesting and makes total sense.....the next time we notice the odor in our cabin, I'll try the water down the drain suggestion. :)

[Jamericannn]

Uh, no. Ships do not "process and store for removal" in port. The ships have advanced waste water treatment plants that treat all the waste water generated on the ship to near drinking water quality, typically better than most municipal treatment plants, and then the treated effluent is discharged at sea. What is left over from the treatment process is mostly paper fibers, since the system processes water so quickly that the bacteria do not have time to digest paper (unlike your septic tank or the municipal treatment plant's ponds). This solid waste is then either incinerated or pumped overboard at sea. As this is sanitized paper fibers, it is considered treated waste, and is harmless to the environment.

 

As I've stated on many threads about "sewage" smell, the occasional smell outside may be from the holding tank vents (prior to treatment the waste water collects in tanks), or the incineration process. The smell inside the ship that appears and disappears in various areas is caused by the water in gray water (sinks, showers, and deck drains, not toilets) drain traps drying out. Just like your sink at home, every sink, shower, and deck drain has a U-trap (that inconvenient thing under the sink) that holds water to prevent odors from backing up. The low humidity of the AC air will dry out traps that don't see a lot of water, like the bathroom floor drain in your cabin (not the shower drain, look for a gutter at the door, or a drain tucked away under the toilet). Typically, a glass of water down these drains every day keeps the odors under control. Another problem with the traps is that vessel motion tends to "spill" the trap water down the pipe, causing the same problem as evaporation. When smelt around public areas, there is usually a "back of house" area with a deck drain that needs water.

 

Sounds like you know what you are talking about. Thank you.

[Midwestgal]

The Breeze smelled real bad , it was only the aft that smelled.

[MMastell]

I've smelled the "sewage smell" on many cruises, from Seabourn to Carnival". It happens on every ship. It usually goes away in a short time but sometimes can linger.

 

chengkp75 did a great job of explaining why this happens.

 

Take care,

Mike

[candycaramel]

I bring a can of spray air freshener and use it to eliminate the smells in my cabin bathroom.

 

Five years ago, I found a travel sized can of the new Febreze air freshener. I can't find the travel size spray anymore, in fact I wrote to the company looking for it. They replied the travel sized had been discontinued but since I am driving to the port this time, I am bringing a full sized can of Glade.

[MCFTJCH2V]

I always notice it at some point during the cruise. I quickly switch to exhale as I move past the area, and then return to inhale when it's safe.

[sparks1093]

Sounds like you know what you are talking about. Thank you.

 

After 40 years of working on shipboard systems I hope he does:).

[Aquahound]

The smell inside the ship that appears and disappears in various areas is caused by the water in gray water (sinks, showers, and deck drains, not toilets) drain traps drying out. Just like your sink at home, every sink, shower, and deck drain has a U-trap (that inconvenient thing under the sink) that holds water to prevent odors from backing up. The low humidity of the AC air will dry out traps that don't see a lot of water, like the bathroom floor drain in your cabin (not the shower drain, look for a gutter at the door, or a drain tucked away under the toilet). Typically, a glass of water down these drains every day keeps the odors under control. Another problem with the traps is that vessel motion tends to "spill" the trap water down the pipe, causing the same problem as evaporation. When smelt around public areas, there is usually a "back of house" area with a deck drain that needs water.

 

Exactly. When I start to detect a gray water odor in my room, I fill my ice bucket with water and pour it down the bathroom floor drains. It hasn't failed me yet. :)

[Roscoe13]

The Breeze smelled real bad , it was only the aft that smelled.

 

 

YES!!

We were in an aft balcony last year on the Breeze and we're looking to book another balcony on her for 2018. Because of the prevalent stench in the halls in the aft quadrant of the ship, we will NOT book anything in that quadrant.

 

Believe me, this is not room specific but rather the whole aft quadrant on both port and starboard sides. The poor room stewards get used to it but we never did!

[Foxinspace]

Had this on Pride as well. Had to open the doors and had our room Steward call someone. They ran an air freshener through our room. It only seems to happen when we were in port.

I will definitely try the water down the drains trick if I have this again!

[jamscckmc]

Deck 2 aft on the Conquest and the Glory. Not in our stateroom but in the hallway. We'd start smelling it right past the aft elevators.

[WLHyatt]

Exactly. When I start to detect a gray water odor in my room, I fill my ice bucket with water and pour it down the bathroom floor drains. It hasn't failed me yet. :)

 

Is it part of the start-up routine of a new ship to have plumbers go around and fill all the gray traps? It seems like there are some that could be missed during the build that would start to stink pretty quick once mop water and whatever it is people put down the sink gets in there and starts... working.