Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Pacific Explorer plumbing issues

lagoon380
 Share

Recommended Posts

MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

Posted
Posted
While I have no direct experience with Pacific Explorer, so I can't comment on the condition of the plumbing system, I will say that in the vast majority of times, a "sewerage" smell onboard a ship has absolutely nothing to do with "leaking sewerage", or for that matter even sewage from the toilets (black water). Unlike sanitary plumbing systems on land where black water (toilets) and gray water (sinks, showers, laundry) are commingled in the piping as it flows away from the building, on a ship the black water and gray water systems are completely separated until they reach the storage tanks in the engine room. As the black water (toilet) system operates on a vacuum, it is a closed system, and there will only be odors when the system is opened for maintenance. Also, leaking from the system would reduce the vacuum in the system, and this would affect the ability of large groups of toilets around the ship not functioning.

 

Typically, an older vacuum toilet system's piping may be partially clogged with scale, reducing the pipe size and affecting bends. This can be remedied, and even reversed, using acid to remove the scale, and is commonly done by dropping dissolving packets of citric acid in the toilets on turn around day, and flushing them away.

 

Most typically, the "sewerage" smell that most cruisers experience is caused by the water in a "U-trap" (that S shaped bend of pipe under your sink at home) drying out from lack of water replenishment. The trap in drain piping is designed to keep a certain amount of water "trapped" (hence the name) and act as a "valve" to keep odors from coming back up the pipe. On a ship, the sink and shower drains get frequent additions of water to replenish the water in the trap, so these are not a problem. However, the floor drain in your cabin bathroom (not the shower drain, but outside the shower, typically tucked under the wall mounted toilet, or a gutter type drain at the bathroom door), as well as all other deck drains in crew service spaces (pantries, storage rooms, mechanical rooms) do not see water regularly, and the dry AC air will evaporate the water in the trap, causing odors to rise in the pipe, with no leakage of sewage whatsoever. A glass of water down your cabin bathroom floor drain daily takes care of this for your cabin, and when the crew finds the smelly trap in a service space, they will simply do the same.

 

Thank you very much for explaining how the system on ships works.

 

What causes the toilet to flood cabins? Would that be because of a blockage?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Scyl

Scyl

Posted
Posted
While I have no direct experience with Pacific Explorer, so I can't comment on the condition of the plumbing system, I will say that in the vast majority of times, a "sewerage" smell onboard a ship has absolutely nothing to do with "leaking sewerage", or for that matter even sewage from the toilets (black water). Unlike sanitary plumbing systems on land where black water (toilets) and gray water (sinks, showers, laundry) are commingled in the piping as it flows away from the building, on a ship the black water and gray water systems are completely separated until they reach the storage tanks in the engine room. As the black water (toilet) system operates on a vacuum, it is a closed system, and there will only be odors when the system is opened for maintenance. Also, leaking from the system would reduce the vacuum in the system, and this would affect the ability of large groups of toilets around the ship not functioning.

 

 

 

Typically, an older vacuum toilet system's piping may be partially clogged with scale, reducing the pipe size and affecting bends. This can be remedied, and even reversed, using acid to remove the scale, and is commonly done by dropping dissolving packets of citric acid in the toilets on turn around day, and flushing them away.

 

 

 

Most typically, the "sewerage" smell that most cruisers experience is caused by the water in a "U-trap" (that S shaped bend of pipe under your sink at home) drying out from lack of water replenishment. The trap in drain piping is designed to keep a certain amount of water "trapped" (hence the name) and act as a "valve" to keep odors from coming back up the pipe. On a ship, the sink and shower drains get frequent additions of water to replenish the water in the trap, so these are not a problem. However, the floor drain in your cabin bathroom (not the shower drain, but outside the shower, typically tucked under the wall mounted toilet, or a gutter type drain at the bathroom door), as well as all other deck drains in crew service spaces (pantries, storage rooms, mechanical rooms) do not see water regularly, and the dry AC air will evaporate the water in the trap, causing odors to rise in the pipe, with no leakage of sewage whatsoever. A glass of water down your cabin bathroom floor drain daily takes care of this for your cabin, and when the crew finds the smelly trap in a service space, they will simply do the same.

 

 

 

Going on the Explorer on Nov, will try this if the bathroom smells, hopefully everything will be good.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
Thank you very much for explaining how the system on ships works.

 

What causes the toilet to flood cabins? Would that be because of a blockage?

 

The toilet has three working parts. A mechanical timer that works off the vacuum in the piping system, and which controls the other two parts, the water valve and the discharge valve. The water valve admits the water into the bowl to refill it. The discharge valve separates the bowl from the vacuum piping, and when open, allows the vacuum to suck the bowl empty. An overflowing toilet can be caused by a leaking water valve, that continues to allow water into the bowl, when it should have stopped. Since the bowl is not free flowing to the drain line like a land toilet, additional water will fill and overflow the bowl. Another, rarer, cause of overflowing is when the discharge valve in your toilet is leaking or stuck open due to an obstruction in the valve. This, by itself, would lead to a "sucking toilet" (one that makes the sucking sound you hear at flushing, but all the time), and a loss of vacuum to the system (so a bunch of toilets stop working). Now, if at the same time, there is a blockage downstream of your toilet, but leaving sufficient vacuum to work a few toilet mechanisms, if a few toilets are flushed on decks above yours, they may flow to the blockage, fill the pipe, and back out of your leaking discharge valve. Not real common, the leaking water valve is the primary culprit.

 

One thing to remember, the pushbutton for the toilet is merely a valve that applies system vacuum to the mechanical timer (control unit). If there is sufficient vacuum, the control unit will initiate a flush sequence of the water and discharge valves, and the "product" is removed from the bowl. If there is insufficient vacuum, the pushbutton will have "cocked" the control unit with trapped vacuum, and when system vacuum is restored, the control unit will initiate a flush sequence, the oft reported "ghost flush".

 

Now comes the big warning. If you press the flush pushbutton, and the water enters the bowl, but the bowl does not empty, do not continue to press the button. The control unit does not know whether the water valve or the discharge valve have actually worked, so if the discharge valve is not working, repeated pressing of the button will initiate repeated flush sequences, and if the water valve is working and the discharge valve is not, water will be repeatedly admitted to the bowl, and nothing will leave the bowl, and it will overflow. If the toilet does not flush on the first push of the button, stop, and call maintenance. They don't care what they see in the bowl, they've seen it all, and would rather simply fix a bad discharge valve then to have to clean up a mess from an overflowing toilet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NSWP

NSWP

Posted
Posted
I am also on her this year so can try out that theory, I just wonder if everyone will let me into their bathrooms to do it.

 

P&O could sign you on as Chief Plumber for the fleet Uncle Mic. Give you the golden spanner and all.

 

Mr Cheng from Maine has enlightened us all. I am going to take my overalls on Adonia next year and offer the plumber a hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

Posted
Posted
P&O could sign you on as Chief Plumber for the fleet Uncle Mic. Give you the golden spanner and all.

 

Mr Cheng from Maine has enlightened us all. I am going to take my overalls on Adonia next year and offer the plumber a hand.

LOl, I have hung up my overalls. I would take a golden spanner if offered though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ondine

Ondine

Posted
Posted

Thanks chengkp75 for your explanations of how the system works. Very interesting.

 

I have not had too much trouble myself, only one trip when the toilet would not flush (blockage down the line somewhere and fixed after a few hours) but have encountered various passengers who have had flooding in the cabin due to the toilet overflowing in the middle of the night, an elderly gentleman who I let use my bathroom when he was unable to access his due to flooding and couldn't find the public toilets, a bath which would not empty and the passenger was tired of sloshing water sounds after several days and public toilets out of order at various times. Not all on the one trip I might add and not all on the one ship.

 

I guess for the number of cabins on ships and the number of complaints not too bad. Most are caused by inconsiderate passengers putting the wrong things down toilets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NSWP

NSWP

Posted
Posted
I am calling Portaloo to see if I can get one delivered to our balcony for 4 days. Cheers, Buzz.

 

What a great idea, spare toilet for the balcony, I have three WC's in my house.:halo:

 

I think Princess should give all their Captains Circle Elite Members a complimentary portaloo for their balcony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

Posted
Posted
What a great idea, spare toilet for the balcony, I have three WC's in my house.:halo:

 

I think Princess should give all their Captains Circle Elite Members a complimentary portaloo for their balcony.

Ruby gets a bucket, while Platinum get s a bucket with a lid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
diy dave

diy dave

Posted
Posted

Shame about the toilet fiasco. We were on Explorer in July, and because of the cold weather, they held most parties in the Atrium. Unfortunately all the gents toilets on all the decks in that area were out of service, that was a problem when lots of people are drinking lots of booze. Despite all that, the ship, dining areas, food, entertainment were all excellent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Traveller01

Traveller01

Posted
Posted
Reading many posts online regarding plumbing issues - toilets blocked, overflowing etc on the Pacific Explorer, I seem to recall the ship as the Dawn Princess having plumbing issues and it looks like they weren't repaired when she went into dry dock for the makeover. For those that sailed on the Dawn Princess, are these the same issues which are happening now?

We were considering a cruise on the pacific Explorer but I doubt we would now considering these issues.

We did experience sewage problems during july and August but it appears in general to be fixed on this september cruise. There is the odd smell of sewage in a couple of places on the ship particularly the public toilet on level 5 where they have a van going most of the time. But there is no smell in the cabin corridors

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

Posted
Posted
We did experience sewage problems during july and August but it appears in general to be fixed on this september cruise. There is the odd smell of sewage in a couple of places on the ship particularly the public toilet on level 5 where they have a van going most of the time. But there is no smell in the cabin corridors

Good to hear they are getting the issues resolved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NSWP

NSWP

Posted
Posted (edited)

As a matter of fact I was at my favourite Steak restaurant last night and the Irish owners had been on Pacific Explorer doing a 4 day cruise, Sydney - Mooloolaba in the past month. Their first cruise, they told me ship's toilets were blocked and sewage smells around the ship. Put them off cruising.:loudcry: I told them to try another ship..

 

Me being me told them their ship was 22 years old, give or take a year or two and was ex Dawn Princess. They were of the impression it was a new P&O ship. Wrong !!!!!! I am sure some of these T/A's are telling naïve first cruisers that the P&O Australia fleet is all new, when they are all rehashed, rebirthed ships from other cruise lines under Carnival Corporation.

Edited by NSWP
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

Posted
Posted
As a matter of fact I was at my favourite Steak restaurant last night and the Irish owners had been on Pacific Explorer doing a 4 day cruise, Sydney - Mooloolaba in the past month. Their first cruise, they told me ship's toilets were blocked and sewage smells around the ship. Put them off cruising.:loudcry: I told them to try another ship..

 

Me being me told them their ship was 22 years old, give or take a year or two and was ex Dawn Princess. They were of the impression it was a new P&O ship. Wrong !!!!!! I am sure some of these T/A's are telling naïve first cruisers that the P&O Australia fleet is all new, when they are all rehashed, rebirthed ships from other cruise lines under Carnival Corporation.

A liberal use of the words I would think, New ship when it is really just new to P&O.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lagoon380

lagoon380

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We did experience sewage problems during july and August but it appears in general to be fixed on this september cruise. There is the odd smell of sewage in a couple of places on the ship particularly the public toilet on level 5 where they have a van going most of the time. But there is no smell in the cabin corridors

 

Good to see their sorting it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...