Royal class soot

[Chefwoody]

My wife and I love the aft suites when we cruise. However, after sailing on Royal Princess last month I'm probably never going to again - at least on the Royal class Princess ships.  There had been posts complaining of soot on the entire aft section for years... I just never really paid them much mind.  The suite itself was beautiful and large (D727).  The deck was huge and at least on Dolphin deck had a bit of overhang above to provide some sun shelter mid day.  The furnishings were very worn, but she was due for a refurb the following week so I knew it was being addressed.  But to be honest, the black oily stains on the carpet and couch will only come back... just like the soot apparently.  My issue is this: I saw Enchanted Princess is due out in 2020, and another Royal class ship will follow in 2022.  Will Princess ever fix the soot issue?!.  

[Colo Cruiser]

9 minutes ago, Chefwoody said:

My wife and I love the aft suites when we cruise. However, after sailing on Royal Princess last month I'm probably never going to again - at least on the Royal class Princess ships.  There had been posts complaining of soot on the entire aft section for years... I just never really paid them much mind.  The suite itself was beautiful and large (D727).  The deck was huge and at least on Dolphin deck had a bit of overhang above to provide some sun shelter mid day.  The furnishings were very worn, but she was due for a refurb the following week so I knew it was being addressed.  But to be honest, the black oily stains on the carpet and couch will only come back... just like the soot apparently.  My issue is this: I saw Enchanted Princess is due out in 2020, and another Royal class ship will follow in 2022.  Will Princess ever fix the soot issue?!.  

This has been an issue with the Royal/Regal since their inaugural, and still is.

I agree, our carpets at the sliders were stained really bad on both ships. 

I feel bad for Stewart. It just adds a huge burden to his responsibilities.  

 

Have not heard anything about the same issue on the Majestic yet.

[azbirdmom]

Were you on the Royal in November?  Guessing that is the case since the drydock happened the first week in December and we were on the ship immediately after that.  We heard from senior staff that they lowered the stacks and did something with the scrubbers (sorry I don't remember the exact terminology used) in preparation for the Alaska cruising season to comply with the stronger environmental rules there.  I had wondered if that would solve the soot problem which we also experienced in a big way when cruising in an aft suite on Aloha deck a couple years ago.  I hope the changes eliminate that problem as those suites are terrific in every other way.  Time will tell.

[capriccio]

OP - I am so sorry to hear that everything we experienced ( http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/s....php?t=1956349) in D727 in December 2013 is still a problem in 2018!  Since that cruise we have sailed 3 cruises (over 50 days) on the Royal and enjoyed it but we now only chose a mini-suite.

[mortkork]

We disembarked from the Royal princes on 01/05/19 and were in E731. We had maybe one or two mornings with a few flakes on the table but it was zero issue for us eastbound or westbound. I may be more problematic on the higher decks or maybe cigarette smoke from deck 17, JK. We made the mistake of stepping onto that terrace one time and never went back. We spent a lot of time morning and night on our balcony in white robes and khakis and would choose that cabin again over those above us.

[hllwdcruiser]

2 hours ago, mortkork said:

We disembarked from the Royal princes on 01/05/19 and were in E731. We had maybe one or two mornings with a few flakes on the table but it was zero issue for us eastbound or westbound. I may be more problematic on the higher decks or maybe cigarette smoke from deck 17, JK. We made the mistake of stepping onto that terrace one time and never went back. We spent a lot of time morning and night on our balcony in white robes and khakis and would choose that cabin again over those above us.

Thank you for posting this. I can't imagine that there would be that much difference between D and E decks. We are in D730 on the Regal in February and this thread was beginning to make me nervous. I've read mixed reviews on the soot problem, I'm really hoping it is not a huge issue on our sailing. A few flakes won't bother me but greasy, oily stains definitely will!

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, hllwdcruiser said:

Thank you for posting this. I can't imagine that there would be that much difference between D and E decks. We are in D730 on the Regal in February and this thread was beginning to make me nervous. I've read mixed reviews on the soot problem, I'm really hoping it is not a huge issue on our sailing. A few flakes won't bother me but greasy, oily stains definitely will!

The aft corner suite balconies especially are only partially covered because the aft is tiered. 

They get the brunt of the soot.

[cheeseclan]

We were on the Regal On a Baltic cruise  in the aft suite on dolphin deck.  We never had any issues with soot at all.

 

We were concerned when we read about the soot but nothing ever on the balcony at all.  

[Cruiserkenn]

10 hours ago, cheeseclan said:

We were on the Regal On a Baltic cruise  in the aft suite on dolphin deck.  We never had any issues with soot at all.

 

We were concerned when we read about the soot but nothing ever on the balcony at all.  

 

Great news, thanks!

 

 

[john_galt]

I'll be in D727 (aft PH) on the Sky in December. I've read good and bad about the soot issue on Royal/Regal and hope they took this into consideration when designing the Sky. I knew what I was getting into but I love this location. 

[Colo Cruiser]

19 minutes ago, john_galt said:

I'll be in D727 (aft PH) on the Sky in December. I've read good and bad about the soot issue on Royal/Regal and hope they took this into consideration when designing the Sky. I knew what I was getting into but I love this location. 

It does not happen all the time but seems to be more than not. 

 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Colo Cruiser said:

It does not happen all the time but seems to be more than not. 

 

Nearly all ships have soot issues on aft balconies to some extent.  This is caused by the nightly cleaning of the diesel engine turbochargers and the boilers.  The diesels use ground walnut shells to "sand blast" the soot off the turbocharger blades, and the boilers are cleaned with steam (hence the moist nature of the soot flakes).  If possible, the engine and bridge crews will co-ordinate to have the wind blowing on one side of the ship, rather than directly on the bow or stern, to direct the soot over the side as quickly as possible.  Some times, the operational constraints or weather conditions don't allow for a turn to one side or the other to move the wind, and the soot just has to go aft.

[Colo Cruiser]

5 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Nearly all ships have soot issues on aft balconies to some extent.  This is caused by the nightly cleaning of the diesel engine turbochargers and the boilers.  The diesels use ground walnut shells to "sand blast" the soot off the turbocharger blades, and the boilers are cleaned with steam (hence the moist nature of the soot flakes).  If possible, the engine and bridge crews will co-ordinate to have the wind blowing on one side of the ship, rather than directly on the bow or stern, to direct the soot over the side as quickly as possible.  Some times, the operational constraints or weather conditions don't allow for a turn to one side or the other to move the wind, and the soot just has to go aft.

It seems to be an inherent design glitch with the Royal/Regal.

IMO.......these instances are beyond "the usual" that are seen on other Princess ships and have been going on since the ships were launched.

[nukesubsailor]

I would think that the shortening of the Royal's stack so it can clear the bridge in Vancouver could only make the soot problem worse.

[mellon1]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Nearly all ships have soot issues on aft balconies to some extent.  This is caused by the nightly cleaning of the diesel engine turbochargers and the boilers.  The diesels use ground walnut shells to "sand blast" the soot off the turbocharger blades, and the boilers are cleaned with steam (hence the moist nature of the soot flakes).  If possible, the engine and bridge crews will co-ordinate to have the wind blowing on one side of the ship, rather than directly on the bow or stern, to direct the soot over the side as quickly as possible.  Some times, the operational constraints or weather conditions don't allow for a turn to one side or the other to move the wind, and the soot just has to go aft.

Never had a problem with aft Grand ships...EVER...  Just what we experience in Caribbean

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, mellon1 said:

Never had a problem with aft Grand ships...EVER...  Just what we experience in Caribbean

Nor have we and that includes aft suites on the Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby Princesses on Caribbean and California Coastal cruises.

[nukesubsailor]

The Royal class ships have an extra deck and the shape of the stern is different from other Princess ships.  Those factors may cause an eddy in the air flow over the stern which is different than other ships and caused more soot to land on the aft balconies.

[hllwdcruiser]

22 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

The aft corner suite balconies especially are only partially covered because the aft is tiered. 

They get the brunt of the soot.

Thanks! Weren't you in an aft corner suite on your last sailing on the Regal? Do you think those suite balconies are more prone to the soot or were you referring to all aft balconies?

Edited January 10, 2019 by hllwdcruiser

[Colo Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, hllwdcruiser said:

Thanks! Weren't you in an aft corner suite on your last sailing on the Regal? Do you think those suite balconies are more prone to the soot or were you referring to all aft balconies?

Yes have been in D-726 aft corner suite on both the Regal and the Royal a couple of times.

The balcony is huge and not completely covered.

I do think the corner suites get the brunt of the soot issues because they are exposed more than the direct aft facing balconies that are in the middle.

[Chefwoody]

Great to hear some ideas on the soot issue.  Never knew about walnut shells and engine cleaning.  However I must add a couple of follow up thoughts related to the Royal class ships.

1. Having sailed many aft suites on multiple cruise lines, I can honestly say I've never had a speck of soot on any of 

    them.  

2. The only partial cover available on any of the aft suites is on Dolphin & Baja decks.  In my experience it was just 

     enough during most times of the day.. but just barely.  Crown's aft suites are nicely appointed in this regard.

3.  You're paying premium prices to have a suite class cabin.  The deck on the corner suites are in a word 

      amazing!.  But the poor stewards that have to clean up the soot both inside and out week after week...

      we could tell he dreaded checking up on us.  In fact, it was perhaps the worst cabin service we've had yet

     for the most understandable reasons.

4. Should readers of this thread "roll the dice" and book an aft suite on a Royal class ship - I love my privacy and

    aft facing views.  But I don't enjoy smelling diesel and wiping it off my clothes and belongings.  It became 

    a big distraction and that's not what a vacation is for.  The ship itself is wonderful and full of things to do.  I

    would recommend booking anything but the aft suite and absolutely book your sea days up at the Sanctuary.  That

    was an amazing place to relax.

[Cruiserkenn]

18 hours ago, capriccio said:

Nor have we and that includes aft suites on the Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby Princesses on Caribbean and California Coastal cruises.

 

I agree!  Great aft facing suites on Star, Grand, Ruby, Emerald, Golden.  No soot!  This is one more reason that I stick with the Grand Class ships.