I and my family recently took a cruise with Holland America Lines to Alaska on the ms Statendam. Two days into the cruise my brother’s stateroom was affected by an overflowing toilet one room down. The ship’s response? Put big fans in the room and not acknowledge it or apologize in any other way.

With a couple days into the seven day cruise our room flooded with sewage from a broken pipe in the wall adjoined to our cabin. Understandably I was upset and complained. We were assured our room would be cleaned while we were ashore and the cause of the matter was taken care of.

After our room was “cleaned” and fans placed in it to dry I returned and absentmindedly stepped onto the carpet in just my socks…

Thinking myself a fool for walking in just socks on newly shampooed carpet I bent down to take my socks off and found them stained brown by the fecal water still saturating my carpet. Livid, I complained, but was told that there were no other rooms I could go to. Also to ease my fears they told me the water was brown because the adhesive under the carpet was brown and had probably been dissolved by it. I wondered why anyone would use water soluble glue on a ship, but was too furious to get into the particulars of it with the purser at the time.

I complained again until I was able to talk to the head of customer relations for the ship. Her offer to accommodate us: $150 per person shipboard credit. Effectively a 5% discount for the whole trip! And
all we had to do was live in a biohazard for three days.

Unsurprisingly five members of my family were incapacitated with vomiting and diarrhea within 3 days of leaving the ship.

The most hilarious part? Thought the trip they insisted we used the hand sanitizer placed throughout the ship before we could eat or use the elevator. You know, to “stop the spread of disease.”

Aw the joys of vacation.

The attached picture is after they “cleaned” our room. So if you believe the story from the ships hospitality manager, it’s glue. But it sure didn’t smell like glue…

– Sawyer

Bad:

• Multiple plumbing problems in guest cabins.
• Cruise ship lies about their cause.
• Family had to ask for compensation
• It was pittance
• Acute health issues ensue

Considering the later effect on his family’s health, we think Sawyer would be justified in asking for additional remuneration.

Looks like Holland America Line needs to start issuing its guests complimentary clogs. — BEN POPKEN

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