Also see letter below to Princess
Email
from JJ Perks to Smokefreecruise
My husband and I were on a
Princess Cruise last Sept. A badly needed one at that...after the death of my
Mother and my husband having a total hip replacement. We were on the Caribbean
Princess. Our mini suite wreaked of Cigarette smoke and nicotine. That in itself
was enough to spoil my entire cruise as I am asthmatic and it was very
uncomfortable. To add insult to injury, we had a FIRE on our VERANDA!!!!!!!!!!
We do NOT smoke and the powers that be were very unsympathetic to our situation
and our cabin steward had to come to our defense that we do not smoke.
I found your site by doing a search for Smoke Free Cruises. I think it very
interesting that you had info about a fire on the Star Princess? This is going
to prompt me to write my letter to Princess about my dissatisfaction. Any
further suggestions would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
JJ Perks
Follow-up Email from JJ
Perks
I called my travel agent to
complain about our trip but it was months after our cruise in Sept. My husband
had his other hip replaced a few weeks after our cruise and there was the death
of my step dad in November. Needless to say, complaining about the experience
was NOT a priority at the time but I have not gotten over my HUGE
disappointment, not to mention the small fortune we spent on that trip for a
mini suite etc.....we are not millionaires by any stretch.
I am so sick of SMOKE ruining my vacations. I won't travel much because of it. I
HATE it and can not RELAX in an environment that wreaks of smoke or the residue
of it.
The only place I have traveled to that was not offensive to me is THE RICHMOND
HILL INN in Asheville, NC. A very classy SMOKE FREE environment......but the
price for such a luxury does not come cheap....please see their website.
http://www.richmondhillinn.com
It is worth the $$ for those souls that can afford to go there. I have not been
in a few years but I would refer anyone there that wants a class vacation with
totally CLEAN and SMOKE free accommodations.
I intend to keep in touch with you. Do I understand it to be that you need
donations to further your cause?
I LOVE to go on CRUISES as it is the ONLY time my husband stays away from his
JOB and RELAXES....but I am hard pressed to put his hard earned money towards a
cruise that I left in tears. Also, some of the comments about Princess that I
read and about the staff were very true. The stewards seemed afraid....that was
a great way to describe what they felt....which also made it very awkward for me
to voice my concerns......NOT A GOOD WAY TO SPEND MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for your insight....I will keep in touch!
JJ Perks
Letter from JJ Perks to Princess
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is delayed in coming as I have had several family issues that have
kept me extremely busy as a caregiver in the last year. My mother passed away
and my husband (who is a young 44 years of age) had to undergo 2 total hip
replacements. We also lost my step dad not long after our return.
That above being said, we sailed on the Caribbean Princess on September 16th,
2006 out of Ft. Lauderdale. As you can tell from the above, this was a very
badly needed vacation for us.
The first and foremost issue of concern is that our mini suite absolutely
wreaked of cigarette smoke and residue. I am asthmatic. You could even see the
nicotine stains at the top of the A/C vent that was located near the sliding
door to the veranda and some were on the walls. No amount of cleaning would have
gotten rid of the smell of cigarette smoke.
Also, the vent in the bathroom was loaded with mold and the floor in there was
less than clean in appearance. It was nothing that the cabin steward could have
had control over. He in fact was very attentive and professional. The suite and
bathroom looked OLD and run down. Tattered carpet, a dirty looking sofa, and
light fixtures, chairs (outside on the veranda and in) and walls that looked as
though they had seen better days. I chose this cruise as a REPEAT cruise because
I was under the impression the Caribbean Princess was a newer ship. We had done
this same cruise a few years earlier on the Golden Princess.
The truth be known, the PUBLIC AND COMMON AREAS, INCLUDING THE REST ROOMS, WERE
CLEANER AND NEWER LOOKING THAN OUR CABIN.
To add insult to injury, we had a fire on our veranda the last day. Our steward
had to come to our defense as the Powers That Be who came to investigate tried
to say that it was caused by smoking. We DO NOT SMOKE. In fact, I alerted my
husband that I was concerned a few evenings before the ash from the stacks was
blowing on to our veranda. When I spoke to one of the officers about it to voice
my concern, I was brushed off as if I were a nervous Nellie.
I took pictures so if need be I will be happy to send them to you.
I was expecting at the very least an apology. Nothing was ever done and we never
heard back from Princess after returning home. Our Travel Agent informed us that
we should write to you directly, which I am just now able to do.
I am writing for two reasons. One is to let you know that my husband and I were
repeat customers and we were sorely disappointed. The other reason is that I
have read on line that there was another fire on board one of your other ships.
The cigarette smoke issue was of a huge concern to me. It ruined my trip.
I was wondering why you do not have ships that are designated NO SMOKING cabins
and verandas. After searching online I see that I am clearly not alone in my
wishes to be able to find cruises that have cabins and accommodations that are
smoke free.
I would appreciate someone contacting me in regard to my issue and
disappointment.
Thank you,
Joann Perks
cc: American Society of Travel Agents; Cruise Line International Association