Discusting

[novice, Wales]

On our recent cruise, we asked the cabin steward if it was possible to have a softer pillow, because I woke up with a stiff neck, he told us no problem . In the evening when we returned to our cabin two extra pillow had been placed on our bed. My husband looked at his pillow and said "this is very lumpy for a soft pillow". He then took the pillow case off to have a look at this pillow, and what we discovered turned our stomachs. We stripped all our pillows off their pillowcases, some had protectors on and some didn't , we had to pry the protectors from the pillows as they were fused together with grease, one of the pillows had blood on it. Not just one or two pillows ALL of them were filthy.........

I have been pondering for a while if to post this here, and I don't want to upset anybody, and I'm not a moaner, the minimum I expect on a cruise is clean pillows and bedlinen. I just want everyone to be aware of this, some of you might not be bothered by this, that's up to the individual. But I will definitely always from now on check all the bedding on any of the ships we will be cruising on, and as a matter a fact I'm thinking of taking my own pillow from now on.
I didn't want to write about the whole episode here because it's to long to bother anyone with.

As I pointed out to one of the officers that came to see us about this, everyone is so worried about the Noro virus on ships, well pillow are a breading ground for it.....

We have taken photo's as proof, and have taken it up with the relevant company. I just don't know how to post them here for you all to see.

[cymrucruiser]

That is disgusting and I'd love to see the photos. Loading photos is a challenge in itself, you have to upload them to a site such as flickr or photo bucket and then copy and paste the image url.
Back to the original issue. I always check the bedding. I also check the mattress for any sign of bedbugs or disgusting yuck before unpacking. So far we've not experienced a problem thankfully.

How did the cruise line deal with your complaint? Where you satisfied? Don't worry about moaning that's what we are all here for lol as long as it's constructive haha

[Cooke, Ashby]

What a dreadful experience! Makes you wonder what else was not up to standard.

[Happy, Wolverhampton]

I agree, that is a disgrace. I have never though to check pillows in the past but I will in the future.

[novice, Wales]

It took us a few days to get to see someone in charge, after about three days back and forth, we managed to see an officer, when he looked at the photo's he didn't comment a lot, but told us that the pillows were changed every two years on the ship, well that made it even worse, it was one catastrophe after an other, one excuse after an other.The offered us a bottle of wine as compensation, my husband said that they were insulting us now, eventually they then said we could have a meal in any restaurant of our choice and £50 on board spend.

[novice, Wales]

That is disgusting and I'd love to see the photos. Loading photos is a challenge in itself, you have to upload them to a site such as flickr or photo bucket and then copy and paste the image url.
Back to the original issue. I always check the bedding. I also check the mattress for any sign of bedbugs or disgusting yuck before unpacking. So far we've not experienced a problem thankfully.

How did the cruise line deal with your complaint? Where you satisfied? Don't worry about moaning that's what we are all here for lol as long as it's constructive haha

I have photobucket, so how do I post the pictures??

[novice, Wales]

[Malcolm, Essex]

I would advise one never looks too closely at what is under the pillow-slip or the naked mattress on-board any ship or hotel - you may be shocked!

Unfortunately dirty pillows and mattresses are no so uncommon. They often don't get changed for years.

[carol, welwyn garden city]

I've just read this same post on Facebook written by some-one else, same picture. Just wondered who had the experience and who has copied who??
.................................................. ...............................................Car ol

[jan lowden, sunderland (2)]

Horrible,I always check the linen and pillow cases,Thankfully i have never found one like the photo you have posted.!! Jan.

[Delboy, Essex]

Have never checked the pillows or mattresses on a cruise or hotel stay.
As long as the pillow cases, sheets and bed linen are clean, washed, ironed and crisp looking, never felt the need to bother.

So far don't think I have ever been bitten by a bed bug.

Most hotels and cruise ships I would imagine have an approx two year change over period for pillows and mattresses. More frequent for bed linen.

[novice, Wales]

I've just read this same post on Facebook written by some-one else, same picture. Just wondered who had the experience and who has copied who??
.................................................. ...............................................Car ol

Carol it is me on Facebook..I go there by my real name , so I'd like you to keep it that way please, I'd appreciate that very much, thank you.x

[cymrucruiser]

What ship where you on novice?

[liauq, w mids]

I would advise one never looks too closely at what is under the pillow-slip or the naked mattress on-board any ship or hotel - you may be shocked!

Unfortunately dirty pillows and mattresses are no so uncommon. They often don't get changed for years.

Completely with Malcolm on this one; don't look too closely at anything..and the same goes for hotels, even the higher end ones, unless you don't want to go on holiday again.
Think I was bitten by bedbugs once on a motorway-style stopover in France, cluster style bites; the worse thing about them is that you can take them home with you, so I do a quick check for blood and "shedding" on the bedstead, yuk.

[carol, welwyn garden city]

Carol it is me on Facebook..I go there by my real name , so I'd like you to keep it that way please, I'd appreciate that very much, thank you.x

No problem, I've never checked my pillows before, but I know I'm going to on my cruise on Saturday! .......................Carol