Opinion on the tap water please

[heidik]

I am a water drinker - it's all I drink. I am not a water "connoisseur" so am not overly picky and prefer room temp. Will I be ok with not ordering bottled water?

[SwissMyst]

I am a water drinker - it's all I drink. I am not a water "connoisseur" so am not overly picky and prefer room temp. Will I be ok with not ordering bottled water?

I drink the tap water with no problems - but I am not freaky about water so please keep that in mind. Would bringing one of the travel water filtration devices be something to think about, if you had concerns about taste, but do think it is very safe sanitation wise. There are posters here who know the technicalities about the ship water system - don't know if it is desal water distilled on board or filtered fresh water brought on board at each stop.

[Boytjie]

HAL's tap water has always been good for us and we never drink any bottled water on the ship.

[Druke I]

It has been said that ships' water is purer than most municipal water supplies.

I drink it all the time, and have not had a problem. My wife, who has a sensitive tummy, drinks only bottled water.

[iancal]

No. We are not prepared to pay the cruise line for bottled water when we can get a better product free by turning on the tap.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The tap water on the ships is better than what we get at home.

[Lesinindy]

I drink lots of water (dasani) daily and I found the water on-board the Eurodam to be very good and up to bottled water standards. I still brought on a few bottles to take with me on shore excursions and refill them with tap water.

[SwissMyst]

Dasani is apparently filtered tap water adulterated with chemicals for commercial taste appeal, marketed by Coca Cola: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani

Interesting info here (yeah I know, wikipedia is only a feeble start for research) about energy consumption used to package and bottle water compared to turning on the tap and getting it directly.

[iancal]

Yes, and if I recall there was a great show on PBS several years ago that highlighted the difference between City of London water and the Coca Cola product Dosani (sp). Yes, the lab that tested the water at that time said that the City of London water was the purer of the two!

I constantly hear complaints about the price of gasoline in North America. Yet Americans seem very happy to pay more for bottled water at a filling station than they would for the equivilant amout of gasoline.

[KirkNC]

On our recent Noordam cruise we went to the Q&A with the captain. One thing he talked about was the ships water. Most of the water on the Noordam (I don't know if this applies to all ships or not) is actually made from sea water. They use the heat from the smoke stacks to desalinate the sea water. One problem they have in cruises with stops every day (like Europe) is they can't make as much water because the ship is sitting still and not generating enough heat in the smoke stacks. When that happens they may be forced to buy water from whatever port they happen to be in. So, at least on the Noordam (and I suspect many other ships), you may be drinking water made via desalination or the local municipal water from one of your stops.

Kirk

[Lesinindy]

Dasani is apparently filtered tap water adulterated with chemicals for commercial taste appeal, marketed by Coca Cola: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani

Interesting info here (yeah I know, wikipedia is only a feeble start for research) about energy consumption used to package and bottle water compared to turning on the tap and getting it directly.

Yep, but it tastes good to me and we have a well out in the country.

[ccruisequeen]

On one cruise, the water was so bad that we didn't drink it at all; now we bring a Pur pitcher with a filter & fill it every night.

[Kween Karen]

I, too, drink the tap water freely. That and coffee is all I drink while I am cruising so it is a good thing I like it!

[Cinder Again]

I think the tap water is great. I bring a stainless water bottle aboard and refill it all the time. Easy to throw in my bag when I go off the ship, and carry around the ship as well.
I did talk to a ship's doctor one time, and he said he has folks lining up after a few days cruising, wanting Lasix pills to get rid of extra fluids. I didn't ask, but wondered to myself if there might be residual salt in the water, causing them to retain water? (or it might be the gargantuan meals they are consuming, that they wouldn't eat at home:D)

[RuthC]

I did talk to a ship's doctor one time, and he said he has folks lining up after a few days cruising, wanting Lasix pills to get rid of extra fluids. I didn't ask, but wondered to myself if there might be residual salt in the water, causing them to retain water?
For years I have wondered the same thing. I take furosemide daily, but double up on the dosage when I cruise. Sometimes even that isn't good enough. In cooler climates it almost does the trick, but in the hot/humid areas---not even close.

Funny how I don't taste the salt in the water, but I wonder if that sense is dulled by breathing in salt air.

[DeepWaterMariner]

On our recent Noordam cruise we went to the Q&A with the captain. One thing he talked about was the ships water. Most of the water on the Noordam (I don't know if this applies to all ships or not) is actually made from sea water. They use the heat from the smoke stacks to desalinate the sea water. One problem they have in cruises with stops every day (like Europe) is they can't make as much water because the ship is sitting still and not generating enough heat in the smoke stacks. When that happens they may be forced to buy water from whatever port they happen to be in. So, at least on the Noordam (and I suspect many other ships), you may be drinking water made via desalination or the local municipal water from one of your stops.

I've heard the same explanation before on other cruise lines no matter which method they use for making fresh water...that taking on water in port is sometimes necessary to supplement what they can make. We've never had a problem with the tap water on any ship and have generally found it to taste better than tap water at home with one exception. NCL seems to add more chlorine than the other lines.

[Cinder Again]

I've heard the same explanation before on other cruise lines no matter which method they use for making fresh water...that taking on water in port is sometimes necessary to supplement what they can make. We've never had a problem with the tap water on any ship and have generally found it to taste better than tap water at home with one exception. NCL seems to add more chlorine than the other lines.
The chief engineer on one of HAL's ships told me that they almost always take on water along with fuel when at a dock. We, as pax, use a ton of water, and that's not including laundry and food services.
When we were in the Antarctic, they would sail amongst the icebergs during the day, then we would sail back to open sea at night and race around to make water, then back in amongst the 'bergs for viewing the next day again...Ruth, do you remember that, too?

[RuthC]

When we were in the Antarctic, they would sail amongst the icebergs during the day, then we would sail back to open sea at night and race around to make water, then back in amongst the 'bergs for viewing the next day again...Ruth, do you remember that, too?
I don't, but that isn't something I would have taken note of.
I know I didn't get up early enough to see that we were returning to the peninsula region.

[Boytjie]

I, too, drink the tap water freely. That and coffee is all I drink while I am cruising so it is a good thing I like it!

What?! No smuggled hard liquor? :eek:

[Cruz'n Couple]

I drink the ship's water until my ankles and feet start swelling, and then I get a few bottles of water while on shore. Evidently my personal system is very sensitive to the "desalination" water, because I really can't take much "salt" in my water. I can't taste the salt, but it surely does a number on my ankles and feet!

[amonkeybutt]

i'm guessing it's all the extra sodium with the delicious meals rather than sodium in the water. can't be that delicious without extra salt and/or butter.

[bob brown]

I find that tap water on the ship to be just fine for drinking. At home, I never buy bottled water, as our NYC tap water is as good or better, although I do run it through a Brita filter, just to make it even purer.

Regarding the ship bringing water on from shore...I have read that the ship is capable of making enough desalinated seawater to meet all of its needs, however it is simply cheaper to buy it in some cases then use the fuel necessary to distill it.

[excruisestaff]

Take a water bottle or thermos from home and keep refilling it from the water tap on the machine where iced tea/lemonade is served freely up on deck. And if you'd like more flavor to it, bring along some individual packets of Crystal Light.

MH

[Typhoon1]

On board water is as good as, if not better, than most tap water.

[ariawoman]

I had high hopes of the water on the Nieuw Amsterdam after reading on cruise critic about how the water was better than bottled, but I actually didn't find I liked the taste of it. Actually, to me it had a smell to it and that was why I didn't like the taste (i'm big on smelling while eating/drinking and can't get past it). I can't describe the smell. I smelled like it for 2 weeks from bathing in it, but can't describe it. It did indeed go away once off the ship so I know it was the water, but I really dont know what about it either didn't mesh with me.

Either way, won't stop me from sailing HAL again, that's for sure. I just know what I'm in for next time :-)

[catl331]

I didn't smell anything in the water on the N. Amsterdam. I am quick to pick up smells especially in an enclosed room like the bathroom. I also fill an empty water to take with me off the ship. Didn't smell anything when I opened the bottle either. Maybe it was something in ariawoman's plumbing or on her deck. We were on Navigation deck.

[SimoneT]

Sorry for the OT post but Aria, I put in a friend request on here...not sure how that works. I think I "know" you from another board.:) What are the odds of that? (Does "Touche'" ring a bell to you?)

[Lizzie1213]

I am a water drinker - it's all I drink. I am not a water "connoisseur" so am not overly picky and prefer room temp. Will I be ok with not ordering bottled water?

We always drink the tap water. it is clean and tastes fine

[Protseq]

It has been said that ships' water is purer than most municipal water supplies.

I drink it all the time, and have not had a problem. My wife, who has a sensitive tummy, drinks only bottled water.

We were on the Crown Princess repositioning cruise from Quebec City to Port Everglades. In the Main Dining Room the waiters pushed the fancy bottled water all the time. This one dinner, the waiter asked the usual question and we all said that tap water was fine. He came right back and said, "the best water Norfolk VA can supply!" And he was right, it tasted just like municipal water. I guess Princess Cruise line will tap municipal water supplies along the East Coast.

[suse]

Water is water. Simple fact. Some water is better, some is worse. I wouldn't drink the water in, say, some places, but you can bet your bottom dollar that HAL is gonna serve you besta watta!!!!;)

[HoneyGV]

I am a water drinker - it's all I drink. I am not a water "connoisseur" so am not overly picky and prefer room temp. Will I be ok with not ordering bottled water?

I have no problem with their tap water. I just buy one bottle of their water and refill it from the tap and put it in the fridge. I'm not much of an alcohol drinker so I bring my Crystal light or Propel packets onboard and keep the bottle filled with my own drinks. I don't like Coke products and that's about all they have on HAL.

[HoneyGV]

On our recent Noordam cruise we went to the Q&A with the captain. One thing he talked about was the ships water. Most of the water on the Noordam (I don't know if this applies to all ships or not) is actually made from sea water. They use the heat from the smoke stacks to desalinate the sea water. One problem they have in cruises with stops every day (like Europe) is they can't make as much water because the ship is sitting still and not generating enough heat in the smoke stacks. When that happens they may be forced to buy water from whatever port they happen to be in. So, at least on the Noordam (and I suspect many other ships), you may be drinking water made via desalination or the local municipal water from one of your stops.

Kirk

Just got off the Noordam this past Saturday. We were a relief ship for St. Lucia. It was a really big deal and Capt. Scott said it was the first time EVER that they took water OFF the ship. We spent all day long filling up tankers with our water for St. Lucia. ALL day long there were tankers in and out of the dock to fill up with water. I suppose the desalination worked pretty quickly. We filled them up and still had water for the rest of our cruise.

It was a grand gesture for HAL to do this. We offloaded a lot of food and gave the kids from a Catholic Orphanage a party while we were there. The kids came onboard, spent the day at Club HAL, we fed them, took donations for the country and the orphanage and the kids got their Christmas party for December in November.

The prime minister and his wife came out to the ship and shook hands with many of us. What a great day it was for us to help their country.

[HoneyGV]

I, too, drink the tap water freely. That and coffee is all I drink while I am cruising so it is a good thing I like it!

I read this with some amusement. I'm just kidding, but...with all the coffee and water, did you find yourself up all night running to the loo? :D

[cruiserkevinjay]

I thought I read somewhere on this forum that some of the cabins on the Nieuw Amsterdam, have water filtration systems, like the Brita or Pur water pitchers. It that true?

[RuthC]

I thought I read somewhere on this forum that some of the cabins on the Nieuw Amsterdam, have water filtration systems, like the Brita or Pur water pitchers. It that true?
I don't remember ever reading any such thing on this forum. And I doubt it's true, either. Some cabins, and not others? Nah.

[vb,cruisers]

I am a water drinker - it's all I drink. I am not a water "connoisseur" so am not overly picky and prefer room temp. Will I be ok with not ordering bottled water?

I have survived over 30 HAL cruises drinking the tap water.

[BruceMuzz]

Yes, and if I recall there was a great show on PBS several years ago that highlighted the difference between City of London water and the Coca Cola product Dosani (sp). Yes, the lab that tested the water at that time said that the City of London water was the purer of the two!

I constantly hear complaints about the price of gasoline in North America. Yet Americans seem very happy to pay more for bottled water at a filling station than they would for the equivilant amout of gasoline.

In 2009 Americans spent $12 Billion for gasoline, and $13 Billion for bottled water (most of which came from city water supplies in Dallas and Atlanta).

[wilsonqbc]

The desalinated water is made by reverse osmosis, and you cannot get any purer water than that, I love it. But yes they always take on extra water when in port. if you had some smelly water maybe it was the municipal water they took on somewhere and had lots cholrine or flourine in it.

[cb at sea]

We NEVER pay for water...the ship's water is perfectly fine! We don't always take water ashore....we aren't the type of folks that have to have a bottle of water in your hand 24/7! If we're in an 'iffy' port, we'll take some water ashore, but otherwise, we're quite sure we'll find something to drink somewhere if we're thirsty!

[momatibm]

We NEVER pay for water...the ship's water is perfectly fine! We don't always take water ashore....we aren't the type of folks that have to have a bottle of water in your hand 24/7! If we're in an 'iffy' port, we'll take some water ashore, but otherwise, we're quite sure we'll find something to drink somewhere if we're thirsty!

I agree -- bottled beer in most ports is safe to drink particularly when they open it in front of you. Drinks with ice should be avoided, however.