How pure is the tap water on the ships?

Should I plan on purchasing bottled water quite frequently?

We will bring on a bottle of water then refill with ship water.

At the buffet they request you use a cup when refilling.

Should I plan on purchasing bottled water quite frequently?

I can't give you numbers, but we've just used the water from the tap in room to fill water bottles we've brought onboard to use.

All the ships we've been on the water (ALL the water - from the tap, served in dining room, making ice, preparing food, in the shower) is processed the same as most bottled waters (reverse osmosis and filtered).

We've never gotten sick from drinking ship's water.

It's above the standards set by the U.S. Health agency it's capable of turning sea water to drinkable water but you can bring water if you want

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The tap water on a cruise ship is probably better than water that comes out of your tap at home unless you're on well water.

I've answered this so many times, I'll just cut and paste my canned answer:

Ship's water is from 3 sources: distillation from sea water, reverse osmosis filtering from sea water, or shore side sources. The USPH has strict requirements about drinking water, it's production, handling, disinfection, and storage. USPH requires chlorination to sanitize the water at higher levels than most municipal supplies, and this can affect the taste. Water from the drink dispensers in the buffet and MDR, the bar guns, and ice makers are filtered to remove the chlorine mainly for maintenance reasons, so the taste can be "better". I put better in quotes, as water taste is one of the most subjective areas of life in the US. Everyone tastes water differently, and has a preference for more/less minerals, etc.

A Brita type water bottle or pitcher will do the same thing as the filters on the drink dispensers for the water from your sink in your cabin.

While most folks know that their local water supply chlorinates water, the USPH requirement is that there is always some residual chlorine in the water, since the water continually recirculates, unlike the one way piping from your water source to your house. Water samples are taken monthly and tested for bacteria.

I've answered this so many times, I'll just cut and paste my canned answer:

 

Ship's water is from 3 sources: distillation from sea water, reverse osmosis filtering from sea water, or shore side sources. The USPH has strict requirements about drinking water, it's production, handling, disinfection, and storage. USPH requires chlorination to sanitize the water at higher levels than most municipal supplies, and this can affect the taste. Water from the drink dispensers in the buffet and MDR, the bar guns, and ice makers are filtered to remove the chlorine mainly for maintenance reasons, so the taste can be "better". I put better in quotes, as water taste is one of the most subjective areas of life in the US. Everyone tastes water differently, and has a preference for more/less minerals, etc.

 

A Brita type water bottle or pitcher will do the same thing as the filters on the drink dispensers for the water from your sink in your cabin.

 

While most folks know that their local water supply chlorinates water, the USPH requirement is that there is always some residual chlorine in the water, since the water continually recirculates, unlike the one way piping from your water source to your house. Water samples are taken monthly and tested for bacteria.

So for anyone that doesn't know this is from the guy whose job it is to oversee the making of the water (and to make the ship go:)), a more reliable source we couldn't ask for:).

So for anyone that doesn't know this is from the guy whose job it is to oversee the making of the water (and to make the ship go:)), a more reliable source we couldn't ask for:).

Like! (and agree)

Should I plan on purchasing bottled water quite frequently?

better than most shore side tap water( and a bazillion times better than FL tap water)

bottled water is a waste of money and lousy for the environment. you can buy a personal size water bottle with a built in filter if the taste is what throws you off. but the quality and purity of on board ship water is better than many large cities.

We cruise on Carnival's Fantasy out of Charleston, SC a LOT. The water they get in Charleston is awful. So, we got an $18 water filter from Loew's and put it on our bathroom sink. (The room steward has to remove the air rater (spicket) sometimes but we put it back at end of cruise.) Water is then fine. I have a thermos I fill with this water for tours and on deck and this is the water we drink.

The ship's water is perfectly fine. The food you eat will be made with ship's water. The ice in your drinks will be from ship's water. The drinks will be made with ship's water.

We cruise on Carnival's Fantasy out of Charleston, SC a LOT. The water they get in Charleston is awful. So, we got an $18 water filter from Loew's and put it on our bathroom sink. (The room steward has to remove the air rater (spicket) sometimes but we put it back at end of cruise.) Water is then fine. I have a thermos I fill with this water for tours and on deck and this is the water we drink.

True, but likely, Charlestonian's probably think their water tastes fine. Water taste is one of the most subjective things about life in the US.

I've answered this so many times, I'll just cut and paste my canned answer:

 

Ship's water is from 3 sources: distillation from sea water, reverse osmosis filtering from sea water, or shore side sources. The USPH has strict requirements about drinking water, it's production, handling, disinfection, and storage. USPH requires chlorination to sanitize the water at higher levels than most municipal supplies, and this can affect the taste. Water from the drink dispensers in the buffet and MDR, the bar guns, and ice makers are filtered to remove the chlorine mainly for maintenance reasons, so the taste can be "better". I put better in quotes, as water taste is one of the most subjective areas of life in the US. Everyone tastes water differently, and has a preference for more/less minerals, etc.

 

A Brita type water bottle or pitcher will do the same thing as the filters on the drink dispensers for the water from your sink in your cabin.

 

While most folks know that their local water supply chlorinates water, the USPH requirement is that there is always some residual chlorine in the water, since the water continually recirculates, unlike the one way piping from your water source to your house. Water samples are taken monthly and tested for bacteria.

Do the 3 different sources mix at some point? When?

Do the 3 different sources mix at some point? When?

Yes, they do. At the storage tanks at the least, or in the water system at the latest. Unlike home systems, the water on ships is continuously recirculating, so there is mixing of water from different water tanks at times. Any water taken from shore must be isolated from service until it has been tested for fecal coliform bacteria. This takes 24 hours, so any water that comes from shore is not used for 24 hours, but has already been chlorinated, as the water is chlorinated while it is being loaded.

Yes, they do. At the storage tanks at the least, or in the water system at the latest. Unlike home systems, the water on ships is continuously recirculating, so there is mixing of water from different water tanks at times. Any water taken from shore must be isolated from service until it has been tested for fecal coliform bacteria. This takes 24 hours, so any water that comes from shore is not used for 24 hours, but has already been chlorinated, as the water is chlorinated while it is being loaded.

Thank you. I'm interested in this, because I always felt the water onboard (at least the ships I've been on thus far) is great. And I like to know all kinds of stuff about things. That way, I can answer questions better.

Something not mentioned on this thread is that because it's stored in tanks rather than from underground pipes, the water from ship's taps is nowhere near as cold as from your tap at home.

At drinks stations the water is chilled or ice is available or both.

But water from your bathroom tap is tepid. If your cabin has a fridge but no ice, draw a bottleful or two & store it in the fridge. Saves relying on the steward to keep an ice bucket topped-up.

JB :)

Something not mentioned on this thread is that because it's stored in tanks rather than from underground pipes, the water from ship's taps is nowhere near as cold as from your tap at home.

 

At drinks stations the water is chilled or ice is available or both.

But water from your bathroom tap is tepid. If your cabin has a fridge but no ice, draw a bottleful or two & store it in the fridge. Saves relying on the steward to keep an ice bucket topped-up.

 

JB :)

Tepid is good, sometimes down right hot. The water tanks are not allowed to be "integral" with the hull like fuel and ballast tanks, so they have air space all around them, acting as an insulator, and the tanks are part of the engine spaces. Since the water is constantly circulating, it doesn't sit like the water in your underground pipes to chill, and the pumping adds heat.

If you find that the taste/smell of chlorine in ship's water is unpleasant then what you can do is to put a bottle or jug of ship's water in your cabin fridge (if you have one) with the cap removed. After a day it will be nice and cold, and the taste/smell of chlorine is gone.

Whenever I'm asked what kind of water I would like in the speciality restaurants, i.e. "still or sparkling" (at additional cost!) I have been known to reply "ship's water please. I know it's been passed by the Chief Engineer". :rolleyes:

VP