Bottled Water

We will be in Rome this Sept. and one of the women in our group only drinks Poland Spring bottled water. Can we buy this brand in Rome, FCO or at the port or does she have to drag a case from JFK?? We will also be stopping in Florence and Barcelona so if anyone knows about the bottled water in these ports the info would also be appreciated.

Thanks

We will be in Rome this Sept. and one of the women in our group only drinks Poland Spring bottled water. Can we buy this brand in Rome, FCO or at the port or does she have to drag a case from JFK?? We will also be stopping in Florence and Barcelona so if anyone knows about the bottled water in these ports the info would also be appreciated.

Thanks

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that if she ONLY drinks Poland Spring water she may have to bring her own case or learn to drink something else.They DO have good bottled water in Europe,but I do not recall seeing PS.Maybe some else will have better info on this.I would think taking a case of water would be hard,buth then that is just me.

Yep, she'll have to drag it along on the plane. No Poland Spring anywhere in Europe. You'll help by bringing a case on board, won't you? :rolleyes:

I live in Europe and at first thought that the water might come from Poland, given its name.

I looked on the Internet, and I have now learned that it is from Maine, USA.

I'm terribly sorry but nobody in Europe has ever heard of that brand. In most European countries, only the local brands of water are sold, except for a few brands that have penetrated the worldwide international marketplace due to the multinationals that own them such as Evian, Vittel, Perrier, and one or two Italian brands.

Most people buy the country specific brands, which cost about 35 euro cents for a 1 1/2 liter bottle. They don't buy Evian or Vittel, because these brands tend to cost more than one euro for a 1 1/2 liter bottle. You mention you are going to Barcelona. Spain has some excellent brands of mineral water -- Font Vella, Bezoya, Vichy Catalana (similar to sparking Perrier), Mondariz, etc.

You will have no problem finding excellent mineral water here in Europe.

Nestle owns a brand of mineral water that they call something different in each European country, but is basically the same product.

Also, Coca-Cola owns another brand of mineral water that they call something different in each European country.

You'll see that snooty bottle of water from "Fiji" in one or two upscale hotels in each European country, but for the most part, the only water sold here are the country-specific brands, the multinationals giving each country a brand name, and the well-known international brands such as Perrier, Evian, Vittel, etc.

The passenger in question will quickly use up his or her luggage limit, or incur excess baggage, by trying to check cases of mineral water that only sells for about thirty cents a bottle anyway.

Kind regards,

Gunther and Uta

Further to what I was mentioning above with regard to the multinationals bottling water under a country-specific brand in each country, I just did some research and found out that Poland Spring is nothing more than a Nestle subsidiary.

Yes their website talks about their water coming from an ancient glacier in Maine, just as the propaganda the same multinational company uses for its Spanish brand says how their water comes from the thermal springs of the Pyrenees, etc.

So tell your friend just to buy one of the Nestle branded waters in each country you visit and you will be fine.

Water is water, folks.

Kind regards,

Gunther and Uta

Poland Spring appears to be a brand serving the east coast of the U.S.A.

Arrowhead is the brand of mineral water that is popular on the west coast.

And guess what?

Arrowhead water, which purports to come from "mountain springs", IS ALSO A NESTLE SUBSIDIARY.

I hope your friend is now getting the picture -- there are only two or three multinational companies on the planet that process and bottle mineral water, marketing their product in each country, or in each region (as is the case with Poland Spring vs. Arrowhead) with a specific brand and marketing hype for the area in question.

Kind regards,

Gunther and Uta

I forgot another option if she cannot drink anything else or find anything else re the previous posts,and I do not mean to be rude,but she could stay home if this is really going to be a problem.Sometimes people have a hard time traveling,but I am sure she will be able to drink something.

After reading this website, you will realize that most bottled water in the world seems to be made by Nestle -- even the most famous brands.

Anyway, your friend should have an idea about what brands to purchase in each European country in order to be able to drink water that most closely resembles the water at home (Poland Spring).

Kind regards,

Gunther and Uta

obviously you are trying to do all you can to help a friend, but I just don't understand how anybody can be that rigid and inflexible; it certainly can't be for medical reasons. suggest she just buy one of the recommended nestle corp european bottled waters and she will find very little significant difference. I certainly don't mean to be rude, but really!:)

We will be in Rome this Sept. and one of the women in our group only drinks Poland Spring bottled water. Can we buy this brand in Rome, FCO or at the port or does she have to drag a case from JFK?? We will also be stopping in Florence and Barcelona so if anyone knows about the bottled water in these ports the info would also be appreciated.

Thanks

Just FYI, there are no glaciers in Maine, they claim it was once glacial water that made the spring. I also note this:

"Today, Poland Spring® Brand Natural Spring Water is collected from several spring sources in Maine. These sources have been selected for their similarity and compatibility in taste and mineral composition. Adding additional sources allows the brand to meet demand while protecting the environment."

So the water isn't even all the same!!

For a minute there, I thought it was April 1st! :D

:D Touche

Just FYI, there are no glaciers in Maine, they claim it was once glacial water that made the spring. I also note this:

 

"Today, Poland Spring® Brand Natural Spring Water is collected from several spring sources in Maine. These sources have been selected for their similarity and compatibility in taste and mineral composition. Adding additional sources allows the brand to meet demand while protecting the environment."

 

So the water isn't even all the same!!

There is some "bottled" water that is sold that comes from TAP water..PS is not one of them,but people do spend a lot for water,and Evian per gallon would even put today's gas prices to shame!!! I find quite a few American's who travel abroad do like to have what they know from home and some(I have seen this first hand) are eve afraid to eat in restos there...I hdo hope this person finds she can drink other bottled water and finds that she can have a super time anyway!!! Sorry had to add my other 3 cents here.....;)

Thanks so much for all your quick replies and information. I have passed it on and am sure she will do what she needs to do to ensure her comfort level.

Dragging 24 bottles of water half way across the world will certainly be a challenge!!

Thanks

We will be in Rome this Sept. and one of the women in our group only drinks Poland Spring bottled water.

For heavens sake shoot the woman. Certainly don't bring her with you.

Is she completely mad? Isn't travel about broadening the mind?

There are some excellent Italian waters. Isn't the point of going to Rome to experience Italy?

My mind is boggling.

Take the water, leave the woman!!!

After reading this website, you will realize that most bottled water in the world seems to be made by Nestle -- even the most famous brands.

 

Anyway, your friend should have an idea about what brands to purchase in each European country in order to be able to drink water that most closely resembles the water at home (Poland Spring).

Nestle own both Perrier and San Pellegrino. Each of them comes from their own specific source, and they taste very different from each other.

So the fact that you can get a Nestle-owned water brand is no guarantee that it will resemble Poland Spring.

But I have to say that the OP's friend doesn't need a case of Poland Spring brought across the Atlantic. She simply needs a life.

There is some "bottled" water that is sold that comes from TAP water.

It remains a complete mystery to me how Coca-Cola could have thought that, in a country and continent that is awash with great natural mineral waters, it could viably launch an expensive premium bottled water that was basically bottled tap water.

But at least they got their come-uppance. After spending millions of pounds on the launch publicity, the product lasted 5 weeks before it was withdrawn from the shelves in the UK, and the planned launches in the rest of Europe cancelled.

As an online article somewhere says, in its short European life, Dasani arguably provided more entertainment than refreshment. :D

Ah, the great Dasani scandal!

 

It remains a complete mystery to me how Coca-Cola could have thought that, in a country and continent that is awash with great natural mineral waters, it could viably launch an expensive premium bottled water that was basically bottled tap water.

 

But at least they got their come-uppance. After spending millions of pounds on the launch publicity, the product lasted 5 weeks before it was withdrawn from the shelves in the UK, and the planned launches in the rest of Europe cancelled.

 

As an online article somewhere says, in its short European life, Dasani arguably provided more entertainment than refreshment. :D

I really wasn't even thinking of Dasani...there are several out there now on the market that are bottled from city water(notably in New York).I don't have the list right now,but I don't think I would list them in case someone thinks they are drinking spring/glacier/mineral or whatever water.....:D I have never fihured out the human psyche,and I am getting to old to care.

For heavens sake shoot the woman. Certainly don't bring her with you.

 

Is she completely mad? Isn't travel about broadening the mind?

 

I think this is one of the funniest threads I have read in any forum this week!

 

If we were traveling with her, my wife would tell her not even to mention this in front of me! I would have the on board comedian bringing her up on stage before all was said and done!

I, too, favor Poland Spring water as my everyday quaff, but have found lots of good bottled waters all over the world. Just remind your friend that she needs to order still water, not sparkling. For example, Pelligrino, a terrific Italian water, is available in both still and sparkling. In my experience, most places in Europe assume you want sparkling water until told otherwise.

For heavens sake shoot the woman. Certainly don't bring her with you.

 

Is she completely mad? Isn't travel about broadening the mind?

 

I think this is one of the funniest threads I have read in any forum this week!

 

If we were traveling with her, my wife would tell her not even to mention this in front of me! I would have the on board comedian bringing her up on stage before all was said and done!

 

 

This has been comic relief from the usual repeated questions of trains and private guides.......:D :D

If this woman simply doesn't like the taste of any bottled water other than Poland Spring have her buy some True Lemon which comes in little packets so would easily fit into her suitcase. True Lemon is labeled a crystalized lemon substitute, and I use it simply because I don't like any water, bottled or not.

And, yes, this thread is a nice change of pace and very funny. Hope the OP's friend isn't so closed minded that she can't enjoy the richness of other cultures.

Here is some serious advice:

The different taste of different mineral waters comes from the different composition of the various minerals.

I am not talking about the branded water form Coca-Cola and other companies which are basically tap water.

Real mineralwater in Europe comes always from one individual spring and has a specific composition.

Thus if the person in question likes a particular brand she can check the composition of that water and compare it with those of other waters to find a similiar one.

Maybe she prefers more calcium or more natrium or whatever.

PS: Indeed the tastes can be very different. The Adlon in Berlin offers even a special water menu with over 40 different waters.

Wow. I know its not proper to criticize here... but how many ways can you spell "prima donna?" Surely this is a joke. Actually, I think this entire water thing has gotten out of control and become one of those fad things that will mystify historians in the future. People are paying over $10 a gallon for water and complaining about $3 gasoline? Give me a good scotch followed by a tap water chaser.

Hank