Why can't North Americans live without 'iced water' at mealtimes?

[Skipper Tim]

In preparation for the second coming.

Kalo Taxidi.

 

I believe, Επίσης, is the correct response! But kalo anything is good. Thank you.

[Keel Haul]

apart from some of the plumbing and taxi driving in Corfu. Putting used toilet paper in the bin next to the bog is the best contraceptive known to man.

The taxi drivers all claim to be relatives of the few hired to stunt the chase scene in the Bond movie.

[All aboard??]

I have for years said that I am sure there is something extra in the water in the US as it is impossible for a nation their size to all be so continuously, nauseatingly "high on life".

 

So there is your answer - they suffer withdrawals without it; better than my first thought that they just cheap.

[Keel Haul]

What puzzles me AA and after your revelation I think you will give me a truthful answer.This may only be possible if you have sailed Carnival in the Caribbean.

Why at the breakfast buffet do some enormous passengers eat incredible amounts of calorie laden foods all washed down with Diet Coke?:)

[DEL67]

A brilliant exposition - thank you. Now I think I beginning to understand the expectation but, to crystallise the case, I will ask the question: "why do you expect free water at mealtimes ?".

 

This thread is not entirely serious and I hope all readers will take it in the spirit it is intended. We are, however, discussing an interesting topic....

 

Water is free at the buffet (and ice.) Why not in the dining room?

 

Regardless, it wasn't just Americans buying the water so I feel that providing free water in the dining room would be a low cost way to increase customer satisfaction

[Skipper Tim]

What puzzles me AA and after your revelation I think you will give me a truthful answer.This may only be possible if you have sailed Carnival in the Caribbean.

Why at the breakfast buffet do some enormous passengers eat incredible amounts of calorie laden foods all washed down with Diet Coke?:)

 

Diet Coke is another subject altogether. I swear by it when travelling. Cola will take out the lining of your stomach. Diet Coke provides no sugar so is the perfect prevention and/or cure to runny tummies, to describe the condition in the least unpleasant way.

 

Diet Coke and Bacardi, mixed in equal quantities, is possibly the most therapeutic, healthy and slimming drink on board. It should be free for all sorts of reasons.

 

T.

[AmoMondo]

Diet Coke is another subject altogether. I swear by it when travelling. Cola will take out the lining of your stomach. Diet Coke provides no sugar so is the perfect prevention and/or cure to runny tummies, to describe the condition in the least unpleasant way.

 

Diet Coke and Bacardi, mixed in equal quantities, is possibly the most therapeutic, healthy and slimming drink on board. It should be free for all sorts of reasons.

 

T.

 

I'll stick with G&T! Also low on calories and then there's the benefits of the quinine in the tonic!

[tomsafrica]

OK I'm not American but I do sympathise for various reasons.

 

1. Here in South Africa you can always ask for a glass of (tap water) in any restaurant that you visit and you will receive one at no charge. Of course it helps that Johannesburg has one of the purest tap waters in the world (didn't know that didya...:D ) in fact it puts a lot of bottled water to shame. Likewise it's customary in Greece to serve iced water when anyone sits down - so it's not alien in all European countries. To me it is a very basic human courtesy to always have clean free water available - simple as that.

 

2. I DETEST bottled water - or more specifically the plastic bottles that it comes in. All over the world there are mountains of plastic waste and rubbish caused by the innocuous little water bottle. It's not the "green" thing to do folks.

 

3. What makes it worse in my mind is that the water you get on board all modern cruise liners is as pure and clean as it gets - and available in unlimited quantities, so why truck in a zillion bottles? And please don't tell me they need the profit on the water....they make a ton of profit on every other drink item. Anyway, I drink a lot more wine if I can drink water here and there too! :rolleyes:

[sidari]

"Likewise it's customary in Greece to serve iced water when anyone sits down"

 

Tom ... After 20 land based holidays on Corfu also a Greek island the above has never happened and we are friends with some of the people who own Tavernas and Restaurants!

 

Bottled water is what is offered in either Glass or Plastic bottles at a charge, the same has been true in Athens and Piraeus.

 

One thing noticeable on MSC and Costa compared to other lines we have been on is that they do not have Wine Waiters who only deal with drinks and wine.

 

Until our first cruise on MSC Poesia and on Land based holidays we only ever drank water with our evening meal, having booked the Allegrissimo on Poesia changed that although we still drank water as well as our wine ... :)

[All aboard??]

What puzzles me AA and after your revelation I think you will give me a truthful answer.This may only be possible if you have sailed Carnival in the Caribbean.

Why at the breakfast buffet do some enormous passengers eat incredible amounts of calorie laden foods all washed down with Diet Coke?:)

 

Calorie control - if you subsidise a 142 calorie Coke with a 1.3 calorie Diet Coke you can pile an additional 140,7 calories on your plate...

 

While we are on that topic - Diet Coke at breakfast :eek:

[Skipper Tim]

"Likewise it's customary in Greece to serve iced water when anyone sits down"

 

Tom ... After 20 land based holidays on Corfu also a Greek island the above has never happened and we are friends with some of the people who own Tavernas and Restaurants!

 

In 37 years of visiting Greece, I can't say I have ever had iced water there, let alone free iced water. As Sidari says, if you ask for water it comes in a plastic bottle and you pay for it. The small price differential for wine rarely justifies asking for water!

 

Calorie control - if you subsidise a 142 calorie Coke with a 1.3 calorie Diet Coke you can pile an additional 140,7 calories on your plate...

 

Exactly! Any saving you can make gives more degrees of freedom elsewhere.

 

While we are on that topic - Diet Coke at breakfast :eek:

 

Yes, better to stay in bed. That poor stomach at that time of day.

[Skipper Tim]

I'll stick with G&T! Also low on calories and then there's the benefits of the quinine in the tonic!

 

I am sure you know but G&T is the quintessential English drink invented in the days of the British Empire. The gin was added to make the medicinal quinine more palatable. It is a regrettable sign of progress that such thinking is rare these days.

 

MSC however, as far as I know, do not carry 'slimline' (diet) tonic. So, by All Aboard's maxim, that is 140 fewer calories of 'shrapnel' bacon at breakfast. Perhaps we should make slimline tonic an achievable target of a Cruise Critics' request? I doubt we can do anything about the bacon.

[Skipper Tim]

While I have not cruise MSC yet... on my to-do list. I can pipe in on the water issue. I am an american but was raised for 9 years in Germany so I know why your confused. Where should I start.... any american restaurant you sit down at the first thing they do is plunk down a glass of ice water whether you want it or not. This trend is slowly changing because of waste and extra dish washing. So yes... americans tend to expect it... for free. *sigh*

 

btw... I'll stick with wine for dinner. Danke schön

 

OK, off topic but Carolin your post was so evocative. Many years ago I was sent to Atlanta with work - my first time in the U.S.. I was put in a motel less than a mile from my work place but there was no way of walking there, only driving. I do not drive. I arrived in my suit and smart shoes covered in mud because I had to walk 'cross country'. My American work colleagues were amazed that I did not drive and told me that they wished they could live this quaint English life of walking and cycling.

 

There was a McDonald's right next to the motel but again no means of getting to it except by car. I probably broke several laws one evening to get there on foot. My memory is not of being given iced water but of carefully considering the menu and placing my order. There were howls and screams as the girl I was dealing with ran into the back and brought out her friend, "say that again". My 'British accent' almost caused me to die of hunger as I had to keep repeating my order for every employee to listen to.

 

I do remember there was free, help-yourself salad which McDonalds in the UK did not have.

 

I certainly felt like a fish out of water in Atlanta.

[perbinder]

I have just asked of there is squash available on celebrity and carnival and everyone keeps asking me what squash is. One even said "I love UK slang".

 

Do Americans not have squash or equivalent?

 

 

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[tomsafrica]

"Likewise it's customary in Greece to serve iced water when anyone sits down"

 

Tom ... After 20 land based holidays on Corfu also a Greek island the above has never happened and we are friends with some of the people who own Tavernas and Restaurants!

 

Bottled water is what is offered in either Glass or Plastic bottles at a charge, the same has been true in Athens and Piraeus.

 

O

 

Yes you're right of course - the islands not so much because their water is often brackish and nasty but in Athens it was always traditional that they provided you with a jug or a glass of (free) water when you sat down, especially in the height of summer, and perhaps now they don't as much but many still do. I still think it's a courteous thing to do.:)

[Skipper Tim]

I have just asked of there is squash available on celebrity and carnival and everyone keeps asking me what squash is. One even said "I love UK slang".

 

Do Americans not have squash or equivalent?

 

Good question. I would call it 'cordial' but that sounds even more English.

 

What MSC refer to as 'juice' is cordial/squash with no juice in it whatsoever. The only way of getting juice is to pay for it from the main pool bar or vitamin bar in the spa area.

 

What many here call 'soda' is what I would call 'pop' and is not related to 'soda water'. Saying 'soda pop' makes me laugh and think of old Westerns.

 

You say potato... Oh let's call the whole thing off.

[Dr. Cocktail]

I have read this thread with interest - it's about time Cruise Critic debated the main problems with cruising today.

 

Here's the deal: I will stop expecting water in Europe/the UK when you stop expecting the scary-I'm-sure-it-will-catch-fire-any-second-now-but-that's-OK-as-it-will-kill-the-toxic-mold-growing-on-the-edges-tea-kettle in rooms.

 

While we're at it, what's with this business about the wash cloths?

[perbinder]

Definately need a kettle in the room for my addiction. I even take my t bags with me!!!

 

 

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[Carolin]

Yep.. I travel with my tea bags as well. I love my PG tips. :)

[perbinder]

Lol. I had heard how bad the t bags were on board so for the first time we packed them. Prefer pg tips but the boxes were too big so took a small bag of typhoo.

 

 

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[Skipper Tim]

I have read this thread with interest - it's about time Cruise Critic debated the main problems with cruising today.

 

Here's the deal: I will stop expecting water in Europe/the UK when you stop expecting the scary-I'm-sure-it-will-catch-fire-any-second-now-but-that's-OK-as-it-will-kill-the-toxic-mold-growing-on-the-edges-tea-kettle in rooms.

 

While we're at it, what's with this business about the wash cloths?

 

Oh dear. I didn't realise how British I was. Yes, I snook a travel immersion heater, my favourite large mug and Yorkshire tea bags into my cabin on the last cruise. Is a "wash cloth" a flannel? If so, yes, guilty again.

 

Regaining my dignity, at least I don't expect these things to be provided and publicly moan about their absence after the event. I accept these are my weaknesses and their absence not those of the cruise line.

 

A little self-awareness is good manners. Too much is madness. Too little is ignorant. How to strike the balance?

 

Serious issues indeed.

[Boytjie]

OK I'm not American but I do sympathise for various reasons.

 

1. Here in South Africa you can always ask for a glass of (tap water) in any restaurant that you visit and you will receive one at no charge. Of course it helps that Johannesburg has one of the purest tap waters in the world (didn't know that didya...:D ) in fact it puts a lot of bottled water to shame. Likewise it's customary in Greece to serve iced water when anyone sits down - so it's not alien in all European countries. To me it is a very basic human courtesy to always have clean free water available - simple as that.

 

2. I DETEST bottled water - or more specifically the plastic bottles that it comes in. All over the world there are mountains of plastic waste and rubbish caused by the innocuous little water bottle. It's not the "green" thing to do folks.

 

3. What makes it worse in my mind is that the water you get on board all modern cruise liners is as pure and clean as it gets - and available in unlimited quantities, so why truck in a zillion bottles? And please don't tell me they need the profit on the water....they make a ton of profit on every other drink item. Anyway, I drink a lot more wine if I can drink water here and there too! :rolleyes:

 

Sometimes one can see some of those plastic bottles float by out on the open ocean. Bad things, those! :)

[Cuizer2]

I have tried and failed to understand it. It feels like half the protests, complaints and concerns on the MSC forum are about the lack of free 'iced water' at mealtimes. Now, I may have had iced water a couple of times in my life but it is certainly not anything I would ever expect.

 

I like my tea made in a certain way, but the moment I leave the confines of my home I would not expect it to be made the same way. Why do North Americans expect FREE 'ICED WATER' when out of their own home country?

 

Please somebody, explain it me.

 

It is not on the menu. Shut up.

 

Because we have grown up in a culture where one gets free ice water when one goes to a restaurant. If MSC is advertising in North America then MSC should understand that this will be expected. If that is a problem for you, then that is your problem and you'll have to learn to deal with it.

[Boytjie]

I have just asked of there is squash available on celebrity and carnival and everyone keeps asking me what squash is. One even said "I love UK slang".

 

Do Americans not have squash or equivalent?

 

Squash is a vegetable. :D

 

I remember from my childhood days in South Africa that there was squash: i.e. concentrated flavoring and sugar that was diluted with water for drinking. It approximated something like Tang i.e. fake fruit juice. Is that what you mean by squash?

[Keel Haul]

Good question. I would call it 'cordial' but that sounds even more English.

 

What MSC refer to as 'juice' is cordial/squash with no juice in it whatsoever. The only way of getting juice is to pay for it from the main pool bar or vitamin bar in the spa area.

 

What many here call 'soda' is what I would call 'pop' and is not related to 'soda water'. Saying 'soda pop' makes me laugh and think of old Westerns.

 

You say potato... Oh let's call the whole thing off.

My second Caribbean cruise in the 90s was fun. I turn up early wearing my black speedo thong for the Shag competition:cool: