Drinking ship water in Europe

[TiogaCruiser]

I often wonder how many people drink bottled water because they like the convenience of a sealed bottle? But with so many good available water bottles these days does it make any sense to pay several dollars for a bottle of water when you can fill up your own bottle for free?

 

Remember: Evian is NAIVE is spelled backwards.

 

Don’t let the bottled water industry fool you into thinking they care about consumers’ concerns regarding the safety of your municipal water. As mentioned before, they trick you into thinking their product is safer than tap water when, in fact, tap water is more heavily regulated, tested more often, cheaper than bottled water, and the preferred drinking water option.

 

But hey if you want to pay for something that most every expert agrees is no better and often not as good than what comes out of the tap it's your money.

 

I have to chuckle at this. So true. Years ago, I frequently made home visits to clients in one of the more famous barrios in my district. (The overcrowded apartments were remodeled twice in 7 years). One of the largest "bottled water" companies had their bottling operation right there. Their advertising would have lead one to believe their water came from the purest mountain spring. Hah!

Edited March 6, 2016 by TiogaCruiser

[Kamloops50]

People also like to pay $4 a gallon for water.

[chengkp75]

So are these inline filters, or separate units that are specific to ships?

I'm thinking about a way to address our shower scale problem when we replumb and re-tile. Are these units small enough (and affordable), for home application?

 

(Did you mean remove calcium instead of charcoal??)

 

Actually, I meant chlorine, not charcoal. The ships do not have much of a problem with calcium, in fact, they add calcium carbonate (the antacid in Tums) to the water to neutralize the slightly acidic nature of distilled water.

 

These are in-line filters, you may see them sometimes hanging alongside drinking fountains, they are a 3-4" diameter by 12-18" long cylinder, size of course depends on the water flow design quantity. Many shore restaurants and fast food places use these on their soda machines.

 

Are you looking to just filter the shower, or the whole house. If just the shower, these filters could be used, but you would need a space to install them in the plumbing where you can get to them and renew the cartridge periodically.

 

If you want to do the whole house, a reverse osmosis filter is probably a better solution, with or without a softener.

[chengkp75]

The ship's water might be clean but it's definitely not delicious in my opinion

 

As I say, water taste is one of the most subjective, and frequently ferociously locale loyal topics out there.

[chengkp75]

I have to chuckle at this. So true. Years ago, I frequently made home visits to clients in one of the more famous barrios in my district. (The overcrowded apartments were remodeled twice in 7 years). One of the largest "bottled water" companies had their bottling operation right there. Their advertising would have lead one to believe their water came from the purest mountain spring. Hah!

 

Lots of poorer countries have cottage industries where they will buy only the bottle capping machine, and refill the discarded "premium" water bottles and resell them.

[TiogaCruiser]

:eek:o

Lots of poorer countries have cottage industries where they will buy only the bottle capping machine, and refill the discarded "premium" water bottles and resell them.

 

:eek::eek::eek:

[Randyk47]

One of the more interesting water "warnings" we've ever seen was when we were disembarking in Civitavecchia and the ship actually posted in the daily paper to not drink the public water in Rome. They actually explained that the water in Rome was heavily reprocessed and treated with too many chemicals. :eek:

[Bowie MeMe]

I often wonder how many people drink bottled water because they like the convenience of a sealed bottle? But with so many good available water bottles these days does it make any sense to pay several dollars for a bottle of water when you can fill up your own bottle for free?

 

Remember: Evian is NAIVE is spelled backwards.

 

Don’t let the bottled water industry fool you into thinking they care about consumers’ concerns regarding the safety of your municipal water. As mentioned before, they trick you into thinking their product is safer than tap water when, in fact, tap water is more heavily regulated, tested more often, cheaper than bottled water, and the preferred drinking water option.

 

But hey if you want to pay for something that most every expert agrees is no better and often not as good than what comes out of the tap it's your money.

 

Plastic water bottles are a problem for the Earth. They are convenient but after that water is gone you are left with a container that takes hundreds of years to break down. It takes lots of energy to melt down plastic and recycle it into something else PLUS it is just the huge amounts of bottles. I also find that when on excursions from the ship and everybody has the SAME looking waterbottle:eek: Which one is mine and did that guy just drink from MY bottle?

Not to mention how flimsy and hard to open water bottles have become. Hubby and I prefer to carry our own water bottles -- Rubbermaid with flip cap from home- and we refill with ship's water. Ship's water by desalination is chemically as pure as you will find anywhere -- steam condensed. Water that is on-loaded during the trip is from a know pure supply and there are special officers who monitor the purity (or the ship looses its health certificate!). Water even in sealed bottles does not come from those pure springs etc that advertisers work hard to promote. All water is bottled in plants from the local supply of the region. The name is bought or franchised but Fiji water say has never visited Fiji -- ever! (When we were there years ago {and before Fiji water brand} there was a water restriction due to drought and pollution so the idea of Fiji water does not ring right:) ). An additional problem with bottled water on shore is that sometimes a "sealed bottle" is filled from the tap and the bottle cap glued or melted a bit to make that satisfying crack open. If you are concerned carry a steripen (portable ultraviolet light runs on batteries) and treat the water in your own right in the bottle -- works great . $50 on-line.

 

What breaks my heart is to stand at the rail of a ship sailing in the most remote parts of the world and to look out and see hundreds of plastic objects floating past -- testament to the severity of the problem of not caring for the earth. Reuse your bottles, recycle if it is a temporary storage bottle, and don't complain when the bottle deposit in Sweden is in the range of $1 US per bottle.

[Vict0riann]

It is sad to see the pollution caused by all the unrecycled plastic.

 

 

 

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[AmazedByCruising]

I dislike tapwater on ships because of the chlorine which I'm not used to as it is not added to tap water in The Netherlands. It's like drinking from a swimming pool (or worse :D)

 

You can also use a Brita type water bottle or pitcher for your tap water, or simply leave an open pitcher in your fridge overnight, and the chlorine will dissipate naturally.

 

Somewhere I read that the chlorine smell makes people think it's more healthy so they'd prefer chlorinated water over odorless water, but if the procedure you describe is safe (and allowed) at large quantities, I'd like the ship to do just that for water in the restaurants!

[chengkp75]

I dislike tapwater on ships because of the chlorine which I'm not used to as it is not added to tap water in The Netherlands. It's like drinking from a swimming pool (or worse :D)

 

 

 

Somewhere I read that the chlorine smell makes people think it's more healthy so they'd prefer chlorinated water over odorless water, but if the procedure you describe is safe (and allowed) at large quantities, I'd like the ship to do just that for water in the restaurants!

 

As I've said, the water that is served in the dining venues (the water in the pitchers) comes from a water dispenser that has a charcoal filter to remove the chlorine. Not for taste, but for maintenance reasons, as the chlorine builds up scale in the equipment.

[AmazedByCruising]

As I've said, the water that is served in the dining venues (the water in the pitchers) comes from a water dispenser that has a charcoal filter to remove the chlorine. Not for taste, but for maintenance reasons, as the chlorine builds up scale in the equipment.

 

The charcoal doesn't remove enough chlorine, for me at least. I'm not a connaisseur about wine or beer but water must be absolutely odorless for me to drink it.

[Bowie MeMe]

Definitely people prefer water that they are used to! When I travel to Florida especially around Orlando, I just can not take their water. It is hard (lots of minerals) and smells strongly. In honor of this thread, let's all send $10 (just 5 bottles of water!) to Flint Michigan for the citizens there who are suffering from contaminated water or to other charities trying to provide water over the whole world. This is a serious subject past what tastes good or how it is managed. Really life or death -- don't waste it.

[FloridaTourist]

Definitely people prefer water that they are used to! When I travel to Florida especially around Orlando, I just can not take their water. It is hard (lots of minerals) and smells strongly. In honor of this thread, let's all send $10 (just 5 bottles of water!) to Flint Michigan for the citizens there who are suffering from contaminated water or to other charities trying to provide water over the whole world. This is a serious subject past what tastes good or how it is managed. Really life or death -- don't waste it.

 

 

hahahhaha. Since I asked the original question about the water I have to address this since I live in Orlando. We live actually in Winter Park about 5 miles north of downtown. I actually love our water. Like you said it must be what you are used to. Our water is so good we even had he softener that was there when we bought our house removed.

 

Anyway thanks everyone for the water info. So now I know I can have bourbon on the rocks with ship ice and not worry. And maybe refill my water bottle a few times.

[sail7seas]

Lots of poorer countries have cottage industries where they will buy only the bottle capping machine, and refill the discarded "premium" water bottles and resell them.

 

Another scam every where, every day. :( Awful.

 

[donaldsc]

My DW and I will be doing the Adriatic Sea cruise on the Oosterdam starting April 18. We are big water drinkers. I can go through 4-5 water bottles a day at a minimum myself. While I would never drink the water in the ports, is it safe to drink the water on the ship? I do have SBP so I know I can get water bottles there for when we are at port. Several years a go, my DW and I were in Israel for 2 weeks. Thought I could drink the water there but I got sick from it. Trying to be smarter this time.

 

What evidence or proof do you have that you got sick from drinking the water in Israel and not from something else. The fact that you bought bottled water everywhere else and drank local water in Israel proves absolutely nothing. Was the illness something that was transmitted only by water borne factors and not by anything else?

 

BTW - if you are really worried about water, you might try buying something like this - http://www.amazon.com/SteriPEN-Adventurer-Personal-Handheld-Purifier/dp/B00M3SOJIG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457306439&sr=8-3&keywords=ultraviolet+light+water+purifier -. It will not take care of particulates or taste but it will kill all the bugs. Buying a pre-filter - http://www.amazon.com/SteriPen-Pre-Filter/dp/B01BLSOAIW/ref=pd_sim_468_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=5139jb7YSOL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0PCBBE5D0368DNMNW5W7 - will take care of the particulates.

 

DON

Edited March 6, 2016 by donaldsc

[whogo]

Lots of poorer countries have cottage industries where they will buy only the bottle capping machine, and refill the discarded "premium" water bottles and resell them.

My in-laws saw this in action on a group tour in Egypt, a man was sealing bottles from a tap at a train station. Fellow tourists were dropping like flies, the in-laws drank beer and stayed healthy. There is a lesson for you, if the water is questionable, drink beer from the bottle.

[Bowie MeMe]

What evidence or proof do you have that you got sick from drinking the water in Israel and not from something else. The fact that you bought bottled water everywhere else and drank local water in Israel proves absolutely nothing. Was the illness something that was transmitted only by water borne factors and not by anything else?

 

BTW - if you are really worried about water, you might try buying something like this - http://www.amazon.com/SteriPEN-Adventurer-Personal-Handheld-Purifier/dp/B00M3SOJIG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457306439&sr=8-3&keywords=ultraviolet+light+water+purifier -. It will not take care of particulates or taste but it will kill all the bugs. Buying a pre-filter - http://www.amazon.com/SteriPen-Pre-Filter/dp/B01BLSOAIW/ref=pd_sim_468_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=5139jb7YSOL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0PCBBE5D0368DNMNW5W7 - will take care of the particulates.

 

DON

Works really well. Had it for 3 Asian/South America/South Pacific trips. Unfortunately did not survive a plane flight when had to last minute check hand luggage (check it or forget it!:mad: ) If I travel again in places I don't trust the water, I will for sure buy another one. One bad bout and you won't do without anything that could help!

[Bowie MeMe]

hahahhaha. Since I asked the original question about the water I have to address this since I live in Orlando. We live actually in Winter Park about 5 miles north of downtown. I actually love our water. Like you said it must be what you are used to. Our water is so good we even had he softener that was there when we bought our house removed.

 

Anyway thanks everyone for the water info. So now I know I can have bourbon on the rocks with ship ice and not worry. And maybe refill my water bottle a few times.

 

Oh I am sorry for the put-down! :o I just came back from Florida so it was so fresh on my mind and I was so glad to get back to my (probably) chlorinated city water. I love everything Florida but the water -- and have loved it since graduating from Auburndale (Florida) High School a few decades ago. You can drink ship water and use the ice. Most of the "sickness" on ships is carried in from all corners of the world jammed in plane seats then freely mixed in a happy germy bunch! (and hubby got a horrible something digestive at either Mickey's or Universal:eek::( so we did 3 days in room detention!) Can happen anywhere.

[0bnxshs]

My DW and I will be doing the Adriatic Sea cruise on the Oosterdam starting April 18. We are big water drinkers. I can go through 4-5 water bottles a day at a minimum myself. While I would never drink the water in the ports, is it safe to drink the water on the ship? I do have SBP so I know I can get water bottles there for when we are at port. Several years a go, my DW and I were in Israel for 2 weeks. Thought I could drink the water there but I got sick from it. Trying to be smarter this time.

 

Howdy, neighbor!

 

There was a very educational thread about the quality of water on board and how it's made/kept safe some while ago that I've always tried to remember. It's located here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2178640

 

It's worth reading the (almost) whole thread but look for posting by "chengkp75". His posts are quite informative.

 

Hope you find it helpful. :)

[cruzincurt]

I trust the ship's water system, just wouldn't drink ice or water from a cabin ice bucket. Who knows what the bucket has been used for. Hopefully they keep the ice machines and ice hoppers sanitary.

[chengkp75]

I trust the ship's water system, just wouldn't drink ice or water from a cabin ice bucket. Who knows what the bucket has been used for. Hopefully they keep the ice machines and ice hoppers sanitary.

 

There are so many ice machines onboard these ships that there is one Assistant Refrigeration Engineer, whose sole job is completing ice maker sanitizing. By the time he finishes the last one, it is time to start over. This is a requirement of USPH, and the cabin stewards have to keep the exterior of the machines in their pantries clean, including the rubber gasket around the door, which is a favorite spot for USPH inspectors to look for mold. They have to use gloves when getting ice, and the scoop must hang inside without touching the ice. The ice buckets are run through the dishwasher in the pantry every day, which has a sanitizing rinse temperature, that is also checked daily to ensure it is always hot enough.

[iancal]

The drinking water is safe .

 

Not certain about delicious though.

 

It is certainly better than the tap water that you might get in Flint, Mich or a few other locales.

Edited March 8, 2016 by iancal

[Bowie MeMe]

There are so many ice machines onboard these ships that there is one Assistant Refrigeration Engineer, whose sole job is completing ice maker sanitizing. By the time he finishes the last one, it is time to start over. This is a requirement of USPH, and the cabin stewards have to keep the exterior of the machines in their pantries clean, including the rubber gasket around the door, which is a favorite spot for USPH inspectors to look for mold. They have to use gloves when getting ice, and the scoop must hang inside without touching the ice. The ice buckets are run through the dishwasher in the pantry every day, which has a sanitizing rinse temperature, that is also checked daily to ensure it is always hot enough.

 

Hey this is just about as good as my home fridge ice bin that usually has ice cream or blueberry stains which I sometimes wash at least once a year (or before a cruise). Ships are so clean! and they need to be because there are lots of folks on the ship and they don't always remember to keep their germs to themselves. They Share:D

[knittinggirl]

Works really well. Had it for 3 Asian/South America/South Pacific trips. Unfortunately did not survive a plane flight when had to last minute check hand luggage (check it or forget it!:mad: ) If I travel again in places I don't trust the water, I will for sure buy another one. One bad bout and you won't do without anything that could help!

On our trip to China in the 1980s, we were told to bottled drink beer or soft drinks. I remember weird flavors, like banana soda.