Drink straws

[ZiggaZagga17]

With the seemingly out n out refusal to use plastic straws by pretty much everybody nowadays - and quite rightly so, the downside is the sometimes poor quality of paper straws that are provided at the likes of McDonalds etc - I'm a sucker for the 'odd' milkshake on my rest week as I'm pottering around doing my errands!

 

A while back my sister in law bought me a pack of metal straws and (having been cleaned) I always keep a few in the car for said milkshake trips etc!

 

So I'd been thinking and having spotted a deal (ish) for bigger packs of them (that include cleaning brushes) I intend taking them on our next cruise in a couple of weeks. We usually drink the same drink around the pool (Mudslide), and in the lounge in the evening during HH, so using the same straw for 2/3 drinks on the run would be no drama to us! The deal I got literally gives us each 4 new straws a day for the whole cruise if cleaning them or changing of drinks became an issue! 

 

So what do people think? My concern would be the same as people filling water bottles at drinks fountains etc, yet I can't think how these metal straws could pose anyone a risk like that - or could I be missing something?

 

Bon Voyage!

 

 

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

So what do people think?

Try to wean yourself off straw use.

[ZiggaZagga17]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Try to wean yourself off straw use.

I thought that too - but having tried to do that with a mudslide/milkshake and what with their inherant viscocity issues - it doesn't always end well ha ha ha 

 

[Big_G]

My only complaint about the straws on Royal are they're too long. Instead of bringing metal straws I'd recommend small clippers.

[awestover89]

I'm not a fan of the metal straws, I prefer silicone or actually bamboo. These are the ones we're currently using: https://amzn.to/2AEC8uy

 

Key West is implementing a plastic straw ban now, and many places here have already gotten rid of plastic. I have a few packets of bamboo and a few silicone floating around that I use when I need to.

[StolidCruiser]

Because I've not used a drinking straw in decades (having mastered how to consume beverages of any consistency without them), I am thankfully immune to the never-ending brouhaha over returning to a time before plastic straws were even normalized in a disposable society.

[ZiggaZagga17]

12 minutes ago, awestover89 said:

I'm not a fan of the metal straws, I prefer silicone or actually bamboo. These are the ones we're currently using: https://amzn.to/2AEC8uy

 

Key West is implementing a plastic straw ban now, and many places here have already gotten rid of plastic. I have a few packets of bamboo and a few silicone floating around that I use when I need to.

I'd pretty much scoffed at the metal ones initally thinking they wouldn't clean well or taint the drink but found that not the case. The bamboo ones look interesting though, I take it they don't taint the drink either then?

I think the choice to go with metal ones is probably down to the ability to pout them in the dishwasher and to clean them on a high heat too! 

I'll keep an eye out for bamboo ones tho, they'll be a fun addition to my cocktail nights with friends!

 

 

[ZiggaZagga17]

23 minutes ago, Big_G said:

My only complaint about the straws on Royal are they're too long. Instead of bringing metal straws I'd recommend small clippers.

The decision to get them is really, when I'm honest about it, their use with regards to frozen mudslides - as others have said, G&T's for instance can be drank normally without a straw!

Edited October 4, 2019 by ZiggaZagga17
spulling

[awestover89]

1 minute ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

I'd pretty much scoffed at the metal ones initally thinking they wouldn't clean well or taint the drink but found that not the case. The bamboo ones look interesting though, I take it they don't taint the drink either then?

I think the choice to go with metal ones is probably down to the ability to pout them in the dishwasher and to clean them on a high heat too! 

I'll keep an eye out for bamboo ones tho, they'll be a fun addition to my cocktail nights with friends!

 

 

 

For me, my teeth are sensitive to the metal straws, especially with particularly cold drinks. I also feel like I can taste a bit of the metal, although that may just be mentality. I just find the silicone and bamboo more comfortable to drink from, with no noticeable impact on taste. 

 

We tried bamboo straws first when we were in Japan, and bought a package when we got home.

[cruisinfanatic]

57 minutes ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

With the seemingly out n out refusal to use plastic straws by pretty much everybody nowadays - and quite rightly so, the downside is the sometimes poor quality of paper straws that are provided at the likes of McDonalds etc - I'm a sucker for the 'odd' milkshake on my rest week as I'm pottering around doing my errands!

 

A while back my sister in law bought me a pack of metal straws and (having been cleaned) I always keep a few in the car for said milkshake trips etc!

 

So I'd been thinking and having spotted a deal (ish) for bigger packs of them (that include cleaning brushes) I intend taking them on our next cruise in a couple of weeks. We usually drink the same drink around the pool (Mudslide), and in the lounge in the evening during HH, so using the same straw for 2/3 drinks on the run would be no drama to us! The deal I got literally gives us each 4 new straws a day for the whole cruise if cleaning them or changing of drinks became an issue! 

 

So what do people think? My concern would be the same as people filling water bottles at drinks fountains etc, yet I can't think how these metal straws could pose anyone a risk like that - or could I be missing something?

 

Bon Voyage!

 

 

Why would you have any concern?

[ZiggaZagga17]

2 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

Why would you have any concern?

I guess I don't really - it was probably worded wrong (just up from night shift slumber ha ha) 

 

I like most try to do my best with regards to hygiene whilst on board, and my 'concern' was to think of how us using our straws could/would affect others! I can't see anything so I'm gonna crack on lol

[3CatsInMA]

OP--you should ignore Royal's corporate virtue signalling and smuggle a box of genuine plastic straws on to the ship. 😁

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, 3CatsInMA said:

OP--you should ignore Royal's corporate virtue signalling and smuggle a box of genuine plastic straws on to the ship. 😁

No need to smuggle, as of now, while the ship may not have them, they are not banned.

[3CatsInMA]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

No need to smuggle, as of now, while the ship may not have them, they are not banned.

The smuggling part was tongue-in-cheek...but thanks.

[rt1092]

  We always bring our own plastic straws. Metal ones can be dangerous, if you lose your balance and fall.

Royal just gave in to the mob mentality. Without researching much. They use single use plastic cups, single use plastic flatware wrapped in plastic, Single use lids. Single use water bottles, Etc. (I could go on and on).

   They recycle all plastics. If someone is caught throwing anything overboard. They risk being put off at the next port. Royal wouldn't go against the PC culture. I'm sure this will not stop at straws. 

Edited October 4, 2019 by rt1092

[wolfcathorse]

I like my metal straws. The tiny brush cleans the inside well so I'm not concerned about food borne illnesses. They don't add a taste to my drink. I don't walk around with a drink in hand (except coffee) so falling and stabbing myself isn't an issue. Carnival has begun looking at getting rid of single use plastic water bottles so getting rid of the straws is only the beginning.

[charmy98]

2 hours ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

With the seemingly out n out refusal to use plastic straws by pretty much everybody nowadays - and quite rightly so, the downside is the sometimes poor quality of paper straws that are provided at the likes of McDonalds etc - I'm a sucker for the 'odd' milkshake on my rest week as I'm pottering around doing my errands!

 

A while back my sister in law bought me a pack of metal straws and (having been cleaned) I always keep a few in the car for said milkshake trips etc!

 

So I'd been thinking and having spotted a deal (ish) for bigger packs of them (that include cleaning brushes) I intend taking them on our next cruise in a couple of weeks. We usually drink the same drink around the pool (Mudslide), and in the lounge in the evening during HH, so using the same straw for 2/3 drinks on the run would be no drama to us! The deal I got literally gives us each 4 new straws a day for the whole cruise if cleaning them or changing of drinks became an issue! 

 

So what do people think? My concern would be the same as people filling water bottles at drinks fountains etc, yet I can't think how these metal straws could pose anyone a risk like that - or could I be missing something?

 

Bon Voyage!

 

 

 

I have purchased silicone foldable straws they come in a little pouch you can clip onto your belt or bag, they also come with a cleaning brush.

[charmy98]

2 hours ago, awestover89 said:

I'm not a fan of the metal straws, I prefer silicone or actually bamboo. These are the ones we're currently using: https://amzn.to/2AEC8uy

 

Key West is implementing a plastic straw ban now, and many places here have already gotten rid of plastic. I have a few packets of bamboo and a few silicone floating around that I use when I need to.

 

Or you can get them cheaper here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32951621126.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.58273451ip2gTB&algo_pvid=f5b39856-fa9d-4f5b-a186-bcf6ff74e177&algo_expid=f5b39856-fa9d-4f5b-a186-bcf6ff74e177-1&btsid=2f25b585-6bf5-4c95-ab5d-542ac2b0ea8a&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_52

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, ZiggaZagga17 said:

With the seemingly out n out refusal to use plastic straws by pretty much everybody nowadays - and quite rightly so, the downside is the sometimes poor quality of paper straws that are provided at the likes of McDonalds etc - I'm a sucker for the 'odd' milkshake on my rest week as I'm pottering around doing my errands!

 

A while back my sister in law bought me a pack of metal straws and (having been cleaned) I always keep a few in the car for said milkshake trips etc!

 

So I'd been thinking and having spotted a deal (ish) for bigger packs of them (that include cleaning brushes) I intend taking them on our next cruise in a couple of weeks. We usually drink the same drink around the pool (Mudslide), and in the lounge in the evening during HH, so using the same straw for 2/3 drinks on the run would be no drama to us! The deal I got literally gives us each 4 new straws a day for the whole cruise if cleaning them or changing of drinks became an issue! 

 

So what do people think? My concern would be the same as people filling water bottles at drinks fountains etc, yet I can't think how these metal straws could pose anyone a risk like that - or could I be missing something?

 

Bon Voyage!

 

 

My wife packs her own plastic straws.  Buy them at Shoprite 200 for $1.49.

[awestover89]

1 hour ago, charmy98 said:

 

Or you can get them cheaper here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32951621126.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.58273451ip2gTB&algo_pvid=f5b39856-fa9d-4f5b-a186-bcf6ff74e177&algo_expid=f5b39856-fa9d-4f5b-a186-bcf6ff74e177-1&btsid=2f25b585-6bf5-4c95-ab5d-542ac2b0ea8a&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_52

 

To each their own. I've had very mixed experiences with ali express (slow shipping, poor return policy, items received that aren't the same as what I ordered), and nothing but good experiences with Amazon. AE may have gotten better since the last time I ordered from them, I haven't tried in quite a while

[not-enough-cruising]

54 minutes ago, nelblu said:

My wife packs her own plastic straws.  Buy them at Shoprite 200 for $1.49.

Exactly what we do, you can get a box of 1000 at the warehouse stores, individually paper wrapped, uber-cheap

[nelblu]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

Exactly what we do, you can get a box of 1000 at the warehouse stores, individually paper wrapped, uber-cheap

What's so funny, they had the large plastic straws by the Specialty Coffee bar on our Feb. 2 Symphony sail.

Grabbed myself a few.

[not-enough-cruising]

I wonder how many plastic straws it takes to equal the plastic content in one plastic water bottle? Banning straws.......ludicrous!!

[lmp29]

If you prefer to go without straws, good for you; if you want to help save the environment, even better, for you and for all of us; but it's hard to "buy into" that mentality when, as mentioned by a couple people, everyone looks the other way with regard to the hundreds of plastic bottles and other single-use plastic or Styrofoam items.  I will continue to take my individually-wrapped, plastic straws with me on every cruise.  (And I have made several friends at the bars because i have shared with others!)

[KansasK]

If I lived on the coast I might be able to stop using plastic straws. I live in Kansas. There are no sea turtles near our landfills because there is no ocean. There are places giving out awful paper straws here, but mostly there are still plastic straws in restaurants.

 

I did not like the paper straws on the ship. They were too wide and felt wrong.  I like narrower straws unless it is a thick drink. I understand that plastic straws take hundreds of years to go away, but what Imp 29 says about plastic bottles and Styrofoam items is also true. 

 

Washing aluminum straws or bamboo straws on the ship in that dinky sink would be possible, I guess, if you brought your own dishwashing soap. I guess you could soak them.

 

I buy the soda package and the new drink bottle has a built-in straw.