We need a STRAW update from a current cruiser!

[Circlt]

I’m getting ready for my Panorama trip Aug 28 and need to know if they are still using those paper straws!  Cheers and paper straws is NOT a good look for me!  If I can’t get a decent straw onboard in 2021 and beyond, I’ll bring my own!  
 

If any of you current cruisers could tell us your ship and your straw observations I would be most grateful!

 

🍾🎊🎉🍾🥤🍹🧋

[Indiansbaseball]

My last cruise in 2019 was those awful cookie straws ! I would bring your own to be safe ! 

[TravelBluebird]

I like “fancy” tropical drinks and I sip them for a LONG time.

 

Paper straws completely do not work for me; I end up eating the straw as it disintegrates and unable to drink through it.

 

So I would also like information on straws currently in use on Carnival.

[SNJCruisers]

A few weeks ago on the Horizon, according to their YouTube video, Paradeejay was drinking a chocolate concoction from Java Blue and it came with a chocolate straw.

[lookitsmikel]

Watching some video of the Mardi Gras from last night, no straws given for anything but things like daiquiris. I couldn’t tell what type of straw it was though. 
 

And I could be wrong, this is just what some YouTuber said 

[teknoge3k]

Definitely take your own. It's the same thing at Caribbean resorts, you need to take your own. 

[fsuali]

Just got off the Horizon this morning. No straws at all…except for the edible ones. I always take my own. And then hand extras:)

[ScottsSweetie]

I just ordered my stainless straws to have for my next cruise!

[TNcruising02]

The sugar straws are fine for the first 15 minutes, but then they start wilting.  I usually take a long time to finish a frozen drink, so the sugar straws don't hold up.  I never understood the issue with straws as long as they were disposed of properly.   I've never seen anyone throw one over the side of a ship.

[mpacker]

1 hour ago, Circlt said:

I’m getting ready for my Panorama trip Aug 28 and need to know if they are still using those paper straws!  Cheers and paper straws is NOT a good look for me!  If I can’t get a decent straw onboard in 2021 and beyond, I’ll bring my own!  
 

If any of you current cruisers could tell us your ship and your straw observations I would be most grateful!

 

🍾🎊🎉🍾🥤🍹🧋

my wife ended up using her own straws on horizon.  They had the fake straws and they sucked.  Take your own

[Saint Greg]

I was on one of the last Panorama cruises. Bring your own straws.

[Aplmac]

Never realized what an issue this could be

but you live and learn!

[ajs2294]

Same old junk straws or edible straws, would recommend bringing your own 

[furf_n_slo]

My favorite bring along straws are silicone. You can get ones that come in a little capsule.  The straws can fold up and fit in the capsule that easily fits in a pocket and any leftover dripping falls in the capsule and not your hand or clothes. 

[RoperDK]

Oh my, I have been wondering about straws but was afraid to ask. 😆  With so much else going on, I figured I might get flamed.  I tried to adapt, I really did. None of the onboard options worked for me. I even brought those flexible silicone straws and even had a collapsible stainless steel straw.  I hated them, never felt they really got clean and they were messy to carry around.  On the last cruise before the shutdown, I found straws made of cornstarch.  They eventually break down, but not while you are using them.  Tasteless and feel like plastic.  So that is what I do now.  Purists say they take too long to break down, but that's my compromise since they aren't plastic.  For the bloody mary lovers out there, I have found pepperoni straws.  They work great and taste good, too.  A bit pricey, but definitely unique.

 

     

[Joe817]

This is what we got from Amazon a few weeks ago. $6.95 for 2 of them including accessories.:

 

[cowboy$fan]

On the Vista (July sailing) they had a 4 pack of stainless steel reusable straws that could be purchased from the bars. (I think it was about $5)

[amypintx]

Just back from Vista. Bring your own!  I got frozen margaritas/daiquiris which don't come with straws unless you ask and then they are the sugar straws. If you drink fast, they're fine. But if it takes you longer than about 10 minutes, they will wilt and no longer work. 

[sgttami]

I've been carrying my own straws on land and sea for a long time. Some restaurants stopped them completely and they only had those horrible paper or edible ones on my last cruise in 1/2020.

 

I need one to drink anything whether at home or away so I always have them in my pocketbook.

 

I did notice recently that some local restaurants have resumed using the individually wrapped, plastic ones. 

 

[Joe817]

32 minutes ago, sgttami said:

I've been carrying my own straws on land and sea for a long time. Some restaurants stopped them completely and they only had those horrible paper or edible ones on my last cruise in 1/2020.

 

I need one to drink anything whether at home or away so I always have them in my pocketbook.

 

I did notice recently that some local restaurants have resumed using the individually wrapped, plastic ones. 

 

They are most common down here. All the restaurants have them. At least the one's here in my city.

[AstoriaPreppy]

Just disembarked the Vista on Saturday. I can report that they are using the horrific edible straws (we were unaware this was a thing). If you enjoy drinking your beverage through a thick tubular piece of gelatinous origin, you're going to love it. 

Additionally (and much MUCH worse), Carnival is also using spaghetti instead of cocktail stirrers. That's right, SPAGHETTI.

 

For example, you order a gin martini with olives.... and the olives are threaded onto spaghetti instead of a pick or stirrer. Sometimes, bartenders will use multiple strands, as they quickly discovered that giant cocktail olives easily overload the tensile strength of even the highest-quality long pastas.

Trust me, there's nothing better than trying to get partially-dissolved, booze-soaked pasta out of your teeth before dinner, because Carnival has decided that bamboo stirrers aren't eco-friendly enough.

(I will be noting this on my comment card)
 

[Eli_6]

Last couple of cruises I was on, it was sugar straws.

[aquasea]

I was on Horizon July 10 and they had the thick smoothie size paper straws. They are good if you  get them from an inside bar, the outside ones are limp because of the humidity.

[RoperDK]

1 hour ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Additionally (and much MUCH worse), Carnival is also using spaghetti instead of cocktail stirrers. That's right, SPAGHETTI.

 

Trust me, there's nothing better than trying to get partially-dissolved, booze-soaked pasta out of your teeth before dinner, because Carnival has decided that bamboo stirrers aren't eco-friendly enough.

(I will be noting this on my comment card)
 

 Geez, that's taking it a bit too far.  Aren't bamboo stirrers biodegradable?  That brings me to another pet peeve of mine....nothing to stir your mixed drink with.  Let's say you order a vodka and tonic.  You get ice, vodka, and tonic on top and then they hand it to you.  That is not a "mixed" drink.  You used to have those little plastic stirrer things to finish to job. Now nothing. You can't use your finger to stir it, so what do you do?  How do they handle self serve coffee onboard?  I understand the environmental challenges for Carnival and it definitely isn't the bartenders fault.  I just want my mixed drink "mixed", so what do I do?     

[teknoge3k]

2 hours ago, sgttami said:

I've been carrying my own straws on land and sea for a long time. Some restaurants stopped them completely and they only had those horrible paper or edible ones on my last cruise in 1/2020.

 

I need one to drink anything whether at home or away so I always have them in my pocketbook.

 

I did notice recently that some local restaurants have resumed using the individually wrapped, plastic ones. 

 

 

These are what we use. I just stock up on them from Chick-Fil-A or somewhere else and take them on vacation with us.