Water bottles

[Bluesmama]

Hi, 

I see that plastic water bottles are now prohibited (it’s been awhile since I cruised on HAL and my first cruise post-COVID). I know they do allow you to bring in a certain amount of water in non plastic containers. 
question- can I bring in my own (non disposable, non-singe use water bottle) if it is plastic. I do have some that are metal but they are a bit more costly or “special” (souvenirs from other trips) than the plastic sports bottles and I’d rather not bring those with me in case I lose them somewhere.

will they confiscate? My husband and I will be bringing in two.

thanks

margo 

[0106]

6 minutes ago, Bluesmama said:

can I bring in my own (non disposable, non-singe use water bottle) if it is plastic.

Yes

[REOVA]

You can bring your own reusable plastic bottle. I bring 2 single use plastic bottles with me now and refill those in Lido (use a glass to refill not directly) for the same reason as I don't want to lose my bottles. I've never had my bottles confiscated but do need to keep them hidden in the cabin or the steward will think they are trash. When off the ship I throw then away in appropriate recycle container but not dispose them on the ship. The cruise lines are trying to limit disposing of plastics. 

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, Bluesmama said:

I see that plastic water bottles are now prohibited

 

Water in a plastic bottle was not illegal (or prohibited) on our October 2023 cruise.

 

(HAL may not sell you a plastic bottle with your water purchase but plastic bottles are not prohibited onboard.....I saw lots of them and drank out of lots of them)

[badtwin]

It depends.  I re-used the same plastic water bottle for years.  (No BPA or whatever lecture please) It came with a sports drink in it but it was very heavy duty and had a lovely drinkable top that never leaked.  And I would not mind if I lost it. (Or so I thought)   When boarding the Rotterdam this fall for the first 7 day leg of a cruise out of Amsterdam, it went through security no problem.   When I tried to get it back on board on the transition day (also in Amsterdam) for the next 14 day leg, it was confiscated.  Which annoyed me greatly.  So then instead of re-using my own bottle, I was forced to buy - wait for it - single use cans of water.   Until I got a bottle of water on one of my HAL sponsored tours.  I then re-used that PLASTIC  bottle for the rest of the cruise, hiding it in my pocket as I went through security.

 

I get reducing waste, especially plastic waste, but when I am reducing waste by using something plastic, it makes no sense to make me throw it away so I must then use single- use cans or cartons.

 

Bottom line, don't count on getting plastic on the ship.

 

 

[Mandalay1903]

I personally have not had a problem bringing single use bottles on board (HAL 35-day Australia 11/2022 and 24-day Indonesia 2/2023) when returning from shore excursions. Two things surprise me about the HAL policy and practices.

 

First, the shoreside shore excursions bus chaperones would give you virtually unlimited supplies of single use water bottles on the buses (and yes, it was very hot in these locations) and you could bring them back on board full or partially consumed. IMO, if the single use water bottles are banned by the cruise line, their use on the HAL-sponsored shore excursions should be banned too.

 

Second, the HAL ShoreEx team would sell pop-top aluminum cans of water (free under the HIA package) onboard as you depart on excursions. Problem is, after you open the can, on an excursion say, you can't re-close it and it becomes subject to spillage. Alternatively, HAL's Beverage Department would sell you a re-closable twist-top aluminum can of water while supplies lasted, but this was NOT covered by the HIA package despite being under the price limit.  IMO, HAL's ShoreEx department should be selling the twist-top aluminum cans and they should be covered by the HIA package.

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Water in a plastic bottle was not illegal (or prohibited) on our October 2023 cruise.

 

(HAL may not sell you a plastic bottle with your water purchase but plastic bottles are not prohibited onboard.....I saw lots of them and drank out of lots of them)

This would seem to be pretty self expanatory.  Staff were insisting on opened bottles being put into the bins.  Amsterdam cruise terminal September 2023.

 

 

 

[CruisingGrandmaW]

Just got off a 16 Day HAL cruise aboard Eurodam.

Here was my solution that I found easy.

1) Purchased $5 ea metal water bottles for Hubby & myself (the type that keeps water cool for 12+ hours).  Granted - they weren't as effective as more expensive brands - BUT they were light weight for packing to embark & I had no problem throwing them away at end of cruise.  (Look on very bottom shelf of Walmart - to find these cheaper $5 bottles) 

2) Pre-order online via your HAL booking 1 Gal Distilled Water for $2.95 each.  You'll find them under the Beverage Packages - way at the bottom.  You can choose your various delivery dates to avoid a bunch of gallon jugs sitting in cabin.   You can refill your water bottle in comfort of cabin without having to do the "clean glass to Plastic water bottle" trick in the Lido

3) We made sure to have our Cabin Steward fill ice bucket am/pm & also ordered a pitcher of Ice water or 4 glasses of just ice when ordering Room service breakfast, or Evening Room Service Tea.  This gave us plenty of ice that lasted long in the $5 Thermal Metal Drink bottles we had purchased from Walmart

[sunviking90]

27 minutes ago, CruisingGrandmaW said:

Just got off a 16 Day HAL cruise aboard Eurodam.

Here was my solution that I found easy.

1) Purchased $5 ea metal water bottles for Hubby & myself (the type that keeps water cool for 12+ hours).  Granted - they weren't as effective as more expensive brands - BUT they were light weight for packing to embark & I had no problem throwing them away at end of cruise.  (Look on very bottom shelf of Walmart - to find these cheaper $5 bottles) 

2) Pre-order online via your HAL booking 1 Gal Distilled Water for $2.95 each.  You'll find them under the Beverage Packages - way at the bottom.  You can choose your various delivery dates to avoid a bunch of gallon jugs sitting in cabin.   You can refill your water bottle in comfort of cabin without having to do the "clean glass to Plastic water bottle" trick in the Lido

3) We made sure to have our Cabin Steward fill ice bucket am/pm & also ordered a pitcher of Ice water or 4 glasses of just ice when ordering Room service breakfast, or Evening Room Service Tea.  This gave us plenty of ice that lasted long in the $5 Thermal Metal Drink bottles we had purchased from Walmart

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by sunviking90
Not as intended.

[Thetideishigh2021]

2 hours ago, Bluesmama said:

Hi, 

I see that plastic water bottles are now prohibited (it’s been awhile since I cruised on HAL and my first cruise post-COVID). I know they do allow you to bring in a certain amount of water in non plastic containers. 
question- can I bring in my own (non disposable, non-singe use water bottle) if it is plastic. I do have some that are metal but they are a bit more costly or “special” (souvenirs from other trips) than the plastic sports bottles and I’d rather not bring those with me in case I lose them somewhere.

will they confiscate? My husband and I will be bringing in two.

thanks

margo 

 

2 hours ago, Bluesmama said:

Hi, 

I see that plastic water bottles are now prohibited (it’s been awhile since I cruised on HAL and my first cruise post-COVID). I know they do allow you to bring in a certain amount of water in non plastic containers. 
question- can I bring in my own (non disposable, non-singe use water bottle) if it is plastic. I do have some that are metal but they are a bit more costly or “special” (souvenirs from other trips) than the plastic sports bottles and I’d rather not bring those with me in case I lose them somewhere.

will they confiscate? My husband and I will be bringing in two.

thanks

margo 

It’s hit and miss,  last spring on the Noordam I brought 8 cans of San Pelegríno mineral water on board and had a plastic bottle of San Pelegríno in an outside pocket of my purse in plain view.  I was filling up my plastic bottle with the canned stuff each day and had no problem taking it on and off the ship all week,  never questioned,  not confiscated.  I took  the plastic bottle off the ship with me at the end of the cruise.  Go figure

[kazu]

Just off the Rotterdam a week ago.

 

I had an empty bottle of water and had no issue bringing it on.  I refilled it on board either with HAL’s water or the canned water.  took it off in ports and brought it back empty on the ship.  No problem.

 

It was my ONLY bottle.  

 

I think YMMV depending on itinerary, ship, staff, etc.

[SFO Peter]

I think the objective is no disposable plastic bottles left for the ship disposal.   So one empty plastic bottle should be o.k. if you plan to take it off with you.

Peter

[FlaMariner]

2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

This would seem to be pretty self expanatory.  Staff were insisting on opened bottles being put into the bins.  Amsterdam cruise terminal September 2023.

 

 

 

 

Wow.

 

No plastic bottle confiscation bin when we boarded the Oosterdam in South America in March or when we boarded the Westerdam in Seattle in October (or at least I did not see such a thing).

 

Wonder if my single use plastic prescription bottles, single use plastic mouthwash bottle, single use plastic hand sanitizer bottles and the numerous other single use plastic bottles I carry onboard qualify for this definition of "single use bottles are not allowed"?  LOL.  I bring on many single use plastic bottles but I must surrender the one that has my water?  

 

Not sure this makes sense......Even the bin for confiscated plastic is made of plastic. LOL. 

 

Gotta love cruise critic....just when you think you know how things work, you find out you do not......LOL.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by FlaMariner

[Huskerchick]

We travel with Yeti type refillable cups. And find them great for pool days, etc. We ask for extra ice for our cabin and fill them in the lido 

[trtog7]

Does HAL give you water to take off the ship on an excursion ....free or paid for....... or do you rely on Excursion guide to supply water.

If not on excursion do you have to buy water to take with you?

[crystalspin]

32 minutes ago, trtog7 said:

Does HAL give you water to take off the ship on an excursion ....free or paid for....... or do you rely on Excursion guide to supply water.

If not on excursion do you have to buy water to take with you?

In the past, there was a water table to buy on way off ship (shorEx or not). Beverage Package not accepted. I don't remember if that was there last January (we only got off the ship three times in 16 days, not counting the turnaround day of our B2B). 

 

You can take your refillable bottle (filled from your tab or the night before in the Lido) OFF the ship. You will have to empty it bringing it back on, lest you fill it with tequila, or rum!

[0106]

The HIA beverage package can be used to”buy” canned water when leaving the ship.  It will count as one of your 15 drinks per day.

[badtwin]

On Rotterdam recently, the water table had some water covered by HIA (cans and maybe cartons) and some other container that wasn't included in the package.  I had read previously supplies will vary from cruise to cruise.  We did three HAL tours and water was provided on one ( a bike tour) but not the others (second bike tour and an "on your own" bus ride).

 

 

[Toofarfromthesea]

What percent of ocean plastic pollution comes from cruise ships?

[VMax1700]

21 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

What percent of ocean plastic pollution comes from cruise ships?

Any amount is too much.

[Shmoo here]

The water available for purchase onboard - is it in cans (pop-top variety) or those aluminum bottles (resealable)?

 

 

[slidergirl]

22 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

What percent of ocean plastic pollution comes from cruise ships?

that isn't the only thing.  Where are all those single-use bottles and bags going to go?  Landfills are filling up and we don't want more land destroyed just to take care of trash that didn't have to happen.  Look at how the islands have to dispose of your single-use products?  It has to be barged somewhere, and that costs money that some of those 3rd world towns do not have.  Have a little compassion and let go of your "wants" for a little.  Buy a cheap bottle to resuse.  Bring a cheap cloth bag to put your purchases into.  More and more places outside of the US are getting rid of the single-use products.  Just suck it up and help out.  You can buy all the bottles you want when you are home,

[oakridger]

2 hours ago, Shmoo here said:

The water available for purchase onboard - is it in cans (pop-top variety) or those aluminum bottles (resealable)?

 

 

 

Both are usually available.  The pop-top 12oz cans are included in the beverage packages.

The screw top can isn't included 😠

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 10/31/2023 at 1:42 PM, slidergirl said:

that isn't the only thing.  Where are all those single-use bottles and bags going to go?  Landfills are filling up and we don't want more land destroyed just to take care of trash that didn't have to happen.  Look at how the islands have to dispose of your single-use products?  It has to be barged somewhere, and that costs money that some of those 3rd world towns do not have.  Have a little compassion and let go of your "wants" for a little.  Buy a cheap bottle to resuse.  Bring a cheap cloth bag to put your purchases into.  More and more places outside of the US are getting rid of the single-use products.  Just suck it up and help out.  You can buy all the bottles you want when you are home,

 

Wow, you read an awful lot into a simple question.

[cruiseaholic78]

On 10/31/2023 at 12:21 AM, VMax1700 said:

This would seem to be pretty self expanatory.  Staff were insisting on opened bottles being put into the bins.  Amsterdam cruise terminal September 2023.

 

 

 

I guess staff are trying to supplement their income, most plastic bottle and cans come with a deposit in The Netherlands!!