Feminine hygiene products on Viva

[alliecat44]

Just posting this thread so other folks in a similar dilemma can get accurate info (as of February 2024). 
 

If you are in need of feminine hygiene products on Viva, the only options are 1) going ashore and buying there, or 2) in the Pandora store on-ship, there is a little area in the back left-hand side with suntan lotion, etc—and there are three boxes of Tampax old-school cardboard applicators. 
 

However, Pandora (like all shops onboard) is closed while the ship is in port—current Viva itinerary out of San Juan has zero sea days, so you are stuck until the ship opens. 
 

PS I was in the Haven and the concierge couldn’t even get me a tampon before my water-based excursion, so I had to skip it (and it was prepaid…sigh) 

 

PPS my last period was less than two weeks before, so I thought I was fine—but surprises happen 

 

PPPS DO BETTER NCL.

 

 

 

 

[reeinaz]

I haven't had a cycle in years but I still bring tampons. Because yeah, one never knows. Lol Plus, someone else will probably need one. 

[bluesea777]

Take your own in case of emergencies.

 

 

[ready2cruzagain]

22 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

Take your own in case of emergencies.

 

 

 

My thoughts exactly!

[sheltielover256]

Wow- that seems like an oversight by management!   People forget things all the time, and I know from experience you aren't the first!   Similar thing happened to me years ago on another cruise line when my bag was slow getting to my room after embarkation,  and I or one of my daughters needed something (honestly can't remember which line or who needed it), but they had pads at guest services.  

[alliecat44]

yes, you should bring your own in case of emergency—so the ship shouldn’t stock suntan lotion, aloe, lip balm, razor blades, shaving cream, toothpaste, or anything else—right? Because people should bring their own! 🙄

 

With at least 25% of passengers on a ship having the potential for menstruation—AT LEAST—you woukd think there would be some, somewhere, on the ship. In the public restrooms, for instance. Surprises happen. First-timers happen. Things get ruined in the suitcase. Whatever. 
 

This is a basic necessity, and should be available. Period. (Pun intended.) 

 

 

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, bluesea777 said:

Take your own in case of emergencies.

 

 

What would you say to the people on the Dec 15 2023 Viva cruise who's bags were left out in the rain, to the point where all of their clothes were being laundered by NCL on the first evening, if the tampons (or any other necessities) they packed "for emergency" were ruined from that rain?  

The NCL apologists on this board continue to amaze me.  There is no reason for NCL not to stock and have accessible basic human necessities, yet out they come to make it the passengers problem.

[Daruma]

19 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

What would you say to the people on the Dec 15 2023 Viva cruise who's bags were left out in the rain, to the point where all of their clothes were being laundered by NCL on the first evening, if the tampons (or any other necessities) they packed "for emergency" were ruined from that rain?  

The NCL apologists on this board continue to amaze me.  There is no reason for NCL not to stock and have accessible basic human necessities, yet out they come to make it the passengers problem.

 

I don't know the person to whom you're referring, but my take on their comment was "take your own," as a layer of redundancy, not as "in place of," 🤷

[reeinaz]

51 minutes ago, alliecat44 said:

yes, you should bring your own in case of emergency—so the ship shouldn’t stock suntan lotion, aloe, lip balm, razor blades, shaving cream, toothpaste, or anything else—right? Because people should bring their own! 🙄

 

With at least 25% of passengers on a ship having the potential for menstruation—AT LEAST—you woukd think there would be some, somewhere, on the ship. In the public restrooms, for instance. Surprises happen. First-timers happen. Things get ruined in the suitcase. Whatever. 
 

This is a basic necessity, and should be available. Period. (Pun intended.) 

 

 

Thanks for reminding me that I should be as upset about this as I am about the lack of hashbrowns. Not that I am minimizing or equating the 2. It's just how normalized it's become for places to not have them. Yes, I am one who has at least 1 in EVERY bag I own but that is mainly due to inaccessibility when needed for emergencies.

I wonder if they were available at guest services and the concierge didn't know (although I feel like he should have asked). You can get almost everything else at guest services. Motion sickness meds, band aids, etc.

[SoloAlaska]

Ask almost any woman of the right age onboard and chances are she can help you out. I haven’t had my period in over 5 years (meds) and I still carry tampons in my first aid kit. They are great when dealing with large bleeds.

[alliecat44]

I called guest services and they did not have any products—only the same suggestions. I asked multiple women and nobody had a tampon or pad. 
 

This is a basic necessity. 

[alliecat44]

And FYI, I am not looking for an argument here, but if you believe guest services should have motion sickness meds and band aids, you should ask yourself why you think it’s okay they do not have feminine hygiene products. 
 

I posted this for figure users to be able to search and find this information if they are looking for the same thing on the Viva. I searched here after being rejected by guest services to see if any CC members had insight, but could not find anything. Merely trying to be helpful to others in the future who turn to CC for help. 

[ditzygrly]

this happened to me this summer on ncl... i was able to get pads from the medical center for a $30 fee until we made it to our next port

Edited February 12 by ditzygrly

[sheltielover256]

5 minutes ago, alliecat44 said:

I called guest services and they did not have any products—only the same suggestions. I asked multiple women and nobody had a tampon or pad. 
 

This is a basic necessity. 

Oh, I agree that its a necessity, and did not mean to suggest that you didn't do due diligence.  I was just perplexed (not disbelieving)  that they wouldn't have something like this easily available--considering the potential "implications" when this need isn't addressed.  It must be an oversight by management-- not by design!

[sheltielover256]

7 minutes ago, ditzygrly said:

this happened to me this summer on ncl... i was able to get pads from the medical center for a $30 fee until we made it to our next port

$30-Wow!  Maybe it is by design!

[ditzygrly]

Just now, sheltielover256 said:

$30-Wow!  Maybe it is by design!

they were cheap awful ones too, and you were forced to buy the whole box. i was pissed, but lesson learned.

[carohs]

Before I get completely outraged that NCL wouldn't or couldn't provide a basic necessity item, I just need to ask for clarification. Were all your efforts geared toward getting a tampon, specifically, or was no hygiene product available anywhere at all? 

[alliecat44]

ANY product. Pad or tampon. NOTHING was available. 
 

Edited to add that no pads available in Pandora—just the three boxes of tampons. 

Edited February 12 by alliecat44

[carohs]

19 minutes ago, alliecat44 said:

ANY product. Pad or tampon. NOTHING was available. 
 

Edited to add that no pads available in Pandora—just the three boxes of tampons. 

Yup, I'm outraged.

 

Even the lack of pads in Pandora is bad. I prefer tampons, but not everyone is comfortable using them. 

[alliecat44]

Exactly. There are plenty of women/girls who cannot use tampons for a multitude of reasons. 

[puppycanducruise]

37 minutes ago, alliecat44 said:

ANY product. Pad or tampon. NOTHING was available. 
 

Edited to add that no pads available in Pandora—just the three boxes of tampons. 

That's terrible.  Women need menstrual products. 

[JGmf]

1 hour ago, puppycanducruise said:

2 hours ago, alliecat44 said:

ANY product. Pad or tampon. NOTHING was available. 
 

Edited to add that no pads available in Pandora—just the three boxes of tampons. 

That's terrible.  Women need menstrual products. 

 

Chiming-in as a man: having no opportunity to buy -- or even get a low quality freebie -- is not a good look for NCL.  It could be argued that such products are deemed nearly as essential as toilet paper.  At many colleges, universities, and other residential/public venues they provide such free products.  Geez, how about a machine in one of the larger public women's rest rooms?  That would be a step in the right direction.

[puppycanducruise]

2 minutes ago, JGmf said:

 

Chiming-in as a man: having no opportunity to buy -- or even get a low quality freebie -- is not a good look for NCL.  It could be argued that such products are deemed nearly as essential as toilet paper.  At many colleges, universities, and other residential/public venues they provide such free products.  Geez, how about a machine in one of the larger public women's rest rooms?  That would be a step in the right direction.

Our Canadian government has decided that these products are essential, akin to toilet tissue in washrooms, so they are now free to federal employees.  A step forward, hopefully, other businesses will follow suit.

[Traveling Fools]

Also chiming in as a man who experienced complications from prostrate surgery and requires man pads.  If I don't take them, there are none available on board and in some countries very hard to find.  I learned about that when I left home with a basic load and needed some in Copenhagen and Quebec.  I use them to pad that bottle of Veuve we take on each voyage.  So, Yes...I can relate....P.S.  As one who has also experienced a rectal resection to treat colon cancer, the Dr. told me I could relate to women who have given birth.  😁