How safe is the drinking water?

[Iceberg2]

We are going to Panama in January. On Princess and private tours, drinks are offered - not are all bottled on the private ones and sometimes lunch is included. Do we have to worry about these drinks and food handling when off the ship?

We usually do not eat away from the ship, but some of the tours are away for many hours. Thank you.

[custompcsys]

We are going to Panama in January. On Princess and private tours, drinks are offered - not are all bottled on the private ones and sometimes lunch is included. Do we have to worry about these drinks and food handling when off the ship?

We usually do not eat away from the ship, but some of the tours are away for many hours. Thank you.

 

If you want to be safe, bring bottled water from onboard (they will gladly sell it to you on your way off the ship :) ) and if you drink anything from ashore make sure its something canned and processed like a Coke or similar. As far as food is concerned I stay away from local fruit and make sure everything is thoroughly cooked. It doesn't guarantee you won't have an issue, but it will reduce the chances. So far I've survived Mexico and the Caribbean as well as Russia by doing this.

 

Have fun! :)

[Pam in CA]

If you're on the ship or on a Princess tour, you don't have to worry about drinking the water; they'll have bottled water for you. I can't comment about a private tour but I'd be very careful about drinking ANYTHING that isn't bottled and sealed. Since my trip to China in September where it was pretty much automatic, I now carry a small quantity of Pepto Bismol and Immodium with me at all times.

[coiran]

You do not have to buy it on the ship - take some bottles or containers from home and fill them from the ship tap water - it is better and more pure than any bottled water you can buy!

Ron

[Colo Cruiser]

Absolutley worry about water, try and use bottled whenever possible and no ice.

Food can also be suspect but if it is a Princess tour there should be less worry as I would hope they have checked out the operation first. :)

[paul929207]

This is a reason for taking cruise line tours despite the extra cost. They are not taking you to a resturant without checking the quality & safety of the food.

[dforeigner]

Just purchase one of these:

And fill them up before leaving the ship.

[coiran]

Just purchase one of these:

 

And fill them up before leaving the ship.

 

\Yeh - but do you know that the ship's water will make you swell up????:D LOL

 

Ron

[Grannycb]

We just got off that cruise and didn't have any problem with either food or water. You can ask your guides if the water is filtered and the food safe to eat. Most places we visited either filtered their water or brought in bottled water for tourists. The Princess tours took us to nice hotels for lunch in Antigua and Grenada - the food was delicious! We took the Rural Communities & Traditions tour in Huatulco where we were served cactus, tamales, tortillas and locally made fruit drinks. We were assured it was safe.

[Keith1010]

When you go ashore only have bottled water. And don't make the mistake of getting bottled water but then having it with ice.

 

Keith

[dforeigner]

\Yeh - but do you know that the ship's water will make you swell up????:D LOL

 

Ron

 

Oh boy, please no more theories, rumors or myths to get people started.

[blindrid]

We just got off that cruise and didn't have any problem with either food or water. You can ask your guides if the water is filtered and the food safe to eat. Most places we visited either filtered their water or brought in bottled water for tourists. The Princess tours took us to nice hotels for lunch in Antigua and Grenada - the food was delicious! We took the Rural Communities & Traditions tour in Huatulco where we were served cactus, tamales, tortillas and locally made fruit drinks. We were assured it was safe.

 

Assured by who - I've seen plenty of local vendors refill water bottles to provide you with "bottled water". That's why most restaraunts will give you the bottle and the server does not open it so you can see the seal is OK.

 

I've been plenty adventuresome with regards to eating and drinking in foreign countries and have had no problems (knock on wood).

[bdjam]

Assured by who - I've seen plenty of local vendors refill water bottles to provide you with "bottled water". That's why most restaraunts will give you the bottle and the server does not open it so you can see the seal is OK.

 

I've been plenty adventuresome with regards to eating and drinking in foreign countries and have had no problems (knock on wood).

Right - Pam mentioned it - don't drink water unless it's from a bottle AND sealed. A friend went to Mazatlan, drank the water supplied in bottles and suffered for a month after she returned. Her physician suggested that the "filtering" done to the water in the un-sealed bottles was a screen over a garden hose.

[Pam in CA]

Right - Pam mentioned it - don't drink water unless it's from a bottle AND sealed. A friend went to Mazatlan, drank the water supplied in bottles and suffered for a month after she returned. Her physician suggested that the "filtering" done to the water in the un-sealed bottles was a screen over a garden hose.

Exactly. And as was mentioned, don't get ice with the "bottled" water! I saw one idiot on my cruise in China eat some local ice cream. Ugh!

[gooch47]

This may be overkill, but I've also heard that you shouldn't drink directly from cans or bottles even if they were sealed. Use a straw.

[dforeigner]

This may be overkill, but I've also heard that you shouldn't drink directly from cans or bottles even if they were sealed. Use a straw.

 

I believe this has to do when the cans are sitting inside a tub filled with iced water.

[Roses2]

It is amazing that there are so many physicians and preventive medicine specialists available on this posting to give advice.

[Albino Mosquito]

This may be overkill, but I've also heard that you shouldn't drink directly from cans or bottles even if they were sealed. Use a straw.

 

I've heard this is more important with cans. The bottle cap somewhat protects where your mouth goes, but with cans, people touch them, they get dusty/dirty etc on the shelves, then we put it right to our lips.

 

So they suggest cleaning the can rim and top before you drink from it.

[jb008]

The next few time you get a canned drink at a gas station/street vendor/deli take a look at the top before you open it... then fold a clean white napkin and run it around the raised edge and check out the napkin again. I bet it'll be all gross and dirty/dusty at least once.

 

Bottled drinks For The Win!

[Pam in CA]

It is amazing that there are so many physicians and preventive medicine specialists available on this posting to give advice.

Not so sure about that but there are a lot of people with experience who have learned the hard way what not to do.

[bdjam]

It is amazing that there are so many physicians and preventive medicine specialists available on this posting to give advice.

Yeah?? What the heck does this mean?

[dforeigner]

It is amazing that there are so many physicians and preventive medicine specialists available on this posting to give advice.

 

 

Maybe I missed something. I did not see anyone prescribing any Rx on this particular thread. People are simply stating what preventive measures they follow.