Tap water is yellow

I'm currently onboard the carnival imagination and something has been bothering me the whole trip. The water coming out of the tap is yellow. I'm on the second leg of my b2b same itinerary as the first leg. The first leg was suppose to go to Catalina and ensenada. Catalina was cancelled due to weather and so was ensenada. We managed to dock in ensenada on the last day then returned to long beach. I originally noticed the issue on the first leg of my trip when washing up in the shower. The water was so yellow it turned my white wash rag 80% yellow. I wish I took a picture of it but didn't think of it at the time. I'm a frequent cruiser and this is actually my 5th time on the imagination alone. I never encountered such an issue and/or just never noticed it before. I spoke to many passengers about the issue and majority of them noticed it as well. I would like to know what is causing this issue and what exactly is carnival doing to fix it. I don't feel comfortable drinking the water on this ship, washing my face or taking a shower in it but I'm kinda forced too unless I want to walk around smelling like carnival triumph on day 6.(just a joke relax) I have brought the issue up with my cabin stewards and guest services and they blamed the issue on the heavy rocking of the ship during the first leg of the cruise. They claimed the rocking caused the sediments at the bottom of the water tank to mix with the clean water at the top. Could be true because I didn't notice the issue until the 2nd day of my first leg. The water was clear the first day of my second leg but when we came back onboard from Catalina island the water is once again yellow. The ship wasn't rocking even half as bad as the first leg. Last time even crew members were sick and many people said it was the worse rocking experienced in a while. I still have 2 more days onboard some feedback would be wonderful

On my last cruise on the Elation, I had rust colored water come out of the sink. Shower ran clear water. I went to Guest Services and they sent a plumber and it was fixed within 10 minutes. I have no idea what could be causing the issue but I would suggest that you politely insist that they send a plumber to your room.

I would like to know what is causing this issue and what exactly is carnival doing to fix it.

I think you would need to address this issue with a call or letter to Carnival Guest Care as I doubt anyone here on CC could tell you definitively what Carnival is doing to fix it.

However if I had to take a guess, I know the Pacific has been very rough and would say this is an abnormal occurrence due to heavy rocking of the ship causing the sediments at the bottom of the water tank to mix with the clean water at the top.

Or they trucked in a tank of water from Flint Michigan.

Or they trucked in a tank of water from Flint Michigan.

You stole my joke

On my last cruise on the Elation, I had rust colored water come out of the sink. Shower ran clear water. I went to Guest Services and they sent a plumber and it was fixed within 10 minutes. I have no idea what could be causing the issue but I would suggest that you politely insist that they send a plumber to your room.

Thanks for your response. I'm pretty positive this is a ship wide issue. As I said before I spoke to many passengers and the majority are experiencing the same issue. I'm on a b2b and moved from deck 5 to 6 and the water was yellow in both cabins. I highly doubt that is a coincidence.

Just curious, did you use the water to brush your teeth? I couldn't imagine, I would have been at the desk with that issue right away. I have never seen that issue before.

Just curious, did you use the water to brush your teeth? I couldn't imagine, I would have been at the desk with that issue right away. I have never seen that issue before.

Yes I have because I had no other choice. I don't want to walk around with stinking breath. I will make sure to make more complaints about this issue.

Yes I have because I had no other choice. I don't want to walk around with stinking breath. I will make sure to make more complaints about this issue.

Oh no! Sorry to hear. There is no way I would brush my teeth with that water. I'm sure, like others have said, it's probably the sediments from the bottom of the tank. Which begs another question...shouldn't the tanks be drained and cleaned to prevent this? Also, I would ask for complimentary bottles of water to brush my teeth with. I think that's the least that can be done!

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25,2017)

Yikes u know the old saying Don't eat the yellow snow...I wouldn't brush my teeth with yellow water either....lots of bottled water onboard to use at least 🙈

Had the same "rusty water" issue on the Pride last year. (aft cabin). It was reported to guest services. It was not fixed. I have not check recently but the reviews from a few months ago stated that there were still issues.

Frankly, I don't care what the cause of it is. From a customer's viewpoint, disgusting looking filthy water coming out of the tap and the shower is unacceptable and it needs to be fixed. :mad:

Had that issue on the Liberty ..called and they sent a guy right away who changed the filter under the sink never had another problem

When you offer dirt cheap cruises, they have to cut back someplace, and so the maintenance of the ships suffer. Good luck.

Had the same "rusty water" issue on the Pride last year. (aft cabin). It was reported to guest services. It was not fixed. I have not check recently but the reviews from a few months ago stated that there were still issues.

 

 

 

Frankly, I don't care what the cause of it is. From a customer's viewpoint, disgusting looking filthy water coming out of the tap and the shower is unacceptable and it needs to be fixed. :mad:

Couldn't agree more. Totally unacceptable no matter how you slice it! Those tanks need to cleaned.

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25,2017)

It's sediment was on your first leg and yes it was yellow. With the amount of rocking the ship did it will take a while fur it all to settle.

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I have brought the issue up with my cabin stewards and guest services and they blamed the issue on the heavy rocking of the ship during the first leg of the cruise. They claimed the rocking caused the sediments at the bottom of the water tank to mix with the clean water at the top.

Does this not make complete logical sense to you? It does to me.

. . . I have brought the issue up with my cabin stewards and guest services and they blamed the issue on the heavy rocking of the ship during the first leg of the cruise. They claimed the rocking caused the sediments at the bottom of the water tank to mix with the clean water at the top. . . .

Imagination is an old ship all of the tanks have sediment, and if it was as rough as you claim this explanation is exactly what happened. The only thing that will fix it is time. The water is treated and completely safe, it just doesn't look good. If you don't like it buy a Brita at your next port and filter the water you ingest.

Imagination is an old ship all of the tanks have sediment, and if it was as rough as you claim this explanation is exactly what happened. The only thing that will fix it is time. The water is treated and completely safe, it just doesn't look good. If you don't like it buy a Brita at your next port and filter the water you ingest.

I get the rocking of the ship caused the sediment in the bottom of the tank to mix with the water in the top of the tank. However, has it come to a point in which we, as paying customers, should just settle for yellow or rusty colored water just because it is what it is?

I'm sure the ship's crew are doing all they can to quickly get the water back to normal (as I am sure they, too, are suffering with the sediment infused water). I just don't get where it is the responsibility of the paying customer to remedy this problem.

Treated, safe or whatever the water may be, no one wants to deal with that type of water. In this situation, handing out bottles of water for teeth brushing isn't a lot to ask (for all we know, the crew may being doing just this). I would hope that bottled water is being used for cooking. As far as showering, I guess the only option is to use the water as it is, but at least it's not being ingested.

Just my two cents.

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25,2017)

I would hope that bottled water is being used for cooking. As far as showering' date=' I guess the only option is to use the water as it is, but at least it's not being ingested.

 

 

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25,2017)[/quote']

 

Assuming the color is from tank sediment, why in the world would they use bottled water to cook? The sediment that was stirred up was always in the tank in contact with the water. It just wasn't suspended but it was there.

 

I suppose they could hand out bottled water for brushing but how many bottles do they actually carry on the ship? Maybe they have plenty, maybe not?

 

Seems to me it's just an unfortunate circumstance of cruising that happens, similar to them missing the port. You don't particularly like it but you gotta roll with the waves.

Assuming the color is from tank sediment, why in the world would they use bottled water to cook?

Wouldn't you if you had yellow or rusty water at home?

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25,2017)

The water the ship produces would not carry any sediment. The water taken in port would need to meet USPH standards (the water has to be tested monthly by the local authorities for it to be considered "potable" for ships), so that would have little sediment, but it will have some. The water tanks are supposed to be opened, cleaned, and inspected every 2.5 years, so there shouldn't be that much sediment in the tanks.

Some of what you see may be chlorine scale that forms along the inside of the pipes from the chlorine they use to sanitize the water. As long as the pipes remain full of water, everything is fine, but when the system is shut down and drained for maintenance/repairs, this scale will dry out and fall off, and be circulated around the ship. It isn't hazardous in any way, it just looks yellow to white.

Another possibility is the "re-hardening filters". Since distilled water (what the ship's evaporators make as drinking water) is slightly acidic, which is not good for either pipes or human bodies, calcium carbonate (think the ingredient in Tums, an antacid) is used to neutralize the water. This comes in granular form, and is placed by the hundreds of pounds in large tanks that all the drinking water passes through. When new granules are added, they have some dust caused by the granules breaking up during storage, which is supposed to be backwashed by the crew before the filter is placed back on line. This dust can discolor the water as well, if not backwashed properly.

As far as being safe to drink, the amount of chlorination required by USPH is far above the sanitizing done by any municipal water authority in the US.

Wouldn't you if you had yellow or rusty water at home?

 

 

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25' date='2017)[/quote']

 

Ever use or had well water? Ask the folks who obtain their water from their own personal well. I've personally ingested plenty of rust (iron) in my lifetime through water from a tap.

......

As far as being safe to drink, the amount of chlorination required by USPH is far above the sanitizing done by any municipal water authority in the US.

Just curious, in your professional opinion, is the tank sediment story full of holes?:D

Just curious, in your professional opinion, is the tank sediment story full of holes?:D

If there is sediment in the tanks, it would most likely be chlorine scale again, so really nothing to worry about, and I've been in quite a few potable tanks, and I've never experienced enough sediment to affect a water system the size of a cruise ship.

The "rehardening filter" I mentioned before, also has a sand filter in it, so this will remove most of the sediment coming from the tanks.

I'd put money on not rinsing the carbonate granules properly.

Ever use or had well water? Ask the folks who obtain their water from their own personal well. I've personally ingested plenty of rust (iron) in my lifetime through water from a tap.

LOL! Okay, I understand where you're coming from now. We city folk are pansies when it comes to this kind of thing. Here in San Antonio, our water is very hard and not of good quality. Unfortunately, yes, we have to cook with bottled water.

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze (June 25,2017)

I think you would need to address this issue with a call or letter to Carnival Guest Care as I doubt anyone here on CC could tell you definitively what Carnival is doing to fix it.

 

However if I had to take a guess, I know the Pacific has been very rough and would say this is an abnormal occurrence due to heavy rocking of the ship causing the sediments at the bottom of the water tank to mix with the clean water at the top.

 

Or they trucked in a tank of water from Flint Michigan.

Now, that is funny coming from somebody that most likely never heard of Flint before.

(Native MI here)

Besides, the water isn't yellow.

Its brown.

:p