Pendantic Pennings

While ho-hum is on sabatical, those so inclined can use this thread to discuss cruise related things not really worthy of a seperate thread, e.g. anything written by ol' Ragnar :eek:

First up: Jim, how do cruise ships provide fresh water? Desalinization? Or do they take on fresh water in ports? Is the tap water on a ship safe to drink? Is it wise to? Or should one always drink bottled water? How about teethbrushing, etc. And do the all-inclusives provide the fancier bottled waters, like Pellegrino, gratis at dinner? (Never dawned on me to ask, always too busy drinking wine....)

While ho-hum is on sabatical, those so inclined can use this thread to discuss cruise related things not really worthy of a seperate thread, e.g. anything written by ol' Ragnar :eek:

 

First up: Jim, how do cruise ships provide fresh water? Desalinization? Or do they take on fresh water in ports? Is the tap water on a ship safe to drink? Is it wise to? Or should one always drink bottled water? How about teethbrushing, etc. And do the all-inclusives provide the fancier bottled waters, like Pellegrino, gratis at dinner? (Never dawned on me to ask, always too busy drinking wine....)

I wonder if H-H is keeping up with your column? Do they have wi-fi at the Betty Ford? To your question: Yes the water is safe to drink, in fact probably better than your tap water at home. All modern ships have water makers on board. These can be reverse osmosis or evaporative types. Both produce very clean water. In the old days (Captn Jims days) we had to fill large tanks with water. This guaranteed a certain level of "sediment". A wise old Bosun told me "don't look at it Bucko, just drink it. The all inclusives we have sailed have all had Pellegrino or some equivalent fizzy water included. Nice for a change every now and then. Hope y'all are re acclimated to the Left Coast time. We are in beautiful downtown Milwaukee just finishing up some book learnin' and are heading home soon. It is 38 F outside. will be in the 90s when we get back to PHX. Too darn cold in Yankee land. Though the food is good.:D

What is the subject of your continuing ed? Sea faring stuff? Or on the finer points of tequilla tasting?

All, what is there to do when SD anchors in Great Bay off Peter Island? We anchored at White Bay there once and it was pretty boring, and snorkeling not good. Could not access any of the rest of the island from there.

Perhaps you mean pedantic!

Either way, this erudite replacement column will surely cause Ho-Hum to

reconsider coming out of retirement,

Or just maybe you meant pundantic ... as in a play on words!

Only a few days left before the crossing and we can't wait! :)

What is the subject of your continuing ed? Sea faring stuff? Or on the finer points of tequilla tasting?

Marine Survey business. With a minor in fried cheese curds and beer. It was 38 this morning........Darn glad to have just arrived back in the desert.:eek:

Perhaps you mean pedantic!

 

Either way, this erudite replacement column will surely cause Ho-Hum to

reconsider coming out of retirement,

 

Or just maybe you meant pundantic ... as in a play on words!

 

Only a few days left before the crossing and we can't wait! :)

Pendulous Pennings??????

Spooner was my great uncle..

Yes, Jim, if you mean subject to vacillation, "pendulous" it is!

And we have yet to hear a word from the master of vacillation who

apparently has entered a Trappist monastery.

You know those Cistercian monks, they like their bubbly! :)

 

Yes, Jim, if you mean subject to vacillation, "pendulous" it is!

 

And we have yet to hear a word from the master of vacillation who

apparently has entered a Trappist monastery.

 

You know those Cistercian monks, they like their bubbly! :)

 

I'm thinking Betty Ford.:eek::D

Yes, the master does look quite a bit like Betty in her older years. Poor woman.

Ok, enough commentary on he who must remain unnamed. Get this thread back onto serious cruise topics!

Like, how have the wines been lately on SD? Anyone have a list of the free pours from a recent cruise?

All, what is there to do when SD anchors in Great Bay off Peter Island? We anchored at White Bay there once and it was pretty boring, and snorkeling not good. Could not access any of the rest of the island from there.

White Bay is good. Who needs snorkeling with all the beach bars? And there is a road taking you over the hillock to Great Harbor and the stuff around Foxy's. Get out those XXXXXL hiking shoes and start walking.:eek::D You are speaking of White Bay on Jost van Dyke, right??

Sadly no, Peter Island.

I bet SD has a hell of a time rounding everyone back up when they release them near Foxy's....

Sadly no, Peter Island.

 

I bet SD has a hell of a time rounding everyone back up when they release them near Foxy's....

Actually, they just keep the tender running until the last dregs stagger aboard. Foxy's has a flexible closing time and we have never managed to shut them down but the next day have seen a number of hard core late nighters barely get up in time for lunch.:eek: JVD is a small island. You can't get away from SD security. They will come get you.:eek::D

Ok, since the pot needs stirring:

How would you know if the number of crew on a ship is as claimed on the "ship's facts" web page?

I recall that some time ago ho-hum mentioned he had heard the crew count on the Seaborne small triplets would drop from 180 to 120 when Windstar took them over. I see on Windstar's web page for the Legend that they claim 145 crew.

But, almost every review of Legend mentions the ship not running near capacity and yet still seeming understaffed.

So how could one find out the actual staff/passenger ratio for any particular cruise?

PS - Jim, since you've been on the triplets, how will a reduction of 35 crew affect things, considering WS is not all-inclusive, and does not use the show lounge?

Ok, since the pot needs stirring:

 

How would you know if the number of crew on a ship is as claimed on the "ship's facts" web page?

 

I recall that some time ago ho-hum mentioned he had heard the crew count on the Seaborne small triplets would drop from 180 to 120 when Windstar took them over. I see on Windstar's web page for the Legend that they claim 145 crew.

 

But, almost every review of Legend mentions the ship not running near capacity and yet still seeming understaffed.

 

So how could one find out the actual staff/passenger ratio for any particular cruise?

 

PS - Jim, since you've been on the triplets, how will a reduction of 35 crew affect things, considering WS is not all-inclusive, and does not use the show lounge?

Every ship sailing has a manifest of crew and passengers (if a passenger ship) for each voyage. Not sure how they do for ferries but my ships always had a list of current crew on board. SeaDream advertises 95 crew. We have been aboard with as low as 92 and as high as 98. Only your Captain can tell you (if he will). As to your Windstar question, service would have to be less than when they were on Seabourn. Service was top notch on the Little Triplets of Seabourn so it will still be probably ok, better than Carnival, but it will not be the same type over the top as SeaDream or Seabourn. Just not physically possible with that much reduction of crew. When we were on the Triplets, multiple bars were open at the same time. I suspect Windstar will have selected bars open, just one example of reductions. Let us know how it goes Sundance.:D

Haha, I'm only expecting a notch above easyCruise...

Some reviewers find it odd that they only keep one bar open at a time, despite pax paying for drinks. You would think they would want to facilitate revenue generation. Maybe the WS demo is not as booze-oriented as the SD demo. Maybe they mostly hail from Colorado :eek:

Oh, and are entertainers counted as "crew", assuming entertainment is all they do?

Oh, and are entertainers counted as "crew", assuming entertainment is all they do?

Sometimes. Maybe. Could be. One name for extra non passenger personnel on board is supernumerary. Not really crew, not a passenger. Seabourn entertainers were crew last we were there in that they had day jobs on the ship. So, to be clear as mud, it varies.:D