Drinking water on Westerdam

I am not a soda lover and wondering if the water from the taps, well where does it come from? Is it dreadful taste wise?

I drank the tap water on Westerdam. It tasted just fine to me.

I always order the bottled mineral water package for use in the cabin, because I like it. It is not very expensive. Or I bring my own bottled water that I purchase ashore. The ship water is perfectly safe. No taste is the better description.

It's fine. Bring a refillable bottle or two with you. There is a bottle fill station in the Lido.

The water from your tap is the same as the water that's poured into your glass in the dining room, and from which the ice is made.

Those taste fine, and so does the water from the tap.

The water on cruise ships are from processed sea water. Very good & safe to drink@ shower:p

The water on the ship can either be from shore-side sources or from desalination on the ship.

We have always drank the water from the tap on all the cruise lines we have sailed on.

The water on the ship can either be from shore-side sources or from desalination on the ship.

 

 

We have always drank the water from the tap on all the cruise lines we have sailed on.

We always get a charge watching people carry those heavy slabs of drinkjng water when all the time the ships water is as good or better .:p

In 90+ cruises we never had a problem with any ships water to drink or bathe :p

Apparently pumping into the ship fresh water at ports saves on fuel to de salt the sea water

I have always been amazed of how clean even the grey water is before the ship releases it into the oceans because the ship treats the grey water .:)

To answer the OP's question directly, the water comes from two sources, either municipal water from a port or distilled/desalinated from sea water.

Water from shore must meet EPA/WHO standards for safe drinking water, and be certified to those standards, tested at the hydrant being used, at least monthly. This water is chlorinated before it goes into the tanks, and must also be kept segregated and not used until a coliform bacteria test comes back negative, which takes 18-24 hours.

Water made onboard is either distilled in a flash evaporator, making pure distilled water, or desalinated using reverse osmosis. Water from both of these sources is also chlorinated before going into the tanks, and will have passed through a calcium carbonate (the antacid ingredient in Tums) filter bed to neutralize it.

In circulation around the ship, the water is again chlorinated. Some folks complain about the taste of the chlorine, so getting water from the drink stations in the buffet, or the water served in the dining venues will taste better because these devices (along with the ice makers and bar guns) use a carbon filter to remove the chlorine for maintenance reasons. If the chlorine taste from your cabin sink bothers you, fill a water bottle or pitcher with water and let it sit open for a couple hours and the chlorine will dissipate naturally.

Water taste is a very subjective topic, and those used to harder water sources will find the softer water on ships to be flavorless.

Bunkering water in port does not really save money, as most of the energy used to distill sea water comes from the diesel engines' waste heat (cooling water that would otherwise merely be transferred to heat the ocean). Ships bunker shore water if their itinerary does not allow sufficient time at sea (not allowed to make water within 12 miles of land), or sufficient speed while at sea (less engines running, less heat available to make water), to make all of the water required for the cruise.

The water from the taps on the ship is way better and safer than what we get at home.

In fact, our water is so bad that our neighborhood has to buy bottled water to drink.

Chengkp75, thanks for all that! I wish we could visit the on board de-sal plant, that would be fascinating. What is the reasoning behind the 12 mile limit on water-making? Excess salt released too near on-shore fishing grounds?

Chengkp75, thanks for all that! I wish we could visit the on board de-sal plant, that would be fascinating. What is the reasoning behind the 12 mile limit on water-making? Excess salt released too near on-shore fishing grounds?

Good question. You are thinking about what might be put into the sea, while I was thinking about what might be taken out, a risk of too many pollutants.

Chengkp75, thanks for all that! I wish we could visit the on board de-sal plant, that would be fascinating. What is the reasoning behind the 12 mile limit on water-making? Excess salt released too near on-shore fishing grounds?

Good question. You are thinking about what might be put into the sea, while I was thinking about what might be taken out, a risk of too many pollutants.

Not much to see with the distillers/RO units. No real moving parts, they just sit there and make fresh water.

Yep. It's the idea that near coastal waters are more likely to have pollutants than open ocean (at least it's diluted out there!).

To answer the OP's question directly, the water comes from two sources, either municipal water from a port or distilled/desalinated from sea water.

 

Water from shore must meet EPA/WHO standards for safe drinking water, and be certified to those standards, tested at the hydrant being used, at least monthly. This water is chlorinated before it goes into the tanks, and must also be kept segregated and not used until a coliform bacteria test comes back negative, which takes 18-24 hours.

 

Water made onboard is either distilled in a flash evaporator, making pure distilled water, or desalinated using reverse osmosis. Water from both of these sources is also chlorinated before going into the tanks, and will have passed through a calcium carbonate (the antacid ingredient in Tums) filter bed to neutralize it.

 

In circulation around the ship, the water is again chlorinated. Some folks complain about the taste of the chlorine, so getting water from the drink stations in the buffet, or the water served in the dining venues will taste better because these devices (along with the ice makers and bar guns) use a carbon filter to remove the chlorine for maintenance reasons. If the chlorine taste from your cabin sink bothers you, fill a water bottle or pitcher with water and let it sit open for a couple hours and the chlorine will dissipate naturally.

 

Water taste is a very subjective topic, and those used to harder water sources will find the softer water on ships to be flavorless.

 

Bunkering water in port does not really save money, as most of the energy used to distill sea water comes from the diesel engines' waste heat (cooling water that would otherwise merely be transferred to heat the ocean). Ships bunker shore water if their itinerary does not allow sufficient time at sea (not allowed to make water within 12 miles of land), or sufficient speed while at sea (less engines running, less heat available to make water), to make all of the water required for the cruise.

Excellent post. Thank you.

Bolding is mine and you are so right. We have hard water and while I can drink regular water with the dinner, overall, we will have bottled water on the ship. Not because there is anything wrong with the water, but because of the 'taste'.

Lots of folks are concerned about the ship board water because they've heard it's "recycled". Hate to say this but pretty much all the water, every where, is 'recycled'. Even that very expensive bottled water is recycled. They're simply not making any more water.

The vast majority of the bottled water sold in the US is simply filtered public water supply water - look carefully at the label on your bottles - then accept the fact that the tap water on board is comparable.

The vast majority of the bottled water sold in the US is simply filtered public water supply water - look carefully at the label on your bottles - then accept the fact that the tap water on board is comparable.

Many years ago, long before bottled water became ubiquitous, Consumer Reports did a study comparing a wide sampling of bottled waters and a few other sources. The results of the blind taste test that was part of the study? New York city tap water was the highest ranked.

Many years ago, long before bottled water became ubiquitous, Consumer Reports did a study comparing a wide sampling of bottled waters and a few other sources. The results of the blind taste test that was part of the study? New York city tap water was the highest ranked.

There was also a blind taste test (not by CR) of various vodkas. The winner was one of the least expensive - Smirnoff.

Lots of folks are concerned about the ship board water because they've heard it's "recycled". Hate to say this but pretty much all the water, every where, is 'recycled'. Even that very expensive bottled water is recycled. They're simply not making any more water.

Quite true. Not sure who is saying the water is "recycled". Some of the wastewater is used, in strictly non-potable systems, and tightly controlled, with no possible cross-connection to a potable system, if the ship uses an Advanced Waste Water Treatment Plant, which treats the wastewater to near perfect drinking water quality before discharging to sea, or using in non-potable systems. This effluent is tested every other month by third party testing labs to ensure its quality.

Tastes like "regular" water. Not like "Florida beach water."

The vast majority of the bottled water sold in the US is simply filtered public water supply water - look carefully at the label on your bottles - then accept the fact that the tap water on board is comparable.

The mineral water package on board is currently Evian - so no, it is not comparable in taste to the ship's tap water, for those who prefer this more "mineralized" taste of a reputable bottled brand. Agree, some municipal water can be of excellent taste quality - the SF Bay area "East Bay MUD" water system has a wonderful flavor too.

Hate to quote our resident expert and get this wrong, but I believe chengkp also pointed out a while back that the potassium/magnesium (????) content is also reduced along with the sodium in the ship's distilled water manufacture, with the potassium/magnesium (????) being necessary for the body's sodium regulation system. So any "bloating" that others report is not due to too much sodium in the water, but apparently the lack of potassium/magnesium (????). Which is one more reason to prefer a good mineral water while on board.

His other tip were some simple foods that "those at sea" I gather ate to make up for that essential mineral loss. (Almonds? Figs? ......????)

Excellent informative answers to my question. Here in our coastal town we drink aquifer water, untreated and deliciously fresh so I am a bit spoiled! Thanks so much for this info.