Bringing our own water bottles onto Radiance OTS?

Hi, getting excited now about our first RCI cruise (out of Sydney) in four days' time.

We don't have complete confidence in the quality of ship's water so have always taken a slab of water bottles onto our previous (P&O) cruises (their policy is "12 loose" bottles per person but 24 sealed ones between us has passed muster).

RCI's documentation and Web site are silent on this question so I phoned them. After checking with his supervisor the operator said "That's not possible" (In fact it IS *possible* but perhaps isn't allowed). Does anyone have experience with this?

Technically, bringing bottled water on the ship is not allowed. However, the policy is rarely enforced. There are multiple reports here of people bringing cases of water on the ship. In fact, I don't know if I have ever read a post where bottled water was NOT allowed on.

At Sydney you've got good odds to get water/soda on.

No you're technically not allowed, but the enforcement is lax.

FWIW on our first attempt the properly tagged (but undisguised) slab was rejected by the baggage handler, on what grounds I don't know. So I manfully struggled with it and everything else during the long boarding process including climbing endless stairs as the lift / elevator was broken. Next time we put it into its own suitcase - no problem *except* it was held by security until we could claim it (and demonstrate it was only water). So we might try the same approach in Sydney. Thanks for the reassurance.

Technically, bringing bottled water on the ship is not allowed. However, the policy is rarely enforced. There are multiple reports here of people bringing cases of water on the ship. In fact, I don't know if I have ever read a post where bottled water was NOT allowed on.

Agree. Been a while, maybe 3 yrs ago when poster said they were not allowed to take water on board. Spring Break, might been Port Canaveral...

Agree. Been a while, maybe 3 yrs ago when poster said they were not allowed to take water on board. Spring Break, might been Port Canaveral...

The porters at Port Canaveral will not take an obvious case of water. We've always had to put the water in sone luggage.

I would think ports might vary on this....anyone know about Tampa?

I saw that you can purchase Evian through RCI and they will deliver it to your room, but it is outrageously expensive! I'd much prefer my plain bottled water if possible! =)

I would think ports might vary on this....anyone know about Tampa?

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No problem with a case in rolling luggage.

I would think ports might vary on this....anyone know about Tampa?

 

I saw that you can purchase Evian through RCI and they will deliver it to your room, but it is outrageously expensive! I'd much prefer my plain bottled water if possible! =)

Yes it is expensive but a lot less trouble and it's just plain water like you want. People drink the ships water every day in their coffee, tea, ice, drinks, and food.

You should have complete confidence in the ship's water. It's in your food, ice and beverages. It's clean and fine. It's WATER! There is nothing magical or sterile about "bottled" water. Same stuff you get on the ship!

Actually ships water is more pure than many bottled waters.

Just make sure your water doesn't smell like Gin or Vodka.

As mentioned in another thread I ended up not bothering bringing water aboard as my wife has packed everything she owns except her wedding dress. I foolishly decided to walk, dragging my suitcase plus her shipping container from a/p to Mascot train station to save the a/p surcharge. As the route was under construction and given the heat and humidity an extra case (of anything) wasn't going to happen.