Tainted bottled water on Indi

[mdj101]

We've had several of the crystalline bottle waters since being onboard and several had a very strange smell to them. One of them yesterday was so bad it actually made some people gag!! This was a brand new unopened bottle and it's obviously been tainted some how.

 

I took it down to CS yesterday evening and was given the usual management spill by the food and beverages manager. Why do these people feel that they can spin you the company line and you will just accept it. Do thy think we are stupid?

 

Anyhow. Imagine my surprise that today EVERY venue on board is giving out Evian bottled water.

 

When asking staff they say they've run out of the other stuff.... Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

 

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[mdj101]

But it's good to see that RC obviously thought there was a problem and actually take action at a cost to themselves. But why the management just couldn't acknowledge this in the first place is beyond me.

 

 

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[north29]

But it's good to see that RC obviously thought there was a problem and actually take action at a cost to themselves. But why the management just couldn't acknowledge this in the first place is beyond me.

 

Management by the Objectives(MBO) is most cruise lines method of operation. The management at that level had no authority to go beyond their level other than MAYBE reporting it to a higher level of management who cold make the decision.

[spookwife]

one person complaining: no big deal.

 

50 people complaining: a less big deal that would warrant some action behind the scenes but not a public announcement.

 

but do you HONESTLY think they'd add to any potential panic by deviating from the company line?

 

maybe you were the first or second person and once the F&B manager was made aware he took steps. and lets not discount the fact that for every person who may have mentioned it, there were probably 2 or 3 who never did.

[mdj101]

I'd say one complaint of something of this nature was a big deal. I believe the water had been stored somewhere incorrectly, probably in direct sunlight for some time outside a warehouse and the plastic had started to break down which is what gave it it's pungent smell. The F&B manager took the bottle away, what probably happened next is that he showed the bottle to those higher up and they went and opened a couple of cases of water and found other bottles that didn't smell right and immediately took the decision to pull all the crystalline bottles and replace them with Evian.

 

 

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[chengkp75]

I'd say one complaint of something of this nature was a big deal. I believe the water had been stored somewhere incorrectly, probably in direct sunlight for some time outside a warehouse and the plastic had started to break down which is what gave it it's pungent smell. The F&B manager took the bottle away, what probably happened next is that he showed the bottle to those higher up and they went and opened a couple of cases of water and found other bottles that didn't smell right and immediately took the decision to pull all the crystalline bottles and replace them with Evian.

 

 

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I'd put more money on the bottling plant having a bad day. Bottled water is one of the least regulated areas of food service in the US.

[PCWalton1]

I'd say one complaint of something of this nature was a big deal. I believe the water had been stored somewhere incorrectly, probably in direct sunlight for some time outside a warehouse and the plastic had started to break down which is what gave it it's pungent smell. The F&B manager took the bottle away, what probably happened next is that he showed the bottle to those higher up and they went and opened a couple of cases of water and found other bottles that didn't smell right and immediately took the decision to pull all the crystalline bottles and replace them with Evian.

 

 

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Maybe your one complaint was all it took for them to take action. The wheel of decision making turns slow but it sounds like it did turn. :)

[Tin can]

I'd say one complaint of something of this nature was a big deal. I believe the water had been stored somewhere incorrectly, probably in direct sunlight for some time outside a warehouse and the plastic had started to break down which is what gave it it's pungent smell

 

Direct sunlight and heat is very bad for bottled water, left long enough the 'cheap' plastic does break down and can release toxins.

 

Not saying this is the case but RCI were probably wise pulling the bottles as you can get quite sick from it.

 

.

[mdj101]

Yes. I think RC acted very swiftly and credit to them for doing so.

 

 

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[SC_Floaters]

I took it down to CS yesterday evening and was given the usual management spill by the food and beverages manager. Why do these people feel that they can spin you the company line and you will just accept it. Do thy think we are stupid?

 

Please tell us what the Managment's Usual Spiel (spill) was as I've never had the Tainted Crystaline Water.

 

Hopefully it made no one sick..

 

Dennis

Edited August 4, 2016 by SC_Floaters
Type Corrected

[pspercy]

Spell Evian backwards and you get. . . . Naive :)

[chengkp75]

Direct sunlight and heat is very bad for bottled water, left long enough the 'cheap' plastic does break down and can release toxins.

 

Not saying this is the case but RCI were probably wise pulling the bottles as you can get quite sick from it.

 

.

 

Hard to find a place in direct sunlight where they store things on the ship. Likewise for non-air conditioned spaces, other than the engine room.

[Tin can]

Hard to find a place in direct sunlight where they store things on the ship. Likewise for non-air conditioned spaces, other than the engine room.

 

True, if loaded in Southampton though we have had a bit of a mini heatwave (for us here anyway :)) recently so maybe before it was loaded on board.

 

It was just a thought really, as someone mentioned above the rules/regs concerning bottled water are extensive so if something has gone wrong with it then that would likely have happened after leaving the plant.

[chengkp75]

True, if loaded in Southampton though we have had a bit of a mini heatwave (for us here anyway :)) recently so maybe before it was loaded on board.

 

It was just a thought really, as someone mentioned above the rules/regs concerning bottled water are extensive so if something has gone wrong with it then that would likely have happened after leaving the plant.

 

Yes, if it was on the dock for a long period, that is not RCI's fault.

 

From my experience, the regulation of the bottled water industry in the US is poor at best, with repeated recalls of product after it reaches the retail shelf or made the consumer ill.

[fred30]

I'd put more money on the bottling plant having a bad day. Bottled water is one of the least regulated areas of food service in the US.

 

I just heard a report that stated it is even worse if the water never leaves the state came from. Apparently there is basically no requirements in this situation.

[shipgeeks]

One more reason to only drink tap/dispenser water on a ship.

[riclop]

We've had several of the crystalline bottle waters since being onboard and several had a very strange smell to them. One of them yesterday was so bad it actually made some people gag!! This was a brand new unopened bottle and it's obviously been tainted some how.

 

I took it down to CS yesterday evening and was given the usual management spill by the food and beverages manager. Why do these people feel that they can spin you the company line and you will just accept it. Do thy think we are stupid?

 

Anyhow. Imagine my surprise that today EVERY venue on board is giving out Evian bottled water.

 

When asking staff they say they've run out of the other stuff.... Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

 

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Wow not good.

[Sharkb8]

Wow, you are awesome! I hope the rest of the cruisers appreciate your efforts.

 

 

We've had several of the crystalline bottle waters since being onboard and several had a very strange smell to them. One of them yesterday was so bad it actually made some people gag!! This was a brand new unopened bottle and it's obviously been tainted some how.

 

I took it down to CS yesterday evening and was given the usual management spill by the food and beverages manager. Why do these people feel that they can spin you the company line and you will just accept it. Do thy think we are stupid?

 

Anyhow. Imagine my surprise that today EVERY venue on board is giving out Evian bottled water.

 

When asking staff they say they've run out of the other stuff.... Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

 

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[mollyeilis]

Spell Evian backwards and you get. . . . Naive :)

 

Yes, I'm sure that when the town on the edge of Lake Geneva was named they saw the future and decided to name it "naive" backwards as some big joke that none of them would live to see the outcome of.

 

One more reason to only drink tap/dispenser water on a ship.

 

Shudder. No thank you. Wet-dog water. And it makes me swell up, but I don't swell when I have spring water.

 

 

one person complaining: no big deal.

 

50 people complaining: a less big deal that would warrant some action behind the scenes but not a public announcement.

 

but do you HONESTLY think they'd add to any potential panic by deviating from the company line?

 

maybe you were the first or second person and once the F&B manager was made aware he took steps. and lets not discount the fact that for every person who may have mentioned it, there were probably 2 or 3 who never did.

 

Exactly.

 

It's like when someone complains about something with a company. The first person is likely doubted. The second person is likely doubted. But if the CS reps are doing their jobs right and coding the calls/emails right, soon enough there will be enough "numbers" for them to do something.

[cello56]

You want gross water on a ship? THIS is the water that came out of our cabin bathroom on Serenade this past April. It happened right after my shower as I was about to brush my teeth!

 

 

Guest Services were rude and condescending when I showed them the photo. Dismissed it as what happens when they change the water tanks. Really? I included the photo in my post cruise survey, and never even heard back from RCI.

[tere247]

You want gross water on a ship? THIS is the water that came out of our cabin bathroom on Serenade this past April. It happened right after my shower as I was about to brush my teeth!

 

 

Guest Services were rude and condescending when I showed them the photo. Dismissed it as what happens when they change the water tanks. Really? I included the photo in my post cruise survey, and never even heard back from RCI.

 

We were on the Serenade this past December and also had yellow water one morning.

 

[chengkp75]

This is a fairly common occurrence on ships. While unappealing, there is nothing unsafe about this yellow water. It is caused by the scale that forms on the insides of the piping by the chlorine in the water. As long as the water continues to fill the pipes, it stays put. When a section of piping is shut off and drained for repair, the scale dries out and falls off. Then when the water is turned back on, it will circulate for a little while before clearing. Generally, the branch piping going to each cabin's bathroom is does not have circulation, so some will deposit here. Generally running the water for a minute or two will clear the cloudiness.

[BND]

This is a fairly common occurrence on ships. While unappealing, there is nothing unsafe about this yellow water. It is caused by the scale that forms on the insides of the piping by the chlorine in the water. As long as the water continues to fill the pipes, it stays put. When a section of piping is shut off and drained for repair, the scale dries out and falls off. Then when the water is turned back on, it will circulate for a little while before clearing. Generally, the branch piping going to each cabin's bathroom is does not have circulation, so some will deposit here. Generally running the water for a minute or two will clear the cloudiness.

 

As ever, the voice of knowledge concerning ships :D

 

I hate to tell people, but the cleanest looking water can have a huge amount of bacteria in it. It's all in what is in the water, not what it looks like. Before modern plumbing people drank water from wells that was different shades of brown and never thought anything of it.

[cello56]

As ever, the voice of knowledge concerning ships :D

 

I hate to tell people, but the cleanest looking water can have a huge amount of bacteria in it. It's all in what is in the water, not what it looks like. Before modern plumbing people drank water from wells that was different shades of brown and never thought anything of it.

 

So you are saying that you would have been happy to drink a big glass of that water? Seriously?

 

I am sure that what Chengpk75 said is the way things work, but RCI cannot expect the average passenger to know that. The man at guest services could have handled things so much better. I wasn't rude or yelling or demanding compensation. I just wanted to make sure that I had not been exposed to something unforeseen - that a problem had not arisen. He could have apologized, and then politely explained what had happened. Instead he was rude and treated me like I was wasting his time. Poor customer service in my opinion.

[chengkp75]

So you are saying that you would have been happy to drink a big glass of that water? Seriously?

 

I am sure that what Chengpk75 said is the way things work, but RCI cannot expect the average passenger to know that. The man at guest services could have handled things so much better. I wasn't rude or yelling or demanding compensation. I just wanted to make sure that I had not been exposed to something unforeseen - that a problem had not arisen. He could have apologized, and then politely explained what had happened. Instead he was rude and treated me like I was wasting his time. Poor customer service in my opinion.

 

Unfortunately, 90% of the crew are clueless when it comes to ship's operations, even when things have been explained to them. I am always amazed at the off the wall explanations crew will give passengers, even when they see me hovering nearby. One of several reasons I came on CC.