Discolored drinking Water on Constellation

[grandsix]

Let us first say we are very experienced cruises. Since April of this year (2005) alone we have completed 7 cruises on multiple lines with one more to go next month. Now for the question to all that read this thread.

 

WOULD YOU DRINK, BATHE OR RINSE YOUR MOUTH OR WOULD YOU ALLOW YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN TO DRINK, BATHE OR RINSE THEIR MOUTH WITH WATER THAT HAD A YELLOW AND OR BROWN COLOR???

 

Just returned from 10/29/05 to 11/10/05 on the Constellation. While the overall cruise was good, we were quite concerned over the color of the drinking water on deck 10 (seaside cafe buffet and aqua spa). This water is used for coffee, tea and hot cocoa. It may also be used for cooking and washing too. When put in a clear glass or coffee cup the water had a yellow and or brown color. When put in the drinking tumbler it was more difficult to determine because the tumblers are tinted. Some days the discoloration was more noticeable. In addition, the problem was also noticeable by cabin guests on decks 7,8 and 9. When alone in your cabin discolored water is more noticeable because you are generally alone in the bathroom so your concentration is greater. In the congested Buffet area, most people are concerned with getting their food and getting a table and therefore, should not concentrating on the color of their water. It might be added that the water and coffee machines were constantly breaking down. The discoloration was not a problem in the main dining room. The water discoloration lasted from about the 3rd day to the end of the cruise.

At first the problem was brought to the attention of the wait staff who said they would report it. No reponse. In the following days the head waiters and asst, maitre D (Vlado. Lorenzo & Naomi) were questioned along with AMD's Joseph and Ryan. Again said we will check it out. Next day we saw a technicion repairing the water machines. He said they knew about the problem and were having a meeting and even the Captain was aware. Finally I requested a meeting with Hans Van Welzen Food and Beverage Mgr. This was done through Ms.Gracios in Guest Relations. HE IGNORED US. Luckily he was spotted toward the end of the cruise. When shown the discolored water, Hans said HE WAS NOTt aware of a problem and would get back to me. OF COURSE HE NEVER DID. There was a major breakdown in communication with the guest by not addressing the problem directly with the guest. Is this the way Captain Ioannis wants his ship run?? Is it don't ask don't tell.

 

Water on a cruise ship goes through a very detailed distillation and filtering process which should result in crystal clear water even in your cabin. We have always felt safe and confident with water on cruise ships. Perhaps the CDC should review the 100% the Constellation recently received.

[Normandie-BCN]

I see all ships taking water while in most ports. Therefore, not all the water is produced in the ship. May be that colored water was from a port and not from the ship.

[rjg41]

While the staff should have been more responsive to you you should know that the color of water has nothing to do with the safety of the water. Certainly the fact the there was some "color" to the water could indicate other problems with the water treatment system, color alone does not at all indicate that the water is unsafe. Color is an aesthetic issue only.

 

The following is from the United States EPA web site at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/consumer/2ndstandards.html

 

"They are established only as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing their drinking water for aesthetic considerations, such as taste, color and odor. These contaminants are not considered to present a risk to human health at the SMCL"

 

The "they" in the quote are "secondary maximum contaminant levels" or "SMCLs" which are not safety issues. Read the web page for more information.

[Schplinky]

X is responsible for passenger safety (clean water) and comfort/customer service. Seems like you got the first and not the second.

[halos]

I wouldn't drink it...would I be nervous about safety?...no.

7 years back I would have. 6 Years ago we moved into a house that uses a well...have had issues witht he dang thing but it's one of the few downsides to living outside of a city and I'll deal with it gladly. Our water was discolored as well, we had it tested and it's not unsafe.

I still don't drink it, I prefer bottled water anyway and we installed a chlorinator (so now instead of a little rust I have bleach :rolleyes: )

I guess what I'm trying to say is it wouldn't freak me out as badly as it freaked you...but that's because I deal with water issues at home.

You were in no danger what-so-ever, but I totally understand your being grossed out.

 

I also want to add that common sense would tell you that an issue like that can't be solved while you're on the ship. I don't think they ignored your complaint, I just don't think they were able to fix the problem right then and there.

[grandsix]

rig41.......we know that water can be deemed safe by others, but again, would you allow your loved ones to drink discolored water every day??????????? Should this be acceptable by the guests?

WATER SHOULD BE CRYSTAL CLEAR especially with the sophisticated systems used by the cruise industry.

Apparently the ships officers were monitoring who if any were getting sick. They did not want to panick the guests.

[grandsix]

rig41, your reference relates to PUPLIC WATER SYSTEMS. Many do not have the sophisticated processing system that are used by the ships. Since the ships use sea water which goes throuh a desalinization process, reverse osmosis and distillation. Triple filtering system. Ships are not allowed to use water from polluted areas, harbors or at anchor.

[canderson]

rig41, your reference relates to PUPLIC WATER SYSTEMS. Many do not have the sophisticated processing system that are used by the ships. Since the ships use sea water which goes throuh a desalinization process, reverse osmosis and distillation. Triple filtering system. Ships are not allowed to use water from polluted areas, harbors or at anchor.

Just so we're clear -- the water taken on from ports does not go through the process that seawater goes through, so if the port water isn't 100% clear, there's no reason to expect it to magically become clear by way of having been pumped into the ship's holding tanks.

[Schplinky]

I thought ships purified all their own water these days?

[rjg41]

rig41.......we know that water can be deemed safe by others, but again, would you allow your loved ones to drink discolored water every day??????????? Should this be acceptable by the guests?

WATER SHOULD BE CRYSTAL CLEAR especially with the sophisticated systems used by the cruise industry.

Apparently the ships officers were monitoring who if any were getting sick. They did not want to panick the guests.

 

If you read my post carefully you will not that no where do I defend the cruise line nor say the situation was "acceptable" but merely trying to suggest that there was likely no immediate safety issue.

 

While I do not know for a fact but only from experience in other industry, I would strongly suspect that the water on ships is tested on a regular basis.

 

Also, many many people, including my family have used safe water that is not "crystal clear". Safe public water systems and private wells throughtout the US have less than "crystal clear" water.

[ISABELLA]

I am for one who will be very concerned with quality of drinking water on hte ship. We will be on the Summit in a week and Constellation next May. Hope X will fix "colored" water problem. And if that happend to me and no satisfied answer were given during the cruise, I will report to National Board of Health and cc to X president.

[grandsix]

While we respect your decision to have you and your children drink water that has a yellow or brown color, we will not take the chance to jeopardize ourselves or our loved ones.

[canderson]

I thought ships purified all their own water these days?

It's a matter of practicality, finances, and safety. During longer cruises in areas where water (or safe water) is not available, the ship has no choice but to use onboard processing of seawater. While equipped to do so, this process isn't free. It takes a good bit of energy to accomplish this. You'll know when this is happening -- trying rinsing off the soap in the shower!

 

At other times, economics and safety permit bringing on water at a port, and you'll see the hookups dockside.

[Cruise321]

We were on the same Constellation cruise and noticed discoloration of water in our stateroom. However, the discoloration of water in our stateroom bathroom only apeared to last for a few hours on one day. Because of the discoloration on that day, I checked the water each time I filled a glass of water in the bathroom throughout the cruise & didn't see a repeat of the problem.

[Bryon]

Drinking it or not was your choice, but I the earlier poster was correct that discoloration does not indicate lack of safety. In fact most of the drinking water issues that should worry you would by invisible (the only contaminants that would have accute effects would be microbial).

 

When I was an undergraduate in San Antonio, the dorm water looked approximately like dilluted milk. I drank it all the time, and other than some extra calcium from all of the limestone, it never did anything to me.

 

Slightly brown or yellow water is probably just an indication of some inoccous minerals from whatever island or homeport the ship came from.

 

I agree that the cruiseline should have responded, even if just to say that the coloration issue was not a health risk. I disagree that the CDC should review the ship's rating--as an earlier poster pointed out, color is not a regulate characteristic of drinking water because it does not in itself have any health effects.

[halos]

While we respect your decision to have you and your children drink water that has a yellow or brown color, we will not take the chance to jeopardize ourselves or our loved ones.

 

so don't drink it (???????)

:rolleyes:

if you want to believe that your family's health was in jeopardy, then you can believe that all you want, it doesn't make it a truth.

There is bottled water available as well as soft drinks/juices on all cruise ships. There is no need to drink tap water.

Bathing in discolored water won't kill you.

 

Don't see what the big deal is.

[grandsix]

Are you people SHILLS (plants) for Celebrity? At any rate MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

[grandsix]

Thanks Isabella. That is a common sense approach. Some others are willing to take a chance for future health problems such as cancer etc.

[canderson]

Are you people SHILLS (plants) for Celebrity? At any rate MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

I doubt we're all shills, but the fact that you are encountering nearly universal disagreement might be indicative of something...

[Schplinky]

Canderson, let me ask you this. You seem to be a well-balanced poster and all but I'm baffled why you think it would be ok for the cruiseline not to respond to the Op's concerns or why, even, they would not tell everyone why the water is discolored? I know we all trust Celebrity because we know they have our best interests at heart and all that but if I were in the Dominican Republic at a Hilton and the water was discolored, I would not say to myself "well, the Hilton knows what they're doing, I'll just drinks this oddly colored water."

 

As usual, though, what irks me is not the situation but the lack of a reassuring response to it.

[AFT_LOVER]

and the water was crystal clear & the best water to taste. We had ice water provided & it was a great break from iced tea & coffee.

 

Now the green glow in the toilet between 2AM-6AM now that was a major attraction........

[rjg41]

Canderson, let me ask you this. You seem to be a well-balanced poster and all but I'm baffled why you think it would be ok for the cruiseline not to respond to the Op's concerns or why, even, they would not tell everyone why the water is discolored? I know we all trust Celebrity because we know they have our best interests at heart and all that but if I were in the Dominican Republic at a Hilton and the water was discolored, I would not say to myself "well, the Hilton knows what they're doing, I'll just drinks this oddly colored water."

 

As usual, though, what irks me is not the situation but the lack of a reassuring response to it.

 

While I am sure that Canderson can answer on his/her own but I see nowhere in his/her posts that it was suggested Celebrity should not have responed to the OP's concerns as neither did I. I specifically said that Celebrity should have responded. However, that does not change the fact that discolored water(water with a tint) is no indication that it is unsafe. As stated by others the serious contamination in water would NOT affect its' color and the most crystal clear water could be very dangerious..

[canderson]

Canderson, let me ask you this. You seem to be a well-balanced poster and all but I'm baffled why you think it would be ok for the cruiseline not to respond to the Op's concerns or why, even, they would not tell everyone why the water is discolored?

It wasn't the cruise line's response to which I referred -- probably should have been more specific. It was what nearly 100% of the posters here believed to be an excessive concern over actually drinking it. Sorry for not being clearer. Looking again at many of the posts, I didn't see any that actually defended Celebrity's lack of response to the complaint (can't and won't try to defend that; no excuse) -- these were posts that seemed to have dealt with the secondary topic of safety.

 

It's old hat now, but I felt I must have been one of the first to note that Evian was naive spelled backwards.

[lisiamc]

It's old hat now, but I felt I must have been one of the first to note that Evian was naive spelled backwards.

 

I agree with everything else you said, but I just have to note that the fact that Evian is naive spelled backwards is purely a coincidence. The town of Evian-les-Bains is where the water is bottled, and has had that name for a very long time. Snopes has a page about it.

 

Yes, I'm a spoilsport, but I just can't help myself!:)

 

Lisa

[jasm8449]

We were on the same cruise as the OP. Cruise was excellent. However, in addition to the discoloration (aft, deck 7)...one day while at sea, my husband, who had just rinsed the toothpaste out of his mouth with a cupped hand under the bathroom tap, was none to pleased to see that the water coming out of the tap was actually DIRTY. Not yellow or brown, but grey water with specks of dirt/soil. Like when you're rinsing out sandy vegetables. We called our room steward in from the hallway. He took one look, and without a word, immediately dialed someone. When we returned to our cabin, the water was clear, and we never did find out what that was.