Do Carnival ships use grey water in toilets?

[dsotm73]

Okay, haven't heard this one before. If you ever get a chance to look in the technical locker behind one of the bathrooms while the plumbers have it open, you will see a blue pipe (cold water) and a red pipe (hot water) coming from the passageway to the cabin. The hot water will branch to the sink and shower, the cold will branch to the sink, shower, and toilet, just like at home. Unlike land toilets, where even a low flow flush uses 1.3 gal (4.8 ltr) per flush, the vacuum toilet uses 1 ltr, so significantly reducing water usage.

 

 

 

Thanks so much for your informative reply. As usual!

[chengkp75]

Of course they make their own water from the ocean, I don't believe they fill up with water from ports.

Pat

 

I can guarantee that many ships top up their tanks in port. As I stated, the water must be tested at the hydrant (not a generic municipal supply test at their facility) within the last month, and so most "ports of call" don't want the expense and trouble to have their water tested, so it tends to be at turn-around ports only. Ships like the Norwegian Sky, which has sufficient water making capacity to cover all water usage, never use it anymore, and bunker water in Miami for their entire water usage. This is because their time at sea when they could make water, and the speed for their short Bahamas cruises is so low that they can't make enough, and it becomes financially better to not use the equipment at all.

[Havingfun2010]

I think so many people think we make water because they only buy water in a bottle. Water is not made, it is cleaned and maintained to prevent bacteria and to have additives removed. Going back to the original comment, peeing in the shower, will not cause the water supply to smell like urine.

[chengkp75]

However, peeing in the shower can make the bathroom smell like urine.

[sparks1093]

I can guarantee that many ships top up their tanks in port. As I stated, the water must be tested at the hydrant (not a generic municipal supply test at their facility) within the last month, and so most "ports of call" don't want the expense and trouble to have their water tested, so it tends to be at turn-around ports only. Ships like the Norwegian Sky, which has sufficient water making capacity to cover all water usage, never use it anymore, and bunker water in Miami for their entire water usage. This is because their time at sea when they could make water, and the speed for their short Bahamas cruises is so low that they can't make enough, and it becomes financially better to not use the equipment at all.

 

Thank you for the clarifications. I always thought it would be better financially to make the water, but of course that isn't always the case for reasons I hadn't realized. Ships in the US Navy used sea water for commodes, urinals and in our firefighting lines (and some of us thought in the galley, too), so this raises another question- are the firefighting lines on cruise ships charged with salt water on cruise ships?

[sparks1093]

However, peeing in the shower can make the bathroom smell like urine.

 

:'):'):')

[chengkp75]

Thank you for the clarifications. I always thought it would be better financially to make the water, but of course that isn't always the case for reasons I hadn't realized. Ships in the US Navy used sea water for commodes, urinals and in our firefighting lines (and some of us thought in the galley, too), so this raises another question- are the firefighting lines on cruise ships charged with salt water on cruise ships?

 

Yes, but not charged at all times. The sprinkler systems are "wet type", meaning they are pressurized at all times, but these are filled with fresh water, and only when the reservoir goes low will sea water automatically make up.

 

And the US Navy used what we used to call the "dump and pump" waste water treatment system (flush the toilet, it goes to a tank, when the tank fills up, it gets pumped overboard), so water usage not critical and why they used sea water in the toilets. Older cargo ships used this as well, but with the advent of vacuum toilets, it has pretty much gone the way of the dodo.

[thinfool]

Of course they make their own water from the ocean, I don't believe they fill up with water from ports.

Pat

 

They do in Port Everglades.

[coevan]

Every ship in the fleet makes more than enough fresh water to supply all drinking water, sinks, showers, and toilets. Nowadays many even fill the pools with fresh water. No need to reuse gray water.

 

 

just off the Conquest, a kid threw up in the pool first day. They roped off the pool and said they would drain it and fill it at sea once off shore, no fresh water. It always tasted salty and needed to shower after the pool because of the crusty feeling.

 

We definitely smelled urine on day one and our cabin steward thoroughly cleaned the the bathroom with soap and bleach. This happened 3 times in 14 days and they always responded quickly. We did not pee in the shower. The urine smell was not unbearable but definitely noticeable.

[chengkp75]

just off the Conquest, a kid threw up in the pool first day. They roped off the pool and said they would drain it and fill it at sea once off shore, no fresh water. It always tasted salty and needed to shower after the pool because of the crusty feeling.

 

We definitely smelled urine on day one and our cabin steward thoroughly cleaned the the bathroom with soap and bleach. This happened 3 times in 14 days and they always responded quickly. We did not pee in the shower. The urine smell was not unbearable but definitely noticeable.

 

Very likely the culprit is the bathroom floor drain trap. There is a drain in the bathroom floor, not the shower drain, that is either a gutter type at the door, or a round drain tucked under the toilet. This trap doesn't see much water, so the water in the trap dries out from the AC, and you get odors coming back up. A glass of water down this drain every couple of days usually works.

[sparks1093]

Yes, but not charged at all times. The sprinkler systems are "wet type", meaning they are pressurized at all times, but these are filled with fresh water, and only when the reservoir goes low will sea water automatically make up.

 

And the US Navy used what we used to call the "dump and pump" waste water treatment system (flush the toilet, it goes to a tank, when the tank fills up, it gets pumped overboard), so water usage not critical and why they used sea water in the toilets. Older cargo ships used this as well, but with the advent of vacuum toilets, it has pretty much gone the way of the dodo.

 

Thanks for the info! On my first ship in the '70's everything went overboard once we reached international waters (including trash) and I'm pretty sure that when we flushed it went directly overboard, only going to the CHT (contaminated holding tank for those who aren't aware) when we were in port or inside the limit. On my last ship in the '90's we held everything onboard until we reached port except for biodegradable waste. Made extended at sea periods challenging.

[JMAE]

A lot of good info, thanks chengkp75

[salty dingo]

The water does not smell like urine... but after 10,000 nights where men wake up in the middle of the night, in a rocking sea, and "miss the target"... the floors may smell like it.:o

[pacruise804]

Very likely the culprit is the bathroom floor drain trap. There is a drain in the bathroom floor, not the shower drain, that is either a gutter type at the door, or a round drain tucked under the toilet. This trap doesn't see much water, so the water in the trap dries out from the AC, and you get odors coming back up. A glass of water down this drain every couple of days usually works.

 

Thanks for this tip (plus your other patient, easy to understand explanations:halo:). We didn't notice any odor issues on our last cruise, but I'll keep it in mind. Our shower didn't leak/overflow so the bathroom floor was dry (unlike some previous cruises). I thought this was a good thing, but a dry trap could definitely cause unpleasant odors:eek: