Plastic water bottles

[Dusko]

We haven’t been on SB yet this year but are sailing shortly. Are they still handing out water in plastic bottles as you go ashore? I certainly hope not. Several years ago we were provided with a really nice stainless bottle by Uniworld and use it whenever we can. 

[SLSD]

Yes, they are still having water in plastic bottles available to pick up on your way off the ship. 

[Catlover54]

Stainless steel is heavier than plastic, which is a problem for some of us who need to minimize weight we carry around due to upper body strength problems, especially if we need to drink more than one bottle on an excursion due to other health issues.

 

So, I carry around my own reusable little plastic water bottles, in case a cruise company decides to skip handing out water bottles for whatever reason, including pressure from some customers who are opposed to cruise lines  handing out plastic bottles.

 

The list of things I need to be sure and bring for a cruise in case a line stops providing them is growing🙁

[dalliowner]

Was told this year on the Encore that next year they will no longer hand out plastic bottles but will provide refillable containers.

[SKP946]

We were told the same on Ovation in May. Apparently the machine to wash the bottles is already installed.

The problem with stainless steel water bottles is that if they are just refilled each time,  Instead of washed properly, you can end up with mold growth on the inside.

[raphael360]

8 hours ago, dalliowner said:

Was told this year on the Encore that next year they will no longer hand out plastic bottles but will provide refillable containers.

To be refilled from the plastic water bottle in your suite on from the plastic water bottle in the dining rooms and or bars?

[Dusko]

Glad to hear that the single use plastic bottles will be discontinued and replaced with some form of refillable. It doesn’t have to be stainless, that was just a nice gift to take home and I understand the weight issue. The hygiene question will, I’m sure, have been well addressed since the last thing a cruise line wants is a health problem. Sounds like SB are being proactive which is really good news.

[rl787]

The sentiment is correct but of course this will add costs to the cruise line. I am unsure how this will work, will we be given 1 each time we leave the ship or allocated one per voyage. 

Just out of interest has anyone ever seen water in recyclable tins, just like a can of coke? 

[Dusko]

Yes, you can get cans of water. They are good for disaster relief or emergency preparedness. They still need expensive recycling.  I think the idea is to reduce or even eliminate the use of plastics, particularly single use plastics. Thanks for thinking alternate solutions. 

[DavidTheWonderer]

I am pleased to see that this thread has not (yet) elicited rabid anti-environmental rants about how the poster wishes all this eco-madness goes away, and wants to see an array of the beautiful plastic water bottles all over the ship. This is far from the reaction on many other boards as many lines are trying to figure out how to get rid of the plastic water bottles .Kudos to you Seabourn folks. (With only 14 days on Seabourn, I don't think I qualify as a Seabourn person yet.)

[SKP946]

9 hours ago, raphael360 said:

To be refilled from the plastic water bottle in your suite on from the plastic water bottle in the dining rooms and or bars?

 

I was told that Seabourn will be installing drinking water filling stations for the SS bottles !🤔

The plastic bottles in the suites and bars will be replaced with “milk carton” type containers.😀

[Dusko]

Yes, you can get cans of water. They are good for disaster relief or emergency preparedness. They still need expensive recycling.  I think the idea is to reduce or even eliminate the use of plastics, particularly single use plastics. Thanks for thinking alternate solutions. 

[Dusko]

Thanks Dave the Wonderer. It was never my intention to cause strife and I hope I haven’t. I agree, kudos to SB. 

[raphael360]

Quite to the contrary Dusko.  We didn't wait for SB to issue us reusable water bottles, we bring our own.  We could afford the $15 each and have been doing this for years.  My only beef is: there are no options on board to refill except for "plastic" water bottles in our room and or at the bars.

[machotspur]

7 hours ago, raphael360 said:

Quite to the contrary Dusko.  We didn't wait for SB to issue us reusable water bottles, we bring our own.  We could afford the $15 each and have been doing this for years.  My only beef is: there are no options on board to refill except for "plastic" water bottles in our room and or at the bars.

 

I'm with you raphael360 - we take our refillable bottles with us wherever we go in the world, although the availability of fresh drinkable water is often the problem. 

 

Despite having perfectly good drinking water from our taps in the UK we have installed a 3 way tap in our kitchen, one of which provides filtered water for our drinking bottles, kettles etc. Haven't purchased water in plastic bottles for years.

 

Hopefully we will see the time when readily available water fill up stations are positioned in many places on the ships - including at the traditional places they hand out plastic bottles eg the disembark deck. Maybe in time a tap like the one we have at home will appear in all the cabins/suites. Where there's a will, there's a way !   

 

NB - I seem to remember that one of the exploration ships we've been on don't permit disposable plastic water bottles onboard - maybe Galapagos.     

[SLSD]

I have a question.  Where does the drinking water on the ships come from?  My husband said he observed water pitchers  in the MDR being filled from large plastic bottles (like those in our suites--about two liters). I am assuming there are tanks of water for bathroom toilets and such---but does the ship have ANOTHER source of drinkable water?  I do not know the answer. 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2019 by SLSD

[Dusko]

That's a great question!  I believe the answer is 'water makers' like on a yacht.  Have a look at item 8 here on Cruise critic in the article on '9 Things you didn't know about your cruise ship' https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1475 .  Large tanks are one of those things we assume but are not correct. I always thought hotels had large hot water boilers. Turns out it's not so. They, like cruise ships, use instant hot water heaters or 'flash boilers'. That explains why the temperature shifts sometimes in the shower as the heaters try to keep up.  All interesting stuff (at least to me).

Edited July 1, 2019 by Dusko

[raphael360]

On SB Our water is always served from plastic or glass bottles in the various dining options (still and or sparkling). 

 

Machotspur: our tap water in the US is awful. It’s a national disgrace. Our FDA has sets minimum amounts of lead, arsenic and glyphosate allowed (omg).  But some 3000 municipal water systems can’t even meet those standards.   We is an RO system.  Seems off topic but is why I worry about my drinking water source. 

[Catlover54]

Water varies from municipality to municipality in U.S., and most are not a health care “disgrace” ( Flint, Michigan is an example of an exception).

We drink and cook with  tap water, unless it is sparkling.:)

 

[Mahogany]

I agree. Raphael, to state the whole country's water is a disgrace is hyperbole at its worst.

On a different note, perhaps Seabourn should have new stainless steel water bottles in every stateroom.

[DavidTheWonderer]

Regent is in the process of converting to Vero water systems. I expect Seabourn and other lines are carefully watching to see how this works out.

[Hobar]

On 6/29/2019 at 6:44 PM, Dusko said:

We haven’t been on SB yet this year but are sailing shortly. Are they still handing out water in plastic bottles as you go ashore? I certainly hope not. Several years ago we were provided with a really nice stainless bottle by Uniworld and use it whenever we can. 

Yes; very disturbing.  Equally disconcerting is the practice of Molton Brown plastic tubes.  My ecological footprint grows on SB.  SB asks to save your towels from everyday washing, but the amount of plastic used is staggering. Shameful.  

[Seas_The_Day]

personally, i enjoy water in disposable plastic bottles - and get annoyed by others trying to tell me what i can and cannot do. but that's just me... 

[raphael360]

On 7/3/2019 at 11:04 AM, Mahogany said:

hyperbole

Oh Mahonay. hyperbole is such a big word I had to look it up...lol...

I work with a national non-profit working to bring safe drinking water to everyone in the USA.  A better word would be my comments are malapropos to this SB forum discussion.  Thank you for pointing that out 🙂

[Mahogany]

15 hours ago, raphael360 said:

Oh Mahonay. hyperbole is such a big word I had to look it up...lol...

I work with a national non-profit working to bring safe drinking water to everyone in the USA.  A better word would be my comments are malapropos to this SB forum discussion.  Thank you for pointing that out 🙂

But while it's still in this SB forum, let me commend you for your work, a truly noble and let's hope, not too lofty, a goal. And, true, hyperbole is such a BIG word,  I ought to restrict my use of it.🙂