Straw clarification

[famof4togo]

So I am aware of the candy straws onboard...BUT does that include places like the Alchemy Bar or is that only poolside.  Will they have "cocktail" straws at some bars?  I just can't see certain drinks served with those candy straws.....TIA

[ZoeyVictoria]

I take some plastic straws rolled up in a gallon ziplock bag in my luggage.  My cruise purses are small, so I bought the “bendy” straws and bend them to fit them in the purses.  We drink only one a day, sometimes not even that, so admittedly it would be more difficult with the drink package 😂

[Lee Cruiser]

Don't believe they have any other straws available.  We take plastic straws with us as well.

[sgttami]

The candy and paper straws are disgusting.

I carry my own plastic disposable ones everywhere, not just cruises.

 

[famof4togo]

I'm all for saving the turtles and all but that is just a gross idea in some cases...I can handle a candy straw in a Pina Colada etc but in some fancy scotch drink or something with a chocolate or strawberry straw that sounds so gross...LOL.....I too have a pack of plastic straws in my suitcase. 

[Indytraveler83]

They only seem to provide the sugar straws in drinks where they are appropriate. Never had one in a drink that it didn't belong.  Those drinks are just served without a straw at all.

 

Please keep in mind that the reason they eliminated straws (and most single use plastics) was that they were ending up in the sea with food waste, as the ship's sorting process wasn't catching many of these items. 

[lasekeye]

We bought these…

[monykalyn]

The candy straws weren't that bad-they did get "slimy" on outside in drink if you like to use your straw to swirl your drink. Many drinks aren't served with straws (no straws at all in Alchemy.). But for Mojitos they do have lime sugar straws. 

 It's not THAT big of a hardship to forgo plastic straws.

[CruzCra-Z]

Candy straws nauseate me some, don't know why.. I purchased some paper straws at Walmart that are fantastic! No one in my household noticed a thing.  they are "Great Value Sustainable Disposable Eco Straws, Cream, 50 count"  Only $3.34. Give them a try...

[emoorehead]

20 minutes ago, CruzCra-Z said:

 I purchased some paper straws at Walmart that are fantastic! No one in my household noticed a thing.  they are "Great Value Sustainable Disposable Eco Straws, Cream, 50 count"  Only $3.34. Give them a try...

I also use these. I carry box on board in my suitcase and then throw a few in a ziploc bag in my purse to use throughout the day. They feel and hold up like plastic straws, but they are biodegradable. Love them!

 

The sugar straws are ok if you drink your drink quickly. But if they start getting condensation on the outside, they get slimy. And where you are sipping out of them gets that way too. I was on the Sunshine on Jan 31 and they had Lime, Chocolate, and Strawberry. Served them with frozen cocktails, milshakes, coffees, etc. If it wasn't frozen, it didn't get a straw.

[cruisingguy007]

18 minutes ago, CruzCra-Z said:

Candy straws nauseate me some, don't know why.. I purchased some paper straws at Walmart that are fantastic! No one in my household noticed a thing.  they are "Great Value Sustainable Disposable Eco Straws, Cream, 50 count"  Only $3.34. Give them a try...

 

Disneyland went to paper straws and I found them to get mushy and couldn't get over the cardboard taste. The texture also bothers me after a short time. I like boba straws but a box of regular straws from dollar tree works and is heck of cheap. 

[mz-s]

I wonder why they aren't making straws out of wax paper like McDonalds cups? Seems like it would be the best alternative to plastic. The wax keeps the straw from getting waterlogged. The candy straws have to be way more expensive for Carnival.

[CruiserLucas]

For $5 I bought Carnival's metal straws (pack of 4) because I got tired of the candy straws. They also made me kind of nauseous, and they got too slimy and sticky for my liking. We use them at home all the time now. I'm sure you can find better deals out there than what Carnival sells their set for, but in the pinch of deciding I disliked the candy straws while already onboard, it works. 

Edited March 21, 2022 by CruiserLucas

[hockeyluver]

I just ordered these from amazon, I have the metal straw's but it was a pain carrying them around when i didnt have a drink .   400 Pack Biodegradable Straws, Flexible Drinking Straw, PLA, Plasticless, Black Compostable Straws, Alternative to Paper/Plastic Drinking Straws

[sc4125]

I take an insulated 24 oz cup now and when I order a drink, I just pour it into the cup.  No sweating glass getting me wet or soaking the baby napkin they give you, it stays cold for really long time (especially when laying out by the pool) and obviously comes with a reusable straw.  I also have an insulated 16 oz cup for my coffee each morning - mainly because I am a little klutzy and slosh my coffee out of the side of the ceramic cups when I am walking on deck or upstairs.

 

Now, mind you there are some drinks that I don't pour into my cup - chocolate martini for example, but I wouldn't use a straw for that drink anyway.  

 

Haven't tried the candy straws, but after seeing them wilt when others use them, I believe I would do without all together before I would try those.

[silversneakers]

On 3/21/2022 at 11:39 AM, famof4togo said:

So I am aware of the candy straws onboard...BUT does that include places like the Alchemy Bar or is that only poolside.  Will they have "cocktail" straws at some bars?  I just can't see certain drinks served with those candy straws.....TIA

I found out about the sugar straws the hard way.  I ordered a pina colada on serenity deck and asked for a straw.  I choked when I took a sip of an already sweet drink. Next time I will bring my own paper straws.  Not sure how I feel about metal straws just yet.

[Top_of_the_Cube]

 

On 3/21/2022 at 11:12 AM, Indytraveler83 said:

They only seem to provide the sugar straws in drinks where they are appropriate. Never had one in a drink that it didn't belong.  Those drinks are just served without a straw at all.

I guess this is the best direct answer to OP's question.  I pretty much observed the same thing.

 

The sugar straws are just a big NO to me, for so many reasons.  Also, and this is just me, I don't want the bother of carrying around a straw and keeping it clean.  I know, it really isn't a big burden, but I am one of those "entitled" cruisers.

 

There are inexpensive eco-friendly options.  I priced bamboo straws, and figured, at the most, adding a couple of pennies to the drink prices would more than cover the straws, if an upcharge was even needed.  They gotta be comparable if not cheaper than the sugar straws.  Of course, it would require that Carnival can find a reliable supplier.  And bamboo is just one alternative out there.

[cruisingguy007]

22 hours ago, hockeyluver said:

I just ordered these from amazon, I have the metal straw's but it was a pain carrying them around when i didnt have a drink .   400 Pack Biodegradable Straws, Flexible Drinking Straw, PLA, Plasticless, Black Compostable Straws, Alternative to Paper/Plastic Drinking Straws

 

Plus, how did you clean them if you wanted to drink different beverages or went a while in between drinks? Are folks really returning to their cabins to clean these? Or using the bathrooms? Not hygienic or practical. 

[hockeyluver]

2 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Plus, how did you clean them if you wanted to drink different beverages or went a while in between drinks? Are folks really returning to their cabins to clean these? Or using the bathrooms? Not hygienic or practical. 

The metal ones are telescopic and fit in a case that includes a brush.  I wore it on my lanyard with my sail and sign card.   The new straws I ordered i got in the mail today.  they are biodegradeable havent tried them yet.

[klfrodo]

My opinion only.

After being cooped up due to a world wide pandemic for the past 2 years, the last thing I’m remotely concerned about is a straw.

 

Next year? Maybe

[Elaine5715]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:12 PM, Indytraveler83 said:

They only seem to provide the sugar straws in drinks where they are appropriate. Never had one in a drink that it didn't belong.  Those drinks are just served without a straw at all.

 

Please keep in mind that the reason they eliminated straws (and most single use plastics) was that they were ending up in the sea with food waste, as the ship's sorting process wasn't catching many of these items. 

Your source?

[ray98]

The only drinks that they are offering straws with is frozen and that is the horrid sugar straws.  With any other drink you will just get the cocktail and maybe a single garnish if appropriate.  It is not just the plastic straws that are missing, pretty much all the flair went with it.  They no longer do any of the umbrellas or skewers that had the fresh fruit garnishes that compliment the drink.

[Indytraveler83]

2 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Your source?

On which part?

 

My first section about sugar straws being in only certain drinks was firsthand experience. I was on Horizon in the fall and of the 100+ drinks my spouse and I had, the sugar straws only came in sugary frozen drinks.  The rest were without straws

 

The second part about single use plastics I thought was fairly common knowledge at this point.  John Heald talked about it frequently pre-pandemic when the straw topic first came up, and people were upset about straws and not having individually wrapped, single serve butter.

 

Here is an article from NPR regarding the fines: https://www.npr.org/2019/06/04/729622653/carnival-cruise-lines-hit-with-20-million-penalty-for-environmental-crimes#:~:text=The cruise line giant Carnival,plastic waste into the ocean.

 

And another regarding Carnival's new (2019) policy: https://www.google.com/amp/s/travel.earth/carnival-cruise-line-slashes-use-of-plastics/

 

If you want more sources a quick lookup of articles regarding Carnival's 2019 environmental fines, and the ensuing reaction from Carnival can tell the story better than I can.

Edited March 23, 2022 by Indytraveler83

[Elaine5715]

10 hours ago, Indytraveler83 said:

On which part?

 

My first section about sugar straws being in only certain drinks was firsthand experience. I was on Horizon in the fall and of the 100+ drinks my spouse and I had, the sugar straws only came in sugary frozen drinks.  The rest were without straws

 

The second part about single use plastics I thought was fairly common knowledge at this point.  John Heald talked about it frequently pre-pandemic when the straw topic first came up, and people were upset about straws and not having individually wrapped, single serve butter.

 

Here is an article from NPR regarding the fines: https://www.npr.org/2019/06/04/729622653/carnival-cruise-lines-hit-with-20-million-penalty-for-environmental-crimes#:~:text=The cruise line giant Carnival,plastic waste into the ocean.

 

And another regarding Carnival's new (2019) policy: https://www.google.com/amp/s/travel.earth/carnival-cruise-line-slashes-use-of-plastics/

 

If you want more sources a quick lookup of articles regarding Carnival's 2019 environmental fines, and the ensuing reaction from Carnival can tell the story better than I can.

I don't see anywhere that the ban on plastic straws and the environmental cases have anything to do with the failure of crew to sort waste properly.   

[Indytraveler83]

24 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

I don't see anywhere that the ban on plastic straws and the environmental cases have anything to do with the failure of crew to sort waste properly.   

First sentence of the first article:

 

"The cruise line giant Carnival Corporation and its Princess subsidiary have agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $20 million for environmental violations such as dumping plastic waste into the ocean."

 

THen a little further down:

 

"Miami-based Carnival pleaded guilty Monday to six probation violations, including the dumping of plastic mixed with food waste in Bahamian waters"

Edited March 23, 2022 by Indytraveler83