Why do you bring water onboard?

[Vampire Parrot]

BruceMuzz,

 

Thanks for the correction, much appreciated. Some ports I've been to have really skanky water close to the shore so it's good to know it's not getting into the ship's systems.

 

VP

[2Oregonians]

I've NEVER brought water onboard! The ship's water is fine and pure! Probably better that what you pay for in those bottles (which are NOT regulated by anyone, and come from a tap somewhere!!!)

It's not the "salt" that is making some folks "swell", it's the humidity! The water is de-salinated--meaning NO SALT!!!!

 

The de-salination process won't remove ALL the salt, just as 'caffeine-free' coffee still contains trace amounts of caffeine. They can't get it all out, that's just how it is.

 

Listen, it's not a matter of worrying that the ship's water isn't good, it's that with watter bottles you can keep them in your room's fridge and have cold water at all times. Also, and this is the biggest reason that I bring bottled water, you have them available to take off the ship with you for a much, much cheaper price than the cruise line would charge you! Also, you can take a bottle up to the pool with you, to the gym, walking on the promenade deck, etc., etc. It's not a matter of wanting fancy bottled water because we're too good for cruise line water! Personally, I'm driving up for my next cruise, so a small roller suitcase full of water bottles isn't a problem. If you're flying, maybe it's not worth it. The point is, we all have our preferences and that's ok.

[2Oregonians]

Desalinization on ships is done through reverse osmosis, not evaporation. RO systems are not 100% efficient, and over time, tiny holes develop in the membranes that allow more salt to pass through. Ship water (used for drinking and cooking) contains more salt than most municipal water.

 

You can counteract the additional sodium by taking potassium supplements, or by drinking bottled water.

 

Amen! I totally agree with you.

[wieslaw]

.............. > The point is, we all have our preferences and that's ok.

 

Hi,

 

it seems to me that the 'above' portion of your post is the only proper and correct statement that I like.

 

We are all different and it makes no difference how good or bad is the water, or how it is made on the ship ..... or any place else .......... 'we' drink what we want.

 

People bring / drink the water that they want to drink ..... and that is good for every one ...... the people who sell the water, the people that 'make the water', the cruise line that sell that water ...... even the economy gains from all the money spent.

 

Wes

[PeterPan]

Like most things on Cruise Critic, if you really want the facts on how water is treated on your cruise line, do the research rather than accept the "expert" advice given here. I know most posters are truly trying to help, but unwittingly pass out false information. Be it water, dress "code", or hand sanitizers, I suggest you do your own research.

 

Now, I don't haul any water onto the ship. I buy 1 Large bottle for each of us on the first day. We refill that bottle from the room and keep it in the fridge. Usually, we just get ice from the ice bucket, put it in the glass, and add water from the tap.

 

Evaporation is the method of choice for water production on most ships. Reverse osmosis is only used if necessary (probably rarely IMO). There is NO salt/sodium in water produced by evaporation method. There is some in the reverse osmosis method, but probably less than what is "added" back to some bottled water for taste.

 

Now, go research! The internet is a great source of information!!

[rchauv]

Like most things on Cruise Critic, if you really want the facts on how water is treated on your cruise line, do the research rather than accept the "expert" advice given here. I know most posters are truly trying to help, but unwittingly pass out false information. Be it water, dress "code", or hand sanitizers, I suggest you do your own research.

 

Now, I don't haul any water onto the ship. I buy 1 Large bottle for each of us on the first day. We refill that bottle from the room and keep it in the fridge. Usually, we just get ice from the ice bucket, put it in the glass, and add water from the tap.

 

Evaporation is the method of choice for water production on most ships. Reverse osmosis is only used if necessary (probably rarely IMO). There is NO salt/sodium in water produced by evaporation method. There is some in the reverse osmosis method, but probably less than what is "added" back to some bottled water for taste.

 

Now, go research! The internet is a great source of information!!

 

As a person who was literally tritrating water samples when Kennedy was assassinated, my water chemistry knowledge goes back quite a while but was all land based. At the time, silver nitrate was the reagent of choice in the sodium chloride determination. I'm sure the methods have improved over the years and I'd be surprised if that method is still employed. At the time RO was largely a lab curiosity and hardly a commercially viable process.

 

The pedantic types would likely argue that the evaporators are capable of carry-over or entrainment problems. I suspect that most systems have continuous conductivity measuring devices on line while the systems are operative to alarm in that event.

 

One hang up with me is that they call water the universal solvent. I have more runs of the imagination with what process and water source Brand X is using to make its "bottled" product or what component of the container might be dissolving in transit and storage rather than poorly operated water systems on a luxury cruise ship.

 

http://www.boxxet.com/Penn_&_Teller/Penn_Teller_Bottled_Water_Expose_and_Hilarious_Experiment.13uims.d

[wieslaw]

.............

 

One hang up with me is that they call water the universal solvent. I have more runs of the imagination with what process and water source Brand X is using to make its "bottled" product or what component of the container might be dissolving in transit and storage rather than poorly operated water systems on a luxury cruise ship.

 

http://www.boxxet.com/Penn_&_Teller/Penn_Teller_Bottled_Water_Expose_and_Hilarious_Experiment.13uims.d

 

Hi,

 

thanks for the link - I like that ....... sure seems that most of 'us' do not know what we drink.

I remember a similar experiment with wine.

 

But, ...... this board is just so full of 'us' experts, that regardless what we know or do not know, we keep on posting.

 

Perhaps that is good for the owners of this board - more 'hits', more advertisers and that in turn gives us a place to 'vent' either our 'knowledge , hapiness or anger' ...... sometimes I learn something from 'here' and some times it is just a good entertainment for me.

 

I am glad 'we' have this place / board to agree or disagree ...... which is a lot of times: just look at some "smoking / not smoking" , smugling booze, good / bad food, bringing iron, salt in the water ' just to mention few.

 

Sending my regards,

 

Wes

[2Oregonians]

Hi,

 

it seems to me that the 'above' portion of your post is the only proper and correct statement that I like.

 

We are all different and it makes no difference how good or bad is the water, or how it is made on the ship ..... or any place else .......... 'we' drink what we want.

 

People bring / drink the water that they want to drink ..... and that is good for every one ...... the people who sell the water, the people that 'make the water', the cruise line that sell that water ...... even the economy gains from all the money spent.

 

Wes

 

 

That's the only part of my statement that was proper? And the only part that you liked? ;) I thought the whole thing was pretty darn good!! :p:p

 

I was only trying to point out that people who bring bottled water aboard are doing so for convenience, not because we are spoiled divas who need Evian. That's all. :D

[wieslaw]

That's the only part of my statement that was proper? And the only part that you liked? ;) I thought the whole thing was pretty darn good!! :p:p

 

I was only trying to point out that people who bring bottled water aboard are doing so for convenience, not because we are spoiled divas who need Evian. That's all. :D

 

 

Hi,

 

yes, "the whole thing was pretty darn good!! " ....... but IMO, as an answer to the OP question : " Why do you bring water on board ? "

the part of your post that I selected I considered "proper and correct" ..... and it really does not matter what I think anyhow, right ?

 

Wes

[tripletvan]

Call me a baby but my system, (and DH can account for this) is a problem whenever we have gone anywhere where we don't have bottled water especially at first, then I can add some tap a bit at a time.

We have well water and the levels are great, culligan man can't even sell us anything. We are very lucky

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Ahhhh....I wish I would have brought bottled water from home last cruise (12 night).

 

I do not use salt in my cooking at home and I dont eat salty foods, when I need to use salt I use sea salt. Three (2?) days into the cruise my feet and ankles were so swollen :-( I kept them elevated and drank 2 of the huge water bottles they sell on board. Friends we met on CC brought a 24pk (ie: poland spring or the like) and in retrospect I wish we would have done the same. Next cruise with Mom and Dad I am definitely tagging a 24pk or two!! (for the 6 of us!) I hope to NOT run into the swollen ankle thing again it was so not pleasant! Sails before I also thought it was the humidity..but I do beleive it is more than that.

 

Taste-wise, the water on Explorer of the Seas tasted fine, seldom had it 'plain' (either coffee or juice or ice after melted).

[wieslaw]

Ahhhh....I wish I would have brought bottled water from home last cruise (12 night).

 

I do not use salt in my cooking at home and I dont eat salty foods, when I need to use salt I use sea salt. Three (2?) days into the cruise my feet and ankles were so swollen :-( I kept them elevated and drank 2 of the huge water bottles they sell on board. Friends we met on CC brought a 24pk (ie: poland spring or the like) and in retrospect I wish we would have done the same. Next cruise with Mom and Dad I am definitely tagging a 24pk or two!! (for the 6 of us!) I hope to NOT run into the swollen ankle thing again it was so not pleasant! Sails before I also thought it was the humidity..but I do beleive it is more than that.

 

Taste-wise, the water on Explorer of the Seas tasted fine, seldom had it 'plain' (either coffee or juice or ice after melted).

 

 

Hi,

 

I have read many posts about the problems with swollen feet and ankles during a cruise ( I have experienced that myself as well) ...... it happened to people that were drinking bottled water only as well as to those that were drinking fresh water 'produced' on the ship.

Some people keep posting about the salt / sodium content in the fresh ship produced water ...... but never offer any proof.

Some people posted that they brough their own anylizing kits to check the ship's water for sodium ...... and did not find any.

I have never found any written proof that there is / or is not any sodium in that water.

There is a thread about the swollen feet that you might find intersting and helpful - here is the link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=708854

 

Wes

[rchauv]

Hi,

 

I have read many posts about the problems with swollen feet and ankles during a cruise ( I have experienced that myself as well) ...... it happened to people that were drinking bottled water only as well as to those that were drinking fresh water 'produced' on the ship.

Some people keep posting about the salt / sodium content in the fresh ship produced water ...... but never offer any proof.

Some people posted that they brough their own anylizing kits to check the ship's water for sodium ...... and did not find any.

I have never found any written proof that there is / or is not any sodium in that water.

There is a thread about the swollen feet that you might find intersting and helpful - here is the link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=708854

 

Wes

 

Some people operate on preconceptions that will not be changed by altered by facts. In that case, it is a futile exercise to provide data.

 

Some others are rarely right but never in doubt.

[karatemom2]

Ahhhh....I wish I would have brought bottled water from home last cruise (12 night).

 

I do not use salt in my cooking at home and I dont eat salty foods, when I need to use salt I use sea salt. Three (2?) days into the cruise my feet and ankles were so swollen :-( I kept them elevated and drank 2 of the huge water bottles they sell on board. Friends we met on CC brought a 24pk (ie: poland spring or the like) and in retrospect I wish we would have done the same. Next cruise with Mom and Dad I am definitely tagging a 24pk or two!! (for the 6 of us!) I hope to NOT run into the swollen ankle thing again it was so not pleasant! Sails before I also thought it was the humidity..but I do beleive it is more than that.

 

Taste-wise, the water on Explorer of the Seas tasted fine, seldom had it 'plain' (either coffee or juice or ice after melted).

 

Well a lot of people here will claim that the water has no salt and I'm no scientist so I don't claim to know a thing about it. All I know is that I have now been on seven cruises and my ankles NEVER swelled up until our last cruise in December. It wasn't humid and I didn't eat any differently than I have on any other cruise. The only difference was that I did not buy a soda card and drank the ship's water and iced tea (made with the ship's water) exclusively. My ankles swelled like they have never, ever swelled up before. A bar server I spoke to said that it was most likely due to my large consumption of the ship's water and advised me to buy some bottled water in port. I did, and within a day the swelling started to subside and I was fine by the end of our 15 day cruise. The only change I made was cutting back on the amount of ship water and tea I was consuming. Now I don't claim that this was in any way a scientific study of any kind and of course it is just my experience, but I can't help but think that for me there was a connection between the water I was drinking and the swelling.

[ehfl]

I've NEVER brought water onboard! The ship's water is fine and pure! Probably better that what you pay for in those bottles (which are NOT regulated by anyone, and come from a tap somewhere!!!)

It's not the "salt" that is making some folks "swell", it's the humidity! The water is de-salinated--meaning NO SALT!!!!

 

Humidity does not cause swelling. It may make your hair frizz, but will not cause your ankles to swell.

 

Desaliniated means that most (not All ) of the salt is removed. There is still some salt.

[wieslaw]

............... Desaliniated means that most (not All ) of the salt is removed. There is still some salt.

 

Hi,

would you know how much of the salt is left in the water that they provide for us on the cruise ships ? 1mg per liter or 5 or 55 ? What is it?

 

Is there a web site or whatever information available that I could find and see ?

 

Thanks,

 

Wes

[nurse geri]

I drink the water but have also noticed swollen ankles and everything else...now I get a prescription from my Doc for hydrochlorothiazide (dieuretic)

that helps immensly and theres's no dainger in taking it on short term without any health problems.

[PeterPan]

Hi,

would you know how much of the salt is left in the water that they provide for us on the cruise ships ? 1mg per liter or 5 or 55 ? What is it?

 

Is there a web site or whatever information available that I could find and see ?

 

Thanks,

 

Wes

 

 

I could not find anything specific to cruise ships, but found the following information from several sources on the web: Evaporation process yields water with a range of 5 to 50 ppm sodium. Reverse Osmosis yields water with approximately 350 ppm sodium. Water with less than 1000 ppm is considered adequate for potable water.

 

Our local water here in Colorado tested at 40 ppm sodium, which is quite similar to the evaporation process.

 

 

http://www.owue.water.ca.gov/recycle/docs/abcs.pdf is one source of some information.

 

 

I would like to find some numbers on cruise ship water, but haven't been able to locate any so far. I'm going to try looking for information from the manufacturer of the desalination equipment used on ships.

[cruzinfamilyof4]

We're going to take water because, well, I'm spoiled! :p At home I drink our tap water, but it is filtered through the fridge. I WON'T drink it directly out of the tap. I also carry water around all the time so I want to be able to do that on our cruise too. I plan on bringing a 24 pack for 4 us on a 7 day cruise. If we start to run out we will just refill them.

 

As for swelling I have a feeling if I swell it is going to be from the alcohol consumption; another reason to have a lot of water that I like on hand!

[chipmaster]

Drinking lots of water is good whether on shore or on a boat!

 

As to claims that soda is better then water :confused: Those that drink lots of soda and claim that that was the cure to them swollen ankles should calculate how much acid, fructose sugar they are putting into their system :eek:

 

The amount of sodium you are getting from the water will be smaller then the amount you are getting from all those heavily flavored meals we are all going to be eating. The more likely underlying problem is the chemical imbalance from eating more then we should without balancing with appropriate liquids, fruits and vegies, but heah we are on "vacation" :D :D So, when presented lots of unlimited sugar water I'm sure those with soda card find themselves drinking the necessary fluids to balance their increased food intake. But when all you got is boring water you just don't drink as much :(

 

Our taste is pretty good at detecting if and when the liquids we drink might not be balanced for us, except when it comes to beer, wine and soda of course:D The solution to swollen ankles and dehyration don't lie in drinking more soda, those who think that are fooling themselves...

[karatemom2]

Drinking lots of water is good whether on shore or on a boat!

 

As to claims that soda is better then water :confused: Those that drink lots of soda and claim that that was the cure to them swollen ankles should calculate how much acid, fructose sugar they are putting into their system :eek:

 

I am assuming your comments are directed at me so please let me respond to your allegation that I am encouraging people to drink soda instead of water! If you reread my post you will see I NEVER made such a suggestion. All I said is that during my last cruise the only change I made was not purchasing a soda card, so I drank more of the ship's water and iced tea than I had on other cruises. When I stopped drinking the ship's water and replaced it with BOTTLED WATER my ankle swelling improved.

 

I did not suggest that drinking soda is a cure for swollen ankles, far from it, and you are twisting my words which I don't appreciate. The fact I didn't buy a soda card was specifically because I am trying to cut back on my diet soda consumption and drink more water.

 

Please read a post more carefully before you start throwing out assumptions.

[Wine Lover 101]

I am going to take my first cruise in Aug. and I'm not sure how you all take your own water. We are flying into Venice - do you just buy it from where you are leaving from and tag it like luggage? Or does this not work unless you are leaving from the states? Thanks!

[Putterdude]

DW has the same problem as the previous poster, I am just fine with the ship's water but if DW is going to have a problem it is after drinking water from a source she is not used of. So we bring on some water and replenish as we can in ports.

[chipmaster]

Mary,

 

Sorry.. not trying to troll or anything else.

 

I always do find it interesting Americas obession with Soda. The Coke's and others have done a good job exporting this concept of "refreshement" to the world. Like Beer, wine, soda in moderation is fine. I know I'm totally an anomaly as we enjoy a glass of wine and I let the kids get a soda every once in a while, but I treat soda the same as we all should treat wine and beer ( in great moderation ). I've never seen an all you can drink beer or wine card and no wonder, why is soda accepted and embraced has always been most confusing to me :confused: ( probably subject of more flames :D )

 

As to leg swelling, doing some more research it seem very nebulous what there is out there on causes. But a very common alignment when traveling and sitting for long periods.

 

"Swelling (edema) in the feet is common after you have been sitting or standing for long periods of time. It is also common during hot or humid weather or when you travel, especially on airline flights of longer than one and a half hours. Sitting or lying down and propping your leg up will often relieve this type of swelling"

 

And then this :eek:

 

" Painless swelling of the feet and ankles is a common problem, particularly in older people. It may affect both legs and may include the calves or even the thighs. Because of the effect of gravity, swelling is particularly noticeable in these locations.

 

Common Causes

 

Foot, leg, and ankle swelling is common with the following situations:

• Prolonged standing
  
• Long airplane flights or automobile rides
  
• Menstrual periods (for some women)
  
• Pregnancy -- excessive swelling may be a sign of pre-eclampsia, a serious condition sometimes called toxemia, that includes high blood pressure and swelling
  
• Being overweight
  
• Increased age
  
• Injury or trauma to your ankle or foot

Swollen legs may be a sign of heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure. In these conditions, there is too much fluid in the body.

Other conditions that can cause swelling to one or both legs include:

• Blood clot
  
• Leg infection
  
• Venous insufficiency (when the veins in your legs are unable to adequately pump blood back to the heart)
  
• Varicose veins
  
• Burns (including sunburn)
  
• Insect bite or sting
  
• Starvation or malnutrition
  
• Surgery to your leg or foot

Certain medications may also cause your legs to swell:

• Hormones like estrogen (in birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy) and testosterone
  
• A group of blood pressure lowering drugs called calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine, amlodipine, diltiazem, felodipine, and verapamil)
  
• Steroids
  
• Antidepressants, including MAO inhibitors (such as phenelzine and tranylcypromine) and tricyclics (such as nortriptyline, desipramine, and amitriptyline)

Home Care

• Elevate your legs above your heart while lying down.
  
• Exercise your legs. This helps pump fluid from your legs back to your heart.
  
• Wear support stockings (sold at most drug and medical supply stores).
  
• Try to follow a low-salt diet, which may reduce fluid retention and swelling.

[chipmaster]

I am going to take my first cruise in Aug. and I'm not sure how you all take your own water. We are flying into Venice - do you just buy it from where you are leaving from and tag it like luggage? Or does this not work unless you are leaving from the states? Thanks!

 

Hi Wine lover,

 

Congrats, first cruise and Venice too, not a bad way to start!

 

When and what ship are you leaving from Venice. I know I'll be bringing some nice REI water bottles ( EMPTY ) and filling them on the ship. Not being cheap, but I trust ship water more then local tap and for convenience nothing like having some cold H2O in Europe in August.

 

I know no way am I dragging a case of costco kirkland bottled and filtered tap water to my hotel in venice :D