nildib

12 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

CALL him; don't just rely upon online summaries.  The fine print can really matter here.

Yes, after reading his blogs, I can see how he may be VERY helpful to navigate through all this...  We take for granted whose sailing our cruise ships, I just trust we'll get back and from A to Z and everything in between but it's not the same with choosing a Travel Insurance Policy!  I really need someone who can help me through this, I already got a policy but reading all this is leaving me still uncertain...  So THANKS SO MUCH for sharing this... 

On 10/7/2021 at 7:05 PM, GeezerCouple said:

 

Are you aware that you are posting this in the sub-forum that gets specific help from the person who started this sub-forum:

No, I wasn't aware... I thought I was just making a new post...  but I really appreciate the information and definitely will look into it... Thanks for sharing it!  CC has always been a great source of help and guide, it's why I come here but also like to share whether good or bad as to help others that are also trying to figure things out...  thanks again 😃  

This is ridiculous!  I had to come back to share this because I know many would want pre existing medical conditions coverage.  There's a lot out there to choose from... went to Squaremouth where they have comparisons after nick picking several and "reading" carefuly every policy 🤪 I decided Trawick (by Nationwide) at $116 to cover "pre existing," Covid, medical evacuation etc etc a really all what I thought GOOD comprehensive policy, I thought! 

I called them because the only hang up, I thought I needed to understand was to explain Medical as "Secondary" and as they were running down the policy with me before I can ask THAT question, they brought up ANOTHER ISSUE.  To my surprise, being I thought "initial payment" meant my first "cash" payment which was on Sept 30th, 2021 but "when asked first payment" and casually brought up the "credit deposit of $250" back in Jan 4th, well nooooooooo folks, according to Trawick, Sept 30th wasn't the "initial" payment, it was JAN 4th.  So it's over their 90 day look back for "pre existing" conditions and won't be covered (I was thinking from Sept 30th payment, I'd be within whatever 10 days-14days (?) after that to pay the Insurance as to then be covered for the pre existing "waiver" but that now won't even matter either after looking back at your "initial" payment with "coupon/credit" and see it was over 90 days)...  BTW after the fact, I found out too the Medical as "Secondary" means you'd have to submit all claims FIRST to your "primary" Insurance and then whenever you got back the denial, you would then submit it to them as "secondary" to cover anything they didn't cover... 

OMG, now I have to start all over!  Hoping to find another coverage, fortunately, first one I pull up was CF Travel Insured International and they have specifically have written:

When was your initial payment?

"Eligibility for time sensitive benefits are based on the initial payment/deposit for the originally scheduled trip, for which cash was paid, and not the date the Future Travel Credit (FTC) was applied towards the trip, if such a travel credit was used."

So folks, just came here to share, if you got Insurance coverage stating it covers "pre existing medical coverage" and that's important to you?  Any claim related to that during your trip will "not" be covered if it was made "over" 90 days back that includes those NCL "deposits of $250 coupon" and if you're thinking like me, "that" shouldn't be considered as initial payment because it wasn't "cash" payment, apparently not every Insurance sees it that way...     

This of course, is first Insurance that I notice specified in "writing" that FTC is not considered as initial payment and not too happy with the cost Plans Protector Edge for $158 and Worldwide Trip Protector for $200 but probably what I'll end up paying just because I'm burnt out of reading the fine print of so many policies... Hope this helps anybody out here too, if overlooking this...  This policy also covers Medical Evacuation, which is important to me after watching all those Cruise Ships stuck in the ocean because nobody wanted them to dock when Covid began, though don't think I'd mind it if "not" sick 😎 but if I were, I'd want to be evacuated back home right away and afraid of getting sick from the others... 🤗   Oh, now I don't know if COVID or pandemics need to be specified as well, if it will be covered under "sickness"?    

If you all are using any good Travel Insurances, please share, like to hear about it...

LOL...  "my husband because the next day he just didn't feel rested, my son didn't do well either fighting the sea sickness from the rough sail..."  we all, at one time or another we suffer through health issues but it's so sad and disappointing when this happens on an expensive cruise vacationwhere  everybody should be enjoying themselves... definitely not the time to abandon ship 😃  THANKS though, it's comforting to know this didn't happen to you!  What part of the ship were you on?  Do you remember the months of sailings?  THANKS AGAIN    

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask about the EPIC... we were on it last year and the ride at night was so awful, usually cruise ships rock us to sleep but on the EPIC, it was like experiencing an earthquake because the bed would shake so rough, it was like  if someone is shaking it so bad, to wake you up and it DOES!  This was so bad for my husband because the next day he just didn't feel rested, my son didn't do well either fighting the sea sickness from the rough sail...  I was not so over taken from it all just I didn't care for the ship (I enjoyed the GETAWAY having a mini golf, this one for a 58 year old, didn't have anything really for me to enjoy on the Epic) so wasn't too crazy about the EPIC but was always wanting to visit the Southern Carribean Islands and offered by the EPIC so I figured, we'd be mostly visiting the islands daily anyways so it didn't matter much to me... 

BUT TOTALLY forgot how it affected them and booked an 11 day cruise yesterday!  When I mentioned to my husband and son that it was on the EPIC, the same ship we were on last year, they made me RECALL right away how they didn't enjoy it, my son doesn't even want to go now!!!  So when I called Norwegian today, they said they can't cancel the trip without losing my money! 

I just wanted to know has anybody experienced this rough shaking at night on the EPIC?  Maybe it was just the ocean that month, I believe end of November?  Or maybe they're saling more smoothly now, it seems they were saliling maybe tooo fast, IDK but we're going on beginning of January 2020.  Has anybody else experienced this on the EPIC during the month of January?   Please advise or copy paste this question, where it's suppose to be, I TRULY would appreciate your all feedback or your suggestions...  Thanks in Advance!     

AMAZING UNDERWATER PICS! When you say "I now use Olympus Tough cameras. I have a 620, 830..." was this the camera you used when taking these pictures? Because it sounds like you were using a different one when speaking in the past/present tense... I'm sure these newer models cost more than the one you used previously and I"M GOOD with getting an older version if it takes such great pictures like that... as a matter a fact, if you're looking to sell your older model, please contact me! THANKS

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, but happy you got your deposit back. We don't want to snorkel (Cozumel water in January is just too cold for these Florida girls), so that wouldn't have been a deal breaker for me. We are doing the private jeep tour where they are supposed to take you where YOU want to go, and I have our stops planned out. I have done the other Bar Hop twice, and just wanted to do something a little different this time. Hopefully we won't be disappointed!

We're also from Florida, and I HATE "cold" water! But the water I found it just about chilled to my tolerance level and after you're in it moving around, you don't notice it, until you then get out when the breeze hits you, so actually making it comfortable enough to STAY IN the water but I don't know how much more colder it gets in JANUARY, you may be right about it being colder then... Do you remember which "Bar Hop" did you do? PLEASE SHARE THE JEEP TOUR? How much, how long, where did you stop, what did you do and who did you book it with? I haven't had time to post my Ports of Calls experiences and reviews of the Ship but will get to it as soon as I can... PARADISE Beach, compensated for the Bar Hop dissappointment and that's what matters, to just go forward and ENJOY and we DID, I'm glad my husband canceled, we really enjoyed our time there, spending much less, (had my own snorkeling gear, we kept ordering at different times to share 1 chicken quesadilla, 1 chicken Nachos, 1 chicken tenders, 1 mojito, 1 yard long Margarita, 1 shot, 1 bottle water, taxi fare $16 ea way, $3ea entry fee + $10 tip) TOTAL for 3 people $115...

Well I am glad everyone enjoyed their day in the end and I am sorry you wasted time. Paradise Beach is an excellent facility.

 

I do hope next time you will consider the original bar hop which is well organized and although you will not be able to snorkel on it (because it is too rough on east side and not enough time) you will hopefully enjoy a nice ride round the island. I will warn you though, since you mention your husband has some mobility problems, the path up to Coconuts is not long but is a little steep. If you can make it there is a good view.

GOOD NEWS, EVERYBODY!! Got my deposit refunded from cozumelcruiseexcursions.net TODAY! So that's a good thing, on their part... :D

I am sorry the tour didn’t turn out as expected. I did try to warn you that I didn’t think they went to the first snorkeling place any more and that the website was not up to date. Certainly your trip to Megamart seems unnecessary and a waste of time. Was that where he had actually parked his van?

 

It sounds like your tour would have been pretty much as described earlier in this thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=50667396&postcount=60

This was my reply

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=50668505&postcount=61

 

I hope perhaps Big Al will respond and give a review of how the tour actually went.

YES, your response was RIGHT ON POINT. I agree, the itinerary does sound very much like sushi_tampa's comments but glad they enjoyed all the CHANGES and when reading her comment, it reminded me of Gizmo, mentioning too, the "Welcome to Miami" for the best drinks!

To answer your question, he made us go to the Megamart and inside on second floor, he described the itinerary and now that I think about it, maybe stalling for transport because NO, it wasn't at the parking lot at least, he didn't mention it to us... And I'm pretty certain it wasn't there because when we decided not to go, he called JC, letting him know the van could be changed now to a car being less people were going, he then kind of ignored us, until I asked him, that I too needed to speak to JC using his phone... Once I then finished talking to JC, we parted and went down stairs, outside to take a Taxi and I don't know how much longer, they had to wait for their transport to arrive there at the Megamart... But the family that went with him, did mention they also liked very much the fajitas, that they were served for lunch! =)

Nildib, can you tell us how you liked the "other" Bar Hop? I have booked the private Jeep Tour, so am interested.

 

Thanks.

SO SORRY... didn't post because waiting for "cozumelcruiseexcursions.net" reply... See my letter below to them and it will answer my personal experience with them... I have sent another letter today, being they still haven't responded... Now there was another family, who also posted here, I think it was BigAl, lovely family, who I met at the meet and greet! These were 2 couples that was also with us who DID do the excursion and I got their feedback afterwards on the ship who seemed to be QUITE PLEASED, but they weren't too interested in the part of snorkeling, so like they say "different strokes for different folks"...

After that we took just a random Taxi and asked them about a nice beach and that I could snorkel, he recommended PARADISE, $16 one way Taxi fare and only $3 entry fee, they would want you to order drinks or food (at $10 ea pp) and all facilities included, it was WONDERFUL! The only thing, it did get a little crowded but I'll post pics at the Cozumel Port ...

To whom it may concern (Manager):

RE: E-Receipt #2088

3855577850312215988

I was really disappointed when Gizmo went over the Bar Hop excursion and changed things that we did NOT sign up for from your original itinerary! When speaking to JC over the phone, I asked him to contact you, being we didn't have internet and we couldn't cancel within 24 hours being we didn't expect you'd change your itinerary at last minute, which caused us a great inconvenience: now thinking about what to do, if not taking the excursion or familiar with the area and already waited (ship docked 8AM) until 10AM for you, we had no other plans...

First, your papers said Carla would be our guide and Gizmo shows up, we weren't going to make an issue over that but then there was NO transport at Hooters, which is #1 on your Bar Hop itinerary

• 1. TRANSPORTATION FROM PIER/FERRY & RESORT!
  

Gizmo had us walk all the way to Mega Super (my husband has a hard time breathing and walking exerts him, we already walked quite a bit from the ship). He had us go up in escalator inside the market, if anybody wanted to use bathrooms. I don't understand why he didn't ask OUTSIDE and those who needed to go, just then go up but then we had to all had to walk again all the way back down outside... We also overlooked this but once the group was together, he began to explain the itinerary and this was just something we couldn't overlook! It was unsettling, as he began to describe things DIFFERENT that we did not book for...

For example, your website said:

• 2. COOLER OF BEER! (Not just the free shot at each bar, but a cooler of beer in the bus!)
  
• 
  
  
• Gizmo, began to say that we have to PAY drinks (I understand that) but your website states free shots at EACH bar... He then said, that he could take us a few places that KNOWS him and that's why they'll give us free shots but not ALL the places, we would have to PAY for them. Again, we were also going to let this go by too being we're NOT into drinking BUT your website states, that The Beach Club below is your first stop:
  

" Private Beach ClubYour first hop on our Cozumel bar hop tour is to a gorgeous Private Beach Club in Cozumel! It includes beach chairs, snorkel gear, pool, use of all the facilities (Snorkeling must be done before drinking)."

Gizmo, said there won't be snorkeling done because the first place would be a TOUR of TEQUILA Factory, which isn't even on a beach! I wasn't interested in wasting time on that... I was interested in snorkeling and visiting the beaches that were on your schedule. One of the other stops mentioned was:

" Coconuts Bar & Grill on the Hill Punta Sur Park is the #1 Natural Reserve in Cozumel. Punta Sur offers so many outstanding sites and attractions to enjoy. We take you to a secluded beach at the end of Punta Sur Park which has the nicest beach & Beach Club in Cozumel. you'll get to enjoy a pristine Beach Restaurant/Bar with gorgeous pool, white sand beach, beach bar with swings, hammocks, lounge chairs for pool & beach, massage hut, and this time of year you'll be able to see the baby sea turtles hatching.

so when I mentioned "Coconuts" Gizmo said he wasn't going there but that he could do that for us! He made us feel he was trying to accommodate us when in reality, we just wanted for him to do the excursion, that was described in your website and not make US feel, we were the ones, "changing" it,..

As you can see, this went on and on, my husband was already really upset with everything that was being "changed" without a proper notice from you, we felt this was misleading. We were already feeling entrapped and felt, what else will be changed or happen, if we go with Gizmo? We decided it was not to our best interest to pay for an excursion, that at this point, we didn't know what to expect but we knew we didn't want to waste any time on a Tequila Factory Tour. If that's part of the Bar Hop Excursion, it should be updated on your website, so we know exactly what to expect, wouldn't YOU feel entrapped and obligated to pay, at the last minute for something, you're not interested in because what else can you do? I let my husband decide being he was the most affected and at that point, he felt it was best to cancel...

It's when I spoke to JC over the phone to contact you and to explain all this, and why I didn't contact you earlier... Not having wifi connection or give you a 24 hour notice, when you didn't give us any advance notice of itinerary changes as to give us the opportunity to meet your 24 hour cancellation policy. JC also said it was alright, to contact you when getting back home from our vacation to follow up with you, which is what I'm doing now...

Please confirm, when we'll get back our deposit of $45? We paid through paypal our email address is ....

Thanks,

I understand your comparisons because I have done the Bar Hop,so am aware of what is included, and have read the website for the other group and tried to understand what is included there. I just thought the layout of the comparisons was confusing for someone who hadn’t done either.

 

The last review I read of the “excursions” tour said they used the new Beach bar “Tortugas” instead of the private club with swimming pool on the west side, so I am not sure how updated their website is of where they actually go. It would appear from their description that the tours go round the island in opposite directions so that is another difference.

 

Please report back and let us know about the tour as I have not read many reviews of that one and remember the bars will be cash only on the east side, whichever tour you are on.

OH, ok... good to know... and yes will most probably will come back to leave reviews and have more details to share!

It has been discussed earlier in this thread there are two “Bar Hops” with very similar and confusing titles, the original (that the OP was recommending)

http://cozumelbarhop.com/

and the other one

http://cozumelcruiseexcursions.net/cozumel-bar-hop-tour.html

I have to say I find it very difficult to follow your comparisons but now that you have brought this up again I am wondering if RVman thought he was booking the second?

I don’t understand from your table why you think Senor Frogs requires a taxi and Hooters doesn’t? They are next to each other near Punta Langosta. You don’t need a taxi to either if you dock in San Miguel, you need a taxi to both from the southern piers.

OH, my bad, yes, it has to do where your ship docks, if you're familiar with the area, I guess you may be right but I think if I remember, at our Roll Call forum, it mentioned from LANGOSTA dock, those from Bar Hop were told to meet them at Sr Frogs, needing a cab 7 min away but ours "excursion" bar hop will pick us up at Hooters at the mall... I don't understand what is difficult about my comparisons? One includes LUNCH, the other doesn't, one includes a Tshirt, the other doesn't, one tours the EAST side only, the other does both, one is a $2 difference and if you look yourself at their websites, there may be other differences. that may or NOT, make a difference to you... :D

http://cozumelbarhop.com/

Will be leaving this Sunday on the NCL Getaway and was looking at our spreadsheet, which stated Bar Hop meet at Sr Frogs but my reservation stated Hooters, I quickly asked, to see why we were at different meets... to make a long story short, I just found out that where I booked was a different place, so make sure if this is MUST to be with your CC members on your sail, make sure everybody got the SAME Tour Company. I booked with cozumel cruise excursions.com below you can see the differences:

THEIRS cozumel bar hop.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OURS cozumel cruise excursions.com

FREE Tshirt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NO FREE Tshirt =(

$57~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $55 =)

ROUTES (ALL East Side)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (West & East Side)

Punta Morena Restaurant~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```` Private Beach Club

Cocunuts Bar & Grill~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mirador Coconut Hut

Playa Bonita Restaurant & Bar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``````` Coconuts Bar & Grill on the Hill Punta Sur Park

NO LUNCH El Mirador Rastas/Celerin~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LUNCH @ Punta Punta Morena Beach Bar =)

+Cab Fare to get to Sr Frogs~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No cab needed, meet @ Hooters below the Mall

Obviously by the crystal clear blue water, there's plenty of sand in the area too.

 

 

 

A rainbow wrasse

 

 

 

Several groups on surgeon fish were in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

Sakari discovered that she had a few friends following her around. They went everywhere she went and wouldn't leave her alone.

 

 

Everywhere she swam, they swam. Everywhere she stood, they were right there surrounding her feet starring at her. It was funny to watch and she was fascinated by them. Anyone know what type of fish they are?

 

 

OMG! THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING & SHARING ALL THIS ABOUT BLUE KAY!! The pics are awesome! What under camera did you use? We're leaving this Sunday, was looking for a place just like this, to hit in Costa Maya... glad I also kept researching... do you happen to remember how much the massages were? THANKS AGAIN!

The Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ship called GETAWAY, I'm not sure if their other ships also have them

*TravelinFam "...swim up bar in Costa Maya and my family and I would like to go. What's the name and where is it?" When you come off the Cruise Ship, at Costa Maya, there's many shops you stroll through and right in center is the pool which is FREE to use and has a swim up bar, you can't miss it! They are also repairing the area to offer encounter with dolphins. :D

AWESOME PICS can't wait to "Getaway"! Will sail Nov 27th on the Getaway, I love the MENU pics, at least got an idea of what to EAT and I know there's a LOT but was looking for more wholesome nutritious meals, we are SADLY really going to TRY to watch what we EAT our health is so on the line, it's not funny! :( Was really concerned about a la carte choices and the pics and menus HELPED to ease my mind... :) THANKS AGAIN

Well, I guess since it was posted on CC, then it is true. Neither of us was on the ship at the time, nor was anyone who has responded to this thread. I would dispute the statement that they were super chlorinating after piping repairs, since I know of no regulatory requirement to do so, nor is there a policy at NCL to do so (I used to work at NCL as a ship's engineer). I have seen the green hair effect before, and it is typically caused by spending a few hours in a hot tub with bleached or colored hair. The hot tubs are chlorinated to 8-10ppm by USPH regulation. The heat from the hot water in the shower reacted with the chlorine.

 

And you do know that all of the food is prepared onboard with the chlorinated water?

Oh WOW, that's why I don't get into any of the pools! And NO didn't know all of the food is prepared on board with chlorinated water... It's really cool to know you use to work as ship's engineer and have such insights to share! That's why I said earlier, that I'm not a fanatic about all this, just making the BEST choices when ABLE to do it, it's out of my hands, how they prepare the food and it's really sad, disappointing, how most of all our health is taken for granted, when making such trade offs...

There's already a movement towards organic etc. and slowly but surely a lot of companies are making those changes but changes are always SLOW to BIG companies but for them to change, is not going to be based on "false documentation", there's too much money to lose, in other words, I can SEE them making the changes because what WE EAT DOES affect us and it's to their best interests, eventually, to MAKE those changes before they suffer the greater losses of their actions long term... but in the mean time, who knows how long that will take, so we are left to being the best advocates for ourselves.

I appreciate so much you shared this with me and others! I wonder what ship will be FIRST to advocate for healthier means of food preparations and organic foods? It's really the wave of the future! I bet most people will want to "sail on THAT ship"! But hopefully, it will be all hands on deck and everybody would want to be on board and not left behind... :D

No cruise ship that I know of will willingly dump and close their pools once close to land. And remember, this is at any time you are within 12 miles of shore, so even while cruising along, if close to land you cannot operate a flow through pool. Because of this, and the fact that the transition from flow through to recirculation requires an hour or two with the pool closed until the chlorination levels reach the required levels, most ships with sea water pools will not switch to flow through unless they have more than two sea days in a row, and will then switch late at night well before getting close to land.

 

As to chlorine, while it is my opinion, you ask what science backs this up, and I will say that the CDC/USPH, the EPA, and the WHO all agree that chlorine up to 4ppm has no discernible health issue. Ship's water is chlorinated to maintain a 0.5ppm level at all times.

I guess you're saying no cruise ships have this in their pools, too bad :(

As for ships having chlorinated to maintain a 0.5ppm level "at all times" is NOT absolute truth... As earlier posts said of a lady taking a shower and it turned her hair GREEN because it's when they were putting a lot of chlorine or whatever at that precise moment to clean pipes or whatever... Imagine those who were "drinking" any water at that time? I'm just saying it's BEST if they were "drinking" it "filtered" at all times, as to avoid ANY risks but it seems you're happy with it, so whatever makes your boat float.... I prefer filtered and if that's what MY conscience advocates for myself and cannot advocate any less for others BUT understand and respect everybody's freedom of choice. You need to make your own choice and live with your conscience and I need to live with mine, that's what makes MY boat float... Wishing you only a healthy journey on whatever you decide! :D

I always wondered what the filters on showers were for; you've given me a new perspective on it. Avoiding even skin contact with chlorine might be appropriate for cancer survivors (I'll have to ask my wife if her oncologist mentioned it).

 

But, before you buy that filter, check with your local water company. They may not be using chlorine, but chloramines instead. Both chemicals sanitize water, but chloramines have less objectionable taste -- but also stay in the water much longer (more stable). Municipalities like chloramines because their water systems have a lot of "dead end" runs ... like the main line that runs from the water plant to your street. Water can sit in the end of a run for a long time, and regular chlorine can dissipate over time. But, and here's the important part for you I think, chloramines produce less of the carcinogenic byproducts that you are probably concerned about (see this link from the EPA).

 

You may still want the filter, but it may not be as necessary.

 

Both chemicals are dangerous in higher concentrations, and both will kill marine life in the concentrations we use to sanitize water. But before sanitary water many, many people died from water borne illnesses. So there's a trade off.

 

UV and ozone sanitation are what is used by most bottled water companies, as there is no residual and both sanitize water effectively. Because ozone is so unstable that it dissipates very, very quickly, and because UV light has no residual at all, they are good alternatives for bottled water to reduce the amount of chemicals you consume if you desire, and to produce better taste. A carbon filter at the dispensing point really does the same thing for both chlorine and chloramines ... it removes the chemical (almost) completely.

You need to make your own common sense about this... I found most "oncologists" are programmed to tell you ONLY what they are taught, they can't help it... They have very little background on alternatives or healthy lifestyles for the "cancer" patients... He may boo it, be sarcastic or in disbelief about it or if it doesn't interfere with his protocol, let you decide what you think is best... it just depends what kind of Doctor/person he is. I know Cancer Treatment of America are very "open" minded to incorporate holistic along with conventional. I BELIEVE THAT is the BEST form of dealing with cancer, the body needs a lot of support when bombarded with toxic chemicals like chemo etc., to kill the cancer, sometimes people dieing from the treatments than the disease! So it only makes sense to me, if putting your body to war, what can you DO to help it, to make it through? You can take your chances but isn't it better to make those chances count, all they can by supporting your body all you can? sigh... I don't even want to remember what I went through! It's overwhelming but the good news is I'm still here (over 12 years) when probabilities were all against me. I remain so grateful to having such a supportive family and most of all GOD, even though through a torn relationship...:D

Thanks.

It took a while, but I found me favorite "bottled water" movie scene:

OP, is Aquafina okay with you?

Personally, I don't like Swiss water(sarcasm).

Enjoy.

P.S. THAT WAS REALLY FUNNY! But I hope they don't do that to me...:(

Unless you are on your own well, you are showering and cooking, if not drinking chlorinated water. Nearly all municipal water supplies use chlorine or cloramines to disinfect the water.

 

Chlorine, in the levels found in drinking water, is not a carcinogen.

 

Desani bottled water contains 4 ingredients: water, magnesium sulfate (epsom salts, a known teratogen), potassium chloride ( a fertilizer, and a source of chlorine), and salt (another source of chlorine).

 

Sea water pools on ships can be of the "flow through" or "recirculation" type. Flow through pools take sea water in constantly, and the overflow goes back out to sea. These pools do not need to be chlorinated. However, flow through pools, when the ship is within 12 miles of shore, or in port, must either be closed and drained, or switched to recirculation. Recirculation pools, whether sea water or fresh water, must be chlorinated per USPH requirements.

Chlorine, in the levels found in drinking water, is not a carcinogen.

Desani bottled water contains 4 ingredients: water, magnesium sulfate (epsom salts, a known teratogen), potassium chloride ( a fertilizer, and a source of chlorine), and salt (another source of chlorine).

Sea water pools on ships can be of the "flow through" or "recirculation" type. Flow through pools take sea water in constantly, and the overflow goes back out to sea. These pools do not need to be chlorinated. However, flow through pools, when the ship is within 12 miles of shore, or in port, must either be closed and drained, or switched to recirculation. Recirculation pools, whether sea water or fresh water, must be chlorinated per USPH requirements.

I don't know if this is your "personal" view point or what "science" backs you up on this? Certainly, you have a right to your "opinion" but like I said, being a cancer survivor, I became more aware of the toxicity of our environment and feel at least pro active to do something about it, in MY OWN small personal way and not only because it's MY own personal opinion but there's a lot out there on the internet that supports it. At the end of the day, we all have to make our own common sense, as to what we want to believe or not... I mean, as I began to read so much stuff, I kind of figured it out too, that depending on the source it comes from, THESE articles may also have their own agendas, so you need to use common sense...

My common sense, like I mentioned, tells me to BUY bottled water NOT "Desani" or Spring Water for that matter. I READ the labels, if it's NOT filtered or gone through Osmosis, I won't buy it. I "refill" my gallons through a health conscience store, water dispenser that has a FILTER and UV ray. It's what I feel would be the safest "drinking" water, I'd prefer to be drinking, that makes sense to ME... A lot of things could go wrong with tap water, from contaminated leaks to pipes bursting... I choose NOT to take those risks or subject myself to a "long term" accumulation of what "may" lead to toxic build up , that MY body, can't assimilate as others can (it's not ONLY the "chlorine" that can be found in tap water that's toxic)...

Everybody can decide for themselves what they want to choose this is not a debate. Below are just a few links that talks about chlorine water and its adverse effects but it's really up to the reader to believe it or not. Unfortuantely, we're just consumers, NOT scientists, we're limited not able to put everything under the microscope to really KNOW what's being read is the TRUTH or not... Unless you're a scientist and have inside resources as to back up your opinion? Then that's all it is, "your opinion" and we just need to focus on that being you wouldn't want to steer somebody wrong if it affects somebody's health, wouldn't you? As to later on, finding out that it was toxic all along and has affected a LOT of people because of it. I rather again, play it safe than be sorry and blow my OWN whistle, if nobody listens to me because it's just MY opinion, I KNOW I'm NOT hurting anybody by it, can you guarantee, your opinion is doing the same, do you know what I mean?

On another note, COOL stuff you wrote about the sea water in the pools of Cruise ships! So it sounds like maybe some cruise ships have this? That's awesome! It wouldn't matter to me if they shut down getting close to ports, usually most people then are getting to get off anyways... Do you know if the Getaway NCL has this available?

http://www.pure-earth.com/chlorine.html

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/ffrro_factsheet_contaminant_14-dioxane_january2014_final.pdf

Wishing everybody a HEALTHY journey, without our health any journey can seem impossible...

WOW... what great information about drinking the water or not. I usually BUY it from the filtered dispensers in stores that have the UV ray to it, whether that works or not, is out of my control. I'm not a scientist, just a concerned consumer who went through breast cancer and now more aware of the things I eat, drink, breathe or even put on my skin...

Chlorine is a KNOWN thyroid suppressor and carcinogen. :eek: It's nothing I'd like to shower with or DRINK. It's why I stay away from chlorinated pools (it would be so awesome if ALL Cruise Ships could fill their pools with ocean water, you'd think they're on the ocean, it would be easy peasy but I'm not an engineer either, so they must have their reasons)...

Anyways, "to each his own", I'm not a fanatic about filtered water either, being I still haven't even changed my shower head to a carbon filter in MY own home so can't expect better out there. So, on vacation, I try what I can or choose the better of both evils. It seems the sensible to thing to do is refill our bottles at the bar or soda dispensers, hoping they have those better filters vs. drinking the TAP from the room which has some chlorine. I really appreciate the time everybody took to give their input, it has helped me to make a better informed choice and prepare for it... :D

Agree with others. You should never feed the fish. Another major reason is that in tropical zones it damages the nearby coral reefs. Coral reefs rely on many reef fish to eat the algae that naturally build up on them. Coral needs some algae to survive, but too much and it will kill it. If you feed the fish you throw off this balance, the fish eat less of the algae off the coral and over time the algae smothers the coral. When you see people doing this around you, that means they are doing it every day in the same area, chances are that much of the coral that is nearby is damaged and suffering because of it.

This was a VERY good explanation, I'm glad you and all others took the time to share these details! It really helps to reason and make a wise decision of contributing to keeping a healthy ecology... It's sad to hear that the 2nd Barrier Reef of the world is in Roatan and already reading that there are some places where it's dieing, we need to take personal measures and help others "understand" why not to feed the fish so they can feel also a responsibility to NOT endangering it... Thanks Again!:D

Ask the locals where the local fishermen go fish. Join them with a collapsible rod with spinning reel of 20/lb. If edible, have them prepared where they sell them.....for about 1/2 of your catch. LocoLoco1 Tom

THANKS, sounds like a good idea! My husband already has his collapsible rod READY to go, WE just don't know where to go! LOL :D