RCCL Take Note...... Follow Carnival

[mollyeilis]

On comment cards at the end of the cruise I have suggested they sell Poland Spring Water (or Dasani) as Evian is disgusting. I told them I'm not buying Evian, and would be happy to purchase Poland Spring or Dasani if made available on the ship. (Dasani is a Coke product, so I not sure why they don't already offer it, unless because of a contract with Evian.)

 

Ew, Dasani? Really? That and Aquafina are just municipal water local to the bottling plant. Nothing special at all about it.

 

At least Poland Spring is spring water. With the beverage packages on Royal, by the way, they give Crystal Geyser or another similar brand. The only time you get Evian is if you buy a water OOP OR you order the water package.

 

Dasani. Shudder.

 

 

 

what's wrong with Evian :confused:

I'v always thought it tasted like, umm, water

 

Right there with you. :)

 

 

Is there any option for purchasing water (at any price) in advance and having it delivered through Royal like there is on Carnival? I looked on the website but didn't see anything.

 

 

Evian water bottle packages.

 

 

"A small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., sparkling water, sodas, juice, and milk) packaged in cans or cartons may be brought onboard on embarkation day only in guests’ carry-on luggage. A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less per person."

 

12 12-oz bottles of water would get me through 2ish days. Ugh.

 

 

I usually bring bottles of water on the ship and I think it's a great idea, as long as it's actually spring water and not just treated tap water. Does anyone know what brand of water Carnival is using? From the picture on the website, it looks like it's going to have a non-brand or Carnival label. Which could be just about any kind of water.

 

They *said* spring water. I figure they just don't know what kind yet. Like the pictures of the bottled water in the Royal packages. Could be Crystal, could be a different spring water.

 

 

I've been to Cozumel and been on the Fury catamaran, I've been to the Cayman turtle farm, I've been to Disneys private island, but I've never seen Mexico, the Caymans or the Bahamas.

 

On the other hand, I've walked the west end road in Jamaica. I've stopped in local bars and restaurants that might have names, if you're there long enough. I've made friends in Austria who threw a going away party for my wife and I. I've gone skiing in the Alps, I've hiked in the Netherlands. I don't believe that when our cruise stops in Labadee, that I will see Haiti.

 

Does it make sense now?

 

No, it doesn't.

 

If you're on Labadee, you might not be seeing Haiti proper, but it's still Haiti.

 

If you're on Castaway you're IN the Bahamas. That is a Bahamanian island, and as of a couple months ago you're paying Bahamanian VAT for things purchased there. etc

 

You might not be exploring like you want to, but you're still there, seeing parts of those countries.

 

 

 

Someone should start a petition...I'd sign it, but wouldn't know how to go about starting one. Include the letter from Carnival to show RCCL what they are doing.

 

Do you think that Royal doesn't know what Carnival is doing?

[mollyeilis]

I prefer purified simple water than having minerals in my water. While Dasani and Aquafina are great alternatives while traveling, I'd much rather the "Pure Quality" of "100% Natural Spring Water" from Poland Spring that I'm drinking as I write this post.

 

Poland Spring, What it means to be from Maine.

 

(I believe you're comparing Evian to the waters of your choice? you think Evian isn't simple water?)

 

 

"Poland Spring® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water comes only from carefully selected mountain springs that are continually replenished. What starts out as rain and snow, soaks into the ground and is filtered naturally by the earth with a distinct composition of minerals to create our crisp, refreshing taste."

 

"It takes at least 15 years for every drop of Evian to filter through the glacial sand formations of the French Alps. It is also during that long journey that Evian acquires its unique, well-balanced, mineral composition."

 

 

 

water quality reports...

 

http://www.nestle-watersna.com/asset-library/Documents/PS_ENG.pdf

 

(oh joy, poland springs is Nestle?)

 

http://evianwebsite.s3.amazonaws.com/website/files/evian-2014-AWQR-ENG.pdf

 

 

I'm not seeing much difference there; a whole lot of Not Detected in both of them. :)

 

 

 

Water is important to me. :)

[pcur]

I was going to post the same thing. I wish RCI would offer some decent bottles of water at a reasonable price. I know the ship's water is safe but I like the convenience of bottled water in my cabin - I drink a lot of it all day and night and the tepid water from the bathroom sink is gross.

 

I keep a bottle with me at all times. I start out from home with a fresh bottle from the fridge, drink it by the time I go through security at the airport, and keep it with me the whole trip.

 

Once on the ship I fill it from the bathroom sink, then put it in the ice bucket overnight. When I get back to the cabin during the day, it goes back in the ice bucket.

 

I'm the only one that drinks from it, and I never fill it anywhere but in my cabin.

Edited June 10, 2015 by pcur

[trev71]

I wouldn't even mind paying $4 a case of 12. 2.99$ is a steal of a deal. At Costco at home you can get the 36 pack for 3.99 plus deposit

[Big_G]

Really?

 

Yea, that didn't make sense

 

Phew! For a moment there I thought it was another cruiseline cutback. :eek:

[Paul65]

If a person swells while eating the food and drinking the ship's water, but...

 

Doesn't swell while eating the food and NOT drinking the ship's water, then...

 

What do you think the thing causing the swelling is?

 

 

Ayep, the ship's water.

 

That's why there are many of us who do NOT drink the ship's water, because we are having that exact scenario.

I just said that the difference is not likely to be salt.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300I using Tapatalk

[Paul65]

I've been to Cozumel and been on the Fury catamaran, I've been to the Cayman turtle farm, I've been to Disneys private island, but I've never seen Mexico, the Caymans or the Bahamas.

 

On the other hand, I've walked the west end road in Jamaica. I've stopped in local bars and restaurants that might have names, if you're there long enough. I've made friends in Austria who threw a going away party for my wife and I. I've gone skiing in the Alps, I've hiked in the Netherlands. I don't believe that when our cruise stops in Labadee, that I will see Haiti.

 

Does it make sense now?

 

I hesitated to even reply to this since it really diverts from the point of the thread.

 

I suspected that might be what you meant, but in that respect, you can't see another country from a hotel room, either. The thing about a cruise ship traveling between countries was just an attempt to point out that hotels and cruise ships are not the same thing, so we shouldn't really expect them to operate in the same way.

[pcur]

I suspected that might be what you meant, but in that respect, you can't see another country from a hotel room, either. The thing about a cruise ship traveling between countries was just an attempt to point out that hotels and cruise ships are not the same thing, so we shouldn't really expect them to operate in the same way.

 

Depends on where you are in my opinion. For instance, cruising in the Caribbean or South Seas is a scenery type of vacation. Beaches galore, and it's great to be able to try different beaches on different islands, so cruising is great for that purpose.

 

However, Europe the first time is great by cruising, but you want to spend more time there next time around. We were in Paris for one day several years ago on a cruise. Last month I spent 5 nights in Paris with my husband and son, son and I saw it all, and the three of us had some great dinners together.

 

Back to the REAL thread now......................................

Edited June 10, 2015 by pcur

[Paul65]

Depends on where you are in my opinion. For instance, cruising in the Caribbean or South Seas is a scenery type of vacation. Beaches galore, and it's great to be able to try different beaches on different islands, so cruising is great for that purpose.

 

However, Europe the first time is great by cruising, but you want to spend more time there next time around. We were in Paris for one day several years ago on a cruise. Last month I spent 5 nights in Paris with my husband and son, son and I saw it all, and the three of us had some great dinners together.

 

Back to the REAL thread now......................................

 

I think I'm in complete agreement with you here. Land vacations and cruise vacations are different, and both can be great in their own ways.

 

However, I don't think I can claim, on my trip to Paris last year, that I "saw France." I did a pretty good job of seeing Paris, though.

Edited June 10, 2015 by Paul65

[nbsjcruiser]

Saw this earlier and the response on the CCL board so far has been very positive. Especially when they offer the ability to pre-cruise purchase very reasonably priced bottled water for delivery to your cabin - $2.99 (plus local tax) for a twelve pack of 500ml (~16 oz.) bottles. Less than 30 cents per bottle.

 

That's a good idea. Would save me lugging a case of water on board which we do for every cruise.

[The Sunset Glow]

If a person swells while eating the food and drinking the ship's water, but...

 

Doesn't swell while eating the food and NOT drinking the ship's water, then...

 

What do you think the thing causing the swelling is?

 

 

Ayep, the ship's water.

 

That's why there are many of us who do NOT drink the ship's water, because we are having that exact scenario.

 

Totally with you on this.

 

I didn't mentioned it in my first post because every time it comes up on this board there's always a few people that just don't believe it and say it can't be the ship's water - and I get that it's far fetched, I do.

 

I did not believe it either until I experimented with the exact scenario you described above myself. I was shocked that the water had that much effect on me!:eek: Hard to believe, but true (for me and some others at least).

 

Evian water tastes like dirt to me. I don't care that Dasani and others are tap water - I know this and I'm good with it. I prefer a spring water but if all I can get is Dasani then so be it. It tastes ok and doesn't make me swell - that's all I require. I drink tap water at home so I'm not that picky.

Edited June 10, 2015 by The Sunset Glow

[dixieva]

The "ship's water causing you to swell" might be true but if you stop drinking ships water then you also need to stop drinking any tea, coffee or lemonade which is made with ships water.

 

 

I love Carnival's idea and hope RCI will follow their lead in this. I like a bottle of water to take off in ports and to keep in the fridge in my room so I would pay $2.99 for 12 bottles.

Edited June 10, 2015 by dixieva

[TM38Rob]

No wonder why Evian tastes bad, it's 15 years old! :eek:

Poland Spring is fresh from the spring. :cool:

 

Quoting post 78 by mollyeilis:

"(I believe you're comparing Evian to the waters of your choice? you think Evian isn't simple water?)

 

 

"Poland Spring® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water comes only from carefully selected mountain springs that are continually replenished. What starts out as rain and snow, soaks into the ground and is filtered naturally by the earth with a distinct composition of minerals to create our crisp, refreshing taste."

 

"It takes at least 15 years for every drop of Evian to filter through the glacial sand formations of the French Alps. It is also during that long journey that Evian acquires its unique, well-balanced, mineral composition."

 

 

 

water quality reports...

 

http://www.nestle-watersna.com/asset...nts/PS_ENG.pdf

 

(oh joy, poland springs is Nestle?)

 

http://evianwebsite.s3.amazonaws.com...4-AWQR-ENG.pdf

 

 

I'm not seeing much difference there; a whole lot of Not Detected in both of them.

 

 

 

Water is important to me."

Edited June 10, 2015 by TM38Rob

[John&LaLa]

No wonder why Evian tastes bad, it's 15 years old! :eek:

Poland Spring is fresh from the spring. :cool:

 

Quoting post 78 by mollyeilis:

"(I believe you're comparing Evian to the waters of your choice? you think Evian isn't simple water?)

 

 

"Poland Spring® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water comes only from carefully selected mountain springs that are continually replenished. What starts out as rain and snow, soaks into the ground and is filtered naturally by the earth with a distinct composition of minerals to create our crisp, refreshing taste."

 

"It takes at least 15 years for every drop of Evian to filter through the glacial sand formations of the French Alps. It is also during that long journey that Evian acquires its unique, well-balanced, mineral composition."

 

 

 

water quality reports...

 

http://www.nestle-watersna.com/asset...nts/PS_ENG.pdf

 

(oh joy, poland springs is Nestle?)

 

http://evianwebsite.s3.amazonaws.com...4-AWQR-ENG.pdf

 

 

I'm not seeing much difference there; a whole lot of Not Detected in both of them.

 

 

 

Water is important to me."

 

But 15 year old Scotch is good :what:

[Cuizer2]

Royal kinda has the same policy. On any Royal ship is not allowed to bring any alcohol or non-alcohol beverage. Normally a minimal amount of bottle of water that fit in your carry-on security will let you pass. The wine is same with the only difference Carnival charge you a $15 corkage fee and Royal doesn't charge you a corkage fee. What they should follow is the discounted bottle water price. :):):)

 

Loyal to Royal...

 

I wonder if Carnival, and in this case, Royal Caribbean also, are aware that some alcoholic beverages come in cans and that a lot of smuggled alcohol is smuggled in containers that do not contain glass.

[Paul65]

I wonder if Carnival, and in this case, Royal Caribbean also, are aware that some alcoholic beverages come in cans and that a lot of smuggled alcohol is smuggled in containers that do not contain glass.

 

Glass has nothing to do with it. It's more about the ease of opening something like a soda or water bottle, replacing the contents with alcohol, and putting the cap back on. It's not quite as easy to re-seal an aluminum soda can.

 

And I don't think they're naive enough to think this change will make it impossible for anyone to sneak liquor onboard. It just makes it a little bit harder.

[Cuizer2]

Glass has nothing to do with it. It's more about the ease of opening something like a soda or water bottle, replacing the contents with alcohol, and putting the cap back on. It's not quite as easy to re-seal an aluminum soda can.

 

And I don't think they're naive enough to think this change will make it impossible for anyone to sneak liquor onboard. It just makes it a little bit harder.

 

I doubt that anyone is trying to smuggle alcohol in cans. What they need to do is outlaw plastic larger than four ounces and check for rum runners.

[American Bear]

Saw this earlier and the response on the CCL board so far has been very positive. Especially when they offer the ability to pre-cruise purchase very reasonably priced bottled water for delivery to your cabin - $2.99 (plus local tax) for a twelve pack of 500ml (~16 oz.) bottles. Less than 30 cents per bottle.

 

Agreed Joe, a very fair price, hopefully RCL follows along!:)

[LMaxwell]

I doubt that anyone is trying to smuggle alcohol in cans. What they need to do is outlaw plastic larger than four ounces and check for rum runners.

 

Guess I can't bring contact lens solution, shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, sunblock, after sun care, my wife can't bring her skin lotions, etc...we drive to port and so we take our regular toiletries with us, and 4oz of many of those would be insufficient for a cruise duration.

[Paul65]

I doubt that anyone is trying to smuggle alcohol in cans. What they need to do is outlaw plastic larger than four ounces and check for rum runners.

 

That's more or less what Carnival did - outlaw bottled beverages (which would apply to plastic or glass bottles, presumably). Cans are still allowed, for the reason you state - that people don't smuggle alcohol in cans.

[Paul65]

Guess I can't bring contact lens solution, shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, sunblock, after sun care, my wife can't bring her skin lotions, etc...we drive to port and so we take our regular toiletries with us, and 4oz of many of those would be insufficient for a cruise duration.

 

Yeah, if Cuizer2 is advocating a ban on ALL plastic containers over 4oz, that would be kind of difficult. I'm not sure they want to go there. This seems like a good way to crack down a little bit on alcohol without hacking off the customers. They can still bring soda in cans, and they can't bring bottled water any more, but can buy it for a reasonable price.

[ewenix]

I doubt that anyone is trying to smuggle alcohol in cans. What they need to do is outlaw plastic larger than four ounces and check for rum runners.

 

Sure, that would be one approach. Another is to lower your prices so that it's not so outrageously expensive that a lot of people are trying to sneak booze on to the boat.

 

It's one thing to make an expensive drink if it is well made and you're not just charging for ice and mixer. It's another to make cheap drinks and charge an expensive price, then force an 18% gratuity.

[LMaxwell]

Yeah, if Cuizer2 is advocating a ban on ALL plastic containers over 4oz, that would be kind of difficult. I'm not sure they want to go there.

 

Impossible is more like it. Can you imagine the fits people would (rightly) be having if their toiletry items were confiscated? And the resources needed to go through ALL luggage. The law of diminishing returns kicks in where you expend much more effort for very little additional return.

 

This seems like a good way to crack down a little bit on alcohol without hacking off the customers. They can still bring soda in cans, and they can't bring bottled water any more, but can buy it for a reasonable price.

 

In a bunch of policies in 2015 I think Carnival has done the best job of rolling them out; yes, I know some loyalty members aren't happy, but Carnival never had very good loyalty perks. As for the rest of their new or changed policies, it seems like they make come smart concessions to guests and overall people don't get too mad or bent out of shape about it because they get something out of the deal.

 

$2.99 for a 12 pack of water on a ship is a downright bargain, especially when you don't even have to lift it or carry it yourself. Even 4.99 if not pre-ordered is relatively reasonable, all things considered.

[John&LaLa]

Impossible is more like it. Can you imagine the fits people would (rightly) be having if their toiletry items were confiscated? And the resources needed to go through ALL luggage. The law of diminishing returns kicks in where you expend much more effort for very little additional return.

 

 

 

In a bunch of policies in 2015 I think Carnival has done the best job of rolling them out; yes, I know some loyalty members aren't happy, but Carnival never had very good loyalty perks. As for the rest of their new or changed policies, it seems like they make come smart concessions to guests and overall people don't get too mad or bent out of shape about it because they get something out of the deal.

 

$2.99 for a 12 pack of water on a ship is a downright bargain, especially when you don't even have to lift it or carry it yourself. Even 4.99 if not pre-ordered is relatively reasonable, all things considered.

 

Unless it's Evian, apparently. :rolleyes:

[fireofficer5]

Don't be hating the booze smugglers, because the wine and champagne

lovers are next.

 

 

The booze smugglers (myself) keep the heat off the lovers of the grape.

 

And the ships water is sourced mostly from the ports visited.

So the swelling ankles are not from the ships water.

Look for the blue hoses on the pier.

Edited June 10, 2015 by fireofficer5