Problems on Star Princess

[chengkp75]

I live in the Canary Islands, and nothing, except what comes out of my body goes into my toilet pan. Not even toilet paper. Everything goes in the bin beside the toilet. Restaurants and bars on the island have notices up asking people to use the bins in the toilets, but tourists don't seem to be able to read;p Hence toilets get blocked up frequently. In 25 years of living here my loo has never blocked, nor have I had to empty my cesspit. Because I am in the habit of putting paper in the bin, when I am on a cruise I do the same, but feel embarrassed as there are no bags to use, except for the sanitary towel bags, and I get through an awful lot of those!

 

Please try to break this habit when on a ship. The sanitary napkin bags have to be hand sorted by the cabin stewards and incinerated, so by using them for toilet tissue merely makes more work for the stewards, the environmental operators (who sort the garbage) and the engineers who run the incinerator. Thank you.

[jefa]

Please try to break this habit when on a ship. The sanitary napkin bags have to be hand sorted by the cabin stewards and incinerated, so by using them for toilet tissue merely makes more work for the stewards, the environmental operators (who sort the garbage) and the engineers who run the incinerator. Thank you.

 

Certainly, if I had known all about the extra work I would have flushed the paper, which I will do from now on. Thanks for the explanation.

[dchip]

Please try to break this habit when on a ship. The sanitary napkin bags have to be hand sorted by the cabin stewards and incinerated, so by using them for toilet tissue merely makes more work for the stewards, the environmental operators (who sort the garbage) and the engineers who run the incinerator. Thank you.

 

Oh my, hand sorted really! Now I am wondering, what about wipes? Where should they go besides NOT in the toilet.

 

Cheers, Denise

[azbirdmom]

My husband learned the hard way not to flush Kleenex down any toilets after our experience on the Star earlier this year. I noticed that there was kind of a sucking sound and slow flush that I reported to the steward. He later reported it was because of a tissue. My hubby couldn't believe it would do that but I supplied him with evidence from the web about never flushing Kleenex after we got home.

[chengkp75]

Oh my, hand sorted really! Now I am wondering, what about wipes? Where should they go besides NOT in the toilet.

 

Cheers, Denise

 

As the wipes typically are not as "contaminated" as toilet tissue, it is okay to leave in the wastebasket in the bathroom.

 

My husband learned the hard way not to flush Kleenex down any toilets after our experience on the Star earlier this year. I noticed that there was kind of a sucking sound and slow flush that I reported to the steward. He later reported it was because of a tissue. My hubby couldn't believe it would do that but I supplied him with evidence from the web about never flushing Kleenex after we got home.

 

In 40+ years of dealing with vacuum toilets, I have never experienced any problem with flushing facial tissues down a vacuum toilet. There is a difference between "wipes" and both toilet and facial tissue. Toilet and facial tissue use "pressed" paper fibers to create the paper, and these will eventually break apart. Wipes and towels use "woven" paper fibers to create strength in the paper, and these tend to not break down when wet (one of the advertising points). The "sucking" sound was probably caused by the water valve not providing enough water to make an adequate "plug" of product from the bowl. Most cruisers have bought into the story that the cruise lines tout that only "their special" toilet tissue is to be used, and most think it is because it breaks down rapidly like the toilet paper used on small boats to keep from clogging valves and macerators. In fact, a vacuum toilet system requires the contents of the toilet bowl to maintain a semi-solid "plug" of "product" to keep the "product" moving down the pipes. Some vacuum toilets even flush up a deck, so keeping a solid plug in the pipe is crucial. This cheap toilet paper the cruise lines supply aids in this "solidifying" quite nicely, but any toilet paper will work.

[Tucker in Texas]

I have often said the only good thing about ending a cruise is the "2-ply toilet paper" that I have at home (lol).

 

That being said, I have had clients tell me that they were going to take biodegradable 2 ply toilet paper on their cruise because they didn't like the 1-ply. I pointed out it is not the "biodegradable" part that causes 1--ply to be supplied but to keep the pipes clear. I hope they paid attention but I wonder how many bring their own toilet paper from home just for that reason.

[chengkp75]

I have often said the only good thing about ending a cruise is the "2-ply toilet paper" that I have at home (lol).

 

That being said, I have had clients tell me that they were going to take biodegradable 2 ply toilet paper on their cruise because they didn't like the 1-ply. I pointed out it is not the "biodegradable" part that causes 1--ply to be supplied but to keep the pipes clear. I hope they paid attention but I wonder how many bring their own toilet paper from home just for that reason.

 

And, again, the only reason the cruise lines use 1-ply paper is that its cheap. Two-ply or quilted paper is just as safe to use in vacuum toilets as the paper provided by the ship

[Colo Cruiser]

People insist on flushing their adult diapers, baby wipes, etc. The system can't handle it and it causes problems for entire banks of cabins.

 

 

You have first hand experience with this?

[Colo Cruiser]

We see toilet issues on every cruise.

We have had toilet issues on a few cruises.

We would not expect compensation.

Nature of the beast.

[azbirdmom]

In 40+ years of dealing with vacuum toilets, I have never experienced any problem with flushing facial tissues down a vacuum toilet. There is a difference between "wipes" and both toilet and facial tissue. Toilet and facial tissue use "pressed" paper fibers to create the paper, and these will eventually break apart. Wipes and towels use "woven" paper fibers to create strength in the paper, and these tend to not break down when wet (one of the advertising points). The "sucking" sound was probably caused by the water valve not providing enough water to make an adequate "plug" of product from the bowl. Most cruisers have bought into the story that the cruise lines tout that only "their special" toilet tissue is to be used, and most think it is because it breaks down rapidly like the toilet paper used on small boats to keep from clogging valves and macerators. In fact, a vacuum toilet system requires the contents of the toilet bowl to maintain a semi-solid "plug" of "product" to keep the "product" moving down the pipes. Some vacuum toilets even flush up a deck, so keeping a solid plug in the pipe is crucial. This cheap toilet paper the cruise lines supply aids in this "solidifying" quite nicely, but any toilet paper will work.

 

Interesting! The steward clearly indicated that tissues should be thrown in the trash because they do not degrade like toilet paper does. Maybe he was erring on the conservative side, but here's one link that says don't flush Kleenex (although this is likely more for land toilets): https://www.kleenexbrand.com.au/flushability/

 

Also interesting that they have flushable wipes - who knew? :D

[Colo Cruiser]

Interesting! The steward clearly indicated that tissues should be thrown in the trash because they do not degrade like toilet paper does. Maybe he was erring on the conservative side, but here's one link that says don't flush Kleenex (although this is likely more for land toilets): https://www.kleenexbrand.com.au/flushability/

 

Also interesting that they have flushable wipes - who knew? :D

 

 

Thats NZ and OZ. The water drains/swirls in the other direction there. :cool:

Edited August 31, 2017 by Colo Cruiser

[chengkp75]

Interesting! The steward clearly indicated that tissues should be thrown in the trash because they do not degrade like toilet paper does. Maybe he was erring on the conservative side, but here's one link that says don't flush Kleenex (although this is likely more for land toilets): https://www.kleenexbrand.com.au/flushability/

 

Also interesting that they have flushable wipes - who knew? :D

 

I've had to fight about "flushable" wipes being okay in ship's toilets quite a lot here on CC. Unlike land sewer systems where the piping increases in size from the 1.5" at a sink or 4" at a toilet, to the 6" pipe leaving the house, to the 4' road sewer to the 6' main, all the way to the treatment plant, shipboard vacuum systems remain the same diameter, 2" from the farthest toilet on the ship all the way to the vacuum pump in the engine room. These "flushable" wipes, while they will pass through the increasing sized drain lines, and will break down in the time that effluent stays in a municipal waste plant or your home septic tank, they will not pass vacuum lines well, and at the rate that the ship treats waste water, they will not break down, and cause problems with filters and other processing stages.

[Thrak]

Thats NZ and OZ. The water drains/swirls in the other direction there. :cool:

 

Yes, I know you are being facetious but that whole thing is total BS from the Internet. The way the water swirls is random and is not different in the northern and southern hemispheres.

[elliair]

I live in the Canary Islands, and nothing, except what comes out of my body goes into my toilet pan. Not even toilet paper. Everything goes in the bin beside the toilet. Restaurants and bars on the island have notices up asking people to use the bins in the toilets, but tourists don't seem to be able to read;p Hence toilets get blocked up frequently. In 25 years of living here my loo has never blocked, nor have I had to empty my cesspit. Because I am in the habit of putting paper in the bin, when I am on a cruise I do the same, but feel embarrassed as there are no bags to use, except for the sanitary towel bags, and I get through an awful lot of those!

 

While on a ship or elsewhere, we flush the toilet paper down the toilet. Because we are on septic at our home, nothing but human waste goes down the toilet. The No. 1 failure of a septic system is toilet paper that turns to sludge, sinks to the bottom of the tanks. It will build up and build up until you have a blockage and sewage coming back into your home! All TP, goes into the plastic bag by the toilet and gets emptied into the garbage. Anyone who stays at our house gets drilled on not to put TP, feminine products down the toilet. Those of you on public sewer, be happy you have it. Septic repairs and pumping is very expensive and the County Health Dept., gets involved here in my county. I don't need them snooping around.:evilsmile:

 

BTW, I use to work for wastewater engineers, the one thing that is often viewed in wastewater treatment plants are Centrum vitamins. They pass right through the body without being digested and used by the body. Something to think about.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes, I know you are being facetious but that whole thing is total BS from the Internet. The way the water swirls is random and is not different in the northern and southern hemispheres.

 

 

Yeah but......I was there. ;)

[Thrak]

While on a ship or elsewhere, we flush the toilet paper down the toilet. Because we are on septic at our home, nothing but human waste goes down the toilet. The No. 1 failure of a septic system is toilet paper that turns to sludge, sinks to the bottom of the tanks. It will build up and build up until you have a blockage and sewage coming back into your home! All TP, goes into the plastic bag by the toilet and gets emptied into the garbage. Anyone who stays at our house gets drilled on not to put TP, feminine products down the toilet. Those of you on public sewer, be happy you have it. Septic repairs and pumping is very expensive and the County Health Dept., gets involved here in my county. I don't need them snooping around.:evilsmile:

 

I grew up on septic and have had a septic tank where I live for the last 28 years. We flush toilet paper. Period. Maintain the system and there is nothing to worry about.

[Lucky TGO]

I grew up on septic and have had a septic tank where I live for the last 28 years. We flush toilet paper. Period. Maintain the system and there is nothing to worry about.

 

Thrak,

You maintain septic system? It sounds like you had a ****ty job as a kid :D :D.

Tony

[Thrak]

Thrak,

You maintain septic system? It sounds like you had a ****ty job as a kid :D :D.

Tony

 

There are enzymes one can add to keep it healthy. Have it pumped before it's full. Things of that sort. We got moved into the city a few years ago but they haven't brought the sewer down our street yet. It will cost a fortune to connect when they do but I'll hold out as long as I can.

[Papa Yoda]

Yes, I know you are being facetious but that whole thing is total BS from the Internet. The way the water swirls is random and is not different in the northern and southern hemispheres.

 

 

I'm annoyed that the one time I was in the Southern Hemisphere... I forgot to look. But we'll be back next March. I'll still forget to look but will enjoy the cruise.

 

I thought the swirly way was caused by Coriolis forces.

 

And congrats on not taking the flushing adult diapers bait.

[satxdiver]

I have always lived in the city and had city sewage until we bought our present house that is on a septic tank. We are in the city now but when the house was built and due to the cost they have not extended the sewer lines to us so we still have the septic tank. Several years ago our septic tank failed after 30 years of use and the county made us put in an aerobic system which was an education of itself. Nice part is that it waters the grass late at night.

 

Just remember the ship septic system is nothing like what you have at home whether it is city sewage or a septic tank. Please be careful what you put down the toilet and use the waste paper basket for anything except toilet paper. The rest of us depend on everyone doing this. I have been on smaller boats that one lives on and they have required that everything except human waste be put in the waste can beside the toilet including used toilet paper.

 

When they are working on the septic system, they can cause your toilet to "flush".

[EastBay Cruisers]

testing

[chengkp75]

I grew up on septic and have had a septic tank where I live for the last 28 years. We flush toilet paper. Period. Maintain the system and there is nothing to worry about.

 

I agree. My current house (1820's) has a septic system out back and a cesspool that was across the street in a vacant lot, and this had been working for over a hundred years, taking bathroom waste, including paper, without any maintenance whatsoever. The real enemy of septic systems is grease from the kitchen, but again, enzyme additives help with this. Given a properly sized system, there is sufficient holding time in the tank for the bacteria to digest the paper fibers.

[Thrak]

I'm annoyed that the one time I was in the Southern Hemisphere... I forgot to look. But we'll be back next March. I'll still forget to look but will enjoy the cruise.

 

I thought the swirly way was caused by Coriolis forces.

 

And congrats on not taking the flushing adult diapers bait.

 

Try it yourself. When taking a shower look at how the water drains. Then block the drain with your foot, wait a while, and let the water flow again. Do it a dozen times or so and you will see the water can swirl either way. Check it on snopes.com if you like. It's an urban myth. You know... Something "everybody knows".

[Papa Yoda]

Try it yourself. When taking a shower look at how the water drains. Then block the drain with your foot, wait a while, and let the water flow again. Do it a dozen times or so and you will see the water can swirl either way. Check it on snopes.com if you like. It's an urban myth. You know... Something "everybody knows".

 

Shoot, I was going to flush the toilet just as the ship crossed the equator and watch the swirl reverse itself, now you've gone and spoiled the suspense!