Jump to content

Any update on NCL Drinking Straws?


Colin313
 Share

Recommended Posts

I spoke to an NCL rep today and he said that NCL received an internal memo back in June saying they are currently working with a company to provide NCL paper straws. Does anybody know if they have the paper straws on the ship yet? I will be sailing on the Bliss in January.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/18/2018 at 7:43 PM, Colin313 said:

I spoke to an NCL rep today and he said that NCL received an internal memo back in June saying they are currently working with a company to provide NCL paper straws. Does anybody know if they have the paper straws on the ship yet? I will be sailing on the Bliss in January.

 For the first day last Sunday there were no straws anywhere but by Monday the cardboard ones were out and usually the tall straws were cut in half. 

They did change the smoothness of sipping I found. Also many people did bring a bag of straws with them we found. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/18/2018 at 9:34 PM, BirdTravels said:

We were recently on the Getaway and 4500 passengers did perfectly fine without any straws. 

No, YOU had no problems.   You can't possibly know what everyone on the ship went through.   

People are allowed to have different opinions than you.  Must you jump in on almost every threat to attack and degrade people?   You aren't the least bit helpful. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 10/18/2018 at 7:43 PM, snownow said:

There have been multiple posts about the escape rolling them out. I am sure bliss will have them by the time you go. I will be on board in 30 days. I'll let you know!

How was the cruise? Any update on the straws situation?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got off the Breakaway this morning. There were no straws at all.

hubby and I went to the technical discussion and Q&A with the captain, chief engineer, and hotel manager yesterday afternoon and they said there’s an international law prohibiting straws. They did not mention using paper straws at all and there were certainly none on the ship.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, snownow said:

Cruise was good. I will post a full review in the next day or so. No straws at bars.

I wonder what determines which itinerary/ship has straws and which don’t because I’ve read reviews that the Bliss had straws and sometimes it didn’t. Same goes with Escape and other ships. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, llrcno0210 said:

they said there’s an international law prohibiting straws.

 

Calling BS on that (calling it on whoever told you that, not on you.)  There is no international law prohibiting straws.

 

What happened is that some brainbox at NCL made an impulsive policy decision ("See that turtle with a straw stuck in it? We need to stop using plastic straws!") without having an alternative ready to go. Rookie Management Error. Given all the angst that NCL has generated from this, I'd say someone should be looking for a new job, but that's probably not going to happen.

 

At our CC Meet and Greet a few weeks ago, someone from the Epic tried a song and dance about the straws, that they were working on an alternative, but it had run into some technical problems. Really? You can buy paper straws on Amazon, today, for next to nothing, and you're having "technical problems"? Rookie Management Error.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, llrcno0210 said:

Just got off the Breakaway this morning. There were no straws at all.

hubby and I went to the technical discussion and Q&A with the captain, chief engineer, and hotel manager yesterday afternoon and they said there’s an international law prohibiting straws. They did not mention using paper straws at all and there were certainly none on the ship.

 

We returned from the Breakaway last week.  One of the servers seemed fascinated that we had a straw for my DH's Mudslide but it's totally strange they tried to tell you there is a law prohibiting it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, adjensen said:

At our CC Meet and Greet a few weeks ago, someone from the Epic tried a song and dance about the straws, that they were working on an alternative, but it had run into some technical problems. Really? You can buy paper straws on Amazon, today, for next to nothing, and you're having "technical problems"? Rookie Management Error.

We were told on the Dawn in early September (at M&G) that there were paper straws on order for the fleet.  Some sort of sourcing problem getting individually wrapped paper straws.  Since then we have read here about straws on some ships and apparently in all Starbucks??

No straws were on our Breakaway cruise last week except those that some of us brought with us.   With so many reusable straws available very easy for people to bring there own.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never cruised NCL before or cruised on a ship with no straws..it seems a little crazy?! I was just on Royal back in Oct and while they were trying to cut back on straws and only use them when needed, they weren't banned and removed.

 

Frozen drinks with no straws would seem to be a bit of a challenged once your about half way done your drink......

 

Heading on Sky in 11 days...should be interesting

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on the Escape in October and I was given a little, paper half straw in one of my drinks the first night from the Atrium. It was shorter than the glass, so pretty useless. I asked for a straw at the Sugarcane Mojito bar (really the only type of drink I miss a straw for since a mouth full of lime and mint isn't fun), but was told they only had them down at the Atrium bar. So they clearly had *some* paper straws on board, but in very limited supply.

Edited by JamieLogical
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is some information, as far as what some cruise lines are doing with regard to straws.

 

Here's a breakdown of the lines that so far have implemented bans onboard:

 

MSC Cruises: MSC is phasing out all single-use plastic straws by December 2018 with a further pledge to remove virtually all single-use plastics across the fleet by March 2019.

 

Carnival Cruise Line: The line has stopped placing plastic straws in glasses when drinks are ordered.  "We will no longer automatically serve any soda or cocktail (except frozen) with a plastic straw," Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald said on his Facebook page in April. "They will be provided by request. If you want one, please ask. Please support our efforts to limit the amount of plastic that can be found in the seas today."

 

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV): CMV is no longer supplying straws with drinks. Notices have been put up at bars stating: "In the interest of protecting the environment, please be advised that plastic straws will not be served with drinks from the bars. Should you require one please ask your server."

 

Norwegian Cruise Line: Plastic straws officially have been banned across Norwegian Cruise Line's fleet, as well as on its privately operated ports: Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, and Harvest Caye, Belize. The company is working toward several other environmental efforts, including sustainable sourcing, minimizing waste to landfills and reducing CO2 emissions.

 

Oceania Cruises: Through its parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., Oceania has eliminated all plastic straws from its ships.

 

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Also under the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. umbrella, luxury line Regent has stopped using plastic straws onboard.

 

Seabourn: Luxury line Seabourn has stopped using plastic lids on disposable coffee cups, while plastic straws are only available upon request (lids also can be requested). It plans to eventually eliminate single-use plastics across its fleet.

 

Azamara Club Cruises: Plastic straws are no longer provided unless especially requested. The line plans to eventually ban all single-use plastics -- an initiative spearheaded by its parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

 

P&O Cruises Australia: Carnival's sister brand, P&O Cruises, also has removed plastic straws from its Australia-based ships.  "Bar staff are becoming accustomed to the recently introduced change in which straws are only provided at a guest’s specific request or where a frozen drink requires it," a spokesperson said. "Guests have embraced the change and have given crew positive feedback. Few guests now ask for straws."

 

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: Luxury river cruise operator Uniworld has gone one step further to eliminate not only straws, but also other single-use plastics such as water bottles. The line also has made significant strides in reducing paper waste.

 

Lindblad Expeditions: The expedition cruise company co-operated by National Geographic officially has banned all single-use plastics -- including cups, straws and stirrers -- across its fleet. Plastic water bottles have been banned on its ships since 2007; the line provides passengers with reusable stainless-steel bottles that may be refilled at various filtered-water stations onboard.

 

AmaWaterways: River cruise line AmaWaterways has replaced all plastic straws with paper straws across its fleet.

 

Captain Cook Cruises: With a goal to remove as many single-use plastics as possible from its small Fiji-based ship, Reef Endeavour, the cruise line has banned all plastic straws; recyclable paper straws are available for certain drinks. Plastic cups will be replaced by reusable cups, and the line will recycle all water bottles back to its supplier.

 

The following lines have vowed to eliminate single-use plastics:

 

Virgin Voyages: The new cruise line developed by business mogul Sir Richard Branson, which will debut with its first ship in 2021, said it will not have single-use plastics onboard -- including straws, bottled water, other beverage bottles, condiment packets, shopping bags, food packaging, stirrers, and take-away coffee and tea cups. It also will emphasize the use of sustainable materials.

 

Royal Caribbean: Royal Caribbean has pledged to ban single-use plastic across its fleet, but did not indicate when the policy might go into effect.

 

Celebrity Cruises: Royal Caribbean's sister brand will eliminate single-use plastics through the same initiative.

 

Disney Cruise Line: By mid-2019, Disney will have eliminated all plastic straws and plastic stirrers on its ships. Additionally, the line aims to reduce plastics in its passenger cabins by 80 percent, by transitioning to refillable amenities, over the next few years.

 

Cunard: In early February, Carnival Corp. UK brand Cunard pledged to abolish all single-use plastics -- including straws, water bottles and food packaging -- from its ships by 2022.

 

P&O Cruises: The remainder of P&O Cruises' fleet also revealed in February it would enforce a single-use plastic ban by 2022.

 

There are also some cities in the US that have banned plastic straws and the state of California has banned all plastic straws in dine-in restaurants.

 

I would imagine that the paper straw manfacutres are overwhelmed with all of the recent orders they are receiving, just think about how many straws just one cruise ship would use and add to that other cruise lines, restaurants, etc., and can't keep up with the orders. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...