Plastic straw ban? (If so, substitutes on board?)

[GeezerCouple]

Is Oceania banning (or should I rephrase as "no longer providing) plastic straws?

If so, do they offer paper straws?  Sell the collapsible versions?

 

It's seeming like this is something we should start getting used to, and probably on land as well.

 

Thanks.

GC

[Paulchili]

There are a couple of threads discussing this topic - this is one of them:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2629979-oceania-to-ban-plastic-drinking-bottles/?tab=comments#comment-56686889

[Whiteowl]

On Riviera a couple of weeks ago all plastic straws gone.  You either get no straw at all or you can have a cardboard straw which is thicker than a paper straw and does not collapse.

[pinotlover]

Marina only had cardboard straws in February. One had to ask for a straw then. They’d give you the milk shake and you could decide spoon or straw and ask.

[riffatsea]

I do not understand these major discussions about straws??

Why do folks need them so badly???

[pinotlover]

Personally, I never use them in drinks. Milkshakes, while driving down the road, occasionally! Onboard, just as easy to use a long handled spoon. Straws are No loose to me. Wooden spikes for my olives in martinis are fine!

[LHT28]

had  a milkshake today  asked for  a straw  as I do not like to have the pink mustache  or wear it on my clothes ...

it is  a thick paper straw...  works fine

I only use them for milkshakes

YMMV

[edgee]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

had  a milkshake today  asked for  a straw  as I do not like to have the pink mustache  or wear it on my clothes ...

it is  a thick paper straw...  works fine

I only use them for milkshakes

YMMV

Absolutely agree. Used thick paper straws on Riviera last month..worked fine.

[GeezerCouple]

58 minutes ago, edgee said:

Absolutely agree. Used thick paper straws on Riviera last month..worked fine.

 

These were probably what many of us grew up with, before "plastic" was everywhere (in "The Graduate" and beyond  ).

As long as these are available, all should be fine.

 

GC

[RJB]

Guess I will just have to bring my own.   No big deal.  

[Classiccruiser777]

47 minutes ago, RJB said:

Guess I will just have to bring my own.   No big deal.  

 

Oh, the horror!

[no fuss travel]

On the ATW, some people did bring their own straws that could be reused.  The only thing I will say about the paper straws is don't try to mix your drink with them.  They will collapse then.  They were fine if you just drank the drink.

[LHT28]

did  an experiment last night

stirred my drink with the straw  worked fine for drinking afterward

let the straw stand in the drink for over 30 mins ..still intact for drinking

 

Just my experience 

[1985rz1]

Holy Moly...there's a whole reusable straw industry out there.  

 

https://www.interiorsandsources.com/news/design-news/news-detail/articleid/22252/title/your-guide-to-straws

 

Change is a comin'. Guess we just have to suck it up 😁

 

Wonder how you clean them 🤔

Edited April 14, 2019 by 1985rz1

[KatieBelle]

5 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Wonder how you clean them

 

Our stainless steel set with silicone tips came with a cleaning brush and travel case.  I also put them in the dishwasher.

-Kate

[jackdeb]

Hi LTH28 could it be that your straws held up because you are in the North Atlantic and they just froze? How goes the snowball fights?

[Mura]

By now they're supposed to be in Ireland so maybe no more snow ... ???

 

[LHT28]

no snow  but  high winds  & rain

sitting at the dock in Cobh... winds 43 knots 😉

We overnighted here  due to weather conditions

sorry for the off track post 

[Mura]

I'm wondering if O is rethinking the idea of scheduling this TA in early April!  Back in 2014 we had beautiful weather most of the time in May ... not exactly sunbathing weather most of the time, but not all that cold!

 

Mura

[RJB]

2 hours ago, Mura said:

I'm wondering if O is rethinking the idea of scheduling this TA in early April!  Back in 2014 we had beautiful weather most of the time in May ... not exactly sunbathing weather most of the time, but not all that cold!

 

Mura

We did it end of May, 2013 and the weather was pretty warm.   Not summertime but great for sightseeing.    And we had plastic straws that no one threw overboard.   They need to rethink that policy.  

Edited April 15, 2019 by RJB

[DOJO466]

On April 12, 2019 at 7:28 AM, LHT28 said:

had  a milkshake today  asked for  a straw  as I do not like to have the pink mustache  or wear it on my clothes ...

it is  a thick paper straw...  works fine

I only use them for milkshakes

YMMV

I found them to have a sandpaper feel. I only get them with the milkshake and of course my favorite frozen espresso cappucino🐰🐰

[keithm]

On ‎4‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 7:01 PM, GeezerCouple said:

Is Oceania banning (or should I rephrase as "no longer providing) plastic straws?

If so, do they offer paper straws?  Sell the collapsible versions?

 

It's seeming like this is something we should start getting used to, and probably on land as well.

 

Thanks.

GC

We got paper straws, which tended to collapse at the ends after awhile. Did not bother us.

[Mura]

I'm late to the game on this one but I got curious and did a search on Amazon for reuseable straws, and they have a number of them for reasonable prices.

 

I purchased 6 Reusable Bent Glass Drinking Straws, Set of 6 With 2 Cleaning Brushes,Shatter Resistant,BPA Free, Non-Toxic, Eco-Friendly, 200mm x 10mm (Bent 8'' x10mm, Multi Color) for $10.99.  I'm a prime member so no shipping.

 

These look very sturdy but I haven't used them yet.  Normally at home I don't really need them but sometimes I want to suck the air out of a freezer bag ...

 

They have a number of options.  Usually these are stainless steel or silicone.  All are washable.

 

The stainless steel variety do seem to be cheaper ...

 

 

[clo]

On 4/12/2019 at 2:12 PM, no fuss travel said:

On the ATW, some people did bring their own straws that could be reused.  The only thing I will say about the paper straws is don't try to mix your drink with them.  They will collapse then.  They were fine if you just drank the drink.

I mainly use a straw to mix my drink and have no problem with the paper ones.  Also it won't be long, I'm betting, that the paper ones will be replaced with some that really appear to be plastic (feel a little different) that are compostable.  I've seen them in Seattle.

[JPR]

Sorry, but some of us hate the mouthfeel of paper straws. There are biodegradable bamboo and other substitutes available that are slightly more expensive but far more durable and look and feel like plastic straws. I too will bring my own.

 

Banning plastic straws was classic overwrought “virtue signaling” based on junk science by a nine year old.  The plastic sippee tops that Starbucks introduced are unsanitary and messy, and use more plastic than the straws they replaced.