Environmentally Friendly Changes

[Lindaru]

18 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I'm wondering what they do about the hot & cold coffee drinks at the IC?

They could possibly switch to paper cups for everything but what about the lids? Maybe there won't be any offered at all. 

They've got a lot to think about. 

I would go to the I.C. a few times from morning to evening for my lattes.  I would bring my drink cup and simply pour from the paper cup into that once I got it.  It seemed like a waste having to do that.  If they had a measured dispenser like vending machine in the days of yore, you could purchase the drink and put your own cup (from the D.R. or buffet, or your own like I have) under it and let it fill.  That would eliminate the plastic lids.

Of course, that would eliminate the jobs of the staff, so yes.  A lot to think about.

 

[Rusty10]

25 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

 

I'm wondering what they do about the hot & cold coffee drinks at the IC?

They could possibly switch to paper cups for everything but what about the lids? Maybe there won't be any offered at all. 

That’s one of the reasons I bring my own coffee mug and water mug. If I can’t find a seat near the IC  I can confidently move to another location without worrying about spilling. When I get my latte from the IC, I hand over my clean coffee mug and they pour directly into my cup. 

I’ve never had a problem taking my personal water container off the ship at pots of call. I fill it at the horizon. My bottle has a screw top so the spout doesn’t touch the water dispenser. 

I’ve always brought my water container to the airport empty and fill it with the water dispensers once I got through security. 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Rusty10

[Wendylfish]

When recently aboard a Celebrity ship, we were told that they too are going to be working towards reducing plastic waste. They will soon have water in cartons instead of bottles...so that's probably what Princess will do.

[beg3yrs]

3 hours ago, Borman51 said:

So, are you saying that presently passengers are not being allowed to take their personal water bottles off the ship?

 

I believe that to be the current case as ship's staff cannot easily verify what's in the bottle. Have been stopped at the gangway carrying a paper cup of coffee. Drink it or dump it. I suppose if a personal water bottle is in your bag, it would be "see no evil".

[Ombud]

Just got off the CB and was never stopped. Also not stopped thru South America in March 2019, SE Asia in November 2018, British Isles last summer. It depends on local authorities.  Anyway that's what I was told in Singapore

 

No need to smuggle anything

[chengkp75]

This "announcement" is merely part of the court mandated settlement with Carnival Corp for environmental violations, and really only addresses one of the many different forms of pollution that Carnival Corp in general, and Princess in particular have engaged in over the last few years.  The main reason that Carnival Corp has started this "reduce the plastic" campaign across their lines, is that this is the original problem that Princess was fined for 20 YEARS AGO.  The judge in the case noted with sarcasm that even after 20 years, Carnival was back in court for not figuring out how to separate plastics from food waste.

[Iamcruzin]

4 hours ago, cougaraz said:

I genuinely don't understand how anyone can think that reducing the cruise ship environmental footprint is anything but good. Of course, I have noticed an emerging trend on this board of toxic posting, people posting just to be contrarian, rude, mean or self-important.

Where I think Princess could REALLY make hay is in widely available stations to refill personal water bottles. I am not a water snob and have no problem drinking from the tap, but it would be really nice to have a place to fill my Nalgene or HydroFlask when I am getting ready to go ashore. It is 2019, surely the technology to do this in a sanitary manner exists.

That would be a positive improvement. I prefer water bottles only because it's easier to grab one from any bar on the ship than have to go to the lido deck and fill my own bottle at the buffet. That's also the reason that I will buy at the very least a non alcoholic beverage package.

[Iamcruzin]

8 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Could this be the future on the ships?  I suppose one of the crew will gladly add it for you at the buffet.

 

Those dispensers waste more sweetener  than any effect that the paper wrapper has on the environment.  I have used them when getting coffee in a hospital cafeteria which is the only place I have seen them so far. Sugar all over the counter which means you need some kind of cleaner and rag to clean it up. I had to dump my coffee because it dispensed too much sugar. This caused me to use more coffee, milk and a second cup so I could dispense the sweetener in the cup and spoon it into my coffee. I'm fine with ketchup and mustard dispensers as I find them easier to use than tearing open the package and it works for milk and cream but for salt, pepper and sugar it doesn't solve the issue just creates a new problem.

[The Mikado]

I find it comical that in the germaphobic age we live in where coffee stirrers come in their own sealed plastic sleeve, that we now think bulk dispensers where anyone can stick their fingers into the soon-to-be goo these things will produce is a great idea. 

 

Oh, I forgot; we’re “saving the planet”. 

 

And we we think we’ve had trouble before with mass-illness on cruise ships. 

[Iamcruzin]

6 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

I find it comical that in the germaphobic age we live in where coffee stirrers come in their own sealed plastic sleeve, that we now think bulk dispensers where anyone can stick their fingers into the soon-to-be goo these things will produce is a great idea. 

 

Oh, I forgot; we’re “saving the planet”. 

 

And we we think we’ve had trouble before with mass-illness on cruise ships. 

And Ironically the germaphobes all cruise. But hey as long as they don't touch an elevator button or a handrail on a moving vessel all is good. Just wait until someone is spotted licking the sugar off of their fingers. The boards will light up and crash.

Edited August 11, 2019 by Iamcruzin

[cougaraz]

42 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

That would be a positive improvement. I prefer water bottles only because it's easier to grab one from any bar on the ship than have to go to the lido deck and fill my own bottle at the buffet. That's also the reason that I will buy at the very least a non alcoholic beverage package.

Precisely.

 

What I find funny is that my local airport, and my place of work, both have bottle fillers with filtered water and I would not consider either effort to be especially environmentally focused, so much as directed at ease of use and common sense. They are touchless and the fill point is recessed which means there is no contact between the mouth of my bottle and the dispenser. 

[MamaFej]

3 minutes ago, cougaraz said:

Precisely.

 

What I find funny is that my local airport, and my place of work, both have bottle fillers with filtered water and I would not consider either effort to be especially environmentally focused, so much as directed at ease of use and common sense. They are touchless and the fill point is recessed which means there is no contact between the mouth of my bottle and the dispenser. 

I'd LOVE to see those added on cruise ships. They are so convenient, and are becoming increasingly popular in CA, especially at schools. 

[cougaraz]

1 minute ago, MamaFej said:

I'd LOVE to see those added on cruise ships. They are so convenient, and are becoming increasingly popular in CA, especially at schools. 

You and me both!

 

I see you have 132 days booked to sail, is that a large number of short cruises or a small number of long cruises?

[Lido deck main]

8 hours ago, LoriPhil said:

Rather than deriding Princess for taking progressive action now because of past transgressions (which agreed, we’re appalling!) I do approve of them making efforts to become more responsible stewards of the environment.  I’d rather them take progressive action than no action at all.  Good step forward - keep it up, Princess.

Yes I agree, Princess taking action, even small steps is great.  I think of all those gross styrofoam cups I would see at the coffee bar.  I live in Vancouver our city is trying to go green, we haven’t used styrofoam cups in years, plastic straws are banned, plastic bags are next.  We recycle, have green bins etc.  Some people have commented they think Princes is doing this to save money, sometimes it costs more to go green, I know biodegradable cups cost more than styrofoam.  Be the change you want in the world.  Every small step helps.  Did you ever stop to think that each step towards going green is not about the bottom line, you do it because it’s the right thing to do.  Those individual cereal boxes, out, hey I think even the individual tea bags should be out and just have a box of tea.  

[MamaFej]

25 minutes ago, cougaraz said:

You and me both!

 

I see you have 132 days booked to sail, is that a large number of short cruises or a small number of long cruises?

It's a bit of a mix. We are about to retire and have lots of stuff booked, including cruises from 5-18 days each, and B2B2Bs of up to 36 days from next month to April 2021. We lived below our means and saved and invested as much as possible in our 20s 30s and 40s so we can spend our 50s 60s and 70s (maybe beyond) traveling as much as possible. 

 

And, to keep it on topic, we do so with our stainless steel water flasks and minimizing waste whenever possible.

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Those dispensers waste more sweetener  than any effect that the paper wrapper has on the environment.  I have used them when getting coffee in a hospital cafeteria which is the only place I have seen them so far. Sugar all over the counter which means you need some kind of cleaner and rag to clean it up. I had to dump my coffee because it dispensed too much sugar. This caused me to use more coffee, milk and a second cup so I could dispense the sweetener in the cup and spoon it into my coffee. I'm fine with ketchup and mustard dispensers as I find them easier to use than tearing open the package and it works for milk and cream but for salt, pepper and sugar it doesn't solve the issue just creates a new problem.

If dispensers like this appear I'll just use them to fill another cup with sweetner & spoon it into my coffee. 

Big waste. 

 

8 hours ago, Lindaru said:

I would go to the I.C. a few times from morning to evening for my lattes.  I would bring my drink cup and simply pour from the paper cup into that once I got it.  It seemed like a waste having to do that.  If they had a measured dispenser like vending machine in the days of yore, you could purchase the drink and put your own cup (from the D.R. or buffet, or your own like I have) under it and let it fill.  That would eliminate the plastic lids.

Of course, that would eliminate the jobs of the staff, so yes.  A lot to think about.

 

Providing you bring your own container it works but I don't like to have to keep washing it out. We'll have to see how it works out.

[caribill]

Saving paper waste by not using paper packages of sweeteners and paper napkins?

 

If Princess was really serious about reducing paper waste there would be no more printed glossy flyers almost every evening for spa services and art auctions.

 

That would reduce paper waste far more than by eliminating sweetener packages and paper napkins.

[caribill]

10 hours ago, Wendylfish said:

When recently aboard a Celebrity ship, we were told that they too are going to be working towards reducing plastic waste. They will soon have water in cartons instead of bottles...so that's probably what Princess will do.

 

And of course having cartons will not add to paper waste.

 

Unless the cartons are resealable (which usually involves a plastic cap), they will be useless.

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

And of course having cartons will not add to paper waste.

 

Unless the cartons are resealable (which usually involves a plastic cap), they will be useless.

 Plastic is the issue.  In the old days milk never had a plastic cap. You would open and close the container by bending the cardboard. You can drink straight from the pointed opening.

Edited August 12, 2019 by Iamcruzin

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

Saving paper waste by not using paper packages of sweeteners and paper napkins?

 

If Princess was really serious about reducing paper waste there would be no more printed glossy flyers almost every evening for spa services and art auctions.

 

That would reduce paper waste far more than by eliminating sweetener packages and paper napkins.

Amen.

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

If Princess was really serious about reducing paper waste there would be no more printed glossy flyers almost every evening for spa services and art auctions.

Lets not forget about those useless coupon books. 😏

[Musky Ike]

On 8/11/2019 at 1:36 AM, MsSoCalCruiser said:

 I wonder what they will do. If they no longer sell bottled water would they still allow a passenger to bring it onboard? 

I wondered about this also. Is this a step toward banning passengers from bringing single use plastic soda/water bottles at onboard? I hope not. No more water bottles in my elite mini bar? lots of questions to be answered in time.

[MissP22]

34 minutes ago, Musky Ike said:

I wondered about this also. Is this a step toward banning passengers from bringing single use plastic soda/water bottles at onboard? I hope not. No more water bottles in my elite mini bar? lots of questions to be answered in time.

I don't think they've really thought this completely through yet. Their letter sounds like something that originated from some brainstorming meeting that highlighted some of the problems without any answers.   

 

I can't understand why they haven't been able to recycle their plastic bottlers in the past. It's been part of recycling in most communities for years now.

As you said, there are may questions to be answered. 

[pms4104]

42 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I don't think they've really thought this completely through yet. Their letter sounds like something that originated from some brainstorming meeting that highlighted some of the problems without any answers.   

 

I can't understand why they haven't been able to recycle their plastic bottlers in the past. It's been part of recycling in most communities for years now.

As you said, there are may questions to be answered. 

Sure, we feverishly recycle plastics, trying to be green ... been doing it seemingly forever ... now China won't "take Americans' garbage anymore", in their words ... harder and harder to find a market for it ... and some communities are cutting back on plastic recycling

 

Edited August 12, 2019 by pms4104

[donaldsc]

No disposable straws.  How do they plan to wash the non-disposable straws are are they going to make us bring our own straws?  What do they plan to do w toilet paper - wash it and reuse it.  Some green stuff is reasonable but some are ridiculous.

 

DON