Doing Away with Water Bottles

[richsea]

On 9/30/2019 at 10:43 AM, MissP22 said:

All of the so called environmentalists who cruise in this country think because they give up their plastic bottles, straws & grocery bags everything will be so much better. 

If they honestly cared about the situation they wouldn't be sailing on a cruise ship in the first place.

If everyone had the attitude, “I’ll wait for the other guy to do it, then I’ll do it”, nothing would ever change. We could just keep our heads in the sand. Besides, we’ll all be dead soon, so let the kids worry about it.

[damtraveler]

No plastic cups. No plastic straws. No cup lids. The logical extension of this argument is ultimately no cruises. Enjoy them while you can!

[JimmyVWine]

44 minutes ago, damtraveler said:

No plastic cups. No plastic straws. No cup lids. The logical extension of this argument is ultimately no cruises. Enjoy them while you can!

 

How is "no cruises" the "logical extension" of the elimination of single use plastics.?  Cruising existed long before plastics and will exist long after they are eliminated.  Plastic bottles and utensils have only been around for about 50 years.  I am not yet 60, and I can vividly recall when 2 liter soda bottles switched over from glass to plastic.  The first patent for a plastic bottle capable of withstanding carbonized pressure was in 1973.  By the mid-1980s, the only companies selling water in plastic bottles were Perrier, Evian and a couple of other French companies.  Bottled water in the U.S. did not jump onto the scene until 1990-1991 when companies could first use a safer plastic polymer, polyethylene terephtalate (PET).  But despite all of this, the cruise industry (and perhaps civilization as we know it?) is going to come to a screeching halt because we are going to do away with a product that has only been on the market for abut 30 years.  Put this into perspective.  If you are 60 years old,  your grandmother never drank water from a Poland Springs bottle unless she lived to a very, very old age.  And your great grandchildren may never drink from a Poland Springs bottle.  It is only those few generations in between who found them indispensable.  We'll get over it.

[Thrak]

The only time we ever used the plastic bottles of water was when we had the beverage package as a perk. Then we would snag a bottle or two when going ashore. Normally we just carry a reusable water bottle. We chill water in the room refrigerator the night before, put a few ice cubes in the bottle, and fill it with the chilled water. Works fine and there's nothing to throw away. We don't buy water. Buying water in plastic bottles seems weird to us. Some folks seem to "need" to have a bottle of water with them at all times. I wonder how we all managed to live and grow up without always having water on hand. Somehow we "struggled through" that "terrible hardship". Sheesh... When we do our extended camping trips each year we do take a couple of large plastic jugs of water because we often camp where there isn't any water supply. I just fill them from the hose next to the garage before we leave. Definitely not single use jugs. Been using them for years.

Edited October 1, 2019 by Thrak

[1emerald1]

51 minutes ago, Thrak said:

The only time we ever used the plastic bottles of water was when we had the beverage package as a perk. Then we would snag a bottle or two when going ashore. Normally we just carry a reusable water bottle. We chill water in the room refrigerator the night before, put a few ice cubes in the bottle, and fill it with the chilled water. Works fine and there's nothing to throw away. We don't buy water. Buying water in plastic bottles seems weird to us. Some folks seem to "need" to have a bottle of water with them at all times. I wonder how we all managed to live and grow up without always having water on hand. Somehow we "struggled through" that "terrible hardship". Sheesh... When we do our extended camping trips each year we do take a couple of large plastic jugs of water because we often camp where there isn't any water supply. I just fill them from the hose next to the garage before we leave. Definitely not single use jugs. Been using them for years.

I depends on where you live.  My daughter lives in San Francisco and their water is excellent.  I live in So Cal and my tap water is horrid.  I drink bottled water only.

[The Mikado]

On 9/29/2019 at 3:25 PM, Jeter02 said:

I agree. something about drinking water out of an aluminum can just seems weird to me.

You mean, besides the taste of ANYTHING in ANY aluminum can?

 

Yuck.

[The Mikado]

On 9/30/2019 at 4:33 AM, tip said:

Some of us care about the environment and then there are those who have the, “It’s all about me” attitude.

Yes, we received your virtue signal loud and clear.

[The Mikado]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

How is "no cruises" the "logical extension" of the elimination of single use plastics?

Because, at some point, this "death by a thousand cuts" (the ongoing long march to cater to the enviro-nuts) is going to be more trouble than it's worth. 

 

Honestly, who wants to tote refillable bottles around all day? Or not have a straw when it adds to the enjoyment of whatever you're drinking? Etc, etc, etc.

[PrincessLuver]

20 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

Because, at some point, this "death by a thousand cuts" (the ongoing long march to cater to the enviro-nuts) is going to be more trouble than it's worth. 

 

Honestly, who wants to tote refillable bottles around all day? Or not have a straw when it adds to the enjoyment of whatever you're drinking? Etc, etc, etc.

 

Are you suggesting the end of the world is near????

[JimmyVWine]

23 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

going to be more trouble than it's worth

 

More trouble to whom?  Consider that there are several generations of potential cruisers out there behind the ones who cruise now who may very well gravitate toward cruising as a result of environmental changes.  Today's 14 year old is someday going to be the target market audience and that young girl may not give cruising a second thought as long as tens of millions of dollars are being paid in environmental fines.  But if and when the cruise industry aligns with her world view, she may become a new customer.  It hurts to think about it in these terms, but if you are over 50 and currently cruise, the industry doesn't really care what you think.  They have captured you and your money already.  They know that despite all the angst and clutching of pearls, the "death by a thousand cuts" as you put it, isn't going to drive you away.  Really.  It isn't.  "I'm cancelling my b2b Alaskan NB/SB cruise because Princess won't give me a straw"...said no one ever.

 

 

23 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

Honestly, who wants to tote refillable bottles around all day?...Or not have a straw

 

Look around.  Everywhere I go I see people carrying Yetis or their competitor equivalents.  And few restaurants that I have been to in the past year reflexively provide straws.  Who wants to tote around refillable bottles?  People under 25.  And they are the future of the cruise industry.

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by JimmyVWine

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

Look around.  Everywhere I go I see people carrying Yetis or their competitor equivalents.  And few restaurants that I have been to in the past year reflexively provide straws.  

I do not use a straw when I am drinking from a glass.  Not "virtue signaling", it is just my preference.  But aside from on board a ship, almost every restaurant I go to automatically provides straws to every patron who orders a soft drink.  

 

And isn't Yeti another name for Big Foot?  I've never seen anyone carry Big Foot!

 

[JimmyVWine]

8 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

almost every restaurant I go to automatically provides straws to every patron who orders a soft drink

 

Not any more.  And if this hasn't changed yet in your area, it will.  And you can use your browser to search "yeti drinkware".

Edited October 1, 2019 by JimmyVWine

[Jeter02]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

 "I'm cancelling my b2b Alaskan NB/SB cruise because Princess won't give me a straw"...said no one ever.

 

Never say no one ever. This is when I bring up the infamous fun fact, where apparently there are plenty of people who have canceled their cruises with Princess over the one barrel chair in their cabin that has gone missing, and no longer exists. 😂 Just saying. It's amazing how people's priorities and mindsets differ others.

Edited October 1, 2019 by Jeter02

[Jeter02]

11 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I do not use a straw when I am drinking from a glass.  Not "virtue signaling", it is just my preference.  But aside from on board a ship, almost every restaurant I go to automatically provides straws to every patron who orders a soft drink.  

 

And isn't Yeti another name for Big Foot?  I've never seen anyone carry Big Foot!

 

Well, out in the wilderness in Alaska, if you're going hiking, Big Foot may be good to have by your side. 😊

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, Jeter02 said:

Never say no one ever. This is when I bring up the infamous fun fact, where apparently there are plenty of people who have canceled their cruises with Princess over the one barrel chair in their cabin that has gone missing, and no longer exists. 😂 Just saying. It's amazing who people's priorities and mindsets differ others.

well... cancelled at least on CC, huh?

[Jeter02]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

well... cancelled at least on CC, huh?

Hahaha. They talk the talk on CC. But the big question is, do they walk the walk?!?!?; Hmm.

[The Mikado]

2 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

Are you suggesting the end of the world is near????

I'm suggesting it's not really about the bottles. It's about the inability to escape the things we go on cruises to leave behind.

[The Mikado]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

More trouble to whom?  Consider that there are several generations of potential cruisers out there behind the ones who cruise now who may very well gravitate toward cruising as a result of environmental changes...

 

And yet the demographics of the cruise we just got off of don't really support your statement. In other words, we weren't overrun with Gen Xers.

 

And no one I can imagine goes on a cruise to save the planet.

[NMTraveller]

OK.  I am so confused.  Back in my day they got rid of the paper bags and replaced them with plastic.

 

No they are getting rid of the plastic and replacing them with paper?

[The Mikado]

12 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

OK.  I am so confused.  Back in my day they got rid of the paper bags and replaced them with plastic.

 

No they are getting rid of the plastic and replacing them with paper?

You're not confused; they are.

[SinbadThePorter]

15 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

No they are getting rid of the plastic and replacing them with paper?

 

Because the people who sold the plastic told us it would all go away over time and we didn't have to worry about it.

 

It turns out it doesn't. It just gets broken into smaller and smaller pieces until eventually most of the ocean wildlife contain significant quantities of plastic.

 

Since it's been shown that the plastics people were wrong, we have decided to change our use of plastics.

 

7 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

You're not confused; they are.

 

No they aren't in the least confused. They are building more environmentally friendly ships as we speak. The cruise lines are well aware that they have no future if they continue to trash the oceans that they are trying to sell as a vacation experience. It's called taking care of the bottom line.

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, The Mikado said:

And yet the demographics of the cruise we just got off of don't really support your statement. In other words, we weren't overrun with Gen Xers.

 

And no one I can imagine goes on a cruise to save the planet.

Then you missed the point entirely. Of course you weren’t overrun by GenX. That is the future state. The present state is still baby boomers. But the cruise lines have to prepare for the future state now.
 

And of course no one goes on a cruise to “save” the planet. But there are plenty of people who don’t cruise because they don’t want to contribute to killing the planet. The cruise lines have to adjust their ways to attract such people or they will perish. Do you really not understand any of this or are you just angling for a board war?  Done engaging. 99% of the people here understand. Not going to waste time on those who intentionally refuse to understand. You have all the answers and are way smarter and have a much better business sense than a Fortune 100 company. They are wrong and simply don’t get it. 

[NMTraveller]

5 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Because the people who sold the plastic told us it would all go away over time and we didn't have to worry about it.

 

It turns out it doesn't. It just gets broken into smaller and smaller pieces until eventually most of the ocean wildlife contain significant quantities of plastic.

 

Since it's been shown that the plastics people were wrong, we have decided to change our use of plastics.

 

 

No they aren't in the least confused. They are building more environmentally friendly ships as we speak. The cruise lines are well aware that they have no future if they continue to trash the oceans that they are trying to sell as a vacation experience. It's called taking care of the bottom line.

LOL!

 

Didn't we have scientists back then that could test out the decomposition rates of plastic.

 

They told us we were saving the trees.  Use a plastic bag and save a tree.  

Edited October 2, 2019 by NMTraveller

[JimmyVWine]

9 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

LOL!

 

Didn't we have scientists back then that could test out the decomposition rates of plastic.

 

They told us we were saving the trees.  Use a plastic bag and save a tree.  

No. The presence of and appreciation for the dangers of microplastics were not fully understood back then. 
 

Ancient Romans understood that both asbestos and lead were harmful to humans. But look how long it took us to restrict asbestos and remove lead from our food chain. 

[NMTraveller]

8 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

No. The presence of and appreciation for the dangers of microplastics were not fully understood back then. 
 

Ancient Romans understood that both asbestos and lead were harmful to humans. But look how long it took us to restrict asbestos and remove lead from our food chain. 

So now should I feel bad about killing the trees?  Paper straws.