Drinking Straws

[What was that?]

I have heard that other cruise ships have stopped providing drinking straws for environmental (or possibly cost-saving) reasons. Is HAL one of them, and more specifically, are they provided on Noordam? We board her on 14 August, so there is still time to pack some to take with.

[MisterMatthew]

I cannot speak for the Noordam.  But, in April of this year, I sailed the Zuiderdam.  I soon "realized" they were not available. 

 

Day 1.. "we just ran out".

Day 2.. " I don't think we have any on this sailing".

 

So, that was that.

----Matthew

[Cruise Suzy]

When provided on Caribbean cruises, they were sturdy paper ones. You can bring your own silicone or stainless ones.

[PACD_JG]

Only paper straws on the Koningsdam in June.

[oakridger]

I don't drink my champagne, wine or beer with a straw so no problem here!! 😁

Have a great cruise @What was that?!!

[silversneakers]

12 hours ago, What was that? said:

I have heard that other cruise ships have stopped providing drinking straws for environmental (or possibly cost-saving) reasons. Is HAL one of them, and more specifically, are they provided on Noordam? We board her on 14 August, so there is still time to pack some to take with.

You can always bring your own biodegradable straws. One cruise I was on recently provided straws however they were "sugar" straws.  When I asked for a straw to drink my Pina Colada I did not realize it was made from sugar and I almost choked from the taste!

[Despegue]

Plastic straws are no longer allowed in the EU and various other countries.

Using a straw is not necessary anyhow. Drink like an adult from the glass or use biodegradeable/ reuseable ones.

[vicd1969]

7 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Only paper straws on the Koningsdam in June.

Same on Rotterdam in June

[What was that?]

8 hours ago, oakridger said:

I don't drink my champagne, wine or beer with a straw so no problem here!! 😁

Have a great cruise @What was that?!!

"Asking for a friend..."      😉

[sofietucker]

For a brief time (2019) after plastic straws were mostly eliminated on the high seas, HAL sold a darling foldable metal straw, in a branded keeper on a keyring. Silicone mouthpiece, very clever. Of course I had to get one! Next day I put it in my pina colada and went to trivia in the crow's Nest. Afterwards, I returned the game supplies to the podium and walked out...  Ran back in to get my straw: too late, cleared off, no they don't look at the items they toss out. Oh well. Have not seen that style since, but I do bring my own metal straws for my frozen ADULT beverages, lol...

[seaoma]

I'm so old that I was drinking before plastic straws were invented. Paper's fine.

 

[What was that?]

16 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

For a brief time (2019) after plastic straws were mostly eliminated on the high seas, HAL sold a darling foldable metal straw, in a branded keeper on a keyring. Silicone mouthpiece, very clever. Of course I had to get one! Next day I put it in my pina colada and went to trivia in the crow's Nest. Afterwards, I returned the game supplies to the podium and walked out...  Ran back in to get my straw: too late, cleared off, no they don't look at the items they toss out. Oh well. Have not seen that style since, but I do bring my own metal straws for my frozen ADULT beverages, lol...

Was it like this?

https://smile.amazon.com/Eco-Pals-Collapsible-Reusable-Stainless-Dishwasher/dp/B07QHCJQ99/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1X090EKMOH4TS&keywords=foldable%2Bmetal%2Bdrinking%2Bstraw&qid=1659536117&sprefix=foldable%2Bmetal%2Bdrinking%2Bstraw%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-15&th=1

[sofietucker]

5 minutes ago, What was that? said:

Was it like this?

https://smile.amazon.com/Eco-Pals-Collapsible-Reusable-Stainless-Dishwasher/dp/B07QHCJQ99/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1X090EKMOH4TS&keywords=foldable%2Bmetal%2Bdrinking%2Bstraw&qid=1659536117&sprefix=foldable%2Bmetal%2Bdrinking%2Bstraw%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-15&th=1

No, but I do have these great straws! Give them out as party favors, etc. Perfect for travel. The HAL one--in an orange logo box--folded down into 3, not 2 sections. No cleaning brush. These are actually much better.

[What was that?]

4 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

No, but I do have these great straws! Give them out as party favors, etc. Perfect for travel. The HAL one--in an orange logo box--folded down into 3, not 2 sections. No cleaning brush. These are actually much better.

So, more like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Flyby-Collapsible-Telescopic-Stainless-Dispenser/dp/B07YTBRSB4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X090EKMOH4TS&keywords=foldable+metal+drinking+straw&qid=1659536117&sprefix=foldable+metal+drinking+straw%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1

[rubytue]

2 hours ago, Despegue said:

Using a straw is not necessary anyhow. Drink like an adult from the glass or use biodegradeable/ reuseable ones.

There are legit medical reasons some adults may need a straw. 
 

I bring a tervis water bottle with a silicon straw almost everywhere. Pour my drink with ice in there. I don’t drink beer or wine, but I suspect no one is asking about straw for beer or wine 😂

[FOPMan]

3 hours ago, Despegue said:

Plastic straws are no longer allowed in the EU and various other countries.

Using a straw is not necessary anyhow. Drink like an adult from the glass or use biodegradeable/ reuseable ones.

Despegue, please be kind and respectful of others. You don’t know if there is a medical need for a straw. I’m over 50 years old. My medical condition limits my ability to move my arms at my shoulders. I stand hunched over. I need a straw to drink. Others may have similar issues or needs.

 

And I may drink wine or beer using a straw, but it’s not because I prefer it that way. It’s a compromise that’s forced on me by my condition. I’d much rather drink out of a proper glass for the specific beverage.

 

My spouse has a tremor in her hand. She likes the flavors of many martinis, but cannot hold and drink from a martini glass. So she uses alternate drink ware, and sometimes a straw, if the tremors are bad that particular day.

Edited August 3, 2022 by FOPMan

[sofietucker]

17 minutes ago, What was that? said:

So, more like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Flyby-Collapsible-Telescopic-Stainless-Dispenser/dp/B07YTBRSB4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X090EKMOH4TS&keywords=foldable+metal+drinking+straw&qid=1659536117&sprefix=foldable+metal+drinking+straw%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1

Well, no...these are telescoping. LOL--but I do have some of THESE as well!

This one is fairly close. Make the box orange, HAL logo, and add a keyring on it: https://smile.amazon.com/Collapsible-Reusable-stainless-Food-grade-Household/dp/B08RNCTCFY/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3C18CF7QMTQ8T&keywords=foldable%2Bmetal%2Bdrinking%2Bstraw&qid=1659539088&sprefix=foldable%2Bmetal%2Bdrinking%2Bstraw%2Caps%2C54&sr=8-6&th=1

 

Actually I'm not a crazy-straw-woman, but I and my companions are well supplied. I use them for water bottles too, after having mishaps. 

 

[rubytue]

27 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

And I may drink wine or beer using a straw, but it’s not because I prefer it that way. It’s a compromise that’s forced on me by my condition. I’d much rather drink out of a proper glass for the specific beverage.

My apologies for the 😂. Here I am defending those with medical conditions and then added a 😂. I still doubt that OP was asking for such a reason. 
 

I also appreciate your phrasing. That was a very kind way to say the point I was trying to make. I’m a 40-something with a plethora of medial conditions and invisible disabilities I’m still coming to terms with. 

[DJ Cruisers]

I'd love to be able to "drink like an adult" from a glass again.  Unfortunately, for years I have been dealing with a severe TMJ problem and using a straw is just easier so I bring my own with me.  Have been since 2019 when I asked for a straw on HAL and got an annoyed look from the server and an earful about the environment and that was after I said I needed it for a medical problem.  At least he did bring me one.

[Despegue]

5 hours ago, FOPMan said:

Despegue, please be kind and respectful of others. You don’t know if there is a medical need for a straw. I’m over 50 years old. My medical condition limits my ability to move my arms at my shoulders. I stand hunched over. I need a straw to drink. Others may have similar issues or needs.

 

And I may drink wine or beer using a straw, but it’s not because I prefer it that way. It’s a compromise that’s forced on me by my condition. I’d much rather drink out of a proper glass for the specific beverage.

 

My spouse has a tremor in her hand. She likes the flavors of many martinis, but cannot hold and drink from a martini glass. So she uses alternate drink ware, and sometimes a straw, if the tremors are bad that particular day.

Oh please, don’t be so easily “offended”, and do not call me unrespectful for mentioning the truth. It is a fact that most people and drinks do not require a straw. Full stop. It beggars belief that in the US, you get a straw with any softdrink, as an adult. Same in the ME and Asia, as they like to mirror the USA .

If you do need one for medical reasons, there are, as I mentioned, ecological responsable options.

[CruiserBruce]

Statendam had paper straws this last cruise.

[sofietucker]

3 hours ago, Despegue said:

Oh please, don’t be so easily “offended”, and do not call me unrespectful for mentioning the truth. It is a fact that most people and drinks do not require a straw. Full stop. It beggars belief that in the US, you get a straw with any softdrink, as an adult. Same in the ME and Asia, as they like to mirror the USA .

If you do need one for medical reasons, there are, as I mentioned, ecological responsable options.

My "fact" is that I too have a tremor, due partly to my 5 heart meds (pacemaker & whatnot) and partly due to 2 other medical conditions. (Anyone remember the wonderful Swedish film My Life as a Dog--the hero's inability to drink a glass of milk without throwing it in his own face? It's like that.) A straw greatly alleviates the drinking-glass awkwardness...

 

I give them out to my friends who have, among other conditions, Parkinson's and essential tremor. We are so very glad to have better solutions than the formerly ubiquitous, polluting and wasteful--and now pretty much extinct--plastic straws.

 

As to everyone getting a straw in the US, that has not been the case for a number of years now. You have to ask, and any available straws are paper or another ecologically respons[i]ble option.

 

That being said, I cannot speak to the situation in Asia nor the Mideast--unless you want to count Turkey (usually considered European). There were no straws in sight in Istanbul or 3 other cities, paper or otherwise. So glad I had my metal ones! I also have a bunch of glass straws, both straight and bent... It's good to have these opportunities to share our experiences with one another. Cheers!

[Hflors]

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Statendam had paper straws this last cruise.

OMG!  I can't think of anything nastier than a paper straw!

 I have used a straw for about 30 years.  I started when I had to commute 2 hrs each way to work five days a week.  Several times I spilled my coffee on my outfit and had to turn around and change my clothes and then go back to work.  My boss said.  "Use a straw in your coffee you will spill it a lot less."  She was right.  That was the last time I had to go back home and put on a new outfit.   Now I only use one Yeti for both hot and cold drinks.  Always use a straw.

 

I tried a paper straw once the whole drink tasted like a carboard box.  If the ship only has paper straws, I think I will bring my own along with my Yeti.

[DAllenTCY]

I suppose you can bring your own straws.  

 

David

[SFO Peter]

Koningsdam Jan 2022 had no straws.

 

Peter