Bottled Water Onboard

[momofmeg]

How hard is it to find it? Am I allowed to bring some onboard? I am now at the age where I take a lot of emds and also one med  side effect keeps me with a dry mouth, so I go through a lot of water.

Edited November 26, 2022 by momofmeg

[Morgsmom]

you cannot take any onboard.  If  you have a beverage package of any level you can get bottled water (sparkling or still) at any bar.  If you do not, bring a thermos and fill at the buffet.  Alternately the "tap" water is perfectly potable.

[yellow-submarine]

From what I read (and YouTube videos) , drinks are free during the breakfast at the buffet. If you haven't booked your cruise yet, MSC has now a BF deal for US residents: free drinks and WiFi. I wish this deal was available for Europeans.
It is a good question how strict they are with non alcoholic drinks purchased on shore, I would like to know that.

Edited November 26, 2022 by yellow-submarine

[cellfree]

32 minutes ago, yellow-submarine said:

From what I read (and YouTube videos) , drinks are free during the breakfast at the buffet. If you haven't booked your cruise yet, MSC has now a BF deal for US residents: free drinks and WiFi. I wish this deal was available for Europeans.
It is a good question how strict they are with non alcoholic drinks purchased on shore, I would like to know that.

I have found they are not strict with any beverage brought onboard at any Caribbean port. 

[bafinegan]

I had the drinks package and would often request a bottle of water in addition to my alcoholic drink.  Never was a problem.

[styles27]

To add to what has already been stated.
we had a drink package and our waiter would give us large liter size bottles at dinner which we put in our mini bar. (We asked our room attendant to empty the mini bar on the first day so we could use it for the water bottles)

The liter size bottles came in handy on excursions to refill our stainless bottles we always bring and fill at the buffet. 
 

[mmbcater]

You will not be allowed to bring water or any beverage on board at embarkation. You can bring a empty water bottle and fill it on board. All of the water including in your cabin goes through a reverse osmosis process and is safe to drink. 

 

You can also purchase bottles of water at the bars. As others have mentioned all drink packages include bottled water. 

[tweety33]

Just to confirm the bottles of water we get at the bar with our drink package can be taken off the ship for shore excursions?

[Tierun]

1 minute ago, tweety33 said:

Just to confirm the bottles of water we get at the bar with our drink package can be taken off the ship for shore excursions?

Yes. Do it all the time

[PTC DAWG]

2 minutes ago, tweety33 said:

Just to confirm the bottles of water we get at the bar with our drink package can be taken off the ship for shore excursions?

I have never seen that an issue anywhere..

[tweety33]

1 minute ago, Tierun said:

Yes. Do it all the time

Thank you guys for confirming that.

[momofmeg]

On 11/26/2022 at 11:54 AM, yellow-submarine said:

From what I read (and YouTube videos) , drinks are free during the breakfast at the buffet. If you haven't booked your cruise yet, MSC has now a BF deal for US residents: free drinks and WiFi. I wish this deal was available for Europeans.
It is a good question how strict they are with non alcoholic drinks purchased on shore, I would like to know that.

The nonalcoholic drinks package is $200 a person and everyone in your stateroom is required to get it. (Which I get why on that as families will cheat and use one card to get all their colas) I find that awful steep that I want a couple of bottles of water a day. I do not drink colas or carbonated drinks. I go easy on juice and am fine with a little juice at the buffet at breakfast.  I just do not need that much  A case of water for the week is what I need.   I just find $600 since there are 3 of us a little step for me to get bottled water. None of us drink carbonated drinks and a glass of juice at breakfast is about it for any of us, besides a glass of tea or a coffee at mealtimes.

 so you say I can get water out of the bathroom sink and it is fine? I guess I will do that.

 

[momofmeg]

All I want is to be able to buy a case of water and have it delivered to my room, so I am not having to go buy water every day. It seems this is not an option.

[Tierun]

Bring a refillable bottle and fill it up at the buffet. Problem solved 

[HipHipOnAShip]

2 hours ago, momofmeg said:

All I want is to be able to buy a case of water and have it delivered to my room, so I am not having to go buy water every day. It seems this is not an option.

As others have said you will not have an issue bringing back some bottled water from ports of call (although you will have to lug it).  Not sure what your itinerary is, but there is a MEGA supermarket just across the street from the dock in Cozumel. You can buy all the water you want there (and snacks, etc) to bring back on. The crew do it all the time 😉

 

[mmbcater]

8 hours ago, momofmeg said:

The nonalcoholic drinks package is $200 a person and everyone in your stateroom is required to get it. (Which I get why on that as families will cheat and use one card to get all their colas) I find that awful steep that I want a couple of bottles of water a day. I do not drink colas or carbonated drinks. I go easy on juice and am fine with a little juice at the buffet at breakfast.  I just do not need that much  A case of water for the week is what I need.   I just find $600 since there are 3 of us a little step for me to get bottled water. None of us drink carbonated drinks and a glass of juice at breakfast is about it for any of us, besides a glass of tea or a coffee at mealtimes.

 so you say I can get water out of the bathroom sink and it is fine? I guess I will do that.

 

You can buy 12 bottles of water on the ship and it won’t cost you $200 for the drink package. Many have suggested alternative ways for you to do  this! 

[yellow-submarine]

The biggest bottle I have seen <correct me if I am wrong> is 1Liter and it costs $6.25. So on a 14 day cruise that is $175/person*. That is still steep, especially for a family (who already have to travel on an expensive school holiday period).

*The daily reccommended fluid intake is 3.7liter especially in hot climate. Provided that you would also buy drinks on shore but on the other hand you also have sea days: calculating with an average 2l/day purchase on board.

Edited December 2, 2022 by yellow-submarine

[Nunagoras]

As said above, officially you can't carry on any drinks aboard. At least here in Europe they'll "close their eyes" if you purchase a case of water on the duty free shops after port's security once they rely on ports authorities. A refillable bottle to use at the buffet comes also handy if you don't have a drinks package. Difficult to find anyone without at least the Easy one these days on their basic fare though.

[yellow-submarine]

Do they check your bag on small caribbean islands? I mean they don't even check your passport.

[momofmeg]

On 11/30/2022 at 4:29 PM, mmbcater said:

You can buy 12 bottles of water on the ship and it won’t cost you $200 for the drink package. Many have suggested alternative ways for you to do  this! 

Bye now hon.  No need to reply if you can't be kind.

[momofmeg]

On 12/2/2022 at 2:29 PM, Nunagoras said:

As said above, officially you can't carry on any drinks aboard. At least here in Europe they'll "close their eyes" if you purchase a case of water on the duty free shops after port's security once they rely on ports authorities. A refillable bottle to use at the buffet comes also handy if you don't have a drinks package. Difficult to find anyone without at least the Easy one these days on their basic fare though.

 My daughter has cystic kidney disease, and her doctor has told her to use bottled water because of the high sodium content of cruise water. The process used to de-saline sea water can't remove all of the salt content from sea water although it is safe for healthy people to drink.  Just not her.

 

I am not averse to tap water myself.  I only wish international health laws would allow me to fill my own water bottle, so I have enough to last for a while instead of using those glasses that only hold 8 ounces. (yes, I know people ignore the notice posted and do it anyway, I have seen it many times, but I try to follow the rules) I have to take medication 4 times a day and instruction are a full 8-ounce glass of water. You see, in spite of others talking to me as though I am a naughty 8-year-old I am actually nearly 70 with serious health conditions myself but at least not as bad as my daughter's. I did have good reason to ask.

 

Insp

[momofmeg]

On 12/2/2022 at 2:29 PM, Nunagoras said:

As said above, officially you can't carry on any drinks aboard. At least here in Europe they'll "close their eyes" if you purchase a case of water on the duty free shops after port's security once they rely on ports authorities. A refillable bottle to use at the buffet comes also handy if you don't have a drinks package. Difficult to find anyone without at least the Easy one these days on their basic fare though. 

 You know if they offer a case of water in their duty-free shops onboard I can deal with that. My husband will carry it for me. I doubt I could. It would just be nice if it was waiting in my room.

 

 

[SirWolf]

Contact MSC and inform them of your needs.

Fill out the form and email to your TA or MSC.

 

Special Needs / Special Health concerns ~Link~
https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/Manage-Your-Booking/Special-Needs.aspx

 

Special Needs Form ~Link~

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/-/media/global-contents/pdf-documents/16026_15_msc_special_needs_form_eng.pdf

[sverigecruiser]

On 12/2/2022 at 8:35 PM, yellow-submarine said:

Do they check your bag on small caribbean islands? I mean they don't even check your passport.

 

All bags go through the scanner when returning to the ship. 

[Nunagoras]

1 hour ago, momofmeg said:

 My daughter has cystic kidney disease, and her doctor has told her to use bottled water because of the high sodium content of cruise water. The process used to de-saline sea water can't remove all of the salt content from sea water although it is safe for healthy people to drink.  Just not her.

 

I am not averse to tap water myself.  I only wish international health laws would allow me to fill my own water bottle, so I have enough to last for a while instead of using those glasses that only hold 8 ounces. (yes, I know people ignore the notice posted and do it anyway, I have seen it many times, but I try to follow the rules) I have to take medication 4 times a day and instruction are a full 8-ounce glass of water. You see, in spite of others talking to me as though I am a naughty 8-year-old I am actually nearly 70 with serious health conditions myself but at least not as bad as my daughter's. I did have good reason to ask.

 

Insp

Obviously; all my sympathy with your situation, and my hope all goes well for you and your cruises. Regarding your particular situation, and as said by @SirWolf, please contact the special needs department on your situation, or even better let your Travel Agent to do so. That said, and while not guaranteed, they are by the most part very attentive to those situations. I can say this for first person experience once I'm legally blind individual whose main need is for assistance on embarkation and debarkation at ports with no airbridge, or on tender ports operations. Sometimes they are late, oh so late, on answering to some requests, but generally they're good at adequately answer any special request.