Small bottles of toiletries

[wowzz]

37 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I wonder when we will be moving to solar power on some ships, I'm sure someone is probably working on it as I write.

Might be difficult for winter cruises to see the Northern Lights. You might get as far as Cleethorpes !

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Might be difficult for winter cruises to see the Northern Lights. You might get as far as Cleethorpes !

I seem to remember ships being propelled by the power of the wind.🤔

[tring]

4 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I seem to remember ships being propelled by the power of the wind.🤔

 

Some still are, though I understand the sails are not used a lot.  We were booked on one to go from Greenock to Liverpool via a small port very near the Giant's Causeway in summer 2021, bit Nichola would not allow the ship into Scotland, so it spent a couple of months just sailing round the south coast, which is not worth the journey for us for a shorter cruise.

 

 

 

[tring]

55 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I take my own reusable shower caps bought very cheaply in T K Maax and then when it's time for it to meet its maker so to speak I can ensure its disposed of safely and properly.  

 

Unfortunately ships of all types are the worst polluters amongst transport and another reason that sadly our old favourites will go to make way for the likes of Iona and Arvia using cleaner fuels.

 

It's a shame we can't do conversions!  I'm old enough to remember the natural gas switchover and the hordes of British Gas engineers in their vans converting all our gas appliances.  Wouldn't that be a sight ... hundreds of men and women tracking down the world's polluting ships armed with tools for the LPG switchover!  

 

I wonder when we will be moving to solar power on some ships, I'm sure someone is probably working on it as I write.

 

I can get two months from the hotel shower caps 🙂

 

Perhaps I am just mean.

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by tring

[Ardennais]

I can safely say that I’ve never used a shower cap in my life. Until I was about 30, I preferred baths so it wasn’t a problem in the 80s when I had big hair. Since then, my hair has been short and I wash it every time I shower, even if I shower twice a day. I don’t feel clean unless I’ve also washed my hair. 

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Ardennais said:

I can safely say that I’ve never used a shower cap in my life. Until I was about 30, I preferred baths so it wasn’t a problem in the 80s when I had big hair. Since then, my hair has been short and I wash it every time I shower, even if I shower twice a day. I don’t feel clean unless I’ve also washed my hair. 

Choose marine safe sun cream and shampoo too, check the labels for the marine safe symbol - I wasn't aware the UK now has one although I had seen one in Florida a few years back.

 

 On Curaçao in December the marine biologist was despairing at people questioning the request to not ladle on their suncream to swim with the wild turtles.  

 

https://www.hw.ac.uk/news/articles/2022/ocean-safe-shampoo-goes-into-development-in.htm

 

 

[molecrochip]

15 hours ago, tring said:

 

Thanks for the information, but can I ask if the small blocks of soap will continue to be available - they were very useful especially if your luggage arrives late and you want to get  shower - I find the liquids very drying to the skin?

 

Also will this affect the ability to get the flannels on request, which are very useful IMO, as well as a shower cap from time to time?

 

Barbara

 

P&O have moved to White & Co. liquid soap.

 

As for flannels, I don't think they will throw away good flannels but new stocks aren't currently being loaded. So as old flannels are discarded the stock will deplete.

11 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I take my own reusable shower caps bought very cheaply in T K Maax and then when it's time for it to meet its maker so to speak I can ensure its disposed of safely and properly.  

 

Unfortunately ships of all types are the worst polluters amongst transport and another reason that sadly our old favourites will go to make way for the likes of Iona and Arvia using cleaner fuels.

 

It's a shame we can't do conversions!  I'm old enough to remember the natural gas switchover and the hordes of British Gas engineers in their vans converting all our gas appliances.  Wouldn't that be a sight ... hundreds of men and women tracking down the world's polluting ships armed with tools for the LPG switchover!  

 

I wonder when we will be moving to solar power on some ships, I'm sure someone is probably working on it as I write.

Solar power seems sensible doesn't it - however you'd need to cover the entire footprint of the ship with solar panels and still not get that much power. As a guide, Walt Disney World Florida have three large solar farms which cover 20 football pitches each, and it still only powers the equivalent of 2 or 3 of their hotels.

 

The next big thing is looking at Hydrogen power.

 

But its all incremental. A lot of work is being done to reduce waste, up recycling, using renewable shore-power in port etc etc. Battery power is also being looked at for when at anchor or shore-power is not available.

 

Big bucks are being spent on these investigations. The companies are slowly chipping away at their pollutant emissions.

[Megabear2]

16 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

P&O have moved to White & Co. liquid soap.

 

As for flannels, I don't think they will throw away good flannels but new stocks aren't currently being loaded. So as old flannels are discarded the stock will deplete.

Solar power seems sensible doesn't it - however you'd need to cover the entire footprint of the ship with solar panels and still not get that much power. As a guide, Walt Disney World Florida have three large solar farms which cover 20 football pitches each, and it still only powers the equivalent of 2 or 3 of their hotels.

 

The next big thing is looking at Hydrogen power.

 

But its all incremental. A lot of work is being done to reduce waste, up recycling, using renewable shore-power in port etc etc. Battery power is also being looked at for when at anchor or shore-power is not available.

 

Big bucks are being spent on these investigations. The companies are slowly chipping away at their pollutant emissions.

That's good to hear, however I wasn't having a dig at cruise ships just referring to shipping in general.  For instance my BIL works quite high up in Hapag Lloyd and he gave me some very interesting information on how they experimented and slowed their vessel by 5 knots and it saved them around 50% on fuel costs with the added bonus of reducing black carbon, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.  As most of us know black carbon (soot) is the bain of marine wildlife so anything that cuts this even by a small amount is a bonus.

 

Apparently HL having found they were also saving money are continuing to work on this issue with some vigour.

 

I did wonder whether the recent survey I received from Cunard on how I'd feel about 8 day transatlantic crossings which would be slower may be indicative of this sort of thinking in the cruise industry.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Megabear2

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

 

 

I did wonder whether the recent survey I received from Cunard on how I'd feel about 8 day transatlantic crossings which would be slower may be indicative of this sort of thinking in the cruise industry.

I think we will see more of this certainly while fuel is so expensive, it does make sense, I would assume that there is an optimum speed for a ship to be the most economical, pretty much as with motor vehicles. Our cruise to the Caribbean in 2025 will take 4 days from Southampton to Tenerife as opposed to the usual 3, I can only assume this is a fuel management issue, maybe moley can give some insight.

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

I did wonder whether the recent survey I received from Cunard on how I'd feel about 8 day transatlantic crossings which would be slower may be indicative of this sort of thinking in the cruise industry.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but would be ours.  The longest number of consecutive sea days we've experience is seven.  Would quite happily have a couple more, depending on itinery.

[Son of Anarchy]

14 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I think we will see more of this certainly while fuel is so expensive, it does make sense, I would assume that there is an optimum speed for a ship to be the most economical, pretty much as with motor vehicles. Our cruise to the Caribbean in 2025 will take 4 days from Southampton to Tenerife as opposed to the usual 3, I can only assume this is a fuel management issue, maybe moley can give some insight.

A senior engineering officer (subsequently became Chief Engineer on Ventura) told us that the engineers don't like going 80% of max speed.  Combination of fuel and extra servicing.  He also said that there is a minimum speed they don't like below as well.  Again partly fuel and servicing, but if I remember rightly might also include the ability for stuff to grow/attach itself to the low at low speed.

 

Out in the Caribbean on one occasion the Captain announced that we were indeed going round in large circles, but it was because we had a short transit to the next port and it was better to maintain the speed we were doing rather than go slower.

[Britboys]

I think many of us have noticed a reduction in speed on our cruises. Quite exciting when the ship does more than 17 knots these days 😄. You can see it in the itineraries going forward too. The majority of 2 week Med cruises this year and next seem to hug the Spanish Coast, getting up to Marseille. A relative few manage to get across to Cagliari or La Spezia. Plus the prevalence of the 7 night Norway cruises and the fly-cruises in the Med and Canary Islands.

 

[Red Ray]

On 1/8/2023 at 10:30 PM, wowzz said:

Might be difficult for winter cruises to see the Northern Lights. You might get as far as Cleethorpes !

I spent a week in Cleethorpes one afternoon.

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, Red Ray said:

I spent a week in Cleethorpes one afternoon.

I stopped there once too, fortunately the lights quickly turned to green.

[Obobru]

We won't ever have solar ships but electric ships running off batteries will be the future as batteries become more powerful and faster to charge. 

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Obobru said:

We won't ever have solar ships but electric ships running off batteries will be the future as batteries become more powerful and faster to charge. 

How do you charge the batteries ?

[Obobru]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

How do you charge the batteries ?

The same as you charge an electric car 

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, Obobru said:

The same as you charge an electric car 

What, plug it into the mains ? You're going to need a long cable !

[Obobru]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

What, plug it into the mains ? You're going to need a long cable !

Do you think they have a long pipe for the diesel? It will be charged in the same way as they are currently fueled, at the port 🙄

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, Obobru said:

Do you think they have a long pipe for the diesel? It will be charged in the same way as they are currently fueled, at the port 🙄

In due course, you are probably right, but I cannot see a cruise ship sailing for seven days, or more, across the Atlantic for example,  on a single charge, anytime in the next twenty five years. 

Edited January 10, 2023 by wowzz

[terrierjohn]

13 minutes ago, Obobru said:

Do you think they have a long pipe for the diesel? It will be charged in the same way as they are currently fueled, at the port 🙄

Only a few turnround ports have shoreside electric hook ups, it needs quite a powerful purpose built substation to provide safe , steady voltage facilities,and I suspect we are many years away from having batteries powerful enough and light enough to replace the current fuel tanks.

Edited January 10, 2023 by terrierjohn

[zap99]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

In due course, you are probably right, but I cannot see a cruise ship sailing for seven days, or more, across the Atlantic for example,  on a single charge, anytime in the next twenty five years. 

They could used big diesel generators, I doubt poundland would stock enough AA's.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

They could used big diesel generators, I doubt poundland would stock enough AA's.

That would do the trick. The ship would be propelled by electric batteries,  charged by onboard generators. Brillant ! Greta Thunberg will be so pleased. 

[zap99]

On 1/8/2023 at 3:15 PM, kalos said:

 

What a great idea and once the bottles are emptied on the cruise ,you can simply refill 

them using the big containers that are now supplied by P&O 

We went swimming today. We took a little bottle of Warners shampoo for the shower afterwards. I told folk we once used P&O shampoo, but the tight beggars stopped supplying them. Soon we will have a few empty bottles to fill up on Azura.

[Denarius]

On 1/8/2023 at 10:34 PM, zap99 said:

I seem to remember ships being propelled by the power of the wind.🤔

Star Clippers still are. https://www.starclippers.co.uk/

Edited January 11, 2023 by Denarius