How are the showers on a cruise ship

[Tim Tiekstra]

Dear cruisers,

 

As we have never done a cruise before, but planning to do so, i was wondering if cruise ships have the same problems with their showers like hotels do.

in the morning when everyone is using the showers, is there a drop in pressure and/or in temperature?

I always experience this as annoying, and wondering if this issue exists on cruise ships as well.

 

Thank you in advance

Tim

 

[Essiesmom]

First thing to remember is that showers are small.  With clingy curtains.

second, I don’t think most cruise passengers shower in the morning.  It would generally be in the late afternoon or early evening, after active daytime activities and before dinner.  I have never experienced a drop in pressure.  EM

[Mum2Mercury]

Cruise showers are not the best /not the worst -- by the way, I'm talking about Royal Caribbean: 

 

- They are small. 

- Most of the ships have a curved glass door rather than a shower curtain, which doesn't cling to you or leak. 

- They include a hand-held shower head. 

- The faucets are unique and take a moment to figure out, but once you set the temperature to your preferred level, it'll stay at that temperature for the rest of your stay.  

- The temperature is PLENTY HOT and the pressure is good. 

- I have never experienced a drop in pressure or temperature. 

- The only toiletry provided is a large container of all-purpose liquid, which is great for body wash but not so good for shampoo. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[mom says]

The showers themselves will vary from line to line, ship to ship, or even from one cabin category to another. Some have glass doors, some have curtains that may or may not cling. Some are bigger than others. Most will have hand held shower heads. Some have a wall fixed bottle of all purpose wash. Others have 3 bottles with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. I've never had a problem with pressure drop or lack of hot water.

[sparks1093]

I've never experienced a problem with fluctuating water pressure or temperature on any of the ships/lines that we've been on (3 lines, 9 ships). Any portly comedian/CD will tell the joke that they just soap up the walls and spin.

[donaldsc]

4 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

First thing to remember is that showers are small.  With clingy curtains.

second, I don’t think most cruise passengers shower in the morning.  It would generally be in the late afternoon or early evening, after active daytime activities and before dinner.  I have never experienced a drop in pressure.  EM

 

Not always.  Some ships have curtains and some don't.  Some ship showers are small, some are very small.  Some are large.  Some are big enough that the 2 of you could shower at the same time.

 

DON

[Aquahound]

6 hours ago, Tim Tiekstra said:

Dear cruisers,

 

As we have never done a cruise before, but planning to do so, i was wondering if cruise ships have the same problems with their showers like hotels do.

in the morning when everyone is using the showers, is there a drop in pressure and/or in temperature?

I always experience this as annoying, and wondering if this issue exists on cruise ships as well.

 

Thank you in advance

Tim

 

 

I never seem to have pressure problems but from time to time, I've had temperature problems.  Weirdly, it's been problems with the water being too hot.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

Hair dryers are usually useless.

[cruiser3775]

Some showers are over a bath, which can be a problem for those with mobility restrictions.

Most showers have grab rails,which helps in heavy seas.

[HardToPort]

23 hours ago, Tim Tiekstra said:

Dear cruisers,

 

As we have never done a cruise before, but planning to do so, i was wondering if cruise ships have the same problems with their showers like hotels do.

in the morning when everyone is using the showers, is there a drop in pressure and/or in temperature?

I always experience this as annoying, and wondering if this issue exists on cruise ships as well.

 

Thank you in advance

Tim

 

Hotel guests are generally more scheduled than cruise guests. Morning shower and out for the day. Cruisers don’t have that same “rush hour” experience. I’ve never had pressure or heat problems in nearly 20 cruises. Regardless of cruise line including river cruises.

 

Here’s a Tip as well if you are doing a family cruise with heavy demands on bathroom time. All ships have plenty of public washrooms that are lightly used as well as workout facilities with showers. If someone’s in your bathroom and your “morning meeting” is calling, you’ll be able to take that meeting in a stall somewhere else on the ship in relative privacy. Or have a shower in the gym. Or take a quick rinse in the pool area at the outside showers.

[Tim Tiekstra]

Thank you all for the comments, appreciate it!

i am really happily surprised there are no pressure drops nor temperature fluctuations, good to know.

I wish you all wonderfull cruises in the future!

[chengkp75]

On 3/24/2023 at 8:09 PM, Aquahound said:

 

I never seem to have pressure problems but from time to time, I've had temperature problems.  Weirdly, it's been problems with the water being too hot.  

Unlike land water systems, which are static (no flow) until you turn on a faucet or shower, the ship's system is constantly circulating water around the ship at constant pressure.  The pumps are also not miles away from your shower, requiring a long time delay between your turning on the shower and the pump seeing a drop in pressure. So, turning on a faucet or shower does not affect the pressure due to increased demand, the pump is always pumping more water than is being used.

 

You're shower too hot problem is common.  Since the distilled, or desalinated water produced onboard is slightly acidic by nature, the ship adds calcium carbonate (the active ingredient in Tums) to the water to neutralize it.  This can cause scale buildup in the piping, though the scale does tend to drop out more in the hot water heaters (just like the water heaters in your house) than in the cold pipes.  Your shower "mixing valve" (that sets the temperature), has small strainer screens in both the hot and cold inlets, to keep the scale from fouling the temperature mechanism.  Over time, the cold water strainer will clog with scale, reducing the amount of cold water to the mixing valve, and your shower runs too hot.  This is about a 5 minute fix for the plumber.

[Tim Tiekstra]

Very interesting @chengkp75! did you work on cruise ships?

I can imaginge they are using a huge amount of energy by running these pumps all the time.

 

 

[fruitmachine]

14 minutes ago, Tim Tiekstra said:

Very interesting @chengkp75! did you work on cruise ships?

I can imaginge they are using a huge amount of energy by running these pumps all the time.

 

 

It's common for any hotel of a reasonable size (or any other significant building distributing hot water from a central system) to do this.  The energy issue isn't the pump, but the heat-loss from poorly insulated pipes being continually refreshed with hot water.

But returning to the original post...

 

On 3/24/2023 at 5:34 PM, Tim Tiekstra said:

As we have never done a cruise before, but planning to do so, i was wondering if cruise ships have the same problems with their showers like hotels do.

in the morning when everyone is using the showers, is there a drop in pressure and/or in temperature?

I frequently stay in in the UK's largest budget hotel chain.  It's rarely an issue, and never an issue in their newer custom-built properties.  If they can do it, frequently charging under £40 (US$50) per night then anywhere can.  Perhaps that's why they are so successful!

 

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, Tim Tiekstra said:

Very interesting @chengkp75! did you work on cruise ships?

I can imaginge they are using a huge amount of energy by running these pumps all the time.

 

 

Yes, I've been a Marine engineer for over 45 years, most of it as Chief Engineer, and have worked on virtually every type of ocean going ship, including cruise ships.

 

The pumps in your municipal water system are running all the time as well, it's just that if the pump is putting out more than is demanded, it raises the pressure, and a relief valve returns it to the suction.  One reason the water is recirculated, rather than being a static system, is that the USPH requires a minimum residual chlorine content "at the furthest point from the pumps", and so it is necessary to measure it, and dose continually, as it is recirculated.

[Longford]

I was a first-time solo cruiser on RCCL's Serenade of the Seas in November 2022.  I traveled in an ocean-view room.  The bathroom was small, but more than adequate for my use.  The shower was small, round, with little room to turn around - and equipped with a curved sliding door.  I would understand if a large-sized / over-sized individual found that particular shower sufficient; but, apparently they do.  😁

[Sabalon]

I've not done this myself, but usually the ships have a workout area and supposedly the showers in there tend to be a little closer to full size showers.

But pressure and hot water have never been an issue for me.

[lenquixote66]

On 3/24/2023 at 1:59 PM, Essiesmom said:

First thing to remember is that showers are small.  With clingy curtains.

second, I don’t think most cruise passengers shower in the morning.  It would generally be in the late afternoon or early evening, after active daytime activities and before dinner.  I have never experienced a drop in pressure.  EM

I have only taken showers in mornings on cruises or anywhere else.

[mom says]

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I have only taken showers in mornings on cruises or anywhere else.

Let's face it Len, you are not, and likely have never been like "most cruise passengers". Going by the number of posts where you like to point out how your experiences are so vastly different than most others.

[Brian V]

As many others have pointed out, showers vary ship to ship and line to line.

 

Our experience has all been on NCL in (with one exception) standard balcony cabins and all the showers have had glass (plastic?) doors, no clingy curtains. For the most part, there has been adequate room for myself OR the missus - and neither of us would every be described as svelte 😉

 

Best we had was when we got an unexpected bump up to a club balcony, the shower was huge and had 6 jets on the wall along with the rainfall (?) head above 😎 There was actually enough room for the 2 of us if we wanted...seriously worth it for the right price 👍

 

Water pressure was fine and temp's stayed steady on all the ships we were on.

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, mom says said:

Let's face it Len, you are not, and likely have never been like "most cruise passengers". Going by the number of posts where you like to point out how your experiences are so vastly different than most others.

Am I to take this as a compliment or as a ……..?

[mom says]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Am I to take this as a compliment or as a ……..?

Definitely a compliment, Len.  You are one of a kind

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, mom says said:

Definitely a compliment, Len.  You are one of a kind

I have accomplished many things in my life that have made my life to date very rewarding.I e-mail with 11 people who post on CC and have discussed my life with them.It had been 12 but rkacruiser passed away in December,2022.

[mjkacmom]

On 3/25/2023 at 12:20 AM, Ferry_Watcher said:

Hair dryers are usually useless.

I’ve only used them on NCL but they were very powerful, I have long thick hair and they did the job well.

[Ferry_Watcher]

59 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

I’ve only used them on NCL but they were very powerful, I have long thick hair and they did the job well.

 

Thanks for the info.  I have had the opposite luck on Celebrity and HAL.  I ended up buying a travel hair dryer to take with me on cruises.