What is the current drinking water situation on the ships--especially Ovation

[SLSD]

Mr. SLSD has asked me to ask some questions.  We sail on Ovation on June 11th and only today did I mention to him that the drinking water situation on Seabourn ships is now different from the last time we sailed (pre Covid).  I told him I would try to elicit information and advice from intrepid cruisers. 

 

First, what is the system called that Seabourn is using to process drinking water?

We assume the water is safe to drink, but does it taste pleasant or does it have a brackish or off taste?

 

If you do not like the water, what are your suggestions?  I have read in the past that some request bottled water in their suites and transfer this to their own water bottle for port excursions.   I have read that provided bottles are heavy and that they leak.   Can you tell us which bottled waters are available to request  and what kind of water bottle do you suggest?

 

Thanks so much.  We ARE beginning to get excited about sailing again with SB.  

[cruiseej]

The water system Seabourn uses is Nordaq. You'll probably find a wide variety of opinions here. We have found it to be perfectly fine — no brackish or off taste — while others have stated they don't like it. 

 

The plastic Nordaq water bottles have not leaked in our experiences with them. The original bottles — the ones they put in your suite — were heavy for short excursions, but they now have half-sized bottles which are lighter.

 

I bring my own metal Hydro Flask water bottle when I travel, because I like to drink my water cold. A Hydro Flash (or other comparable double-wall metal bottle) keeps ice water icy all day. I fill my bottle from the provided bottle and water in our suite, and I'm a happy camper. But some would find a metal bottle like mine is heavy to carry of shore excursions. (I usually have a camera bag that I put the bottle in so I'm carrying the weight on my shoulder/neck.)

[johng75370]

I'll confess to being one of those people who just didn't like the "taste" of the Nordaq water, but since they rolled it out we've probably been on 4 Seabourn cruises and have never found any issue or pushback in getting our usual preferred waters.  Try it and make your own judgements, but it certainly is not being forced on anyone by Seabourn.  And welcome back to Seabourn - we're on Ovation in August and looking forward to hearing how your sailing goes!

Edited May 26, 2023 by johng75370

[PaulMCO]

And yes the 1/2 sized bottles provided on excursions DO leak.  Ended up with normal plastic bottles and refilling them daily for the excursions

[LMB01]

Not only do these bottles leak, they break easily.  We dropped one while ashore in Cabo and it shattered.  I also don’t care for the taste but each person must decide on their own.  There will be 2 or 3 bottles in your suite when you board - they are in the cabinet with the glassware.

[goodvino808]

I asked this very question on the bridge tour on Ovation in Jan 2023.  The officer explained that it’s all or nothing meaning they need to use Nordaq to keep everyone safe.  If they take on water say from one port it can contaminate the entire system. Considering when I was on the boat it was the Caribbean I wouldn’t want to drink from any local water source.  So I was happy to have Nordaq and know that it was used for not only drinking water but for cooking and washing.  
 

I found the sparkling/seltzer water to be good and the staff is good to provide lemon or lime to help if the taste isn’t great.

 

 

[SLSD]

7 minutes ago, goodvino808 said:

I asked this very question on the bridge tour on Ovation in Jan 2023.  The officer explained that it’s all or nothing meaning they need to use Nordaq to keep everyone safe.  If they take on water say from one port it can contaminate the entire system. Considering when I was on the boat it was the Caribbean I wouldn’t want to drink from any local water source.  So I was happy to have Nordaq and know that it was used for not only drinking water but for cooking and washing.  
 

I found the sparkling/seltzer water to be good and the staff is good to provide lemon or lime to help if the taste isn’t great.

 

 

I think the issue is that bottled drinking water used to be provided when getting off the ship--instead of the ship's water put into reusable bottles.  The bottled drinking water was accessed in the same way they access other food/drink supplies---from trusted suppliers.  I have known about this for a. while, but mentioned it to my husband for the first time yesterday.  I couldn't remember Nordaq.  I think we will just have to taste the water and see if we like it enough to drink when off the ship.  

[pyffii]

Just boarded Sojourn and both my wife and I have no issues whatsoever with the drinking water

[robertmartha]

Just got off the Odyssey (6 of us)

no issues at all with the water - in fact I thought it was better then it was pre covid (same ship)

 

Bob 

[SLSD]

All good to know.  Thank you pyffii and robertmartha.  

[skybluewaters]

The only issue I have with the drinking water is that the bottles of water in the cabin are placed right above the refrigerator, causing the water to be warm.  Of course, I could move the bottles elsewhere, but that's where the slots for the bottles are located. 

[texanaust]

IMHO the Nordaq water is terrible (taste) and the plastic bottles definitely leak.  I special order Acqua Panna, but Evian is normally available and San Pellegrino if you want sparkling.  

[Mauzac]

I find the Nordaq water good.  We drink a lot of water too!  We keep the water bottles in the fridge door, then when on an excursion we decant it into our own insulated water bottles and on a hot long trip, the water remains lovely and cold.

 

Anything we can all do to minimise single use plastics is a good thing in my book. 

[crickette]

On Encore in January.  On the first port stop, the bottle we took ashore was very fishy/brackish and totally undrinkable.  We alerted our room host.  Never in the following 30 days did we have another and we went through about 3-4 bottles a day.

[SLSD]

Does anyone have knowledge about the drinking water systems on Silversea and Regent?

[saminina]

Yes, on SS it is Panna in glass bottles.   Same as SB.

[Sunprince]

34 minutes ago, SLSD said:

Does anyone have knowledge about the drinking water systems on Silversea and Regent?

Regent uses the Vero water system.  No concerns re taste, but I have concerns about using the reusable bottles. Yes they are environmentally friendly but they need to be sterilized daily and not many people do that. Ask for them to be cleaned/replaced after each daily use.  

[Tallante]

 We are currently on Encore and have either San Peligrino or Perrier sparking and Samaria in glass bottles from Crete in our room.  We drink the same in the.restaurants.  I’m guessing that’s what they picked up when they last stopped there. 
 

I asked for bubble bath today and that’s been stopped along with the speciality soaps.  Gifts on the bed at night are hard to find and they seem to have run out of Seabourn chocolates as well.

 

 

[skybluewaters]

8 minutes ago, Tallante said:

Gifts on the bed at night are hard to find...

 

 

 

Use a flashlight and look under the pillows.

[Tallante]

Just now, skybluewaters said:

 

Use a flashlight and look under the pillows.

 

Just now, skybluewaters said:

 

Use a flashlight and look under the pillows.

I’ll try that later

[cruisinsince75]

We were on the Ovation in April.  We did not care for the refillable bottles.  They were too difficult to drink from in the middle of the night and didn't care too much for the taste.  There were two sizes.  Basically, a full liter and half liter.  

[cruiseej]

On 5/27/2023 at 11:39 PM, skybluewaters said:

The only issue I have with the drinking water is that the bottles of water in the cabin are placed right above the refrigerator, causing the water to be warm.  Of course, I could move the bottles elsewhere, but that's where the slots for the bottles are located. 

 

The refrigerator door holds the water bottles quite nicely. I always keep two chilled in the refrigerator. 

 

On 5/28/2023 at 8:58 AM, Mauzac said:

I find the Nordaq water good.

 

I agree. It's interesting how many people say they don't like the taste; we find it perfectly fine.

 

On 5/28/2023 at 1:41 AM, texanaust said:

the plastic bottles definitely leak

 

Haven't experienced that, but I'm not doubting some of them do. 

 

14 hours ago, cruisinsince75 said:

We did not care for the refillable bottles.  They were too difficult to drink from in the middle of the night

 

I agree they are not great for that. I fill my Hydro Flask bottle with sport cap with water and ice from the refrigerator, to have bedside overnight. 

 

 

@SLSD Aboard the Sojourn now, we also got bottled water in our room. They're large (750 ml) glass bottles, so not really suitable for carrying ashore. One brand was Mountain Falls and I forget the other brand (they were sparkling and we only drink natural, so I had the room attendant take them away). On our prior cruise, I think we just had the Nordic bottles, but as others have said, bottles are available on request. The only issue you're therefore likely to have is if you dislike the Nordic water and there's not an alternative for shore excursions; for that, perhaps you should bring a small plastic/nalgene bottle you can fill from bottled water on the ship if you are concerned about this. 

[2SailingNomads]

We have no issue with the taste of the Nordaq water, only issue is the temp of it sitting on top of the fridge, solved by using the fridge.  Have not had issues with leaking but can see how it could happen.  Both Regent and Scenic provide you with metal bottles which will stay colder and have no leaking issues, for our upcoming cruise we will bring our own bottles for going ashore.

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, 2SailingNomads said:

We have no issue with the taste of the Nordaq water, only issue is the temp of it sitting on top of the fridge, solved by using the fridge.  Have not had issues with leaking but can see how it could happen.  Both Regent and Scenic provide you with metal bottles which will stay colder and have no leaking issues, for our upcoming cruise we will bring our own bottles for going ashore.

How would you compare Seabourn to Scenic?

[cruisr]

On 5/28/2023 at 6:51 PM, Tallante said:

 We are currently on Encore and have either San Peligrino or Perrier sparking and Samaria in glass bottles from Crete in our room.  We drink the same in the.restaurants.  I’m guessing that’s what they picked up when they last stopped there. 
 

I asked for bubble bath today and that’s been stopped along with the speciality soaps.  Gifts on the bed at night are hard to find and they seem to have run out of Seabourn chocolates as well.

 

 

What reason was given for stopping?  So I guess this means my stewardess will not be drawing me a bubble bath which is a one time indulgence for me.