Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Amazon River

timbom

By timbom,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

greyskier

greyskier

Posted
Posted

We did the Amazon and Brazil cruise in 2017 and I don't think any of the shops were closed. the cruise went right up to Manaus and stayed overnight so we were around for several days. that is an amazing trip would love to do it again.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, greyskier said:

From memory they did not do any passenger laundry because of the muddy water in the Amazon

It's not due to the muddy river water, it's due to the fact that the ship is precluded from making any fresh water while less than 12 miles from shore.

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CruiserBruce

CruiserBruce

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, timbom said:

Wow that is really crazy.  As I read the schedule we will be on the river 13 days.  What did you do for clean clothing??

 

Could they not pick up water from shore and use that for Laundry??

Absolutely. They can buy fresh water when docked. Done all the time.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted (edited)

All water that is taken from shore, no matter where, or how well documented for health and safety, must be segregated from ship's usage until a fecal coliform test is completed, which takes 18-24 hours.

 

I've taken water in Manaus, not real impressed with their hygiene practices, but with enough chlorine, all is well.

 

The ship's laundry uses condensate from the AC system for water, but that is a totally separate system from the potable water circulated around the ship for cabins, bars, restaurants, galleys, and passenger laundries.

Edited by chengkp75
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Banditswife Great Review Rare

Banditswife

Posted
Posted

This is interesting.  We have the Amazon cruise booked for 2025.  Helps to know that laundry may not be available during these days while on the river.  And if for some reason the shops/casino are also closed, helps to plan ahead for things to do.  Hopefully the ship will have activities /lectures/craft classes available.  Thank you for the info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ottahand7 "Live from...." Rare

ottahand7

Posted
Posted

We had laundry available on the Volendam in February.  We had extremely high river conditions so it probably was not too muddy to treat or very plentiful to purchase ashore.  We would have definitely remembered if the casino was closed on the Amazon, it wasn't except in port.  You will enjoy that wonderful destination. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 months later...
Grammy Pat

Grammy Pat

Posted
Posted
On 9/11/2023 at 4:40 PM, timbom said:

Wow that is really crazy.  As I read the schedule we will be on the river 13 days.  What did you do for clean clothing??

 

Could they not pick up water from shore and use that for Laundry??

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grammy Pat

Grammy Pat

Posted
Posted

I have been traveling for over 50 years and I usually take month-long adventure trips with one 24” suitcase and never have to use the laundry. All my clothes are hand washable and dry overnight. My laundry kit includes an elastic clothesline and command hooks, dry “sheets “of laundry detergent, and miniature clothes pins. Having grown up using well water I have learned to conserve. I hand wash my clothes when they are dirty which means not often. Underwear washed daily shirts every two or three days of wearing, pants maybe once a week. Did you know that washing your clothes ages them significantly and damages the fibers. And your bugproof items can withstand only limited washings before they lose effectiveness. This is a cruise to a tropical area and requires lightweight, and maybe bug proof clothing. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bill B

Bill B

Posted
Posted
On 9/11/2023 at 10:28 AM, greyskier said:

From memory they did not do any passenger laundry because of the muddy water in the Amazon

 

You have conjured a picture in my mind of a stern platform and the laundry crew on it with washboards. 🤣

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bill B

Bill B

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Grammy Pat said:

I have been traveling for over 50 years and I usually take month-long adventure trips with one 24” suitcase and never have to use the laundry. All my clothes are hand washable and dry overnight. My laundry kit includes an elastic clothesline and command hooks, dry “sheets “of laundry detergent, and miniature clothes pins. Having grown up using well water I have learned to conserve. I hand wash my clothes when they are dirty which means not often. Underwear washed daily shirts every two or three days of wearing, pants maybe once a week. Did you know that washing your clothes ages them significantly and damages the fibers.

 

I was considering buying a laundry package but I get free laundry in my sink and shower (think treading grapes), and with the package it would cost me $500 to replace the clothes worn out due to excessive laundering.  As a bonus, it all smells like Elemis products!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mary229 "Live from...." Rare

Mary229

Posted
Posted

When I was young I traveled by canoe and pitched a tarp but now I prefer laundry  .  I have long ago quit buying new clothes to cruise - I cruise in what I know I am comfortable wearing.  It’s like I tell my nieces - spend a little money so work doesn’t become drudgery. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bill B

Bill B

Posted
Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

It is not allowed for sanitation reasons by the USPH/CDC, the EU's ShipSan regulations, and the WHO guide to ship sanitation.

 

Interesting, thanks!   

 

What I don't understand is how making water for laundry causes pollution if the source is condensate from the air conditioning system. Isn't that water almost 'pure' already? Is it because if you make water you have to discharge it?

Edited by Bill B
Link to comment
Share on other sites
oakridger

oakridger

Posted
Posted
On 9/11/2023 at 2:15 PM, chengkp75 said:

The ship's laundry uses condensate from the AC system for water, but that is a totally separate system from the potable water circulated around the ship for cabins, bars, restaurants, galleys, and passenger laundries.

 

@Bill B The chief posted that the passenger laundry uses the potable water.  Other ship laundry is washed in the condensate water system.  I could only guess why they use two different water sources.  Maybe the ship laundry uses a much higher temperature to wash so doesn't need the chlorinated potable water???  @chengkp75 can you enlighten us please?   

 

I just love that @chengkp75 gives us so much technical information!  I've certainly learned so much from him and he has dispelled many a cruise ship "myth"!!  Thank you sir!

 

~Nancy

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted (edited)

Passenger laundry facilities use the same potable (drinking) water that is used everywhere else on the ship; cabins, restaurants, galleys, etc.  This has to be as pathogen free as possible, and because neither distillation nor reverse osmosis (the two technologies used to make drinking water onboard) are 100% effective, it then falls on chlorination to sanitize the water.  But, if there are heavy metals or other pollutants, chlorination won't help with that.  The reason for two different water systems is that the ship's laundry goes through tons (about 100 tons a day for a medium sized ship) of water that doesn't need to be of drinking water quality.  But running a separate water system to the various locations of the passenger laundry facilities would not be cost effective given how little water these use compared to the main laundry.

 

The ship's main laundry has its own water supply system, that goes from the condensate water tank, to the washing machines and then to the waste water treatment system.  No, the condensate water is not "almost pure".  First, it has condensed on copper cooling coils in the HVAC system, and due to the salt in the sea air, it dissolves a bit of copper from the piping/fins as it trickles down to the condensate pan (so you've now got salt (and other minerals from the ocean water) and copper in the water), then the water spends some time in the condensate pan where it can encourage the growth of pathogens (legionella is a prime candidate for growth in HVAC drain pans, which is why large buildings develop outbreaks of legionella as some housing projects did in NYC a few years back).  Anyway, the water is in no way considered drinking water quality, and in order to be used effectively in the commercial washing machines, it needs up to 4-5 chemicals added into the washers just to get clothes clean.  The copper in particular causes problems when washing whites like tablecloths and dinner napkins.  If untreated, the hot water containing copper will turn the "whites" into "greens", so acid is dosed into the washing machines.  Each of the ship's washers has about 6 chemicals/detergents set up for dosing in the machine, depending on what cycle the machine is set for.  As suggested above, the wash temperature (nothing in those machines goes in cold water) and the length of the wash cycle, along with the various chemicals takes care of any pathogens so they don't get on the items being washed.

 

The ship will also use the condensate water as "technical" water, or fresh water used in the engine room for cooling systems.  Again, this water is not considered drinking water quality, even if it were to be chlorinated.

Edited by chengkp75
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Bill B said:

I had no idea there was the ship's laundry and a passenger laundry. 

Passenger laundry facilities are available on some lines, that are like laundromats, with one or two washers and dryers on each deck with passenger cabins.  The main ship's laundry does the sheets, towels, tablecloths, napkins and crew uniforms on an industrial level.  The washers in the main laundry take upwards of 125 kilos of wash at a time.  Google cruise ship main laundry for tours showing the thousands of sheets and towels done each week.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...