Bringing water onboard

[reedpartyof4]

We last cruised in 2019 and since that time, have transitioned to drinking almost nothing except water.  I'm unsure of how to handle this as our 6 night cruise approaches in May.  What is the water situation on board?  I remember lemonade and fruit punch (?) but unsure of water.  Is it drinkable if dispenses from the juice machines?  Has anyone tried the canned drinking water since we aren't allowed to bring bottles on board?  I know we can pre-buy a 12 pack but $15 is steep.  

Thanks for any input!

[capriccio]

Your questions are cruise line specific so you will need to post on the applicable forum.  Chose your cruise line at https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/858-categories/

[ontheweb]

Whatever cruise line you go on, the tap water is definitely drinkable.

[shipgeeks]

Ships purify and desalinate their water onboard. We think it is delicious; we take our morning meds with cabin tap water every day.  

[John Bull]

What water you can take on board & what it costs if bottled water is bought on-board is cruiseline-specific. as per @capriccio's post.

 

It's pretty reasonable to believe that ship's water is safe to drink - I've never seen anyone washing or shaving or brushing their teeth at a drinks-dispenser, only people drinking the stuff 😏 

It's (almost-always) de-salinated seawater, but a great deal different from the awful stuff I remember from 60-odd years ago. And it's the same water as in the cabins, the kitchens, the bars etc, and used for ship's ice.

Other than not being as cold as ground-water (needs a few ice-cubes) I can't tell the difference from tap water at home, though some folk can.

The only times I've bought bottled water is in a very few god-forsaken third-world countries, or the first drink of a day ashore because I've forgotten to take a refillable bottle.

 

JB 🙂

[caribsun]

Bring your own Brita filtered water bottle. 

[Mum2Mercury]

22 hours ago, reedpartyof4 said:

We last cruised in 2019 and since that time, have transitioned to drinking almost nothing except water.  I'm unsure of how to handle this as our 6 night cruise approaches in May.  What is the water situation on board?  I remember lemonade and fruit punch (?) but unsure of water.  Is it drinkable if dispenses from the juice machines?  Has anyone tried the canned drinking water since we aren't allowed to bring bottles on board?  I know we can pre-buy a 12 pack but $15 is steep.  

Thanks for any input!

Ice water is always available in the buffet.  Just pick up a glass.  

Water onboard is purified and tastes good.  Just bring a refillable bottle (preferably with a wide-mouth lid, as it's easier to fill) and forget about hauling heavy bottles with you.  

Depending upon which cruise line you're using, you may or may not be able to bring water bottles with you.  

[sandiego1]

I only drink water - no alcohol, coffee, tea, soda, juice… I have been very content with the water on a cruise ship. No need to lug bottled water. Just being a refillable bottle. Most ships have a place where you can fill it.

[crystalspin]

14 hours ago, John Bull said:

Other than not being as cold as ground-water (needs a few ice-cubes) I can't tell the difference from tap water at home, though some folk can.

Much better tasting than tap water in southern California, which our cats wouldn't even drink if it hadn't been (Britta-)filtered or distilled!

[donaldsc]

16 hours ago, John Bull said:

What water you can take on board & what it costs if bottled water is bought on-board is cruiseline-specific. as per @capriccio's post.

 

It's pretty reasonable to believe that ship's water is safe to drink - I've never seen anyone washing or shaving or brushing their teeth at a drinks-dispenser, only people drinking the stuff 😏 

It's (almost-always) de-salinated seawater, but a great deal different from the awful stuff I remember from 60-odd years ago. And it's the same water as in the cabins, the kitchens, the bars etc, and used for ship's ice.

Other than not being as cold as ground-water (needs a few ice-cubes) I can't tell the difference from tap water at home, though some folk can.

The only times I've bought bottled water is in a very few god-forsaken third-world countries, or the first drink of a day ashore because I've forgotten to take a refillable bottle.

 

JB 🙂

 

Has anyone done a real test of this by bringing some home tap water to see if they can tell the difference.  I would also suspect that some home tap waters might be really awful so the ship water might be better than the home water.

 

DON

[Mum2Mercury]

On 4/9/2024 at 9:28 PM, donaldsc said:

 

Has anyone done a real test of this by bringing some home tap water to see if they can tell the difference.  I would also suspect that some home tap waters might be really awful so the ship water might be better than the home water.

 

DON

Nah, several problems with this thought: 

- As you say, tap water varies in quality from area to area, making a comparison difficult. 

- The ship's water is purified, not really "tap water" that comes from the ground like it does at home.  It'd be more accurate to say what comes out of the tap onboard is like the big vat of water a company uses to fill commercial water bottles. 

- A better comparison would be bottled water vs. ship's water.  

[MacMadame]

7 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

tap water varies in quality from area to area,

This is true. In some areas, the taste is better than bottled water! 

[wcook]

I know that water is good for me and that it’s perfectly hygienic on board the ship. But I still like to have a bunch of ethanol mixed with my water to be extra safe. And a lime wedge to keep scurvy away. 

[mjkacmom]

On 4/9/2024 at 9:58 PM, sandiego1 said:

I only drink water - no alcohol, coffee, tea, soda, juice… I have been very content with the water on a cruise ship. No need to lug bottled water. Just being a refillable bottle. Most ships have a place where you can fill it.

I drink alcohol, coffee, tea and water, but A TON of water, gallons a day, all day long, I bring a yeti and fill it up at the dispenser, using a clean glass like the sinkage says.

[ldubs]

On 4/9/2024 at 9:28 PM, donaldsc said:

 

Has anyone done a real test of this by bringing some home tap water to see if they can tell the difference.  I would also suspect that some home tap waters might be really awful so the ship water might be better than the home water.

 

DON

 

I have not actually brought tap water from home to do a comparison but like @John Bull says, can't notice a difference. The tap water I drink at home is through a filter before it gets to me.  Places with hard water would probably taste weird to me.      

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I have not actually brought tap water from home to do a comparison but like @John Bull says, can't notice a difference. The tap water I drink at home is through a filter before it gets to me.  Places with hard water would probably taste weird to me.      

 

NYC water is very good.  Southern Florida water tastes of sulphur.

 

DON

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

NYC water is very good.  Southern Florida water tastes of sulphur.

 

DON

The reason NYC water is good is that it either comes from my county (Neversink reservoir) or neighboring Ulster County (Ashokan reservoir).

[reedpartyof4]

On 4/11/2024 at 3:27 PM, wcook said:

I know that water is good for me and that it’s perfectly hygienic on board the ship. But I still like to have a bunch of ethanol mixed with my water to be extra safe. And a lime wedge to keep scurvy away. 

🏆Wins the comment award🏆

[BklynBoy8]

My DW is not keen with the water on board and prefers bottled water.

 

We get bottled water for the restaurant which of the bottle is not finished will be held to the following day with no problems.

 

I have no opinion on the water and use it as if it was what is used at home.

[OldCaver]

This absolutely does not apply to everybody, but for some very few people, the ship's water can make your ankles swell a little. After desalination, some sodium remains (not enough to taste), and if you're one of the lucky few, you may have a little trouble getting your sandals on toward the end of the cruise. It is not a health risk, but if your ankles swell a little, switch to bottled water, or maybe something with a lime wedge.

Me, drink lots of water, to wash the beverages down. Don't want to burp rum all day.

[lisiamc]

On 4/10/2024 at 5:28 AM, donaldsc said:

 

Has anyone done a real test of this by bringing some home tap water to see if they can tell the difference.  I would also suspect that some home tap waters might be really awful so the ship water might be better than the home water.

 

DON

I can tell you without even taking a sample home, that the water on every ship we’ve been on is better (usually MUCH better) than our tap water at home. We live in a hard water area, and the water is safe to drink, but tastes vile, even after filtering.

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, lisiamc said:

I can tell you without even taking a sample home, that the water on every ship we’ve been on is better (usually MUCH better) than our tap water at home. We live in a hard water area, and the water is safe to drink, but tastes vile, even after filtering.

 

Las Vegas Hard Water Rating. 

 

According to Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD)1, Las Vegas has a hardness rating of 278 parts per million or 16 grains per gallon. This level of hardness is considered to be “extremely hard.” In fact, Las Vegas has some of the hardest water in the country!

 

DON

[clo]

23 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

My DW is not keen with the water on board and prefers bottled water.

 

We get bottled water for the restaurant which of the bottle is not finished will be held to the following day with no problems.

 

I have no opinion on the water and use it as if it was what is used at home.

Glass or plastic bottles? I have about a dozen pairs of shoes made from recycled plastic water bottles. From the ocean nowadays.

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, clo said:

Glass or plastic bottles? I have about a dozen pairs of shoes made from recycled plastic water bottles. From the ocean nowadays.

A dozen - just counting those made from plastic water bottles?   How many pairs overall?

[clo]

27 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

A dozen - just counting those made from plastic water bottles?   How many pairs overall?

Oh, and I forgot to mention that when you've worn them out or tired of them you can return for a $20 and then they recycle the shoes. So the water bottle become shoe and then the shoes become shoes again.