Medical needs ignored - why?

[lilybud]

This is most likely a weird case, but I am leaving on the Insignia on 9/13. Since I have kidney disease, I am required to drink 2-3 liters of water a day. My TA asked Oceania if they could supply my water instead of me buying (at $2 each) about 10 little bottles a day. They said absolutley not, they would not consider it as medical. Any suggestions about the availibility of liters (very large) of water in the middle eastern ports? Is it safe & tightly capped? Any suggests would be great. I think being turned down is tacky, especially since i had a doctors letter. :(

[LHT28]

The water in the self serve station in the Terrace is just as good if not better than the bottled water.

They do have 1.5 L bottled water for sale in your cabin.

 

If you need sodium free water you may have to bring your own supply. I have only seen a few places that have sodium free bottled water

[ChatKat in Ca.]

The water they had available for us was Evian water in 1 liter bottles. I drink a lot of water and I asked that they bring us several bottles a day without any problem. (plus it was 115 in Greece when we were there). I think that it's not an exception to them if you are asking for bottled water because potable tap water is availalbe to you.

[KS&JW]

I suggest that you purchase a good Nalgene bottle from a sporting goods store and refill it with the free water available at the Terrace. This is what we did and it worked very well. The bottle is durable and the free water is tasty. I drink bottled or filtered water at home and had no problem with the quality of the water available on board.

[digby]

Why go to the Terrace for free water? The water coming out of the tap in the cabin is just fine. I refilled my water bottle there every day. Tasted fine to me.

[billie5]

I also must drink 2 - 3 liters of water per day. I've always used the tap water on a number of ships from a number of cruise lines, with never a problem. That water is generally healthier than even major brand mineral water.

 

Bill

[Friendly Cruiser101]

The water on board ship is sea water that is purified. The purification systems are the same that is used for many bottled waters and for most major soda brands. The only thing that is lacking is the minerals that are removed in the purification process and that are usually present in spring waters. Also taste plays an important roll. Whatever we cruise, I go to a local grocery store or drug store, buy 2 case of bottled water, put them in a duffle bag and check them at the pier before I get on the ship. I do this because I do not like the taste of the ships water, but it is perfectly fine to drink. I have brought my own water on board for the last 5 or 6 cruises and there has never been a problem.

 

Paul

[surfklutz]

This is most likely a weird case, but I am leaving on the Insignia on 9/13. Since I have kidney disease, I am required to drink 2-3 liters of water a day. My TA asked Oceania if they could supply my water instead of me buying (at $2 each) about 10 little bottles a day. They said absolutley not, they would not consider it as medical. Any suggestions about the availibility of liters (very large) of water in the middle eastern ports? Is it safe & tightly capped? Any suggests would be great. I think being turned down is tacky, especially since i had a doctors letter. :(

I am surprised that you thought that it was appropriate that your agent ask that bottled water be provided for you for free on your cruise as it is medically necessary. I can not fall asleep unless I am on my own mattress. It would be like asking my agent to ask the ship to provide free Ambien during my cruise. It would have been great if they had agreed, but certainly not tacky to decline by any means.

 

Lots have people have come up with great solutions to this problem. Another one would be to pay the $140 for the bottled water they offer and write it off your taxes under your medical deductions.

[DrHemlock]

Being unwilling to pay $2 (or whatever) per bottle for water, we drank free Nautica tap water all the way from Istanbul to Athens. When going ashore, we refilled our empty, previously-purchased water bottle with free Nautica tap water. It never ran out and it tasted great.