Cruise Talk: Getting Iced Water at Meals

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Author

Topic: Getting Iced Water at Meals

anthonyvandyk
First Class Passenger
Member # 3899

posted 02-18-2004 04:01 AM

I can't think of anywhere else to post this item so here goes!

On most ships carrying American passengers iced water is habitually available at meal times. Usually glasses are filled at the start of meals.

However, on my recent cruise on the Van Gogh all that was available in the restaurant or deck buffet was bottled water. Staff seemed to have been trained to refuse or misunderstand requests for 'a glass of water'. Having to pay 85 pence for a bottle was not a source of complaint by the all-British group of pasengers. But, aware of the wisdom of drinking plenty of liquid in tropical climates, many were unhappy that iced water was not freely available on the cruise.

I should be interested to hear your views.

Posts: 34 | From: Oxford, England | Registered: Jun 2003 | IP: Logged

Michael534
First Class Passenger
Member # 2953

posted 02-18-2004 07:55 PM

This same thing happened to me once on at a resort. They claimed to only have bottled water. I got around it though.
Being a bartender, I walked to the bar and asked for a glass of water. When I was told that there was only bottled I calmly asked the bartender what the "W" button stood for on the sode gun? I got the water. And a smile from the bartender.
They weren't going to make me believe that everytime they made a scotch and water they popped a $1 bottle of Avian open! Give me a break!

This attitude toward water has always bothered me whether it be on land or at sea. I realize that they are all in business to make money, but I would think that when you are in a tropical local that water should be available and any rules should be bent. At least under certain circumstances.

Hey, I just thought of something. A customer of mine is a travel agent and just happens to be sailing on the same ship next week! I don't know why I didn't think about it? Duh! Anyway, I will ask him to look into this for you.

Michael534

[ 02-18-2004: Message edited by: Michael534 ]

Posts: 483 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

Nautical Nigel
First Class Passenger
Member # 2326

posted 03-04-2004 08:02 AM

Personally I would expect iced water to be available as a matter of course.

Posts: 81 | From: London, England | Registered: Aug 2001 | IP: Logged

mec1
First Class Passenger
Member # 4287

posted 03-04-2004 12:05 PM

What is Avian?

Posts: 1675 | From: London, England | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

Sp00ky
First Class Passenger
Member # 4305

posted 03-04-2004 01:33 PM

Something to do with birds I think?

Posts: 24 | From: Florida USA | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 03-04-2004 01:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mec1:
What is Avian?

Isn't it Evian - spring bottled water. May just be a typing error.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Sp00ky
First Class Passenger
Member # 4305

posted 03-04-2004 02:03 PM

That makes more sense, popping a bottle of "bird" doesnt

Posts: 24 | From: Florida USA | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-04-2004 02:12 PM

I just assumed it was a typo, but see Avian Water. I believe one can buy special 'avian water' for one's birds too.. the caged variety.
Back to the topic.. I expect tap water at the table as a matter of course & don't like the taste of most bottled waters, but this doesn't always happen. Too many people try to sell you bottled water, be it on a cruise ship, in a restaurant or hotel.. find it everywhere.
Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 03-04-2004 04:15 PM

Pam - Avian is a water treatment system, whereas Evian is bottled spring water from France. Maybe they had an Avian system on board and bottle their own water for sale. .

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-04-2004 04:35 PM

Yes, I realised that, purified tap water. aka Dasani

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Michael534
First Class Passenger
Member # 2953

posted 03-04-2004 08:33 PM

A simple typo. I meant Evian! Sorry for the confusion.

Michael534

Posts: 483 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 03-04-2004 10:04 PM

Somewhat off topic but funny.

I recently saw an ad for a Mexican Resturant in the Washington DC area which boasted,

"We are so authentic that you will be afraid to drink the water!"

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

CGT
First Class Passenger
Member # 3531

posted 03-04-2004 10:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Cambodge:
Somewhat off topic but funny.
I recently saw an ad for a Mexican Resturant in the Washington DC area which boasted,
"We are so authentic that you will be afraid to drink the water!"

That's funny.

Posts: 2760 | From: New York, New York, USA | Registered: Dec 2002 | IP: Logged

Michael534
First Class Passenger
Member # 2953

posted 03-05-2004 12:04 AM

It's even funnier when you think about the fact that the city of DC is having a major lead poisoning problem in the water system and is conducting blood and water test and also passing out filter systems to residents.

We're ALL afraid to drink the water!

Michael534

Posts: 483 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 03-05-2004 04:56 AM

It's not funny when people die from drinking the water they always deemed to be safe. Many died, including children and this was in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada, a small town near Lake Huron

http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/walkerton/

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

linerguy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4289

posted 03-05-2004 10:04 AM

I'm 99.9% confident that no one was saying that it's funny when people die.....

[ 03-05-2004: Message edited by: linerguy ]

Posts: 1486 | From: Bright, Indiana | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

Johan
First Class Passenger
Member # 4458

posted 03-05-2004 10:45 AM

Hello,
it is almost unbelievable the drinking water system of the capital of the US is faulty...if one place on earth it should be ok, it should be there, ..
I have once been in the "Evian" bottling factory (which is in Thonon by the way) and I haven't drunk much Evian water since.
On cruise ships, is tap drinking water also not limited, or is it purified seawater (and is it really safe for drinking, other than boiled soup-coffee). This is an interesting topic
Enjoy your weekend,
Johan

Posts: 1895 | From: Antwerpen, Belgium | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged

jmfleser
First Class Passenger
Member # 1141

posted 03-09-2004 08:51 AM

If you have trouble getting a glass of iced water just ask for a scotch and water on the rocks and then tell them to leave out the scotch.

Posts: 183 | From: Esperance, NY USA | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

jsea
First Class Passenger
Member # 3816

posted 03-09-2004 01:20 PM

It seems like the US is one of the only countries where water with meals is complimentary and free-flowing without asking. Everywhere else you must beg for tap water or simply pay for bottled. I think most of the time this has to do with economics rather than unclean water.

Water unasked for is one of the things I always appreciate when returning from abroad.

Posts: 644 | From: Texas | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

Ascendancy
First Class Passenger
Member # 840

posted 03-09-2004 06:08 PM

When it comes to most ship water, I'll take a bottled product even if it's going to cost me a buck. Yikes I'm goin broke! lol

Restaurants in my area have begun the trend of not setting water out unless you ask for it. Hey what a concept!

How many untouched glasses of water end up being dumped? If you include the amount of dishwasher expense to clean the glasses, and the processing of the actual water, it all adds up. I'm all for allowing my favorite cruise line to save some money. Leave the glasses off the table unless they are requested.

Posts: 354 | From: Aurora, CO | Registered: Oct 1999 | IP: Logged

jsea
First Class Passenger
Member # 3816

posted 03-09-2004 08:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ascendancy:
When it comes to most ship water, I'll take a bottled product even if it's going to cost me a buck.

May I ask why?

Posts: 644 | From: Texas | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

Ascendancy
First Class Passenger
Member # 840

posted 03-10-2004 02:25 PM

It's all about taste I guess. No other reason.

Posts: 354 | From: Aurora, CO | Registered: Oct 1999 | IP: Logged

thulewx
First Class Passenger
Member # 1907

posted 03-10-2004 02:34 PM

My first few cruises, the ship's water tasted awful, so I avoided it for many cruises. I'd heard that it was usually especially bad the day before pulling back into a US port because they over-chlorinated in case there was a health inspection. For my last 3-4, though, I tried it again and it wasn't bad at all. Maybe it was the cruise lines, or newer technology. The latest were on Radisson and Queen Mary 2 - very good water, even though Radisson has free bottled water at all times.

Posts: 140 | From: Unadilla, Georgia | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

jsea
First Class Passenger
Member # 3816

posted 03-10-2004 02:45 PM

Thanks for your reply, Ascendancy. I always trust ship water because I figure it goes through all the same processes as bottled water. And unless the water is terrible I cannot tell the difference between tap, Dasani, Evian, Ozarka, etc.

Posts: 644 | From: Texas | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

eroller
First Class Passenger
Member # 1649

posted 03-10-2004 06:15 PM

It seems that on the newest cruise ships, the water treatment plants are so advanced that I've read the water is more pure then any bottled water you could buy. I believe one of the Engineers was interviewed about the water on VOYAGER OF THE SEAS and he was quite proud of it's quality. Even the black/gray water is so extensively treated that it is drinkable, not that you would want to.

Funny enough, the best tasting bottled water to me is Dasani by Coke. What is interesting is that this water does not come from any spring or mountain, but is plain tap water that is extensively treated. So basically I'm paying for Atlanta city water that is purified to Coke standards!

I've often heard (and tend to agree) the best tap water in a major US city is from New York City. The water comes from upstate NY is considered to be very fresh and clean. Worst I have experienced is Orlando and New Orleans. Too much sulfur makes the water smell like rotten eggs! Yuck!

I also know why bottled water is so popular in Los Angeles. The tap water does have a certain taste and smell to it, that while not totally bad it's not great either.

On CARNIVAL SPIRIT in January , we came back from port one day and the water was yellow. It looked pretty nasty. We enquired and were told a filter for our section had just been changed, hence the discoloration. Sure enough in an hour or so the water turned back to clear after the filter "bleed" so to speak.

Ernie - who drinks the tap water on all cruise ships and has never had a problem.

Posts: 7046 | From: Miami, Florida USA | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

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