Cruise lines have signs, videos, songs and warnings all designed to stop passengers from flushing things down the toilet.
They start with the obvious ones like diapers and feminine hygiene products, which you're also not supposed to flush at home, but some people probably do.
They also include items that nobody considers flushable, like keys, various toys, bananas and wallets. Those items should not need to be on the list, but they have likely been flushed often enough that the cruise line wants to call them out.
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There is, however, a large grey area when it comes to the differences between cruise-ship plumbing and at-home plumbing. People at home can generally use whatever toilet paper they want: two-ply, three-ply or even four-ply (which may not exist). And Wet Wipes, both the brand name ones and the generic ones, can be flushed.
On a cruise ship, however, that's not the case, and many people don't realize this. Cruise passengers should flush only the terrible, cheap, thin, scratchy toilet paper the cruise line provides or they risk a major problem.
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Image source: Pixabay.
Cruise ships have shared plumbing
One Carnival Cruise Line passenger attacked Brand Ambassador John Heald regarding the bathroom situation on its cruise ships.
“Wet Wipes are what many of us use John! Where do we put them? Why doesn’t Carnival provide those scented disposable bags that are used for diapers or dog poop so we can put the used ones in them for the cleaners to take away?” they asked.
Now, never mind that the room stewards probably aren't too eager to have to do that.
There are deeper reasons the cruise line does not allow any sort of wet wipe.
“If you flush wet wipes down the toilet, then it will block your toilet and the toilets in the cabin section, too, sometimes 20 plus. Please do not flush anything down the toilet except the paper we provide. The end,” Heald wrote.
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That simple answer should end the discussion — but it likely won't since the original poster made clear they did not believe that wet wipes are not safe to use. He cites a post that incited his post, which is not seen on Heald's page.
“The author is a charter member of the cruise boards and a marine engineer. He clearly says that wet wipes break down almost immediately and will not clog the ship’s toilet systems,” they wrote.
Carnival passengers share their own toilet fixes
Carnival passengers seemed eager to share their own bathroom habits.
“Very easy to fix this issue,” wrote Trudy Lepera. “Wipe with toilet paper like you normally would, then at end when toilet tissue is pretty much clean when wiping, then use your wet one so you can feel clean more, and wrap the wet one that has no visible poo on it because remember it's just at the end you use the wet one … wrap it with tissue and throw it in the trash.”
Others say the cruise line has already provided for disposal.
“You can also use the little bags they provide for ladies monthly use products,” posted Darleen Davis Cherry. “They are provided in the cabin bathrooms and if you run out, you just ask your steward for more. Simple.”
Amy Martin wasn't that nice about her her solution.
“Dear Miss Entitlement, go to Dollar Tree and buy a roll of dog poo bags. It’s not that hard to solve this issue,” she wrote.
Stezy Butcher has no tolerance for people who break these rules.
“This should be right up there with smoking in your room. If you get caught, it should be a fine,” she posted.
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Monique Schaefer tried to be a voice of reason.
“I am often shocked by people’s ignorance,” she wrote. “Living in an older home, I had to explain to my permanent guest that flushable wipes cannot be flushed in this house. I’ve had so many plumbers tell me the nightmares of clearing clogged pipes because of flushable wipes and other flushable sanitary products. Just use the provided and put the other stuff in the trash.”
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