Cruise Ship Toilets: What Happens When You Flush? Step by Step Guide (2023)

FAQs

What happens when you flush toilet on cruise ship? ›

When a toilet is flushed on a cruise ship, the sewage travels to the onboard treatment plant. Here the waste is filtered before it enters an aeration chamber. The aeration chamber cleans the waste. It is then sterilized using UV light and released into the ocean when clean enough to do so.

Most ships add it to the black water and pass it for sewage treatment. Many companies simply discharge it into the sea.

The toilet in your cruise ship bathroom will not be a standard water-flush system like you have at home. Water is a precious resource onboard a cruise ship, so modern ships save gallons with each flush by using a vacuum system.

If you wonder whether cruise ships have jails, the answer is yes. Jails are called brigs on a cruise ship and tend only to be used in serious circumstances when no other options are available. Cabin arrest is typically used before the brig is needed.

Chemicals are added to kill as many germs as possible. Then the treated water is released into a local river or even the ocean. If you live near the coast your treated sewage probably goes into the ocean. The treated sewage is cleaned to make sure that it does not cause environmental problems.

There are only three things you can safely flush down the toilet into the sewer system —pee, poo and (toilet) paper. Just remember those three as the three Ps that you can flush. And don't forget, "flushable" wipes are not really flushable.

“Most of the sewage waste produced on an aircraft carrier comes from the toilets' urinals,” the video continues. After entering an integrated treatment system, a complex array of filtration and cleaning methods are applied, including the use of a bio-reactor and a sediment tank for processing.

Head (ship's toilet) The use of the term "head" to refer to a ship's toilet dates to at least as early as 1708, when Woodes Rogers (English privateer and Governor of the Bahamas) used the word in his book, A Cruising Voyage Around the World.

A ship which has a large weight displace a large volume (thus large weight) of water. Hence the buoyancy force acting on the ship is much greater than the weight of the ship itself, making it to float on water. Thus ship do not sink in water.

Where do toilets flush on ships? ›

The main feature of a boat's toilet is that it flushes directly into the water. As it is below the boat's surface, there's a hole in the hull through which its contents have to be pumped out. This operation may be a little scary the first time, but it is not difficult at all.

Shipboard potable water (drinking, bathing, whirlpools, etc.) either comes from a shoreside water treatment plant or is generated on board from seawater via Reverse Osmosis systems or Evaporators.

Some cruise lines do understand that the salt sea air and ocean waves can lead to romantic encounters. Royal Caribbean and MSC passengers do have access to condoms, pregnancy kits and lubrication, while P&O, Cunard and Princess have the morning after pill.

While there has been a rising concern and increased prevention of rodent activity on cruise ships/large vessels, chances are there will always be a potential for this problem.

All weapons are prohibited on cruises due to cruise ship security regulations. Guns are not allowed, with or without a concealed carry permit. Mace, pepper sprays and knives of any type are prohibited. The information contained on this website is provided as a service to USCCA, Inc.

Although cruise ship murders are incredibly rare, they do happen.

You see, every drain in your home is connected to a pipe that moves used water from your house to a sewer in the street; that's right, every toilet, shower, sink, washing machine, dishwasher, and anything else that uses water connects to one singular pipe.

Is The Water In The Toilet Dirty? The water in your toilet bowl is actually clean. Sure, it is full of bacteria, but that is because it contains sewage—which, by definition, is wastewater that contains human waste. However, the water itself is relatively clean and poses no health risk.

First, ships are allowed to dump untreated sewage into the ocean as long as they are further than 12 nautical miles from the coast. Think about that. Raw sewage can be dumped into the vast majority of the ocean.

What is the first step in cleaning the toilet and bathroom? ›

First, clear the floor of all items, such as baskets, towels, toilet plungers, etc. Second, sweep up any dust that collected on the floor, especially in the corners. Third, use a vacuum to remove any remaining debris. Fourth, mix warm water and an all-purpose cleaner in a bucket, and mop the floor.

1. Turn on all the lights & the exhaust fan. 2. Flush the toilet, apply product to bowl & allow to stand.

Cotton balls, cotton pads, and Q-Tips are definitely not safe to flush — they don't break down the way toilet paper does, and all they really do is clump together in your pipes and cause problems down the line.

Any Type of Plastic

It doesn't matter if it's packaging plastic or a Band-Aid, you can't flush plastics down a toilet. Plastic doesn't dissolve and can cause many problems in your pipes—if they get that far after a toilet flush.

The sewerage system pumps the sewage to a treatment plant where it is processed and treated to remove any contaminants. Once treated, the resulting effluent is released back out into waterways, where it continues its journey through the water cycle.

It costs the Navy $400K per flush to unclog its prized carrier's oft-congested plumbing. The Navy's prized new super carrier was meant to be a symbol of American military might over the world's oceans, but it is the ship's toilets and plumbing system that are proving to be obstacles the service has yet to master.

Since the wind was blowing from the rear to the front, the “head” (or front) of the ship was the best place for sailors to relieve themselves. So, when the shipmates went to the toilet, they went to the head. (I guess a sailor could have said, “I'm going to the bow.”)

The name “John” was later derived from “Jake” and “Jack.” Secondly but most notable amongst historians, John was the name of the first man credited with inventing the first flushing toilet. John Harington was born during the time in which Queen Elizabeth reigned.

A swirly or swirlie is a form of bullying in which the victim's head is put into a toilet. Some people have questioned whether swirlies are real or whether they were invented for television and other fiction.

Random Boat Facts, why a Boat bathroom is called a head -

Can you survive a ship sinking? ›

Fortunately, the odds of surviving a sinking ship are very high. The most important thing to do is stay calm.

Essentially, a cruise ship stays upright because they keep all of the heaviest equipment below deck. This has the effect of keeping a low center of gravity. In addition, the shape of a cruise ship's hull is wide and rounded, which helps it move through the ocean smoothly and with minimal drag.

The weight of the water displaced by the ship is equal to its weight, so it floats. Whereas the weight of the water displaced by the iron nail is less than its weight so the iron nail sinks.

The pump-out toilet comes either as a 'Dump-Through' unit (where the tank sits directly beneath the toilet) or with a remote tank, where the waste has to be transported away by pumps or vacuums via a pipe network.

Depending on the vessel, you may have to use a hand pump to operate the head. Once you've done your business, you'll need to flip a switch which allows you to pump water into the toilet bowl. Next, you flip the switch the other way, and you can pump the bowl out. Simple!

Cruise ship tap water is safe to drink unless you are told otherwise by the ship's authorities. The water throughout the ship has been treated, filtered and frequently tested to meet the standards of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Public Health Service on ships sailing into and out of U.S. ports of call.

Cruise lines drain their swimming pools at night to discourage guests from trying to enter the pool when it is closed. Draining the swimming pools each night also allows the cruise lines to replace the water with clean water and a drained swimming pool is safer if the weather is rough.

When a toilet is flushed on a cruise ship, the sewage travels to the onboard treatment plant. Here the waste is filtered before it enters an aeration chamber. The aeration chamber cleans the waste. It is then sterilized using UV light and released into the ocean when clean enough to do so.

Acceptable attire includes sportswear, collared shirts, pants and jackets (if desired, but not required) for men and sportswear, casual dresses, or skirts and pants with blouses or knit tops for women. Regular, but not torn or distressed jeans, are fine.

Do hookups happen on cruises? ›

It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that hookups can and do happen on a cruise. Call it love, call it romance, call it a one-night stand. No matter what you call it, there are people on every cruise that end up getting down after meeting on the ship.

The only things that should go down a ship toilet is body 'stuff' and toilet paper. (If the toilet backs up it is a major problem and you could be charged for the back up.) Everything else is disposed of in the trash can. The room steward will provide bags or you can bring your own.

Hazardous waste generated onboard cruise ships are stored onboard until the wastes can be offloaded for recycling or disposal in accordance with RCRA.

6. Toiletries, Make-Up, Etc. While you shouldn't plan on buying these items on the ship as they are heavily marked up, know that you don't need to panic if you forget toothpaste. Bonus Perk: “Etc.” includes condoms (even on Azamara).

Only four ocean cruise ships have sunk while on a cruise in the last 50 years. Assuming an average of 100 sailings per ship per year, and an average of 150 cruise ships in that time, that is odds of 1 in 187,500.

Tampons do not immediately clog up your toilet after one flush so it may seem like they are safe to flush. Instead, flushed tampons build up over time. Once one gets stuck, it becomes easier for other tampons and non-flushables to get snagged and clog up the pipes.

Apparently, there is a trend on cruise ships to put extra fat in the food which can have a laxative effect on a person. This is to make sure all of the ship's plumbing works properly and that there is little to no chance of the plumbing getting clogged or backed up.