How Do Cruise Ships Manage Their Water Supply?

[Biosyn]

Do cruise ships store clean water aboard in tanks or do they use desalination systems? Or do they take on water from their destination ports?
I did a search online and I couldn't find any reliable sources.

Is it any different on an ocean liner?

 

[russ_watters]

Navy ships make water using RO machines or distilling but top off their water tanks in port with city water. I can't imagine cruise ships would do any different.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

They use flash evaporators or reverse osmosis, but I would imagine that they keep a large quantity on hand and/or fill it from a municipal source whenever possible for cost reasons.

 

[Biosyn]

Thanks for the responses!

Could anyone of you give me references/articles about water treatment onboard cruise ships or ocean liners? That would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jtbell]

Is it any different on an ocean liner?

You can find out how it's done on the Queen Mary 2 by looking on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary_2

(are there any other ocean liners in regular passenger service nowadays?)

 

[Biosyn]

You can find out how it's done on the Queen Mary 2 by looking on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary_2

(are there any other ocean liners in regular passenger service nowadays?)

Thank you! I assume it'll be the same on cruise ships by Carnival, Royal Carribean, Norwegian