Man, ice cubes are not the problem here. People love to blame the ice method but I've used it for years on phals and they're fine. The real issue is that most orchids sold at grocery stores and big box places are already half dead before you get them home, packed in that moss that holds water like a sponge. Your neighbor in Tucson probably just told you to water less often, which has nothing to do with ice and everything to do with not drowning the roots. Five orchids dying points at something else going on, like no drainage, cold drafts, or roots rotting in wet moss. Ice cubes melting slow actually give the plant a small drink without soaking the whole pot, so for a lot of people it works better than dumping a cup of water in there.