Mechanism of acid-catalyzed addition of water across an alkene
No, the person on your ship is incorrect. 

An electron pair can only be transferred to electrophiles, which are species having a vacant orbital present on them. $\ce{H3O+}$ doesn't have a vacant orbital, so that can't happen. Here is a description as to why:


However,  $\ce{H+}$ ions, which have vacant orbitals can accept the pair and have it shift, while the other carbon sharing the double bond loses its electron, making it electrophilic, and can be approached by a nucleophile, in this case, $\ce{H2O}$: