SargassoPirate

23 hours ago, HotRoot said:

OK, I'll bite.  What do you do with this kettle?

What wowzz said. It's an in-room electric kettle with tea, instant coffees, creamers, sugar, sweeteners, and sometimes hot chocolate mix.

Common in the UK and OZ markets, the cruise lines don't supply them in other markets, citing them as a fire hazard when we all know it's just a cost saving move.

Years ago when I was naive about such things, I was on a cruise from Sydney to Seattle.  First leg was Sydney to Hawaii.  Second leg was Hawaii to Seattle.  Most of the Aussies got off in Hawaii and the kettles disappeared.  When I asked the cruise director about, with a straight face she said it was because they are a fire hazard.

Now I'm a cynic about such things.

19 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think you'll find that now all Princess ships sailing ex-UK will automatically have a kettle in all cabins, otherwise there would be a riot! 

Funny how those kettles are a dangerous fire hazard in all but the UK and OZ markets.

Ignorant people who don't wash their hands before touching food probably then wonder how they got Niro.   

Key word here is ignorant.

Doesn't really bother me what they do because I wash my hands and break the chain of contamination between the world and what goes into my mouth.

1 hour ago, KKB said:

Meh--just one more thing to pack...plus I drink it fast enough it doesn't get cold😂

I take an insulated to go cup on every cruise.  I pack it in one corner of the suitcase as fill it with handkerchiefs to offset the space it takes up.  One of life's little pleasures is to get a cup of coffee in the morning and carry it without worry about sloshing to watch the sunrise.

Never saw any chair hog nests on the aft deck.

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

If you don't mind, next time add some info in your topic headline so we know what kind of help you are looking for.

Made us look, though, didn't it? 🤪

6 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Hello,

 

I am late to this thread but I wonder if someone can help me with this question. I have heard that alcohol hand sanitizer does not kill norovirus. Is this true? If so does anyone know of a type of hand sanitizer or wipe that does kill norovirus?

 

Im conscious that whilst I will wash my hands before entering the buffet, I will then touch multiple surfaces and then use hand sanitizer before I eat, but that might not kill the virus?

 I washy washy on the way in, and then sanitize after touching common surfaces.  Then, I refrain from touching my food with my hands, I refrain from using common-use condiment dispensers, and I refrain from laying my silverware on the table.  I treat the world like the petri dish that it is and do everything possible to break the chain of cross-contamination.

Say what you will, but works for me.  I never get sick, still haven't had covid, and in over 50 cruises have never had noro.

13 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

There was a tip jar at the IC on the Enchanted the last full day of our cruise in March. 

Are you kidding?  I am surprised that management allowed it. 

It also pays to check prices and perks with other travel resources online - but I can't mention them here.

I've run into this "nightmare" many times over the years and when I see a long line for the tenders I turn it into an opportunity to find a beer or two and some shade to watch the proceedings.

You only have to be on the last tender and when the crew starts to dismantle their shoreside setup, it's time to saunter over and board.  

The ship, the food, and the entertainment will still be there.

I put a piece of painters tape over the light in the closet/bathroom area.  When I needed the light to see something on the shelves or in the safe, I just reached up and gave the tape a little twist and the light came on - albeit on a timer.

I can usually find a workaround for most "improvements for your convenience".  

31 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Suppose I only order 4 drinks per day with the plus package and since I've prepaid with the package plan for the whole cruise and gratuities for 15 drinks are already included, how are the gratuities for my unordered drinks distributed among the crew? Since Princess didn't have to serve those unorder drinks is it possible that they just keep those gratuities?

Excellent question.

I'm glad cruises are, for the most part, cashless.  Otherwise we'd probably see tip jars at the International Cafe, the Salty Dog, and the Pizzaria.

1 hour ago, Chefaleslie said:

"They should be used when handling ready- to-eat food. The exceptions include when washing produce, or when handling ready-to-eat ingredients for a dish that will be cooked to the correct internal temperature. Gloves must never be used in place of handwashing."

this is taken from the us servesafe manager handbook. That all American restaurants need to have a manager on duty certified by. 

I'm not trying to change your mind on anything, I don't really want to waste either if our time with that. I do want you to stop "having a little fun" by quizzing food service workers about doing their jobs. I can assure you they don't appreciate your trying to prove how much smarter you are than they are. It's not a good look. 

https://www.smchealth.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/servsafe_glove_use_11.15.pdf?1485884271#:~:text=They should be used when,used in place of handwashing.

Thank you for supporting my position on gloves and cross-contamination.  Your reference "They should be used when handling ready to eat food" makes sense, only if the gloves are then discarded before touching any other surface and returning to handling food.  That seems to work in Subway sandwich shops, but when I see food service workers wearing the same gloves to touch non-food preparation surfaces and then food without changing the gloves, I will continue to challenge them by asking why they are wearing gloves.

Just this past week I watched a food worker in a major hotel chain clear tables of dirty dishes and then pick up four tumblers in one hand by sticking her fingers down inside them, place them on a table, fill them with iced tea, and then wearing the same gloves place an unwrapped straw into each tumbler and serve them to unsuspecting guests.

Does that go unchallenged?

How about if it was your iced tea?

1 hour ago, Chefaleslie said:

Food Worker Handwashing and Restaurant Factors - EHS-Net Study Findings and Recommendations (cdc.gov)

Specifically: Handwashing may not always be enough to stop the spread of germs from hands to food. So the FDA recommends use of barriers such as gloves to stop the spread of germs. But research on handwashing and glove use in restaurants shows that these practices do not occur as often as they should. To improve these practices, we must understand factors linked with these practices. We interviewed and watched food workers to collect data on these practices.

 

Once again, please don't go in "quizzing" the people that are wearing gloves. These people are just following the rules. They should be regularly cleaning their can openers, changing the sanitizer, and changing gloves and washing hands between different foods. The front-line workers are following the rules to the best of their ability, and to the direction of their management staff. instead of quizzing them on the reasoning behind why they do things (the answer is always because they are paid to), you should ask about their day, if they got to get off the ship, when they get to go home.  These people are my people, I respect them and appreciate them. I currently and have always worked in food service, it's a hard enough job without know it all's trying to show how much smarter they are then the rest of us. 

Still waiting on your reference to the Food Service Sanitation Manual that addresses when and where gloves are required for food workers.

Maybe you can add your view on how gloves worn while touching contaminated surfaces and then food or clean utensils is an acceptable practice.

Until then, I stand by my view that gloves worn by food service workers only serve to keep their hands clean AND serve as excellent vectors for cross contamination.

I honestly think that two things that have kept me healthy over seven decades so far have been rigorous handwashing (pre-vaccine polio days) and playing outside in the dirt.

My grandmother always said "You gotta eat a peck of dirt before you die"

Safe travels.

30 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

I've been on a few cruises to witness what I call the "Niles Crane" behavior.  I try to be cautious, but sometimes it just is too much.  I can't enjoy a cruise if I can't touch anything anywhere on a cruise ship.  Might as well wear a full hazmat suit or at least wear your own latex gloves at all times.  😉

I don't worry at all what I touch on a ship or anywhere   I just break the chain of contamination by washing/sanitizing my hands before I touch my food.

No need to go all Niles Crane at all.

1 hour ago, Chefaleslie said:

Why are you being rude to food service workers? The answer they need to give you is, they are doing it because it's the rules they are told to follow. You trying to be "smarter" than the people that serve you food is nothing but mean spirited, and distasteful. If you want to have a serious discussion about the importance of proper glove wearing you need to speak with the heads of the CDC that come and do the inspections and set the rules for cruise ship food safety. Please be nice to the people that handle your food they deserve more respect than you are giving them currently.

Don't intend to be rude at all.  Having been retired for a number of years, my copy of the US Public Health Service Food Service Sanitation Manual is out of date.  Perhaps you can refer me to the sections in the current manual that addresses where and when gloves are required for food service workers.

The answer to the most contaminated areas in medical and food operations, in my experience, were:

Medical - door knobs and stethoscopes.  Swab samples transferred to a petri dish grew more cultures than anything else.

Food Operations - visually the nastiest places were the big can opener for #10 cans and the back of the meat slicer.  I could check those two locations and know how the rest of the inspection was going to go.  Swab cultures - anywhere near the cash register and the knobs on hand and dishwashing sinks were consistently contaminated.  Plastic gloves were not ubiquitous back then - but I would love to take some swab samples nowadays.

As I've said before, be suspicious of any food workers who wear plastic gloves and watch closely what those gloves touch.

Sometimes these issues work in our favor.  I was waitlisted for a long, sold-out cruise several years ago, but I still checked every morning.  One morning I logged in and I was able to book then and there, and without a single supplement.  No waitlist in effect.

As I watched the roll call discussions, the cruise was still sold out and waitlisted.  

I stayed quiet and enjoyed the cruise.

Sal, You might also look for photos of your ship online and see if you can figure out just how obstructed the view is from your cabin.

Also, I did an Alaska cruise with an inside cabin and never missed view or the balcony since about all I use the cabin for is a sleeping/changing room.

With an Alaska cruise, the inside passage and the arriving/departing port views are too spectacular to watch and the best views are from open decks.

Just sayin'

Cabins above, cabins below, and cabins across the corridor is the best way to go.

Why across the corridor too?  I don't trust those blank areas on the deck plans.  Wound up across from Stewart's Scullery and Mop Sink on an early cruise.  Never again.

10 hours ago, oakridger said:

When I hear that people wonder about visitors to the Lido buffet who don't stop and wash their hands, I consider that some people may do as I do.  I wash my hands in my cabin or the in the restroom right by the pool deck immediately before going up to the Lido, so you therefore won't witness my washing!

 

I use a tissue for the door leaving the restroom and a tissue or my knuckle to push the elevator button after leaving my cabin. My Mama taught me right!!!  😁

 

~Nancy

 

What else do you touch from the time you washed your hands until you sit down to eat? Food tongs? Bottom of the chair as you pull it in?  Condiment containers?  Do you lay your silverware on the table?

Personally, I couldn't care less about your's or anyone else's handwashing habits, except for the food workers.  I take steps to protect myself by frequent handwashing and then sanitizing after I've touched any contaminated surfaces - and every surface on a ship is contaminated -  before I eat.  I also grab an extra plate to rest my silverware on instead of the tabletop.

You see, my momma also raised me right in the pre-vaccine days of polio, and my education in public health raised my awareness of just how contaminated the world is and how cross-contamination works.

Workers spraying and wiping every surface within reach, plastic gloves on food workers, and removing condiment containers is all theater to make people feel safe when all we really need to do is take steps to protect ourselves by breaking the chain of transmission for noro and other nastys.

Having taken swab samples in many medical and food service settings in my career, would anyone venture a guess to the most contaminated surfaces were in my experience?

I always thought that they were cooking cabbage.

Thanks   I usually travel solo or with She Who Must Be Obeyed so I wasn't aware of the process.  Many thanks.

This is a new one for me.  Doing a cruise with a small group of friends all booking different cabins.  Can traveling companions in different cabins and bookings link booking numbers via the Medallion app and get in the same tour group when booking excursions?

There is no reason to crank the volume up  so far and all of my complaints have -no pun intended - fallen on deaf ears over the years.  We complain about it on every post cruise survey.  We also leave the venue if it's too loud.