Shaking Hands

[djhsolara]

Being in business there are many occasions on a daily basis when I must shake hands, but believe me there is always a bottle of hand sanitizer nearby. I'm not opposed to shaking hands on a ship but generally just respect what I see someone else doing. At the Captain's party on our recent Celebrity sailing all of the officers stood in the greeting line with their hands behind their backs. I found that very obvious that there was to be no handshaking but also very respectful and not awkward.

 

 

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[JCrewz]

Tom:

 

I think your seeing from the repsonses here that it is awkward to refuse a handshake.....and the substitutes are not as well accepted as some would like them to be. If you sit at a table with someone after you have not shaken an extended hand, or made a spectacle of it somehow, it is logical to expect a strained conversation if someone feels a sense of rejection.

 

Your question is a thoughtful one. While I am more concerned with the folks that are hacking and sneezing into the food at the buffet line or will reach into the food bins without using the tongs, I would think that carrying the individually packaged sanitary napkins in your pocket may be a workable solution.

 

My grandmother was a germophobe on an epic scale. She would hug and kiss the family and shake hands with guests at every dining event...and then pull out one of her napkins, open it, and wipe her hands AND the base of her silverware. Wiping the silverware was odd, but when she did it nobody felt like they were the reason for her ritual.

 

If that sounds way too difficult, you can borrow Val Kilmer's great line in "Tombstone" when his Doc Holliday character was approached by the sheriff with an extended arm and just say "forgive me if I don't shake hands". Classic show.

 

I hope you have a great time and that you get off the ship without a cold!

[1 HappyCruiser]

Tom:

 

I think your seeing from the repsonses here that it is awkward to refuse a handshake.....and the substitutes are not as well accepted as some would like them to be. If you sit at a table with someone after you have not shaken an extended hand, or made a spectacle of it somehow, it is logical to expect a strained conversation if someone feels a sense of rejection.

 

 

Why not just indicate to the person that you have a cold coming on & don't want to give it to them. Works for me all the time. :D

[Irish1978]

I have no problem shaking hands - and the Captain has frequently shook hands with us at many events. Dont see the panic - you touch the same tap in the communcal bathrooms, press the same lift buttons, hold the same stairs hand rail etc.

 

My issue is more with the fake hugs people seem to suddenly expect when you are saying goodbye at the end of the cruise...definetly a American concept!

[GeriatricNurse]

I have no problem shaking hands - and the Captain has frequently shook hands with us at many events. Dont see the panic - you touch the same tap in the communcal bathrooms, press the same lift buttons, hold the same stairs hand rail etc.

 

My issue is more with the fake hugs people seem to suddenly expect when you are saying goodbye at the end of the cruise...definetly a American concept!

 

 

Well, I do have a problem shaking hands! ;) Whatever is wrong with the "Fist Bump"? :confused: And I only touch the tap in the "communcal" (communal):) bathrooms using a paper towel or cloth, press the "lift" (elevator):) buttons with the knuckle of a finger, (although some, apparantly, use their elbow):eek:, and I do not hold the stairs hands rails! ;)

[Irish1978]

Tough existance Geriatric...;)

[TheCalicoCat]

I would not refuse to shake someone's hand when it is offered. No matter what you say, it is implied criticism of the other person's friendly gesture.

 

We have also been on cruises where the officers shake hands and others where they don't.

 

Many passengers have the small sanitizing wipes or bottled sanitizer with us that we use before eating, after handling the menu in the dining room or serving utensils at the buffet. So it is easy enough to sanitize one's hands again discretely as the situation requires without making an issue of it.

 

Well put! I think the bigger offense would be to embarrass someone unnecessarily.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I have no problem shaking hands - and the Captain has frequently shook hands with us at many events. Dont see the panic - you touch the same tap in the communcal bathrooms, press the same lift buttons, hold the same stairs hand rail etc.

 

Maybe you do but more & more people are getting away from it.

My issue is more with the fake hugs people seem to suddenly expect when you are saying goodbye at the end of the cruise...definetly a American concept!

 

I think it's more common among the Canadians & French more so than Americans.

 

Well, I do have a problem shaking hands! ;) Whatever is wrong with the "Fist Bump"? :confused: And I only touch the tap in the "communcal" (communal):) bathrooms using a paper towel or cloth, press the "lift" (elevator):) buttons with the knuckle of a finger, (although some, apparantly, use their elbow):eek:, and I do not hold the stairs hands rails! ;)

 

After seeing the number of guys not washing their hands after using the bathroom the last thing I want to do is shake hands right before I sit down to eat....And they probably used the handrail on the way to the dining room also. Washing my hands in the room is the last thing I do before going to dinner and never touch a thing before I eat, except for the dirty menu's and haven't figured a way around that yet.

[Irish1978]

I think it's more common among the Canadians & French more so than Americans.

 

No definetly not - well not the French anyway! Us Europeans kiss our women and shake hands with our men. At least with a kiss you know what your getting....a kiss on the cheek and its over with, same with a handshake - quick squeeze and a wobble and your outta there. These hugs are so awkward - how tight do you squeeze, do you really want to be so close to that particular person, how long do you hold it for etc. Its a minefield ;) and in my experience its always the Americans....other than that I really like you lot :D

[Casino Player]

When my wife and I cruise we like to book open dining with 6 or 8 people at each table.

 

There are always people who want to shake hands during introductions.

 

How can I avoid doing that without appearing to be standoffdish?

 

Tom

 

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO shanni-shanni: Tell them the truth. They should know the truth right from the start. Tell them you feel uncomfortable shaking hands with strangers. At work there are a lot of people who have disgusting habits so I don't shake hands either. I also have tendinitis in my right arm and it hurts like hell when someone tries to squeeze my right hand.

[sail7seas]

I have to say I cannot recall ever seeing a gentleman 'fist bump' a lady he is meeting for the first time. That would surprise me.

 

I try hard to not shake hands while on ships.

I don't trust the little bottles of purell to kill noro like virus germs and I don't want those germs on my newly washed hands nor do I want that hand that might have just used a handkerchef or tissue at one's nose to be the last thing I touch before I pick up my dinner roll at the table.

 

If the Captain and Officers request we not shake hands then why would we do it? :confused:

[ksc1984]

It seems to me that you would only be shaking hands with your tablemates on the first meeting so why not follow custom and shake? You could then use hand sanitizer, and heck maybe just pass the stuff around the table!

 

I went to a wake this week where the receiving line was very long. I thought about all the people that were shaking hands with each other and what a great microbiology experiment could be done there that evening. I couldn't distinquish the people who had colds from the people who had been crying! So of course I shook with everyone who extended a hand, and down South that's most people. Just can't picture us doing the fist bump at a wake. (Maybe during a flu pandemic?) Anyway, my husband and I used sanitizer as soon as we left.

 

I'm a nurse in a high volume public health clinic were I physically touch many people. Gloves are worn only when contact with potentially infected material is likely. Good handwashing and sanitizing have prevented me from being sick for many years. My only colds or GI viruses were easily attributed to a same-inflicted family member. A lot can be avoided if you can keep your hands away from your face until they're clean!

[sail7seas]

 

 

<snip>

 

 

Anyway, my husband and I used sanitizer as soon as we left.

 

I'm a nurse in a high volume public health clinic were I physically touch many people. Gloves are worn only when contact with potentially infected material is likely. Good handwashing and sanitizing have prevented me from being sick for many years. My only colds or GI viruses were easily attributed to a same-inflicted family member. A lot can be avoided if you can keep your hands away from your face until they're clean!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[/b]

 

Are we sure those little bottles of hand sanitizer really kill Noro like virus germs? I wasn't sure they are effective agaist noro.

 

But your bold statement is definitely the key. It's a two prong process........ one has to have the germs on them and then has to provide entry into the body. To have dirty hands and wash them prior to touching eyes, nose or mouth probably will prevent you from becoming ill. Having dirty hands and touching eyes, nose or mouth is the pathway to infection.

 

[chrispb]

Don't forget, we all need to encounter some germs. We can take this too far and then our bodies won't build up any resistance.;)

[powderhorn]

Don't forget, we all need to encounter some germs. We can take this too far and then our bodies won't build up any resistance.;)

 

I agree....thanks to a good immune system, these days, I'm more worried my computer will catch a virus!:)

[shanni-shanni]

How about this?

 

:)

 

Tom

[kazu]

How about this?

 

:)

 

Tom

 

Only in Canada, eh?:D a solution to everyone's dilema :):p:)

[Amuse Bouche]

Someone please tell me my posts are visible.

 

I posted about shaking hands and not touching your face many posts back, it's repeated over and over....

 

I posted a quote from HALs facebook page on another thread, and two posts later, 3rd page mind you, someone said they hadn't seen it, even tho they had to trip over my quote to post...

 

Am I invisible????

[shrimpboat123]

Someone please tell me my posts are visible.

 

I posted about shaking hands and not touching your face many posts back, it's repeated over and over....

 

I posted a quote from HALs facebook page on another thread, and two posts later, 3rd page mind you, someone said they hadn't seen it, even tho they had to trip over my quote to post...

 

Am I invisible????

 

You are visible.

[vbmom87]

If someone is that worried about picking up germs by handshaking then I say stay home in your sanitized house. Where can you go and not touch surfaces that have been handled by others....the list is endless....doorknobs, chairs, menus, railings, etc. etc. etc. As mentioned, keep some purell in your pocket or purse and use it before eating. Our bodies do need to be exposed to germs in order to become immune to them. If we do such a good job of trying to stay away from germs, we won't build up immunities.

[Amuse Bouche]

You are visible.

 

 

Thanks :-) I was seriously starting to wonder!

[English_in_Spain]

Someone please tell me my posts are visible.

 

I posted about shaking hands and not touching your face many posts back, it's repeated over and over....

 

I posted a quote from HALs facebook page on another thread, and two posts later, 3rd page mind you, someone said they hadn't seen it, even tho they had to trip over my quote to post...

 

Am I invisible????

 

Who said that :confused: :D :D

[bob brown]

Perhaps the Asian (Japanese?), custom of 'bowing' should be universally adopted as a way to acknowledge someone you meet....no contact at all, yet is understood as a sign of respect....

[jcrandle]

Perhaps the Asian (Japanese?), custom of 'bowing' should be universally adopted as a way to acknowledge someone you meet....no contact at all, yet is understood as a sign of respect....

 

Considering the age of many of us HAL cruisers, we might never get back up!

[sail7seas]

Considering the age of many of us HAL cruisers, we might never get back up!

 

 

That made me LOL..... :D