Obligatory handwashing on Princess???

[Blondilu]

I was on the Royal at the beginning of August and they were insistent about hand-washing. The Captain even came over the intercom at least once a day to give updates about the Noro outbreak followed by instructions on HOW to wash your hands. He pointed out that washing your hands was the single best defense against getting sick.

 

And yet, there were those who resisted. One woman told the attendant at the buffet entrance "I just washed my hands in my stateroom." The attendant replied, "Did you touch anything on your way here?" She ignored him.

 

That struck a nerve with me so I started thinking about how many times I touched something throughout the day that had been touched by others. Stair rails, door handles, elevator buttons. Then gave thought to how many times I touched my face. Wow. You won't have to remind me again to wash my hands before I eat.

 

I thought the hand-washing stations were a good idea and not at all upsetting. What IS upsetting is hearing the Captain remind people to wash their hands "after using the toilet". Yes, he mentioned that, among other things, on a daily basis. Unbelievable that he found it necessary to even mention.

[shredie]

I wash my hands in the closest restroom to the buffet and MDR before entering (use paper towel to open the door if door doesn't swing outward with a hip pus and usually still have wet hands when entering for food.

 

I skip the hand sanitizer because it doesn't do a thing except maybe wet the top layer of dirt on unwashed hands. Yes, I do get dirty looks from the ignorant that don't know the hand sanitizer is just a inefficient attempt to clear hands.

 

And of course you touch nothing else on your way to the dining room. I'm curious. Is it easy to push the elevator button with your hip? (The closest restroom to many of the TD aft dining rooms is a floor up.)

 

I think it's quite funny that OP wants us to be outraged that someone made him/her wash. "How dare you prevent me from spreading germs?" LOL.

[Pam in CA]

We just returned from a transatlantic cruise from Southampton to Ft Lauderdale on Royal Princess. To our astonishment, we were informed that in order to enter the cafeterias on Deck 16 all passengers were required to wash their hands, in view of the steward(s) at the door. Refusal was met with refusal to let the passenger enter the cafeteria.

YES! This is one of the best ways to contain Noro or other viruses. Purell as said is more of a "feel good" measure and helps protect against bacterial disease but does little to protect against a virus. Definitely not "humiliating" as this is what you should be doing before entering any buffet, restaurant or dining room. Far more effective. Some people cheat and anything any cruiseline can do to prevent passengers from bypassing washing their hands, I'm all for it.

 

I would hope others want to prevent the spread of disease and are willing to support Princess.

[joybook]

So you found the experience humiliating - you've got to be joking. Well done Princess - keep it up and be diligent about it.:)

[oceanseagle12]

YES! This is one of the best ways to contain Noro or other viruses. Purell as said is more of a "feel good" measure and helps protect against bacterial disease but does little to protect against a virus. Definitely not "humiliating" as this is what you should be doing before entering any buffet, restaurant or dining room. Far more effective. Some people cheat and anything any cruiseline can do to prevent passengers from bypassing washing their hands, I'm all for it.

 

I would hope others want to prevent the spread of disease and are willing to support Princess.

 

 

As pointed out previously, the Purell used by the cruise lines does kill Noro. Not trying to argue but I think people would comply more if they realize that it does work.

 

 

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[skedaddle43]

I'm all in favor of anything that will help prevent the spread of disease on a cruise ship or anywhere else. While living in a hospital - one of the "dirtiest" places on earth - for a month while my husband was awaiting a heart transplant, I learned many ways to avoid touching things others may have touched, like pressing elevator buttons with a knuckle on my non-dominant hand and using my elbow rather than hand on stair railings and escalators. All habits I still employ. And I have almost broken myself of touching my hair and face! Unfortunately not all people are so conscientious. Being sick is no fun when there are places to go and things to do.

[atog254]

I suffered the Novo Virus a few years ago and had always used the sanitizers whenever entering the dining area. It is not you but the other guy that thinks they are too good to "Have To"

 

Now I have gone one more step. When you think of how much you touch and then touch your face, I use the stations to clean my hands then one final precaution. Since I have facial hair, I rub the last squirt on my face! May not help, but makes me feel better. LOL

[Retiring cajun]

I've even washed my hands after getting food in buffet, before I eat as people have touched the serving utensils..

[QuilterGirl]

I've even washed my hands after getting food in buffet, before I eat as people have touched the serving utensils..

 

Have you thought about how many folks in the MDR have handled the menus before you? Did they all wash immediately beforehand? If not, what have they touched since they last washed? Gross! We use sanitizer after getting buffet food AND after having handled the menus in the MDR. Also in land-based restaurants with menus. As for land-based fast-food venues, we use it after ordering and paying and being seated.

 

It doesn't prevent all illness, but it has to help.

[Retiring cajun]

Quilter girl, I agree!! Have held many dirty menus :)

[CI66774]

OP - chiming in here. I'm puzzled why you would characterize the mandatory hand washing as "unsettling," and "humiliating." I bet you'd be the first person to complain about Princess' insufficiencies if you came down with Noro. Be glad Princess was proactive.

[topspot]

I was happy to see the sinks on Royal this summer. My hands break out from most hand sanitizers and I won't use them. I was happy to use the sinks!! As a nurse I respect proper hand hygiene;):D

[donaldsc]

 

After a week this humiliating practice ended and the ship (finally) installed the Purell machines all other cruise lines use (and which Royal Princess itself uses in the main dining rooms!) without announcement or explanation. An excess of zeal by the Capitain? Paranoia about shipboard viral :eek:contamination? Who knows? No official announcement of the policy or explanation was ever issued or given anyone.

 

.

 

In what way was this humiliating?

 

DON

[caribill]

 

What sort of hand-washing did they have if it wasn't a Purell machine???

 

A regular sink as shown below. There were two sinks at each entrance top the buffet area.

 

 

Washing hands does not kill the norovirus, it removes it from the hands and down the sink the virus goes. The Purell neither kills it or removes it.

[Doggielover68]

I wish all cruise ships had this. I would love to be able to wash my hands before eating without going into the public restroom. I don't understand what is so humiliating about washing your hands. I see way too many people leaving the restroom without washing their hands, both on ships and on land.

 

 

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[Loonbeam]

The ship may have been under enhanced protocols for some reason, hence the emphasis on hand washing. It can be a bit jarring, but its probably THE most effective anti-virus spreading method on a ship.

[JimmyVWine]

I would much rather suffer the indignity and humiliation of being required to wash my hands then be forced to put that sticky goo on my hands. I don't care if Purell works or not. It turns my hands red, chapped and raw.

[Amtrack Springfield]

We have been on the Regal and will be on the Royal next. My only issue is the floor gets wet and slippery by the sinks. Wash your hands! 😅

[FritzG]

News to me ... We have seen and used the Purell machines on CB, EP, RU which are in the Lido Buffet area.

 

Seems odd they would not have been at entrances to same areas on Royal/Regal.

 

Sailing on Regal in early Nov, so we'll see what we have there.

 

What sort of hand-washing did they have if it wasn't a Purell machine???

 

I was on the same cruise. There are two sinks at the entrance to HC on both sides, and there are also Purell dispensers just past them. For the first week they insisted on hand washing before entering, but by week 2 it was sporadic, and by the third week a number of passengers just walked by saying that they would use the Purell, or that they just washed their hands in their cabin, or any other excuse.

It was a joke. Everyone should have been forced to wash their hands no matter what their flimsy excuse was. I cannot imagine why washing your hands would be bizarre or humiliating, and it's for everyone's protection.

Edited September 26, 2015 by FritzG

[FritzG]

We were on the same cruise and we appreciated the extra effort by Princess to prevent disease. It was no big deal and actually to me very pro-active!

 

We thought it was proactive, too, until the last week when no one seemed to care if anyone washed their hands.

[Iamcruzin]

I think you should be humiliated for not washing your hands.

[FritzG]

i think you should be humiliated for not washing your hands.

 

agree!

[riclop]

We just returned from a transatlantic cruise from Southampton to Ft Lauderdale on Royal Princess. To our astonishment, we were informed that in order to enter the cafeterias on Deck 16 all passengers were required to wash their hands, in view of the steward(s) at the door. Refusal was met with refusal to let the passenger enter the cafeteria.

 

After a week this humiliating practice ended and the ship (finally) installed the Purell machines all other cruise lines use (and which Royal Princess itself uses in the main dining rooms!) without announcement or explanation. An excess of zeal by the Capitain? Paranoia about shipboard viral :eek:contamination? Who knows? No official announcement of the policy or explanation was ever issued or given anyone.

 

Bizarre and very unsettling. Will be interested to see if future passengers encounter the same nonsense.

 

You make no sense , they are doing for your own good and that practice has been on the Royal and most clean people have had no problem with it.

[dchip]

We were on the Royal for 20 days in April. The ship was under no restrictions. There was an employee at each entrance of the Horizon Court requesting people wash their hands. What an awful job. The grief they took from some passengers was horrible. I do agree with another poster that the wet floors are a problem that needs solving.

 

Cheers, Denise

[cruisequeen4ever]

I think enforced hand washing is fantastic! [emoji482] to a healthy cruise!