Riviera 12/12/1015

[Paulchili]

Boarding was easy, and not delayed as the Oceania email said.

 

Dinner last night in Jacques was fabulous; foie gras, escargot, lobster thermidor, raspberry sorbet all served beautifully. Service was perfect. Our dinner companion (someone from our roll call) wondered how we were able to read the menu. Although she reads a little French, she was still confused. So we looked at her menu. She had been given the French/Portugese version. We all had a good laugh, including the waitress.

 

We've arrived in Key West on time this morning and the ship has been cleared.

 

We're pleasantly surprised that after all the problems we've read about here on Cruise Critic that things appear to be running smoothly.

 

Glad to hear that all is well so far. May it continue :)

[Paulchili]

Terrace Cafés on all O ships always have staff serving the food instead of self-serve.

 

Except when some rude and impatient people insist on serving themselves (I have witnessed enough of that on our last few cruises) - probably one of the the roots of the Noro problem.

I suspect that many cruisers new to Oceania are accustomed to serving themselves in the buffets on other ships (or at their home restaurants).

Edited December 13, 2015 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

Except when some rude and impatient people insist on serving themselves (I have witnessed enough of that on our last few cruises) - probably one of the the roots of the Noro problem.

I suspect that many cruisers new to Oceania are accustomed to serving themselves in the buffets on other ships (or at their home restaurants).

I agree Paul

I think they need to put the glass panels right to the counter so no hands can get to the food

I would be happy if they also served the rolls & not let people help themselves

Some people must have been raise in a barn form some of the things I have witnessed :eek:

Edited December 13, 2015 by LHT28

[rallydave]

Except when some rude and impatient people insist on serving themselves (I have witnessed enough of that on our last few cruises) - probably one of the the roots of the Noro problem.

I suspect that many cruisers new to Oceania are accustomed to serving themselves in the buffets on other ships (or at their home restaurants).

 

Paul, respectfully disagree with your notion that the people serving themselves is probably one of the roots of the Noro problems. As far as I know, Oceania is the only or one of the only cruise lines where people are served by crew members at the buffet. Most cruise lines allow people to serve themselves and for the majority of the time they do not have the Noro problems that Oceania has had recently.

 

Don't disagree that it is nice to be served and serving does mostly eliminate passengers touching utensils and sometimes food but, the proof is in the pudding that with most ships not serving buffet customers, there has to be some other problem onboard that Oceania needs to identify to stop this from happening in the future. Certainly hope they have a team on the job looking for the problem(s) and then correcting them ASAP. They also need to bring service staff up in quantity and training as from the reports that is a shortcoming as well.

 

There is room for improvement across the board and the sounds of silence do not appear to show that the problems are being taken seriously and that solutions to the problems will soon be identified and rectified.

[Paulchili]

Self-serving obviously does not cause Noro but definitely helps to spread Noro (and other illnesses) when present.

[wally_bushy]

Self-serving obviously does not cause Noro but definitely helps to spread Noro (and other illnesses) when present.

 

Agreed

Stand back at a typical self serve buffet and watch some of the unhygienic actions of some:(

[TrulyBlonde]

I was recently on Celebrity for a month and rarely ate at the buffet because you would see the utensils laying in the salad bowl etc. after people had handled them. Rather disgusting to witness. They were prudent when it came to hand sanitizers before entering the buffet. I also witnessed a young woman leaving the restroom without washing her hands and another woman walking up the staircase while flossing her teeth. Disgusting!

 

This is why we prefer O and enjoy eating at the Terrace Cafe while being served vs: what we experienced on X.

[harryw]

I agree Paul

I think they need to put the glass panels right to the counter so no hands can get to the food

I would be happy if they also served the rolls & not let people help themselves

Some people must have been raise in a barn form some of the things I have witnessed :eek:

 

Good point about the rolls. It bothered me on past cruises to see passengers grab them...

 

Harry

[kazu]

 

 

I suspect that many cruisers new to Oceania are accustomed to serving themselves in the buffets on other ships (or at their home restaurants).

 

 

I hope we are not blaming the O newbies ("new to O") for the Noro.

 

I can assure you that most of us have been served in the past and do have manners.;)

 

It wasn't a new cruiser to O who said "I have been on 15 O cruises and never sanitized" .

 

Certainly passengers may have been spreading it just as some crew were most likely. But let's not blame the newbies. They were all seasoned travellers on our roll call and from what I could see on board, as well.

Edited December 14, 2015 by kazu

[Paulchili]

I hope we are not blaming the O newbies ("new to O") for the Noro.

 

I can assure you that most of us have been served in the past and do have manners.;)

 

It wasn't a new cruiser to O who said "I have been on 15 O cruises and never sanitized" .

 

Certainly passengers may have been spreading it just as some crew were most likely. But let's not blame the newbies. They were all seasoned travellers on our roll call and from what I could see on board, as well.

 

Kazu,

I am not blaming you (or anyone else)personally - just making my observations. Having cruised on Oceania for over 10 years I have seen many changes over this time. The last several cruises have had ever increasing numbers of first time O cruisers, both from US and overseas - this is a fact. I have definitely seen many more people serving themselves in the buffets than I had seen previously (as well as other behaviors that are not pertinent to the discussion here). I don't know if they were the newbies or not because I didn't ask them at the time I saw this behavior but am just making this observation based on my last few cruises. I have also cruised on many other lines and on just about all of them people DO serve themselves in the buffets (another fact) - so it is not such a stretch to assume that they would likely do the same on Oceania (until instructed otherwise and hopefully complying).

As I said before, self serving does not cause Noro (someone brings it on) but sure helps to spread it faster.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Paulchili

[ORV]

Kazu,

I am not blaming you (or anyone else)personally - just making my observations. Having cruised on Oceania for over 10 years I have seen many changes over this time. The last several cruises have had ever increasing numbers of first time O cruisers, both from US and overseas - this is a fact. I have definitely seen many more people serving themselves in the buffets than I had seen previously (as well as other behaviors that are not pertinent to the discussion here). I don't know if they were the newbies or not because I didn't ask them at the time I saw this behavior but am just making this observation based on my last few cruises. I have also cruised on many other lines and on just about all of them people DO serve themselves in the buffets (another fact) - so it is not such a stretch to assume that they would likely do the same on Oceania (until instructed otherwise and hopefully complying).

As I said before, self serving does not cause Noro (someone brings it on) but sure helps to spread it faster.

 

Obviously those of us that have been on O before, or have taken the time to read these boards are aware that the Terrace is not self serve, but the first timers that are not aware really don't have any way of knowing. It's not like it's posted anywhere with a sign, although it's fairly obvious if you pay attention. There are more than a few tongs and serving utensils accessible to guests, so if they don't know better it's hard to blame them.

 

What is the answer to this? Should there be signs posted? Should it be in the currents? Lynn's idea of the guards coming all the way down would certainly be a huge help. You can't touch what you can't get to, although I think it would reduce the up close visual appeal.

 

Probably nothing will happen, and things will go on as they always have. Most people eventually figure it out.

 

One thing that always amuses me are those folks that even though they know they are being served still stick their hands under the glass way back to point out what they want. :rolleyes:

[Fetchpeople]

I am not a medical professional.

I have no connection to Oceania nor to any travel company

I have no connection to anyone or any company which provides or makes hand sanitizers or the like

 

What I do not understand is the concern if someone uses their hands to take a piece of bread rather than tongs. What's the difference between a person infected with a virus or bacteria who gifts their condition by using the tongs or by touching a piece of bread?

 

Seems to this amateur that spreading through the tongs could potentially impact far more passengers and crew than a casual brush against a single roll or slice of bread.

[LHT28]

What I do not understand is the concern if someone uses their hands to take a piece of bread rather than tongs. What's the difference between a person infected with a virus or bacteria who gifts their condition by using the tongs or by touching a piece of bread?

 

Seems to this amateur that spreading through the tongs could potentially impact far more passengers and crew than a casual brush against a single roll or slice of bread.

I agree with you

point is some will take the roll & handle it & put it back ..like picking apples in the supermarket

I would prefer the rolls were handed out by the crew

I dislike buffets anyway but sometimes they are handy for a quick bite

[LHT28]

another observation on buffets is even though they have servers they pass the plate to you under the sneeze guard so your arm is reaching over the open food in the warming dishes

 

Why not lower the glass to the counter & lower the top so the servers can give you the plate of food over the top of the glass :confused::confused:

 

JMO

 

I know people like to pick out just the right amount of food or the perfect piece

Edited December 14, 2015 by LHT28

[Paulchili]

another observation on buffets is even though they have servers they pass the plate to you under the sneeze guard so your arm is reaching over the open food in the warming dishes

 

Why not lower the glass to the counter & lower the top so the servers can give you the plate of food over the top of the glass :confused::confused:

 

JMO

 

I know people like to pick out just the right amount of food or the

 

Lyn - good idea.

What ship is that picture from?

[LHT28]

Lyn - good idea.

What ship is that picture from?

Eurodam

 

Still would like to see them down to the counter then no guessing if self serve is allowed or not

 

Looking at the Preisman's blog the glass is just as bad

http://www.thepreismans.com/riviera_mayan.htm

Edited December 14, 2015 by LHT28

[Paulchili]

Eurodam

I think the ones on O are a bit lower over the hot food but I do not have a photo

 

Still would like to see them down to the counter then no guessing if self serve is allowed or not

 

I didn't recognize it as any O ship :)

I think with the glass all the way down and the serving utensils behind the glass would solve the "problem" of self serving.

[cruisedoctor]

The casino is operating again.

 

Dr. J

[tgg]

Another beautiful day on the Riviera. The sun is shining, the food is good, service levels are what they should be, and the crusty breads and rolls are crusty. What more could a person want?:)

[Paulchili]

Another beautiful day on the Riviera. The sun is shining, the food is good, service levels are what they should be, and the crusty breads and rolls are crusty. What more could a person want?:)

 

That is definitely more like it - glad to hear that all is well (again) :)

[lais]

Another beautiful day on the Riviera. The sun is shining, the food is good, service levels are what they should be, and the crusty breads and rolls are crusty. What more could a person want?:)

Yes such a beautiful day!!! Life is good 🌴

[lais]

I didn't recognize it as any O ship :)

I think with the glass all the way down and the serving utensils behind the glass would solve the "problem" of self serving.

I've been walking around the buffet with my hands behind my back so I don't accidentally touch anything lol. I think they should make everyone do that

[ORV]

The casino is operating again.

 

Dr. J

 

FWIW, the casino wasn't closed any(except at ports) during the worst part of the outbreak on the TA. So I wouldn't read a whole lot into that being a positive sign. BUT, hopefully the issue is fixed and cruisers on this and future cruises can get back to enjoying their vacations.

 

Oh wait, it was closed for a machine upgrade, right? Did they put any better machines in? It sure needs it. They're sad.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ORV

[LHT28]

Another beautiful day on the Riviera. The sun is shining, the food is good, service levels are what they should be, and the crusty breads and rolls are crusty. What more could a person want?:)

the big question

Is there any Noro still about ?

[LHT28]

The casino is operating again.

 

Dr. J

Did they upgrade the machine so someone can win something?? :D