clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #376 Share Posted May 30, 2016 oh please! Well it is true!! Evening wear is over the top expensive. And cruises are not cheap. By the time one pays for customary cruise accouterments one is out of a lot of money. Not to mention extras. Plus, in the grand old days when there were no limits on luggage one could schlep a lot of clothing. Not anymore. Travelers need to limit luggage these days for various reasons. Formal wear takes up a lot of packing space. We stick to very nice cocktail dresses and shirts and ties for the guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
path145 Posted May 30, 2016 #377 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Condensation on glasses can be dealt with using coasters or cocktail napkins. ;) The problem with silverware directly on the table of a mass market cruise ship is there are thousands of people using those dining room tables every year. :eek: And if previous posts are correct, fewer staff (due to cutbacks)may not be able to thoroughly disinfect the tabletops between passengers. Which is where asking for an extra napkin comes in: Use one as a place mat and one for the lap. :) And yet no one mentions the thousands of people who have used the same silverware! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firemanbobswife Posted May 30, 2016 #378 Share Posted May 30, 2016 And yet no one mentions the thousands of people who have used the same silverware! LOL Or the people that touch the silverware to place it either on the tablecloth or the napkin. At the very least they are touching the handles where you touch and then grab your bread. And what if they accidentally touch the part you put in your mouth. Oh the horror! The whole sanitation argument is just ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #379 Share Posted May 30, 2016 And yet no one mentions the thousands of people who have used the same silverware! LOL You check it for food particles and wipe it down with the Clorox wipes you have brought with you, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #380 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Or the people that touch the silverware to place it either on the tablecloth or the napkin. At the very least they are touching the handles where you touch and then grab your bread. And what if they accidentally touch the part you put in your mouth. Oh the horror! The whole sanitation argument is just ridiculous. Virtually every healthy person has Hydrochloric acid in their gastric acid to help them cope with regular germs. We are in pretty good shape on that front until some individual handling food decides not to/forgets to wash their hands after using the restroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jimbo5544 Posted May 30, 2016 #381 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Virtually every healthy person has Hydrochloric acid in their gastric acid to help them cope with regular germs. We are in pretty good shape on that front until some individual handling food decides not to/forgets to wash their hands after using the restroom. Ok, I will bite (pun intended). What does a individual handling food have to do with a tablecloth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #382 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Ok, I will bite (pun intended). What does a individual handling food have to do with a tablecloth?[/quote I give up: What DOES an individual handling a tablecloth have to do with food handling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jimbo5544 Posted May 30, 2016 #383 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Ok, I will bite (pun intended). What does a individual handling food have to do with a tablecloth?[/quote I give up: What DOES an individual handling a tablecloth have to do with food handling? Nothing.. Hence the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firemanbobswife Posted May 30, 2016 #384 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Virtually every healthy person has Hydrochloric acid in their gastric acid to help them cope with regular germs. We are in pretty good shape on that front until some individual handling food decides not to/forgets to wash their hands after using the restroom. So that same hydrochloric acid would be working whether or not someone touched your food, silverware, or if you put your silverware on a tablecloth or on a table without one. I still don't see the correlation to tablecloth = sanitary when there are so many other factors that can make your meal less than so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summersigh Posted May 30, 2016 #385 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Condensation on glasses can be dealt with using coasters or cocktail napkins. ;)We weren't given any of these and the water glasses had condensation that pooled on the table and dripped when you drank. The water carafe dripped all over when taken out of its dish to be poured. The problem with silverware directly on the table of a mass market cruise ship is there are thousands of people using those dining room tables every year. :eek: I felt very uncomfortable with my silverware on a table that I didn't know the "history" of the rag used to wipe it before me so I would set my utensils in my bread dish. And if previous posts are correct, fewer staff (due to cutbacks)may not be able to thoroughly disinfect the tabletops between passengers. Which is where asking for an extra napkin comes in: Use one as a place mat and one for the lap. :) I'm going to ask for the extra napkin next cruise.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leedm Posted May 30, 2016 #386 Share Posted May 30, 2016 If you are worried about touching something with germs and will a table cloth make a difference, think about your luggage and who/what has been in contact with it. Also the bottom of your shoes. LOL :rolleyes::confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #387 Share Posted May 30, 2016 So that same hydrochloric acid would be working whether or not someone touched your food, silverware, or if you put your silverware on a tablecloth or on a table without one. I still don't see the correlation to tablecloth = sanitary when there are so many other factors that can make your meal less than so. Neither do I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #388 Share Posted May 30, 2016 If you are worried about touching something with germs and will a table cloth make a difference, think about your luggage and who/what has been in contact with it. Also the bottom of your shoes. LOL :rolleyes::confused: You DO wash your hands before you eat after touching luggage handles, doorknobs, kiosks, etc? :rolleyes: BTW, I have repeatedly said in my previous posts I prefer clean, white, dry paper placemats to tablecloths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firemanbobswife Posted May 30, 2016 #389 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Neither do I. Well at least I'm not he only one. [emoji4] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinpsychRN Posted May 30, 2016 #390 Share Posted May 30, 2016 You DO wash your hands before you eat after touching luggage handles, doorknobs, kiosks, etc? :rolleyes: BTW, I have repeatedly said in my previous posts I prefer clean, white, dry paper placemats to tablecloths. They could bring back the placemats with the picture of the ship on it. Don't forget how dirty the seat is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #391 Share Posted May 30, 2016 they could bring back the placemats with the picture of the ship on it. don't forget how dirty the seat is. rotfl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #392 Share Posted May 30, 2016 I'm going to ask for the extra napkin next cruise.:) Condensation from water pitchers is troubling. Can't stand that. I would have gotten up and briefly wandered around until I found an unused napkin on an unused table, brought it back and set the carafe on it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firemanbobswife Posted May 30, 2016 #393 Share Posted May 30, 2016 (edited) Condensation from water pitchers is troubling. Can't stand that. I would have gotten up and briefly wandered around until I found an unused napkin on an unused table, brought it back and set the carafe on it. :) The water carafes are placed in a plastic holder that catches any condensation. They don't just leave a pitcher on the table. It may drip a little when lifted out but it's nothing major. No need to wander and steal someone else's napkin. Just ask your server for another. Edited May 30, 2016 by firemanbobswife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsfamily Posted May 30, 2016 #394 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Solved the tablecolth problem on our just completed Sunshine cruise.... we did not eat in the MDR! First night we left so late that late seating was after 9:30 (or later - did not try after that)... Rest was at Steak House(3) and the Italian place(1)... BTW no TC at the Steak House but not a drop of water from glasses... and it seemed quite right... the Italian place HAD TC's, go figure... and were very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summersigh Posted May 30, 2016 #395 Share Posted May 30, 2016 The water carafes are placed in a plastic holder that catches any condensation. They don't just leave a pitcher on the table. It may drip a little when lifted out but it's nothing major.. Apparently it was quite humid in the MDR on the first cruise after dry dock. It was our experience that the water that puddled in the carafe's plastic holder dripped all over the table when the staff poured water into our glasses. To BobsFamily - The first night of the cruise late fixed seating started at 8:45 (30 minutes late) because the late sailing pushed the early seating back 45 minutes. Subsequent nights were on time and even a few minutes early some nights. JiJi Asian and the Italian places both use table cloths every night ... I imagine for atmosphere and to set them apart from the Havanna Bar area. The tble cloths looked nice but we not ones to spend extra to eat on a cruise. We'd rather save those $$ to be spent going out more often at home.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #396 Share Posted May 30, 2016 The water carafes are placed in a plastic holder that catches any condensation. They don't just leave a pitcher on the table. It may drip a little when lifted out but it's nothing major. No need to wander and steal someone else's napkin. Just ask your server for another. Slick dig. Unnecessary, but slick none-the-less. First, if the table is empty it is not someone else's napkin. Second, if it is not removed from the immediate area it definitely is not stealing. Third, the comment was made in jest. The servers have never had a problem providing extra napkins when we asked. Your serve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #397 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Apparently it was quite humid in the MDR on the first cruise after dry dock. It was our experience that the water that puddled in the carafe's plastic holder dripped all over the table when the staff poured water into our glasses. To BobsFamily - The first night of the cruise late fixed seating started at 8:45 (30 minutes late) because the late sailing pushed the early seating back 45 minutes. Subsequent nights were on time and even a few minutes early some nights. JiJi Asian and the Italian places both use table cloths every night ... I imagine for atmosphere and to set them apart from the Havanna Bar area. The tble cloths looked nice but we not ones to spend extra to eat on a cruise. We'd rather save those $$ to be spent going out more often at home.:) Thank you for the tips. You seem very nice. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firemanbobswife Posted May 30, 2016 #398 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Slick dig. Unnecessary, but slick none-the-less. First, if the table is empty it is not someone else's napkin. Second, if it is not removed from the immediate area it definitely is not stealing. Third, the comment was made in jest. The servers have never had a problem providing extra napkins when we asked. Your serve. Wasn't meant to be a dig but if that's the way you want to take it then so be it. I was simply saying that it's not necessary to "wander" (your words) and find another napkin. As far as "stealing" it was meant in jest as you say. And you are right about the servers not having issues with bringing more napkins. That is EXACTLY the point I was making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwaters Posted May 30, 2016 #399 Share Posted May 30, 2016 [quote name='firemanbobswife']Wasn't meant to be a dig but if that's the way you want to take it then so be it. I was simply saying that it's not necessary to "wander" (your words) and find another napkin. As far as "stealing" it was meant in jest as you say. And you are right about the servers not having issues with bringing more napkins. That is EXACTLY the point I was making.[/QUOTE] Okay, no worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hulagal1 Posted January 1, 2019 #400 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I no longer book Ccl for this very reason. 25 Ccl cruises and no more. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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