Ship Hygiene. Please wash your hands

[Ship Drongo]

I would implore all followers to contribute to this thread. At the same time I urge Cruise Critic to institute a campaign on all forums to spread the message: 'Help all cruisers avoid illness'

 

At the risk of offending some followers of Cruise Critic: If you are someone who doesn't automatically wash your hands thoroughly with soap and drying them after using the toilet, I don't want you on my cruise or any cruise. If you likewise don't take advantage of the excellent cruise lines' policies of actively encouraging the use of hand sanitisor before eating, you are selfish by causing illness and inconvenience to your fellow cruisers.

 

I can only speak for men, but I see a significant number of men not washing their hands properly or at all after the toilet. Are you aware that just by touching the door handle of the bathroom you can spread bacteria from an unwashed hand? Princess ships even have a sign in bathrooms suggesting use of a paper towel on bathroom door handles.

 

I urge all those who do the right thing to avoid touching the bathroom door handles without the use of a paper towel. I do not encourage you to get into confrontations with cruisers who are irresponsible in this regard, but rather to encourage cruise staff at every opportunity to enforce hygienic practices. For instance, cruise staff need to strictly monitor hand sanitising stations and refuse entrance to those who decline to do the right thing.

 

Come on cruisers and cruise companies. Help make our cruising experience illness free! ;)

[rabbitoh_777]

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I would implore all followers to contribute to this thread. At the same time I urge Cruise Critic to institute a campaign on all forums to spread the message: 'Help all cruisers avoid illness'

 

At the risk of offending some followers of Cruise Critic: If you are someone who doesn't automatically wash your hands thoroughly with soap and drying them after using the toilet, I don't want you on my cruise or any cruise. If you likewise don't take advantage of the excellent cruise lines' policies of actively encouraging the use of hand sanitisor before eating, you are selfish by causing illness and inconvenience to your fellow cruisers.

 

I can only speak for men, but I see a significant number of men not washing their hands properly or at all after the toilet. Are you aware that just by touching the door handle of the bathroom you can spread bacteria from an unwashed hand? Princess ships even have a sign in bathrooms suggesting use of a paper towel on bathroom door handles.

 

I urge all those who do the right thing to avoid touching the bathroom door handles without the use of a paper towel. I do not encourage you to get into confrontations with cruisers who are irresponsible in this regard, but rather to encourage cruise staff at every opportunity to enforce hygienic practices. For instance, cruise staff need to strictly monitor hand sanitising stations and refuse entrance to those who decline to do the right thing.

 

Come on cruisers and cruise companies. Help make our cruising experience illness free! ;)

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I feel ill, nanny wipe my botty...

 

:rolleyes:

 

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[tazza_0712]

It's quite disgusting. I always see people leaving the restroom without washing their hands. Then I judge them quite horrendously and can only begin to imagine what their homes must look like. :D

 

To that end, I don't touch my face/mouth/food that I eat/straws/rims of glasses basically ever, unless I have just washed my hands. I also use paper towel when exiting the restroom and this is made super easy because of the waste bin placed next to the door.

 

People will always be quite gross, and have terrible hygiene habits and the only thing I can control is my response. So that's why I am extra vigilante and switched on whilst onboard a cruise, but also public transport, shopping centres and the like.

 

 

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[Lanwood]

I also use paper towel when exiting the restroom and this is made super easy because of the waste bin placed next to the door.

 

I do the same thing. I vary rarely use the public restrooms, I think its more hygienic on a ship to use our cabins, but when I do, I always use paper towels to open the door after washing.

[The_Big_M]

And in the spirit of this public service announcement, probably worthwhile adding this link:

 

 

:p

[GUT2407]

I do the same thing. I vary rarely use the public restrooms, I think its more hygienic on a ship to use our cabins, but when I do, I always use paper towels to open the door after washing.

 

Agree, I just duck back to our cabin.

 

At least then it's only our germs and Stewart's to worry about.

[Blue Elephant]

I suspect you are preaching to the converted here. Members of Cruise Critic are well aware of the issue of noroviruus on ships. It is more likely to be the infrequent cruisers that think they don't need to be hygienic when they use the toilet.

 

actually, I blame the school children that go on cruises over the summer. Mum and dad can tell them to wash their hands - but who listens to their boring old parents? And also the higher temperature allow bugs to replicate that little bit quicker at the height of summer.

[gbenjo]

Ah yes..another chance to tell my two favorite cruise ship hygiene stories....

 

Cruising on the Celebrity Infinity through the Panama Canal and the girl that ran a lot of the trivia and games etc on board was extremely diligent about cleaning anything that she could whenever she arrived at a venue and encouraged the guests to do the same. One particular evening she held a talent quest and after all the acts had performed there was a lull before announcing the winner. I took this chance to visit the gents, as did one of the contestants, a youngish English lad (with not a bad voice) After standing next to this chap in the gents I noticed he headed straight out again without washing his hands ( perhaps he was a little nervous). Back outside and the girl was announcing the winner and yes, it was our young English lad who went up,collected his prize and eagerly shook hands with the poor unsuspecting girl..if only she knew. :eek::eek:

 

Second story...and this happens all the time... as part of my job working at the OPT in Sydney I sometimes do the security scan of the passengers seapass cards as they board the ship.Hand sanitizer dispensers are placed just after you step off the gangway or just before (by the way... if there are say two and a half thousand passengers on a cruise "perhaps" you would be lucky if three hundred will sanitize there hands as they board). and there are always a few of those three hundred that will stop ,place their seapass in their mouth, sanitize their hands as they walk toward the scanner and then stop, take the card out of their mouths and hand it to us to scan. :eek::eek::eek:....at least they a responsible enough to clean their hands in the first place:D

[Brisbane41]

I would implore all followers to contribute to this thread. At the same time I urge Cruise Critic to institute a campaign on all forums to spread the message: 'Help all cruisers avoid illness'

 

At the risk of offending some followers of Cruise Critic: If you are someone who doesn't automatically wash your hands thoroughly with soap and drying them after using the toilet, I don't want you on my cruise or any cruise. If you likewise don't take advantage of the excellent cruise lines' policies of actively encouraging the use of hand sanitisor before eating, you are selfish by causing illness and inconvenience to your fellow cruisers.

 

I can only speak for men, but I see a significant number of men not washing their hands properly or at all after the toilet. Are you aware that just by touching the door handle of the bathroom you can spread bacteria from an unwashed hand? Princess ships even have a sign in bathrooms suggesting use of a paper towel on bathroom door handles.

 

I urge all those who do the right thing to avoid touching the bathroom door handles without the use of a paper towel. I do not encourage you to get into confrontations with cruisers who are irresponsible in this regard, but rather to encourage cruise staff at every opportunity to enforce hygienic practices. For instance, cruise staff need to strictly monitor hand sanitising stations and refuse entrance to those who decline to do the right thing.

 

Come on cruisers and cruise companies. Help make our cruising experience illness free! ;)

 

I think this is highly offensive and inappropriate with sweeping generalisations and statements about other peoples personal hygiene that you know nothing about.

 

Unwashed hands are the least of your concern. You have no idea of the personal hygiene practices of each and every passenger, you have no idea if those gels at food serving lines are of any benefit whatsoever considering that they can encourage a resistant form of virus and bacteria which is even worst.

 

I say leave it to the professionals to dish out advice, mind your own business and go back to enjoying your holidays instead of trying to tell other people what to do and making out that they need educating like little children. We are all adults here supposedly and we do not need this dribble forced onto us by other passengers.

[Nicstar]

I think this is highly offensive and inappropriate with sweeping generalisations and statements about other peoples personal hygiene that you know nothing about.

 

Unwashed hands are the least of your concern. You have no idea of the personal hygiene practices of each and every passenger, you have no idea if those gels at food serving lines are of any benefit whatsoever considering that they can encourage a resistant form of virus and bacteria which is even worst.

 

I say leave it to the professionals to dish out advice, mind your own business and go back to enjoying your holidays instead of trying to tell other people what to do and making out that they need educating like little children. We are all adults here supposedly and we do not need this dribble forced onto us by other passengers.

Agree about the hand sanitisers. They are so overused and they don't kill many germs anyway. Not to mention the generic ones like used on cruise ship can make skin (mine) crack.. and guess where germs will hide... in cracked skin.

 

A thorough hand washing before i the cabin will suffice for me and if they insist i have to use a sanitiser at the entrance i will pull out my own preferred brand of natural hand sanitiser.

 

However, i also wish everyone would just wash their hands properly. So frustrating. I once travelled with someone who i knew wasn't washing their hands after using the bathroom (could tell because that time between flush and bathroom door opening was a matter of 5 seconds, if that). It was a hard situation, without actually seeing the non-washing-of-hands can I say something? I was really conscious that trip of keeping my belongings out of their way so they wouldn't need to touch them, and giving the bathroom a wipe down whenever I was in there.

 

 

 

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[Tara Jane]

Great post, and yes you are probably preaching to the converted but it doesn't hurt to have extra reminders. I never use the public bathrooms always a trip back to the cabin, a little bit of extra exercise doesn't hurt considering all the extra calories that we are consuming.

I have trained my 2 grandchildren since they were very young to sing happy birthday twice when washing their hands. Now they are at an age where they wouldn't sing it out loud but yes the little one age 7 always sings it to herself. Not sure just who gave me the info but it seemed good enough and ensure the washing of hands was at least a decent length of time.

[Kinkacruiser]

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I feel ill, nanny wipe my botty...

 

:rolleyes:

 

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Rather "tacky" don't you think ?

[rabbitoh_777]

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Rather "tacky" don't you think ?

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No not at all, she uses the finest quality aloe vera infused silken wipes monogrammed for formal nights... no tack she ain't that slack Kinky boots.

 

I can send her over on loan, she will handle you with kid gloves I can assure you your sensibilities will be well massaged.

 

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[MicCanberra]

I think it is a losing battle, those that do wash their hands do so without having to be told and those who don't will not change their ways even if they get sick.

All you can do is protect yourself by doing whatever you feel is required to maintain good hygiene. Washing your hands often, keeping anything you touch away from your mouth (includes your hands). Avoiding the buffet, lift buttons, hand rails, etc, and sanitising things that get touched often. These have helped me from avoiding illness.

[mrs and mrs]

Golden Princess Beijing/Sydney/melb 27 days, not one whisper, rumour, hint of Noro.

5 foreign countries, people on/off, handling money, touching everything, not even a hint of Noro.

However the Beijing Bark went rampant, and we are still trying to shrug it.

Must make us all the perfect or lucky passengers ever.

As I said everyone seemed to do the right thing.

 

So scenario time, how does this work.

Passenger (a) enters M.D.R.

Half way through meal decides to go to toilet.

Pas (a) doesn't wash hands, re-enters M.D.R continues eating.

Waiter or Waitress picks up plate, re-serves to table and other tables.

 

Scenario 2.

Passenger goes to toilet, touching buttons, handles every god damn thing in existence, returns to finish drink.

Bar-keep or steward picks up empty glass and re-serves a new drink to some one else. Sorry I missed the hand sanitisation on that one.

 

What we did witness for the first time was stewards and Bar-keeps wearing disposable gloves, now we cant wait to cruise confined in a plastic bubble.

[happysnapper]

Have an idea! Decontamination room as one exits the restrooms. Oh just had a thought...what to do about people who pick their nose then...Just enjoy the cruise, there are things in this life you just can't control.

[MicCanberra]

Have an idea! Decontamination room as one exits the restrooms. Oh just had a thought...what to do about people who pick their nose then...Just enjoy the cruise, there are things in this life you just can't control.

 

Exactly, which is why I make sure I take the precautions I do and enjoy my cruise instead of worrying what others do or don't do.

[Ship Drongo]

I think it is a losing battle, those that do wash their hands do so without having to be told and those who don't will not change their ways even if they get sick.

All you can do is protect yourself by doing whatever you feel is required to maintain good hygiene. Washing your hands often, keeping anything you touch away from your mouth (includes your hands). Avoiding the buffet, lift buttons, hand rails, etc, and sanitising things that get touched often. These have helped me from avoiding illness.

 

Great response. I also prefer to use the cabin bathroom. I raised this thread to stimulate conversation about an important issue. Nothing wrong with diverse opinions even if I may not agree

[Ship Drongo]

And in the spirit of this public service announcement, probably worthwhile adding this link:

 

 

:p

 

Nice one!

[MicCanberra]

Great response. I also prefer to use the cabin bathroom. I raised this thread to stimulate conversation about an important issue. Nothing wrong with diverse opinions even if I may not agree

 

Nothing wrong with discussion.:D

[cruisine21]

I never touch lift buttons. Always use a tissue.

 

 

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[PerfectlyPerth]

I never use the public loos - only the one in my cabin. Have watched far too many grown adults in public loos (ships and elsewhere) who dont wash their hands. Kids seem to be better trained.

Also carry my own sanitiser - in daily life as well as when travelling.

 

Big rule for me is to never touch my face after being in lifts or using stair railings etc - until I have sanitised.

 

In the old days before the travel sized gels I use to always carry round the little foil packs with the sachets from KFC etc.

[windsor26]

I think this is highly offensive and inappropriate with sweeping generalisations and statements about other peoples personal hygiene that you know nothing about.

 

Unwashed hands are the least of your concern. You have no idea of the personal hygiene practices of each and every passenger, you have no idea if those gels at food serving lines are of any benefit whatsoever considering that they can encourage a resistant form of virus and bacteria which is even worst.

 

I say leave it to the professionals to dish out advice, mind your own business and go back to enjoying your holidays instead of trying to tell other people what to do and making out that they need educating like little children. We are all adults here supposedly and we do not need this dribble forced onto us by other passengers.

 

 

I note you take great pleasure and knocking down any SENSIBLE and good requests and are full of your knowledge about legality etc If you do not like the subject go to another one and do not knock those who have something GOOD and SENSIBLE to say

I thank the OP for their request and share their hopes that it will be passed along

[MicCanberra]

I never use the public loos - only the one in my cabin. Have watched far too many grown adults in public loos (ships and elsewhere) who dont wash their hands. Kids seem to be better trained.

Also carry my own sanitiser - in daily life as well as when travelling.

 

Big rule for me is to never touch my face after being in lifts or using stair railings etc - until I have sanitised.

 

In the old days before the travel sized gels I use to always carry round the little foil packs with the sachets from KFC etc.

 

Agreed, those precautions you have listed seem very reasonable to me.