Beware of the Blue Rubber Gloves

[SargassoPirate]

Just sailed on the QM2. Noticed lots of blue rubber gloves in use by food service staff in the buffet. One day we had burgers and fries and I happened to sit where I could watch the burger food prep area. I wish I hadn't.

 

The chef was wearing the blue rubber gloves - and he never changed them the 30 minutes we were there.

 

He handled raw hamburger when he placed them on the grill. He them rearranged a stack of plates, grabbed the french fry tongs by the handle and moved them, stirred the fries in the pan with his hand to spread them out, and then he touched the top bun of every already prepared burger in the warmer. Still not changing the gloves, he grabbed a rag and wiped down his side of the counter and then flipped the burgers on the grill.

 

It left me wondering if Cunard is aware of cross-contamination in food handling operations.

 

Beware the plastic gloves and be wary when you see them on food service workers. The only purpose they serve is to keep the workers hands clean.:eek:

[orchestrapal]

Just sailed on the QM2. Noticed lots of blue rubber gloves in use by food service staff in the buffet. One day we had burgers and fries and I happened to sit where I could watch the burger food prep area. I wish

The chef was wearing the blue rubber gloves - and he never changed them the 30 minutes we wer

He handled raw hamburger when he placed them on the grill. He them rearranged a stack of plates, grabbed the french fry tongs by the handle and moved them, stirred the fries in the pan with his hand to spread them out, and then he touched the top bun of every already prepared burger in the warmer. Still not changing the gloves, he grabbed a rag and wiped down his side of the counter and then flipped the burgers on the grill.

It left me wondering if Cunard is aware of cross-contamination in food handling operations.

Beware the plastic gloves and be wary when you see them on food service workers. The only purpose they serve is to keep the workers hands clean.:eek:

 

Best never to eat anywhere where you yourself don’t cook and never ever go into any restaurant kitchen. Ship food handling is probably no worse or better than any food establishment.

[Chart Room Princess]

Just sailed on the QM2. Noticed lots of blue rubber gloves in use by food service staff in the buffet. One day we had burgers and fries and I happened to sit where I could watch the burger food prep area. I wish I hadn't.

 

The chef was wearing the blue rubber gloves - and he never changed them the 30 minutes we were there.

 

He handled raw hamburger when he placed them on the grill. He them rearranged a stack of plates, grabbed the french fry tongs by the handle and moved them, stirred the fries in the pan with his hand to spread them out, and then he touched the top bun of every already prepared burger in the warmer. Still not changing the gloves, he grabbed a rag and wiped down his side of the counter and then flipped the burgers on the grill.

 

It left me wondering if Cunard is aware of cross-contamination in food handling operations.

 

Beware the plastic gloves and be wary when you see them on food service workers. The only purpose they serve is to keep the workers hands clean.:eek:

I would have reported an incident like that to a manager. It is important that Cunard management be informed of situations where passengers could get a food borne illness.

[kohl57]

One of the reasons I try and avoid any shipboard food service that entails one cook doing too many things and in the manner and order you mention. When food is prepared, cooked and served in a galley for dining room service it's done in sequence by different staff tasked to each step of the preparation and you don't have nearly the risk of cross contamination.

 

Oceania, for example, absolutely prohibits passengers from serving themselves in lido restaurants... it is all served by staff who do nothing but serve. But by goodness it doesn't stop a few so intent on doing it themselves they actually reach under the "sneeze guards" to grab the tongs or worse the food itself.

 

Back in the day, you simply didn't have the widespread outbreaks of noro and other viruses on passenger liners we have now. And I remain convinced that a lot of it is caused precisely by "lido" dining, one-man burger bars etc. that were largely unknown on ships even 35 years ago.

[Jack E Dawson]

I have often heard it said that the two things you never want to see being made are laws and sausage. To that I think you can add your meal at ANY restaurant:)

[cruiseluvva]

 

Oceania, for example, absolutely prohibits passengers from serving themselves in lido restaurants... it is all served by staff who do nothing but serve. But by goodness it doesn't stop a few so intent on doing it themselves they actually reach under the "sneeze guards" to grab the tongs or worse the food itself.

.

Sorry to disagree but this was not our experience.

 

While many items were served, there were equally as many available for self service and where there were absolutely no servers to assist. And no glass guard to negotiate.

[Underwatr]

Back in the day, you simply didn't have the widespread outbreaks of noro and other viruses on passenger liners we have now.

I wonder if that's really the case, or we've just gotten better at diagnosing what "seasickness" (etc.) is.

[kohl57]

If you've ever had noro, trust me the symptoms and the duration have nothing in common with "seasickness"! The one bad case of it I had was aboard CARONIA and it laid waste to me for the best part of three days. It was that experience that completely changed how I approach eating, touching and interacting on cruise ships. And, knock on wood, haven't been sick since. And why I see the habits and behaviours of others and marvel more people aren't sick.

 

CANBERRA had its notorious "Canberra Bug" which was noro and one of the earliest persistent cases of it that was widely reported and that was in the early 1980s. And yes, when they introduced "serve yourself" lido dining albeit on a small scale.

 

But Cunard is reasonably careful even if too many passengers are not... indeed after QE last year, I think they might name the new ship QUEEN PURELLIA given the quantities of it squirted in ones hand on a given day.

[Shuffleboard Dude]

I suggest to stick to the golden rule of Indian cuisine: If it ain't properly cooked, it ain't food.

Also, nothing says ''Welcome aboard'' like the two hand sanitizer stands at end of the gangway.

 

In my opinion, they should consider replacing the Pol Acker with hand sanitizer.

Would be a massive improvement in taste. ;p

To brighten your day: https://satwcomic.com/let-s-party

[Bigmike911]

Perhaps the airlines should consider hand sanitizers too. You are far more likely to catch a bug from other passengers, jammed together, some of whom show very questionable hygiene habits, breathing and re-breathing the same air for hours. One of the reasons people in Asia often wear breathing masks on flights.

[Underwatr]

If you've ever had noro, trust me the symptoms and the duration have nothing in common with "seasickness"!

Add whatever other euphemisms you'd like. "Stomach flu." "Montezuma's Revenge." "I must not be used to the water."

 

Point is, given that the Norwalk virus was only identified and named in the 1970s it's clear that in the golden age of ocean liners whatever people picked up on their 4-day crossings went by a different name.