Eating while getting food in the buffet 😖

[phoenix_dream]

40 minutes ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

 

By people like you that think germs are only transmitted via bodily fluids.

Then please enlighten me how germs could possibly be transferred in the scenario I mentioned. 

[ScubesDad]

15 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Then please enlighten me how germs could possibly be transferred in the scenario I mentioned. 

I can't believe you asked this question.

The primary form of germ transmission is by air, although primarily as a result of a cough or sneeze.   however, with every breath you exhale, microscopic drops of moisture are released into the air...these drops carry microscopic germs and virus which potentially could land on your hand and then be transferred.....  Although your hand doesn't touch your mouth it is probably quite close

Edited April 14, 2019 by ScubesDad

[Marelaine]

5 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

We sail Eclipse Wednesday, I sure hope this doesn't repeat.  We use the hand sanitizer upon entering the buffet, and AFTER grabbing our food.  Everyone touches those tongues, some of whom didn't wash after going to the restroom.

 

Still, these stories can't hold a candle to our 14 nights on the Carnival Pride.  It's always pleasant to be directly coughed or sneezed on in the buffet.  Our friend was handed a phone in the buffet to look at a recent port picture, while the guy ran a snot trail down his arm.  My wife saw a woman sneeze into her hand, and then bypass the tongues, and grab jello with her hands.  The Carnival employee just shook his head, and laughed, letting the jello stand.  Needless to say, everyone got sick!

 

OMG! I've never seen behavior that bad on Celebrity. The crew will step in if someone doesn't use tongs or moves tongs from one food item to another. My husband dropped tongs on the floor and without thinking stooped to pick them up. The attendant rushed right in and politely said, 'No worries, allow me to pick them up.' 

I agree that the tasters are thoughtless. If you want to sample something before you commit to a full serving, just take a small amount to try at your table. If you want more, take a clean plate and have at it.

 

[mek]

3 hours ago, Provence55always said:

All the above reasons we NEVER eat at the buffet.......

And you don't think gross things happen in the dining room?  Germs are all over the menus and if you reach under your chair to pull it up closer to the table,  just imagine all of the other people who have done the same thing, possibly with not so clean hands. What other things do you touch that others have?

If I would see something specific, then I would avoid touching it, but if I worried about what other people possibly do then I would probably never eat out anywhere.

[mek]

3 hours ago, Provence55always said:

All the above reasons we NEVER eat at the buffet.......

duplicate post deleted

Edited April 14, 2019 by mek

[mek]

3 hours ago, Provence55always said:

All the above reasons we NEVER eat at the buffet.......

good heavens - it posted 3 X.

Edited April 14, 2019 by mek

[yorky]

7 minutes ago, mek said:

And you don't think gross things happen in the dining room?  Germs are all over the menus and if you reach under your chair to pull it up closer to the table,  just imagine all of the other people who have done the same thing, possibly with not so clean hands. What other things do you touch that others have?

If I would see something specific, then I would avoid touching it, but if I worried about what other people possibly do then I would probably never eat out anywhere.

There are germs everywhere, however some areas are far worse than others and a buffet is up there at the top without a doubt. 

[G.M.T.]

Totally agree with OP.

 

I always have a pair of rubber gloves on for each in the buffet, the same ones I use to clean cabin WC beforehand.

[Cachecara]

Reminder to self: pack a)hazmat suit or b) full body sized condom for next cruise. 

I’ll pack them with my laminated reserved sun chair lounger tags and colorful chair lounger clothes pins.  

Chuckle

[chemmo]

Despite all comments we do love the buffet! A cruise without a few ‘browsing’ lunches would miss something....

 

We are as vigilant as we can be, take responsibility for our own hygiene and generally observe others doing the same....

 

Other than staying at home and living in a bubble.....

[Marelaine]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

Then please enlighten me how germs could possibly be transferred in the scenario I mentioned. 

 

I believe you when you say you're careful and your hands never touch your mouth while sampling in the buffet line. But let's face it, not everyone is so conscientious. It's rude because it's unappetizing. 

[GeorgesGal]

5 hours ago, Fishkillbill said:

I need to taste something before I sit down. That way I can put the rest of what's on my plate back if I don't like it. That way, I'm not wasting food. 

 

YIPES!!!!!  Hopefully this was tongue in cheek?

Edited April 14, 2019 by GeorgesGal

[ghstudio]

One of my favorite experiences was the gentleman who ate french fries directly from the serving tray, one by one, while waiting for his hamburger.  At least he didn't lick his fingers between fries.

 

We've pretty much given up on the buffet....so many dishes have the serving tongs fallen in or folks taking the cherry tomatoes, bread, etc with their fingers.  We do eat there occasionally but we're reasonably careful about what we get....the made to order eggs in the morning, sandwiches, soup and some desserts....although I have seen kids take something, take a taste and then, not liking it so much, put the pastry back.  We just assume the worst and hope.....we tend to frequent the aqua spa cafe, the MDR or captain's club for breakfast, the hamburgers on deck.  But if you have that craving for herring or the poached egg dishes for breakfast for a change.....

Edited April 14, 2019 by ghstudio

[bogeycruiser]

15 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Sorry, don't agree. If I pick up a piece of bacon, or a breadstick, or whatever and eat it, without ever touching my mouth with my fingers. what's it to you besides an apparent annoyance?  I always use tongs. If my fingers have a touch of grease on them which is doubtful, it may be annoying but it is no less clean or healthy and nothing at all like double dipping. No bodily fluids involved so where and how are the germs transferred?? 

 

Using your logic here you could pick your nose with your left hand while using the tongs with the other and all would be fine, of course causing only an apparent annoyance to me. 🙄

[C-Dragons]

1 hour ago, Marelaine said:

 

OMG! I've never seen behavior that bad on Celebrity. The crew will step in if someone doesn't use tongs or moves tongs from one food item to another. My husband dropped tongs on the floor and without thinking stooped to pick them up. The attendant rushed right in and politely said, 'No worries, allow me to pick them up.' 

I agree that the tasters are thoughtless. If you want to sample something before you commit to a full serving, just take a small amount to try at your table. If you want more, take a clean plate and have at it.

 

I have seen this behavior before and it's downright scary. If the crew is not aware of what is happening we will advise them so they can replace/remove the contaminated items. They thank us profusely for letting them know. I'm sure they don’t want to get sick any more than we do. We try not to eat in the Buffet, but if we do we always use a cloth napkin to pick up the tongs and use hand sanitizers before eating.

For those who say it's OK to eat food with their fingers in line because they don't touch their lips, what else did you touch instead? Perhaps you rubbed your nose without thinking... and then picked up the tongs.

We were in Michael’s Club on the Reflection a few years ago and a guest walked in. The bartender said hello and asked how they were. The guest replied “I have a little post nasal drip” as they touched their nose. The truth was they had a cold. Everything they touched ended up contaminated. Five of our friends in the cabins adjacent to them ended up sick. So germs can be spread without touching your lips.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

1 hour ago, Marelaine said:

 

I believe you when you say you're careful and your hands never touch your mouth while sampling in the buffet line. But let's face it, not everyone is so conscientious. It's rude because it's unappetizing. 

 

It is also very possible that the food you stuck in your mouth could fall out, and lunge anywhere.  There's crumbs.  If I grab bacon that was about to be pulled, then tongues from a freshly delivered cold dish, it will potentially contaminating the new tongues with the expiring bacon itself.

 

With the stereotype that cruisers eat too much onboard these ships in specifically the buffets, and observations and confessions of people not being able to resist immediately eating, let's hope non-cruising lurkers never see this thread! 😱

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Stateroom_Sailor

[LadyZoisite]

5 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

With the stereotype that cruisers eat too much onboard these ships in specifically the buffets, and observations and confessions of people not being able to resist immediately eating, let's hope non-cruising lurkers never see this thread! 😱

 

 

I'm not one to shame anyone for eating too much--that's their business--but one wonders how such people behave at home.  Do they just completely let loose when they're on holiday since no one knows them and it's simply too much trouble to uphold basic standards?  Or are they just generally ill-mannered no matter what the setting?

[Stateroom_Sailor]

32 minutes ago, LadyZoisite said:

I'm not one to shame anyone for eating too much--that's their business--but one wonders how such people behave at home.  Do they just completely let loose when they're on holiday since no one knows them and it's simply too much trouble to uphold basic standards?  Or are they just generally ill-mannered no matter what the setting?

 

I think it is both.  Some get spoiled in a nouveau riche mindset and it doesn't bring out the best in everyone.  The average passenger gains 7 lbs per cruise.  I try to maintain or lose weight myself, with all the fresh vegetables and fish onboard, I can eat cheap junk at home.

[OCruisers]

Just please wait to begin eating until you get to your table.  

[helen haywood]

   13 hours ago,  Fishkillbill said: 

I need to taste something before I sit down. That way I can put the rest of what's on my plate back if I don't like it. That way, I'm not wasting food. 

 

YIPES!!!!!  Hopefully this was tongue in cheek?

Edited 7 hours ago by GeorgesGal

 

 

I’d like to know this as well!!  Surely no one does this.

[rick160158]

On 4/13/2019 at 7:16 PM, bogeycruiser said:

Sorry folks but I’m going to vent.

Last Monday I disembarked the Eclipse after a 29 day B2B from Buenos Aires to San Diego. We had a wonderful time, the crew is fantastic and the ship is in great condition but every time I went to the Oceanview Cafe I’d see numerous people eating while they were in line for food. Eating in the buffet line is the first cousin of double dipping and it isn’t sanitary, people eating greasy bacon then picking up the tongs to get hash browns or sadly not using the tongs. Constantly people were walking from one station to another while eating from their plate and then there was the man ahead of me getting chicken wings one day during lunch who finished devouring one of his 15 or 20 wings, set the bone on the side of his plate and with the same hand picked up the tongs to add another 6 or 7 wings.

Most days in the Celebrity Today newsletter they mention the importance of hand washing and staying healthy onboard, it’d be nice if they would mention the basic buffet etiquette of not eating until getting to your table.

You should of tapped them on the shoulder and said,” excuse me, but this isn’t a Carnival Cruise Ship. HERE, we’re a little more civilized, we eat our food, sitting at the tables”.🤪🤪😂😂

Edited April 15, 2019 by rick160158

[Hlitner]

22 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Anyone that is foolish enough to put their fingers in their mouth gets what they deserve and are also the culprits that spread norovirus. People are just clueless and go about their merry way with their nasty habits and then wonder why they have diarrhea and are throwing up. 

Those same folks then touch the serving utensils and transfer their nasty bugs.  It is a very easy way to spread Norovirus and other bugs to many other passengers.  That is one reason why some lines (HAL comes quickly to mind) are now limiting self-serve in their Lido buffet.  On that line most buffet items that are not pre-plated can only be served by staff.   On other lines, at the first sign of a Noro outbreak they will institute special measures in the Lido (such as limiting self-service).

 

Hank

[richsea]

If so many people never eat at the buffet, then why is it so crowded?

[LadyZoisite]

5 hours ago, richsea said:

If so many people never eat at the buffet, then why is it so crowded?

 

I would say it's a tiny minority of cruisers who actually avoid the buffet. 😕  I generally avoid it as much as possible, but sometimes you're hungry between meals and just want a slice of pizza or some cheese....or you want something more substantial than spa cuisine but healthier than a burger for lunch.

Edited April 15, 2019 by LadyZoisite
added part of a sentence

[yorky]

6 hours ago, richsea said:

If so many people never eat at the buffet, then why is it so crowded?

The vast majority of cruisers use the buffet in my experience, that’s why we avoid it. I’m well aware that puts us in that very small minority but we just find it a bit of a mad scramble and not really a nice place to eat. It’s actually far better in an evening with far less people, noise, choice of tables and still a very good selection of food.