How Would Handle This Complaint?

[ridgerunner51]

On my recent Coral Princess cruise I witnessed the most appalling behavior in the Horizon Court.  These actions occurred in the dessert section during dinner.  A lady did not know if a container was whipped cream or not and proceeded to stick her finger in the container, taste it, and declare it was whipped cream.  I really was surprised and disgusted.  There was a thick, creamy dessert sauce at the end of the line and, wait for it, a different woman used her finger to scrape the sauce from the dipper onto her plate.  I had a hard time holding myself together. 

 

What good does it do to make everyone wash their hands on the way into the dining area?

 

I missed the deadline for the survey but would like to bring this to the attention of management.  There should be enough servers behind the counter to prevent this from happening.

 

[Coral]

IMO - the buffet should all be "employee served". We need to stop self serving of the buffet.

 

I would have reported it to someone working in the Horizon Court so that they could remove it.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Coral

[ridgerunner51]

Thank you so much!

[CineGraphic]

I would have done two things.....first, I would have said to the person sticking their finger in the whipped cream, "Excuse me, some of us would also like to have some whipped cream, but without your germs in it". Then, I would have informed the nearest buffet employee.

[echoshipmate]

And some people still wonder why I wear a plastic surgical latex glove while serving myself in the buffet. Folks can be so gross.

[helen haywood]

17 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

And some people still wonder why I wear a plastic surgical latex glove while serving myself in the buffet. Folks can be so gross.

A plastic glove is not going to protect you if, unknowingly, you served yourself something someone else had stuck their finger in.

[1emerald1]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

IMO - the buffet should all be "employee served". We need to stop self serving of the buffet.

 

I would have reported it to someone working in the Horizon Court so that they could remove it.

Agreed.  Years ago I was on a Mexico cruise on the Diamond and they were having a Mexican buffet on the lido deck.  The woman in front of me handled every single tortilla in the pan with her bare hands til she found the one she wanted.  I told the buffet worker and at first he was scared because he thought he was in trouble for not paying attention, but he immediately dumped the tortillas before anyone took one.

[Lucky TGO]

1 hour ago, CineGraphic said:

I would have done two things.....first, I would have said to the person sticking their finger in the whipped cream, "Excuse me, some of us would also like to have some whipped cream, but without your germs in it". Then, I would have informed the nearest buffet employee.

I totally agree with you. 
Tony

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, ridgerunner51 said:

On my recent Coral Princess cruise I witnessed the most appalling behavior in the Horizon Court.  These actions occurred in the dessert section during dinner.  A lady did not know if a container was whipped cream or not and proceeded to stick her finger in the container, taste it, and declare it was whipped cream.  I really was surprised and disgusted.  There was a thick, creamy dessert sauce at the end of the line and, wait for it, a different woman used her finger to scrape the sauce from the dipper onto her plate.  I had a hard time holding myself together. 

 

What good does it do to make everyone wash their hands on the way into the dining area?

 

I missed the deadline for the survey but would like to bring this to the attention of management.  There should be enough servers behind the counter to prevent this from happening.

 

Thats disgusting.

This should have been handled onboard.

 

[Gwendy]

A few years ago a woman in front of me dropped the serving spoon on the floor, picked it up, put it back in the dish and said “you didn’t see that did you?”  Um yes I did and notified the buffet staff. Some people have no idea.

[brisalta]

8 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

A few years ago a woman in front of me dropped the serving spoon on the floor, picked it up, put it back in the dish and said “you didn’t see that did you?”  Um yes I did and notified the buffet staff. Some people have no idea.

 

How gross!!!

I have seen similar and reported such happenings. Typically someone will drop serving spoon in the soup or stew or man handle rolls instead of using tongs. Another one is taking multiple plates and then putting one back in the stack.  All things that should be reported to crew which I have done and the crew took care of it.

Edited March 5, 2020 by brisalta

[deliver42]

I would have blown up at the women, then demanded that the crew exchange those dishes. I'm not eating what some idiot stuck their fingers in.

[Pushka]

I would have made the closet crew member aware of what happened and ensure the contaminated articles were removed and given a description of the two offenders. I would not have said anything to the people but might have gone over to the containers and made sure that no one else could get to them and probably ensured that they saw me do that. 
 

I once saw a man pick up a bread roll, examine it In his fingers and then put it back. I must have been brave. I picked that roll back up with tongs and put it back on his plate. He was surprised but walked off with the plate with a quizzical look on his plate, like he didn't know why I had done that. People can be so gross. And cruises can bring out the worst. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by Pushka

[Pushka]

7 hours ago, helen haywood said:

A plastic glove is not going to protect you if, unknowingly, you served yourself something someone else had stuck their finger in.

I guess that means why people are still wondering why someone would wear A latex glove 😂

Edited March 5, 2020 by Pushka

[Ombud]

Good reasons to not go to the buffet! 🤢

[KeepCalmBearOn]

9 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

I would have done two things.....first, I would have said to the person sticking their finger in the whipped cream, "Excuse me, some of us would also like to have some whipped cream, but without your germs in it". Then, I would have informed the nearest buffet employee.

 

The words you would have used were much nicer than the ones going through my head that I would have used. But yes, I'd have said something then and there.

 

See something, say something.

Edited March 5, 2020 by scottca075

[LMaxwell]

10 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

I would have done two things.....first, I would have said to the person sticking their finger in the whipped cream, "Excuse me, some of us would also like to have some whipped cream, but without your germs in it". Then, I would have informed the nearest buffet employee.

 

Exactly.  Need to address it when it happens.  I'm sure it happens EVERY cruise.  If you don't address it right then and there you aren't going to resolve anything. 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I’m sure I would have said something to the person when it happened, that is way too shocking and a Potential danger to fellow passengers health.  I would probably Then point it out to the closest employee I could find so they could remove the food item and then ask someone to find a buffet supervisor ASAP to talk to and report it.  Some of the employees in the buffet, especially those behind the counter, have very limited English and I think a supervisor would be better equipped to handle it and report it up the line. 
 

And I think I agree with Coral that perhaps the buffet should no longer be self serve, at least until this whole threat of virus is passed.  Princess could not buy as much negative press as they are experiencing now, with the Diamond and now the Grand.  And even though most of us realize it is not their fault, the name has become synonymous with cruising problems and the Coronavirus.  

Edited March 5, 2020 by sunsetbeachgal

[Cafedumonde]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

I would have made the closet crew member aware of what happened and ensure the contaminated articles were removed and given a description of the two offenders. I would not have said anything to the people but might have gone over to the containers and made sure that no one else could get to them and probably ensured that they saw me do that. 
 

I once saw a man pick up a bread roll, examine it In his fingers and then put it back. I must have been brave. I picked that roll back up with tongs and put it back on his plate. He was surprised but walked off with the plate with a quizzical look on his plate, like he didn't know why I had done that. People can be so gross. And cruises can bring out the worst. 

That’s hysterical 

[Donald]

There are several excellent reasons posted here to convince any sane person to take a cruise on a ship that does not offer a buffet. Better (read more expensive) cruise lines have very limited buffets and do not appeal to the vast majority of those people raised by wolves who are constantly attempting to contaminate the rest of the world.

[ExploringTheGlobe]

This is one of several reasons why I NEVER eat at the buffet! 

[mediator]

I wish the buffets would be employee served like in Oceania...it works.

I wish they would put up a sign that says sit down and eat... seriously, I can’t stand the people who “nibble” through the buffet.  There was a lady who had an ear of corn she was eating and walking around the buffet...no plate, just walking and eating.  Don’t  know where she ditched the ear.

 

 

[Diver2014]

Please don't start on getting rid of the buffets.  I enjoy trying dishes I wouldn't order off a menu.  If an employee serves the food, that's fine but I want to be able to pick and choose.  I don't want to have to eat in the dining room for every meal.

[WatchHill]

I have no problem pointing out gross, unhealthy behavior of others at the buffet. I once witnessed a passenger scoop up food at the buffet using one of the big serving spoons, put it to her mouth to sample and then call her mother over to try the food, both made unpleasant faces, and put the serving piece back into the buffet food tray. I made a scene [too damn bad for the other passenger and her mother] and called out to crew working at the buffet. They took immediate action to remover the food and serving piece and an "officer" took the woman aside along with her mother for a conversation. This passenger didn't have a clue she was doing anything wrong [I won't get into cultural matters outside of saying that's where C-virus originated]. I've seen children pick up foods and put it back at the buffet. I total agree that crew need to be serving the food, not self-serve. 

 

So many surfaces to monitor for potential exposure to bacteria and virus. I've witnessed sick people picking up fresh veggies at the supermarket, cough, sneeze, same behavior on flights - and people look at me like I'm crazy as I whip out my Lysol wipes before I sit down on the plane [over head bin handle, tray, inflight entertainment, arm rest], and a few extra wipes if I need to use the WC. 

 

IMO, everyone needs to speak up immediately when they see behavior that could potentially harm others....no matter when it happens.

 

Darcy

[CineGraphic]

An elementary school teacher, who was tired of always being sick, wanted her students to see firsthand (no pun intended) just how important it is to wash their hands.

Here are the results of the experiment she had them do in class: