Changes in Onboard Behavior & Procedures after Cruises restart sailing again...

[NavyCruiser]

Even way before this current cruise line shutdown, we have observed numerous questionable guest behaviors & onboard procedures.  Pls don't take this personally if you still enjoy these activities, but just for us, we don't get into the hot tubs, pools, steam rooms, etc. anymore, since my spouse considers them cesspools for germs & other nastyness.  There are numerous guest behaviors that grossed us out, esp in the buffet, gym, theater, & other large gatherings.  For example:

- buffet:  both adults & kids directly touching food items then put it back, without using tongs;  how many people touch those tongs...?

- gym:  walking away from sweaty equipment without towel wipedown, spitting in water fountain

- theater:  openly coughing & sneezing, etc

Sorry, these are just a very few examples of gross behaviors that really need to change, esp after this shutdown is done

So what do you think new procedures the cruise lines will implement once they restart sailing again for better sanitation purposes?

I would guess:

- mini health inspection, ie: temperature scanner for fever, at embarkation, instead of just paper form stating you are fever free & no flu-like symptoms

- retrofit all ships with full hand washing stations instead of just Purell dispensers at buffet entrance

- staff will serve you food items from behind the counter in the buffet, instead of you self-serve food items with tongs

- limit number of persons in hot tubs, & must shower before entering

- eliminate steam rooms

- more antiseptic wipes in the gym

- no more self serve ice cream dispensers, only served by staff at certain hours

 

What are your ideas...?

[robntawn]

Point of Care testing for Covid

[time4u2go]

I think things might change a little in the short term, but I don't see any changes long-term, other than maybe adding hand-washing stations at the entrance to the buffet, which they were kind of doing anyway.

[Hoopster95]

14 minutes ago, NavyCruiser said:

What are your ideas...?

 

All of your ideas are great....

the problem is they all cost money (ie. labour). Who's going to pay for that?

Definitely not Miami! The bean counters were already counting their pennies the last couple of years.

They now have a $2.2 billion dollar debt to repay.

[cured]

2 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

Even way before this current cruise line shutdown, we have observed numerous questionable guest behaviors & onboard procedures.  Pls don't take this personally if you still enjoy these activities, but just for us, we don't get into the hot tubs, pools, steam rooms, etc. anymore, since my spouse considers them cesspools for germs & other nastyness.  There are numerous guest behaviors that grossed us out, esp in the buffet, gym, theater, & other large gatherings.  For example:

- buffet:  both adults & kids directly touching food items then put it back, without using tongs;  how many people touch those tongs...?

- gym:  walking away from sweaty equipment without towel wipedown, spitting in water fountain

- theater:  openly coughing & sneezing, etc

Sorry, these are just a very few examples of gross behaviors that really need to change, esp after this shutdown is done

So what do you think new procedures the cruise lines will implement once they restart sailing again for better sanitation purposes?

I would guess:

- mini health inspection, ie: temperature scanner for fever, at embarkation, instead of just paper form stating you are fever free & no flu-like symptoms

- retrofit all ships with full hand washing stations instead of just Purell dispensers at buffet entrance

- staff will serve you food items from behind the counter in the buffet, instead of you self-serve food items with tongs

- limit number of persons in hot tubs, & must shower before entering

- eliminate steam rooms

- more antiseptic wipes in the gym

- no more self serve ice cream dispensers, only served by staff at certain hours

 

What are your ideas...?

On our med cruise last summer, they were already manning the self-serve ice cream stations. There was an employee making the cones for everyone.

 

I can't see them staffing each station in the Windjammer unless customers are willing to pay an increase in their cruise fares to pay for extra staff.

 

Not sure how they can control people coughing or sneezing in the theaters?

 

Everything else, there needs to be some personal responsibility:

Wipe down machines yourself before you use them.  Everyone I know does this at the local gyms. You can't monitor everyone and you can't trust someone wiped it down.

 

Pools and hot tubs are regulated with chemicals to kill bacteria.  Whether one thinks that is sufficient or not is up to each cruiser.  I am not sure how they monitor that every person showers before entering?  More staff again?  Public and private pools can't even do that.  It is up to the consumer to decide whether they want to enjoy the pool or hot tub.  Same with steam rooms. For every person who thinks they are germ tanks, there is an equal customer that would be incensed that they are removed. Personal responsibility. 

 

Never use water fountains anywhere. They are the germiest things around.  Pack a water bottle that you fill in your cabin before you leave.

 

I personally think what they are doing is better than most land based buffets, gyms, pools and other customer based venues.  I agree more wash stations are a good idea as is more stringent requirements of washy washy upon entering. But again, personal responsibility. If a customer doesn't trust the Windjammer, there are plenty of other options to get food.

 

[bonsai3s]

Great ideas...

 

Here's a few I mentioned on another thread:

* Elevator person so you won't have to touch the buttons.  Or as someone else suggested, a voice activated elevator.

* Virtual muster drill.

* More distance between tables in the MDR.  And all venues for that matter.

* Washing sinks outside of all restaurants...like the ones they have on Ovation.

* Temp check prior to boarding.

* And wishful thinking on my part...larger Diamond and Concierge lounges.

* Oh! and for perks for Crown and Anchor members: give out face mask, latex gloves...PPE's for Pinnacles.

Happy sailing.!

[NavyCruiser]

37 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

Oh! and for perks for Crown and Anchor members: give out face mask, latex gloves...PPE's for Pinnacles.

 

Only for Halloween sailings...

[gatour]

1 hour ago, bonsai3s said:

Great ideas...

 

Here's a few I mentioned on another thread:

* Elevator person so you won't have to touch the buttons.  Or as someone else suggested, a voice activated elevator.

* Virtual muster drill.

* More distance between tables in the MDR.  And all venues for that matter.

* Washing sinks outside of all restaurants...like the ones they have on Ovation.

* Temp check prior to boarding.

* And wishful thinking on my part...larger Diamond and Concierge lounges.

* Oh! and for perks for Crown and Anchor members: give out face mask, latex gloves...PPE's for Pinnacles.

Happy sailing.!

Elevator person:  Yes right.  An elevator person for each elevator.  On an Oasis class ship that would be 20 operators (if I counted the number of elevators correctly) PER shift so at an minimum of 40 additional staff

 

More distance between tables in the MDR:  If the cruise is fully booked, they need ALL of the tables that are currently there.  The alternative is to have people begin dining at 4:30 pm and 10pm.  Some how I don't think that will go over well.

 

Washing sinks outside of all restaurants.  Does the Ovation have hand washing stations outside of the MDRs, Jamies, Wonderland, Izumi among others.  I.E. all of the dining venues.  Just curious.

 

Retrofitting sinks to existing venues may not be possible.

 

Curious about virtual muster drills.

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, gatour said:

Does the Ovation have hand washing stations outside of the MDRs, Jamies, Wonderland, Izumi among others.  I.E. all of the dining venues.  Just curious.

Just WJ and Solarium Bistro.

[cured]

3 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

Great ideas...

 

Here's a few I mentioned on another thread:

* Elevator person so you won't have to touch the buttons.  Or as someone else suggested, a voice activated elevator.

* Virtual muster drill.

* More distance between tables in the MDR.  And all venues for that matter.

* Washing sinks outside of all restaurants...like the ones they have on Ovation.

* Temp check prior to boarding.

* And wishful thinking on my part...larger Diamond and Concierge lounges.

* Oh! and for perks for Crown and Anchor members: give out face mask, latex gloves...PPE's for Pinnacles.

Happy sailing.!

Much easier to use your knuckle or elbow to push the elevator button than hire another 40 staff as mentioned above. And then go wash your hands. If anything comes out of this global shutdown, it shold be that everyone learns how to actually wash your hands enough.  

 

I guess you could remove the theaters and turn them into more main dining room space in order to space out the tables. But then people will complain about lack of entertainment.

Where are all these extra staff going to sleep? From the back stage tours we have taken, the crew is already jammed into tiny spaces.  Perhaps take another deck of inside cabins to house them? But then there are less cabins for paying customers, so the other cabins will have to go up in price. And there will be fewer of the lower category cabins so it will put the cruises out of budget for the budget conscious cruiser.

 

Proper hand washing takes care of most of the concerns.

Edited March 28, 2020 by cured

[firekapy]

You people are way to paranoid. Why cruise then?

[rozen]

use gloves when playing slots in the casino,

no smoking and no staying behind a person that is playing

[HalfHand]

9 hours ago, time4u2go said:

I think things might change a little in the short term, but I don't see any changes long-term, other than maybe adding hand-washing stations at the entrance to the buffet, which they were kind of doing anyway.

This is exactly correct.

 

This is also the same reason easing stay at home orders too early won't work. The first week the tables in the restaurant will be 6 feet apart and the staff will be sanitizing and wearing gloves, but after that people will get lazy, the table will get closer, etc.

[firefly333]

The paper where you said was a joke. You know people lied and boarded sick. I'm not sure what will fix this.

 

My thing I worry about is the stair rails. I try to walk the stairs and worry if i touch the wooden rails.

 

I've come home at least twice with colds, so I'm sure people board sick and lie on the form.

 

I've sneezed occasionally out of the blue, so no on can know if someone sneezes why, allergy, dust, sick? I'm not sure taking our temperature will prevent this or stop me from picking up colds on my cruises. ..dont have answers. 

 

Wash the stair rails more frequently for my tastes

[loungelady55]

7 hours ago, rozen said:

use gloves when playing slots in the casino,

no smoking and no staying behind a person that is playing

Great Idea!  I will start smoking so people will stand even further away from me

[JAMESCC]

Well I thought this before all this, EVERYONE in the buffet should have to put on latex gloves when using the tongs or handling food in the buffet. Then take them off to eat, go back up and get another pair. That has to happen, make sure everyone does this. This is a cheap solution for the cruise line too. 

[deliver42]

In the short term, maybe, but doubtful. In the long term, business as usual with no changes from before.

[diesel1973]

I'm thinking the attendant giving you the hand towel in the bathrooms should monitor the washing of hands in the bathrooms. If you refuse to wash your hands you will be quarantined to your room for 3 days. I have witnessed many who don't wash their hands. Disgusting!!!

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, JAMESCC said:

Well I thought this before all this, EVERYONE in the buffet should have to put on latex gloves when using the tongs or handling food in the buffet. Then take them off to eat, go back up and get another pair. That has to happen, make sure everyone does this. This is a cheap solution for the cruise line too. 

 

DW always has used a napkin when handling the tongs in the WJ, then tosses the napkin aside. Then sanatizes her hands.  

[A&L_Ont]

I would like to think that COVID will make individuals that didn't take hand washing and hygine more serious about it. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

31 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

I would like to think that COVID will make individuals that didn't take hand washing and hygine more serious about it. 

I should’ve always been routine. I see men walking out of restrooms without washing. 

[cruiseguy1016]

9 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

Wash the stair rails more frequently for my tastes

 

I was on Freedom two weeks ago. There was always someone on the stairways washing handrails.

[davekathy]

I'd like to see the cruise lines continue with the newly implemented mandatory temperature screening.

[LXA350]

At the end of the day RCL, and X just need to be consistent about their hygine procedures. All cabins should always be throughly cleaned and desinfected, including caberts all handles, remote control etc before each cruise. The cleaning and disinfectiing of public areas should remain on high alert. No passenger to be left into a foo venue before hands were desinfected (Always having employes at the entrance to check this procedure) and other cleaning measures only implemented consistently in times of outbreak as in the past for Noro. Concerning the buffet area the idea of staff serving food at all times should be considered since it's just disgusting on how many people touch the same tongs and yeah how many don't follow a strict hygine.

 

We wouldn't need to have this discussion and such virus outbreaks if people would just follow basic hygine rules on a daily basis which you would think is the most normal thing..unfortunately not.

[villager70]

Hi Cruisers:   Just a little info on the new hand washing stations on ships on our last  four cruises. I think it is a great idea but the only thing  that  bothered me after they wash their hand  and pass the one or two washey, washey, singers several times there were no sanitizer  offered or sprayed in hands. They go up to a buffet with clean hands ,and no germ killing sanitizer, and grab the serving utensil.