For those who want to give the crew gifts here is a list from Chris

[chengkp75]

2 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Thank you for your information.   I will Not give any crew member anything like this or any other of the suggestions in the future.      And I will stop giving them my free bottles of wine or champagne too!    Stay safe🤩

The ingredients in nyquil can remain in the body up to 2 days after taking it, so the drug test any time during that time might show positive.  I wouldn't give any OTC medication to crew.  As for wine, wine is sold in the crew bar by the drink, to limit consumption, and having any alcohol in their cabins is forbidden.

[Morecruisesplz]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

The ingredients in nyquil can remain in the body up to 2 days after taking it, so the drug test any time during that time might show positive.  I wouldn't give any OTC medication to crew.  As for wine, wine is sold in the crew bar by the drink, to limit consumption, and having any alcohol in their cabins is forbidden.

Cash is king. They can send it home or buy anything they need. Some folks used to say they would order room service and leave it for the cabin attendant. To me, even that was odd. 

[AmazedByCruising]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, they have a crew bar, and yes, they can get tested in the evening after going to the bar.  Yes, he could buy it himself, and that would be his own decision, but do you want to be a possible enabler?

 

To give you an idea, the way we train officers to administer breathalyzers, is to merely swill mouthwash around in your mouth and then blow into the machine.  Positive test every time.

 

Also, two of the ingredients in nyquil, dextromethorphan and doxylamine can cause a false positive in urine drug tests as PCP, which are randomly tested for as well, and will result in termination.

 

Not sure you can see this documentary about HAL a long time ago, and it's in Dutch.. https://anderetijden.nl/programma/1/Andere-Tijden/aflevering/754/Klassenverschil-op-de-Holland-Amerika-Lijn

 

Some quotes: "beer was just 10 cents", "I drank about 30 beers per day", "Yes, everyone was constantly tipsy. But so were the passengers, so nobody noticed". 

 

Some more footage of playing golf by shooting the ball into the sea. Times have changed..  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yes, I know about generics but it was impossible to find any type of nyquil so as soon as I saw a bottle in Barbados I bought it. 

I meant while you are at home.... easier to find generic when you are home.

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Giving a crew member an OTC medication that contains 10% alcohol could very well cost him/her their job.  Remember, the crew are subject to random drug and alcohol testing, and the allowable limit is 0.05% (compared to the 0.08% for driving in the US), and many officers and crew (deck and engine) have a zero tolerance (0.00% for the entire time they are assigned to the ship), and having something like nyquil without a "prescription" by the medical officer, and being tested right after taking this, could result in a positive test, and automatic dismissal.  It is well known that mouthwash or nyquil can cause false positive test results.

Luckily there are plenty of nyquil options without alcohol

Edited February 18, 2022 by smokeybandit

[chengkp75]

7 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Luckily there are plenty of nyquil options without alcohol

Which still contain ingredients known to provide false positive drug tests.

 

Most ships, when you sign on, you must list the OTC medications you are using.

Edited February 18, 2022 by chengkp75

[flamingos]

18 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Chocolate,  really?

Yes, really. Who doesn’t like chocolate? 😄

[Morecruisesplz]

3 minutes ago, flamingos said:

Yes, really. Who doesn’t like chocolate? 😄

Anyone who can get it for free anytime! 

[brillohead]

7 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Which still contain ingredients known to provide false positive drug tests.

 

Most ships, when you sign on, you must list the OTC medications you are using.

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the "PM" ingredient in Tylenol PM, Advil PM, etc.  It's beyond cheap in generic form, and may show up in a drug screen as something else.  

The one time a room steward did request something when I asked if there was anything they needed from shore, it was a topical skin cream for ringworm.  The steward had gotten some from Medical, but it didn't seem to be working very well.  I was able to pick up a tube at the drugstore for $5, and she was very appreciative. (She could have ordered it from Amazon, but it would have taken several weeks to receive it -- no Prime next-day delivery on a ship!)

 

Every other time I've asked them, the crew has said they could get anything they needed from the ship's store, but I still don't mind asking -- you never know when someone might have a specific need.