Two Questions about being on onboard

[flcraigs5]

20 hours ago, DinaS said:

You are not allowed to fill your personal cup directly from the beverage machines at the buffet.  If someone told you that you can, they are wrong.  There are signs on the beverage dispensers stating this.

 

Even pre-Covid, this was a rule.  This is one of those rules that really should be enforced more stringently.

They stayed that they use a clean ncl cup and use it to pour into their tervis cup. That is ok 😊

[Old & Retired]

20 hours ago, DinaS said:

You are supposed to be using a clean cup to fill your personal cup.  If you are using your own cup you are likely spreading your germs to the dispenser.  It's selfish, and disgusting.

 

There are signs on the dispensers stating not to do it, and to use a clean cup each time. 

Yeah, and you are breathing air likely spreading your germs to the passengers.  It's selfish, and disgusting.

Why would you assume my cup touches the dispenser?  I think we all know the answer to that one.

If you cruise with me, you might avoid the dispensers because I will continue to fill my cup there.

[Old & Retired]

21 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

There are signs around the machines saying not to directly fill your own cup from the dispensers.

The last time I bothered to read any signage I believe it said not to fill water bottles.  I don't fill my water bottle.

[Old & Retired]

9 hours ago, wacruiselover said:

Holy crap!  How did you get a photo of me the one time I forgot my large cup????

[ArtInMotionPersians]

On 12/6/2021 at 9:02 PM, melodyesch said:

Hi All.  DH and I will be on the Encore this Sunday (Yay!) and I have a couple of specific questions:

 

1.  We always take our large Tervis cups and fill them at the beverage station.  We get a clean ship cup and use that to fill our personal cup.  The personal cup does not ever touch the dispenser.  I’ve seen others do that, but of course the signs say don’t fill your personal cup.  I asked a crew member on our last trip pre-COVID and they said it was perfectly fine to do it that way.  But we ALWAYS seem to get the stink eye from a passenger or two, even though we try to do it when there is no beverage traffic.  Thoughts on this?

 

2.  There is a menu item (like the Fruits de Mer in Le Bistro) that contains shrimp, scallops and crab.  I cannot eat scallops but LOVE shrimp.  I haven’t made a complete study of all of the menus, but it’s common to see shrimp with scallops.  Would you ask for extra shrimp to be added and the scallops to be left off?  Obviously I know I can ASK for anything, but didn’t know if that might seem unreasonable?  
 

thanks!

melody

We were on the Encore in Sept.

 

#1 Yes, I always do this so I have a lidded (safer) cup.  Most the bartenders filled my cup as well.

 

#2 I don't like scallops & love shrimp; never saw them in the same dish.  

[BirdTravels]

I don't see why anyone would defend placing their own personal large cup on every drink machine on every cruise for lemonade is a sanitary practice. Playing word games that their "personal cup" is not a "water bottle" is something I would only expect from a grade school child. Only clean cups from the cruise line should be used at drink machines. 

[dodger1964]

20 hours ago, wacruiselover said:

The sign doesn't say you can't do this!

[coffeebean]

3 hours ago, dodger1964 said:

The sign doesn't say you can't do this!

Good one!!!

[Old & Retired]

22 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

I don't see why anyone would defend placing their own personal large cup on every drink machine on every cruise for lemonade is a sanitary practice. Playing word games that their "personal cup" is not a "water bottle" is something I would only expect from a grade school child. Only clean cups from the cruise line should be used at drink machines. 

If your personal cup doesn't touch the dispenser where is the harm?  Assuming there would be any kind of contamination is something I would only expect from a grade school child with little to no critical thinking skills.

Bless your heart.

[The Traveling Man]

On 12/6/2021 at 10:14 PM, BirdTravels said:

The beverage stations are all self-serve. Using a clean cup to fill them is fine.

 

It is not unreasonable to request a special preparation. BUT, should the galley consider that there is risk of cross contamination with an allergen, they reserve the right to refuse service. 

Under the Covid rules which have been adopted during the return to sailing, NCL has chosen to place a crew member at each beverage station in the buffet.  They will fill a glass for you with your choice of juice, water, tea, etc. and place it on a tray for you.  We have been on the Encore in Alaska and the Epic in the Mediterranean in the past three months and this was the new normal on each of those ships.  Reports on CC forums from passengers on other ships indicate that this now is the fleet-wide standard practice.  There apparently are now no self-service beverage stations.

[shof515]

6 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

Under the Covid rules which have been adopted during the return to sailing, NCL has chosen to place a crew member at each beverage station in the buffet.  They will fill a glass for you with your choice of juice, water, tea, etc. and place it on a tray for you.  We have been on the Encore in Alaska and the Epic in the Mediterranean in the past three months and this was the new normal on each of those ships.  Reports on CC forums from passengers on other ships indicate that this now is the fleet-wide standard practice.  There apparently are now no self-service beverage stations.

that was not my experience on the breakaway last month. the beverage station was self service just like before, there was no crew at the station

 

i am boarding the  gem later this afternoon, it would be interesting what is like on that ship

[The Traveling Man]

4 hours ago, shof515 said:

that was not my experience on the breakaway last month. the beverage station was self service just like before, there was no crew at the station

 

i am boarding the  gem later this afternoon, it would be interesting what is like on that ship

Thank you for that perspective.  Your experience demonstrates that the new protocols are not being enforced fleet-wide as has been reported on some other CC threads.  On the Encore and Epic they did not allow self-service either at the beverage stations or the food lines in the buffet.  We were told by the Executive Chef on the Encore that for the foreseeable future this would be the new standard for all NCL ships.  It seems he was in error.

[Oceanwench]

I once saw a man standing by the self-serve soft ice cream machine. 
He licked off some of his ice cream, then put the cone back under the nozzle to top off his cone again!

I thought that was disgusting!

 

Always on ships, when I go for a second cup of coffee, I get a fresh cup rather than use the one I have been drinking from. 
And when filling my own person mug with water or juice, I use a small, clean cup and pour the liquid into my mug.

 

It's the considerate thing to do.

[Oxo]

On 12/7/2021 at 12:07 AM, Old & Retired said:

Baloney.  I take my own personal large cup on every cruise and fill it myself with lemonade or iced tea from the beverage machine.  I have no idea where you got that crazy idea.

P.S.  Been doing it for many years on NCL.

Just got off the Joy. Signs at every beverage machine in clear English.

DO NOT FILL YOUR PERSONAL CUP.

What you did for many years on NCL or any other cruise line is history. These are different times.

Other cruise lines have the same rules on filling personal cups.

No Baloney, just Facts!