Buffet Bugs

[Boku]

We always have a small bottle of hand sanitizer with us which we use regularly when on the ship. We don't eat in the buffet. 

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, doghog said:

Phew! Based on the title I thought Princess was cutting back and now serving bugs in the buffet. 🤢

Hahaha.  I thought maybe it was about flies buzzing around (which has happened to me a few times).  I'm all in favor of the staff-served buffet.  That's what they did when the cruise pause was over.  Of course, we were wearing masks then, too.  

[cruzsnooze]

7 hours ago, dockman said:

 

 

 

 

  I suppose other options would be to carry your own sanitizer bottle and clean that way? But is that as good a hot water and soap?  Or some have suggested wearing a disposal rubber/plastic glove while using the tongs?  Or maybe use a napkin to pick up the tongs ?  I have noticed on Holland where the servers wear gloves and serve you rather than every passenger dealing with tongs i seem to rarely get sick.  Is it time for Princess to copy the Holland procedure?

 

 

 

 

Holland is not preventing anything with gloves unless they change their gloves after touching something one time. Gloves are only clean until you touch something and then they transmit germs like ungloved hands. 

[dockman]

3 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

Holland is not preventing anything with gloves unless they change their gloves after touching something one time. Gloves are only clean until you touch something and then they transmit germs like ungloved hands. 

A holland server wears the gloves and only he touches the tongs with a gloved hand...very different from dozens of people touching the tongs with their bare hands.

[Crown Cruiser]

Was on Enchanted a few weeks ago.  Never go to the buffet, stay away from the elevators, don't go to the theater.  Carried hand sanitizer and used it every time I held a hand rail ( thinking that could be the culprit).  Left the ship on Day 7 with a scratchy throat that turned into a head cold. (no covid - tested negative.). This seems to happen on every cruise.  I think the germs are just in the air, not in any particular place.

[avonlady6390]

I work in a full service restaurant which has some buffets including a Sunday breakfast buffet so I've seen a lot going on with both the upkeep of said buffet and customers. For me buffets are not that enjoyable for a meal not just for catching a virus but the food standards are not always up to par of course that could be said for full service dining rooms as well since I see what goes on in the kitchen.  For the Sun Princess their buffet is being served by staff so that will eliminate passengers using the utensils.

[dockman]

5 minutes ago, Crown Cruiser said:

Was on Enchanted a few weeks ago.  Never go to the buffet, stay away from the elevators, don't go to the theater.  Carried hand sanitizer and used it every time I held a hand rail ( thinking that could be the culprit).  Left the ship on Day 7 with a scratchy throat that turned into a head cold. (no covid - tested negative.). This seems to happen on every cruise.  I think the germs are just in the air, not in any particular place.

yep for sure and like you i go out of my way to try and avoid any and all contact with obviously sick people as best as i can....getting sick is never fun but seems especially awful when you are on what you had hoped would be a fun vacation and then get the crud...

[Prometheus1]

Can wear gloves in the buffet (I bring my own salt and ground pepper too) , but I believe the Elevators are where people really pick up the respiratory bugs, packed in like sardines. (I will try to walk up and down the stairs when I can but with bad knees and a bad back can't do more than a few flights) Got Covid last month while cruising. 

[Wishing on a star]

Thanks for the reminder on the Salt and Pepper on the table!

Note to self:  stock up on little to-go packets of salt.

[memoak]

2 hours ago, Crown Cruiser said:

Was on Enchanted a few weeks ago.  Never go to the buffet, stay away from the elevators, don't go to the theater.  Carried hand sanitizer and used it every time I held a hand rail ( thinking that could be the culprit).  Left the ship on Day 7 with a scratchy throat that turned into a head cold. (no covid - tested negative.). This seems to happen on every cruise.  I think the germs are just in the air, not in any particular place.

You are probably around more sick people in the MDR than anywhere else. Tables are close together and you are interacting with staff all the time. We are back and forth from deck 5 to deck 14 all the time I am more likely to trip and fall than get ill from an elevator. Disease like cold, flu , noro etc have always been present on cruise ships and in hospitals and always will

Edited July 25 by memoak

[Dunchues]

Reading this thread made me wonder why so many people who are nervous of the possible risks offered by close company who rarely share our obsession with avoiding risk of contracting viruses choose this holiday.

It's true a ridiculous number of people are accommodated in such a small area no bugs have far to travel in air or lie on a surface before finding a host the odds of exposure must be astronomical.  Some people just don't care and are not going to be swayed by any argument into being careful and you can be sure the cruise line will accept their cash. For myself I take the normal care I was brought up to do but certainly nothing excessive like masks or gloves, just wash my hands before eating and don't pick at the buffet. I prefer not to eat with my hands but half the passengers seem to!

I ate a lot of dirt as a child and I've a decent immune system but I know I'm going to be exposed to germs and they'll often have an effect I won't like but if I felt like many of you posters do I'm sure I'd investigate a vacation where I had more control of my environment and would avoid the company of a herd of unwholesome individuals, and every cruise has a more or less large, festering, herd.

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, Dunchues said:

Reading this thread made me wonder why so many people who are nervous of the possible risks offered by close company who rarely share our obsession with avoiding risk of contracting viruses choose this holiday.

It's true a ridiculous number of people are accommodated in such a small area no bugs have far to travel in air or lie on a surface before finding a host the odds of exposure must be astronomical.  Some people just don't care and are not going to be swayed by any argument into being careful and you can be sure the cruise line will accept their cash. For myself I take the normal care I was brought up to do but certainly nothing excessive like masks or gloves, just wash my hands before eating and don't pick at the buffet. I prefer not to eat with my hands but half the passengers seem to!

I ate a lot of dirt as a child and I've a decent immune system but I know I'm going to be exposed to germs and they'll often have an effect I won't like but if I felt like many of you posters do I'm sure I'd investigate a vacation where I had more control of my environment and would avoid the company of a herd of unwholesome individuals, and every cruise has a more or less large, festering, herd.

Hard to eat sandwich’s, hot dogs, hamburgers, cookies, doughnuts etc without eating with your hands. Being careful is one thing cutting a cookie in pieces is something else

 

[Dunchues]

2 minutes ago, memoak said:

Hard to eat sandwich’s, hot dogs, hamburgers, cookies, doughnuts etc without eating with your hands. Being careful is one thing cutting a cookie in pieces is something else

 

Certainly, I really meant I wouldn't choose to put something on my plate that's possibly been previously handled by the type that see no wrong in doing that. If I've got to risk that I'd prefer to leave it but cookies or rolls from the middle of the pack are fine for me. I have no idea of the percentage of cruisers that don't wash their hands after using the wc's, but the fact there is a measurable percentage makes me aware of my risk comfort level. I have little time for ineffective masks and wouldn't dream of wearing gloves, and I genuinely don't really understand people who are that nervous choosing to cruise, but I absolutely draw my line at eating anything someone who's unwashed post wipe may have handled.

Funny how we're all different,  I am not criticizing the risk level you can accept, it's a bit too much for me but I'm glad it works for you.

[memoak]

21 minutes ago, Dunchues said:

Certainly, I really meant I wouldn't choose to put something on my plate that's possibly been previously handled by the type that see no wrong in doing that. If I've got to risk that I'd prefer to leave it but cookies or rolls from the middle of the pack are fine for me. I have no idea of the percentage of cruisers that don't wash their hands after using the wc's, but the fact there is a measurable percentage makes me aware of my risk comfort level. I have little time for ineffective masks and wouldn't dream of wearing gloves, and I genuinely don't really understand people who are that nervous choosing to cruise, but I absolutely draw my line at eating anything someone who's unwashed post wipe may have handled.

Funny how we're all different,  I am not criticizing the risk level you can accept, it's a bit too much for me but I'm glad it works for you.

You do know that in the MDR and IC there are many people touching good. You have to trust to a degree 

[Dunchues]

14 minutes ago, memoak said:

You do know that in the MDR and IC there are many people touching good. You have to trust to a degree 

You're absolutely right, and it would be a miserable life if you let that sort of thing worry you. We all hope the restaurant staff are diligent in handwashing etc, and I'm sure they're better than the passengers but I'm not daft enough to belive there aren't those who don't.

For myself,  I just try hard to minimize touching stuff someone else has before I eat it, and specifically I am looking at the sweating heaving mass of the general population when I'm at my most alert. Ketchup bottles etc,  I know what likely squeezed them, I don't like doing the same to my food then eating it with my hands and I'm blowed if I'll make repeated visits to the hand-wash or carry tissues or something,  I just swerve the squeeze bottles.

I'm really do understand your higher risk acceptance and I'm on the same page, just a bit more wimpy. I've had a few of bouts of violent food poisoning in my life and I'd prefer not to have another, although I am admittedly blase about airborne viruses.

Edited July 26 by Dunchues

[deja moo]

I would suggest that if you are flying to a port that you are more likely to catch something on a plane than a cruise ship. Planes are disgusting in that there are people sitting in the same seats almost 24/7 and breathing the same recirculated air. They are flying petri dishes. Elevators have nothing on airplanes.

 

The last two cruise I have been on had Noro virus outbreaks on the previous cruises and I never had any issues. I wash my hands before and after getting my food if going to the buffet, and always keep my hands away from my face. YMMV.

[Arizona Wildcat]

8 hours ago, Cruzinnana47 said:

We wash our hands AND use sanitizer, and on the last couple of cruises, have tried to only get the "served" items, like the made-to-order omelets in the buffet, or burgers, etc. on the pool deck that are served to us.  I always have wipes with me, also, to wipe down surfaces.  

 

Some people can be so oblivious to simple common-sense hygiene.  It totally grosses me out when I see someone picking something up in the buffet line...then putting it back...yuck!  

 

Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to avoid being completely free of germs everywhere on the ship, but we try.

Pretty simple.  You cannot change others.  What you can do is wash your hands before and AFTER visiting the buffet.   Actually the real way to slow getting sick is washing your hands and not touching your face, especially your eyes.

#1 germ transfer points on board are elevator buttons and stair railings.

[paddingtonbear]

4 hours ago, deja moo said:

I would suggest that if you are flying to a port that you are more likely to catch something on a plane than a cruise ship. Planes are disgusting in that there are people sitting in the same seats almost 24/7 and breathing the same recirculated air. They are flying petri dishes. Elevators have nothing on airplanes.

 

The last two cruise I have been on had Noro virus outbreaks on the previous cruises and I never had any issues. I wash my hands before and after getting my food if going to the buffet, and always keep my hands away from my face. YMMV.

Actually it's the airport that is more likely to be the place to catch anything.  Most airlines clean the seats between passengers.  (I don't really trust this but that is what they say and easy to steralise if you want to do it yourself.) But once you are seated and the plane leaves the ground the recirculated air is really safe because it is filtered through a HEPA filter and the air in the plane is turned over every 3 minutes.   

 

Edited July 26 by paddingtonbear

[MsSoCalCruiser]

16 hours ago, julia said:

As mentioned by the OP, the buffet on Holland America is nearly all SERVED and it's fast and friendly.  No nasty tongs!!

So is the Sun Princess. 

[Cruisemeister2002]

14 hours ago, doghog said:

Phew! Based on the title I thought Princess was cutting back and now serving bugs in the buffet. 🤢

Well they do serve bugs at the buffet, but on formal nights they are still expected to wear a shirt and jacket and trousers with four or six legs depending on the type of bug obviously.

[dockman]

Thanks for all the replies.  I think my strategy for my next cruise is the gloves as well as a bottle of sanitizer. I do eat most of my meals in the buffet by choice.

 

Maybe seems weird or overprotective to some but it is my vacation and if that will reduce my risk of catching something and spending my vacation in my room coughing for a week or so then so be it.

 

Good luck to all fellow cruisers in avoiding any and all illness on your cruises.

[jimlouisesophie]

3 minutes ago, dockman said:

Thanks for all the replies.  I think my strategy for my next cruise is the gloves as well as a bottle of sanitizer. I do eat most of my meals in the buffet by choice.

 

Maybe seems weird or overprotective to some but it is my vacation and if that will reduce my risk of catching something and spending my vacation in my room coughing for a week or so then so be it.

 

Good luck to all fellow cruisers in avoiding any and all illness on your cruises.

Good choice.   Will follow your advice as we do all our meals in the buffet as well.   Thinking of wearing masks as well.

[doghog]

5 hours ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Well they do serve bugs at the buffet, but on formal nights they are still expected to wear a shirt and jacket and trousers with four or six legs depending on the type of bug obviously.

I didn't realize those eating in the buffet are required to formal wear. 😂

[cruzsnooze]

17 hours ago, dockman said:

A holland server wears the gloves and only he touches the tongs with a gloved hand...very different from dozens of people touching the tongs with their bare hands.

And if he drops something he picks it up off the floor with his gloved hand or touches his hair, face etc....... Only if they change the gloves are they accomplishing the goal of reducing the transmission of germs. In many cases the gloves are protecting the wearer of the gloves.

Edited July 26 by cruzsnooze

[cruzsnooze]

Just now, cruzsnooze said:

And if he drops something he picks it up off the floor with his gloved hand or touches his hair, face etc....... Only if they change the gloves are they accomplishing the goal of reducing the transmission of germs. 

 

15 hours ago, memoak said:

You are probably around more sick people in the MDR than anywhere else. Tables are close together and you are interacting with staff all the time. We are back and forth from deck 5 to deck 14 all the time I am more likely to trip and fall than get ill from an elevator. Disease like cold, flu , noro etc have always been present on cruise ships and in hospitals and always will

The chairs harbor germs since they have soft surface areas that can't be cleaned between people and I have never seen the chair arms wiped down either. The menu, salt and pepper and any condiments brought to you have all been touched.  If you have a decent immune system this probably won't affect you to get a small amount of germs but if you're immuno compromised it has a better chance of infecting you. I do the best I can and don't worry about it because I want to thoroughly enjoy my cruise.