hand sanitizer

[NJ2FL]

I'm told there are dispensers of Purell at entrance to dining rooms. Anywhere else?

I am packing two purse size Purells. If I run out, do you think anyone would notice if I squirted some from the ship supply into my little travel bottle?

[LARGIN]

Probably.. However on our last cruise, there was a waiter holding the container and squirting into your hand..

[Cruise Gypsy]

I would ask when you are on board. They are so concerned about Norovirus they probably would let you refill your container, but I don't know for sure.

 

It is a good idea to have a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer while walking around on board - I am surprised they don't include it with the other bathroom items in the staterooms.

[chasetf]

I'm told there are dispensers of Purell at entrance to dining rooms. Anywhere else?

 

I am packing two purse size Purells. If I run out, do you think anyone would notice if I squirted some from the ship supply into my little travel bottle?

They should also be available at the buffet. I would think they would be happy to fill up a travel bottle.

[Vanilla]

It would take you days to put sanitizer in your bottle from the squirt bottles on the CB. Those bottles are automatic, place hand under it and if your lucky, about 1/16 of a teaspoon is given. Sometimes to even make my hands wet, I had to get 3 squirts. I would just purchase a couple more bottles. We used 3 on our cruise 2 weeks ago (2 of us). Have fun and enjoy your cruise.

[Toto2Kansas]

Many of the hand sanitizers we have found onboard Princess ships are motion activated where you just put your hand under the dispenser. You would not be able to refill anything from these.

I would take what I think I would need while on the ship and not consider refilling from the ships supply.

A couple of small travel bottles should be all you need with what they supply outside each dining venue.

[Clarkk W Griswald]

Does the hand sanitizer actually even kill the noro-virus?

[trvlcrzy]

On Sun Princess, they were using a stronger EcoLab product. The alcohol content "smelled" higher (I know, very technical knowledge I have here), and it dried my hands out. I used a lot more of their free lotion from the bathroom supplies!

 

One "pumper" who was squirting our hands at the entrance to the DR said there had been no Norovirus on the ship in the past year that they have been using this stronger product.

 

One evening, as we were leaving the dining room, we passed a stripped (no coverings on it) table that was surrounded by the yellow caution tape with a sign stating that the area was being sanitized. Could have been something besides Noro, though.

[Toto2Kansas]

On Sun Princess, they were using a stronger EcoLab product. The alcohol content "smelled" higher (I know, very technical knowledge I have here), and it dried my hands out. I used a lot more of their free lotion from the bathroom supplies!

 

One "pumper" who was squirting our hands at the entrance to the DR said there had been no Norovirus on the ship in the past year that they have been using this stronger product.

 

One evening, as we were leaving the dining room, we passed a stripped (no coverings on it) table that was surrounded by the yellow caution tape with a sign stating that the area was being sanitized. Could have been something besides Noro, though.

 

The yellow strips warning of sanitation procedures, even if there is no noro virus onboard, usually means someone had an accident and became seasick all over the place. I have seen it happen many times where they can not get themselves to a bathroom quick enough.

On the TP, a grown man did this right in the middle of the dining room during a meal. YUCK! I would have excused myself long before that and made my way to the restroom before something like this could happen. :(

[Stevesan]

Does the hand sanitizer actually even kill the noro-virus?

 

No, but it is a good germ control.

 

Ingredients: Alcohol 62%, the remaining 38% are mostly thickeners, binders,etc: water, glycol, acetate, propanol, carbomer and fragrance.

[NJ2FL]

Thank you all - never thought I'd get such a great response! I'll fill up a travel container with Purell and tuck into my kit for refills.

 

 

Happy (and clean) sailing.

 

 

By the way - I also carry some of the Lysol wipes with me. Very good to wipe down your airplane seating area: tray, arms, buckle, and even the window area. We travel first class on long trips and the germs in the front are as wicked as the germs in the back. I don't care how wacko it looks. During flu season I made my kid wear a mask because she was getting over something and I didn't want her infect other people or get infected again. (She thought it was kind of cool, actually. At 15 they either love your ideas or hate them!) :p

 

NO I'm not a germ freak - but there is so much stuff going around i do NOT want to get sick on my only vacation this year (or any year for that matter!) My mother wipes down the tables at restaurants if there's no cloth... THAT's careful!)

[we2cruze]

While on the Crown I compared the label of the hand sanitizer outside the buffet with the label on my Purell bottle and the stuff the ship uses is much stronger. It was located at the entrance to the dining rooms, buffet serving lines, internet cafe, as well as on the pursers desk and by the cash registers in the gift shops. It was probably other places as well, that's just the places I remember seeing it. I had a bottle of Purell which I used on shore, but I tried to use the ship hand sanitizer on board since it was stronger. At the buffet I used it while entering the buffet, then after I had set my plate, etc. on the table I went back and got another squirt before I started eating. Remember the best defense against Noro is thorough handwashing with soap and running water. And remember to keep you hands away from your face, don't eat with your hands, and try not to touch hand-rails, elevator buttons, etc. with your hands.

[Stevesan]

While on the Crown I compared the label of the hand sanitizer outside the buffet with the label on my Purell bottle and the stuff the ship uses is much stronger. It was located at the entrance to the dining rooms, buffet serving lines, internet cafe, as well as on the pursers desk and by the cash registers in the gift shops. It was probably other places as well, that's just the places I remember seeing it. I had a bottle of Purell which I used on shore, but I tried to use the ship hand sanitizer on board since it was stronger. At the buffet I used it while entering the buffet, then after I had set my plate, etc. on the table I went back and got another squirt before I started eating. Remember the best defense against Noro is thorough handwashing with soap and running water. And remember to keep you hands away from your face, don't eat with your hands, and try not to touch hand-rails, elevator buttons, etc. with your hands.

 

Simplify: Wear surgical gloves.:)

[Stevesan]

Thank you all - never thought I'd get such a great response! I'll fill up a travel container with Purell and tuck into my kit for refills.

 

 

Happy (and clean) sailing.

 

 

By the way - I also carry some of the Lysol wipes with me. Very good to wipe down your airplane seating area: tray, arms, buckle, and even the window area. We travel first class on long trips and the germs in the front are as wicked as the germs in the back. I don't care how wacko it looks. During flu season I made my kid wear a mask because she was getting over something and I didn't want her infect other people or get infected again. (She thought it was kind of cool, actually. At 15 they either love your ideas or hate them!) :p

 

NO I'm not a germ freak - but there is so much stuff going around i do NOT want to get sick on my only vacation this year (or any year for that matter!) My mother wipes down the tables at restaurants if there's no cloth... THAT's careful!)[/quote]

 

Your mom has seen the rags the bus boys use to wipe down the tables. Yuck!! :eek:

[jlp20]

The thread that wouldn’t die. Try looking at the older threads that have covered all the angles

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=564587&highlight=noro

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=549367&highlight=noro

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=551671&highlight=noro

[qiangf2]

I'm told there are dispensers of Purell at entrance to dining rooms. Anywhere else?

 

I am packing two purse size Purells. If I run out, do you think anyone would notice if I squirted some from the ship supply into my little travel bottle?

 

I am sure they will spare some to you if you ask.

[trvlcrzy]

While in line for the dining room (anytime dining), the woman behind me, who said she was a nurse, commented that Purell-type sanitizers will only work up to 7 times. Then, it's time to use soap and water before using more hand sanitizer. (I wash my hands more often than that anyway, but I just thought I would share this lady's "wisdom" in this thread.)

[Clarkk W Griswald]

I feel the use of these hand sanitizers is being way over used. They give a false sense of security. I'm sure there are still many people who don't wash their hands as they should and feel a squirt of the sanitizer will take its place. Sanitizers can't take the place of a thorough scrubbing with good old soap and water.

[we2cruze]

I feel the use of these hand sanitizers is being way over used. They give a false sense of security. I'm sure there are still many people who don't wash their hands as they should and feel a squirt of the sanitizer will take its place. Sanitizers can't take the place of a thorough scrubbing with good old soap and water.

I agree. Nothing does the job like soap and water. But... sometimes you can't get to soap and water. Personally I am not nearly so persistent at home, but I just do not want to get sick on vacation. And, unfortunately, there are a lot of people who just aren't concerned about spreading their germs around for others to catch.

[jlp20]

While in line for the dining room (anytime dining), the woman behind me, who said she was a nurse, commented that Purell-type sanitizers will only work up to 7 times. Then, it's time to use soap and water before using more hand sanitizer. (I wash my hands more often than that anyway, but I just thought I would share this lady's "wisdom" in this thread.)

 

 

Please tell me where this person works, don't want to get sick within 50 miles of where she works.

[1827cruise]

"While in line for the dining room (anytime dining), the woman behind me, who said she was a nurse, commented that Purell-type sanitizers will only work up to 7 times. Then, it's time to use soap and water before using more hand sanitizer. (I wash my hands more often than that anyway, but I just thought I would share this lady's "wisdom" in this thread.)"

Please tell me where this person works, don't want to get sick within 50 miles of where she works."

 

I work in a large medical center and our protocol is to wash thoroughly with soap and water at least every 5 times that you apply alcohol hand sanitizer( you must also use the hand sanitizer properly.... a dollop the size of a dime, rub in and let it air dry.)

[jlp20]

I work in a large medical center and our protocol is to wash thoroughly with soap and water at least every 5 times that you apply alcohol hand sanitizer( you must also use the hand sanitizer properly.... a dollop the size of a dime, rub in and let it air dry.)

 

 

You do know that a quick 5 minute search of the web will show that except for a few strains, hand sanatizers do NOTHING to a virus.

 

Please tell me that at your medical center, you do not work directly with patients.

[dforeigner]

You do know that a quick 5 minute search of the web will show that except for a few strains, hand sanatizers do NOTHING to a virus.

 

Not entirely true.

 

1- http://microbiology.suite101.com/article.cfm/alcohol_based_hand_cleansers

 

It is true that some viruses are readily inactivated by alcohol; however, some are not. Viruses consist of nucleic acid (either RNA or DNA) surrounded by a capsid (protein shell). Some viruses have an additional external layer or wrapping known as an envelope. The envelope is created from a piece of phospholipid membrane that comes from the infected host cell during the “budding” process when viral particles leave the infected cell. Enveloped viruses are referred to as lipophilic viruses, because of their lipid envelope, while nonenveloped viruses are referred to as non-lipophilic viruses.

 

Generally, enveloped (lipophilic) viruses are susceptible to alcohol: Herpes simplex virus (HSV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza virus (Flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), vaccinia virus, Hepatitis B and C viruses are considered susceptible to alcohols. However, certain nonenveloped (nonlipophilic) viruses such as hepatitis A and enteroviruses, which are both responsible for viral gastrointestinal infections. Depending on the alcohol concentration of the hand-cleanser and time of exposure to the alcohol, hepatitis A and other nonlipophilic viruses may not be eliminated.

 

Alcohol kills microorganisms by denaturing proteins and the most effective alcohol preparations have contain 60-95% alcohol. Higher concentrations are less effective because proteins are not denatured easily in the absence of water. Most commercial hand-cleansers contain between 65-70% alcohol. Nonenveloped viruses require slightly higher alcohol concentrations for reliable inactivation than are found in many commercial hand-cleansers (70-80%).

 

2- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12032498&dopt=Citation

 

3- http://www.colostate.edu/orgs/safefood/NEWSLTR/v8n3s06.html

 

4- http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20050407/alcohol-hand-sanitizers-may-curb-family-colds

[coiran]

You do know that a quick 5 minute search of the web will show that except for a few strains, hand sanatizers do NOTHING to a virus.

 

Please tell me that at your medical center, you do not work directly with patients.

 

This is from a 30 second webseach - note that it is recommended along with frequent handwashing.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/Norovirus/Norovirus.htm

 

Ron

[mikjr]

Ingredients: Alcohol 62%, the remaining 38% are mostly thickeners, binders,etc: water, glycol, acetate, propanol, carbomer and fragrance.

 

REMEMBER... take a good moisturizing hand cream with you... the Sanitizer tends to dry out and crack your hands, especially on long cruises. A good hand cream helps.