Gulf Breezer Posted May 4, 2010 #1 Share Posted May 4, 2010 We got off the Fantasy this morning. The cruise was great, and we loved the ship. We took the Behind the Scenes tour and specifically asked the captain about the oil slick. We went around it but who knows what will happen as the slick migrates further east. This was our sixth cruise with our seventh already booked for October 2010 on the Elation. Now for the NASTY part. The Lido buffet area inside had two small ice dispensers with the same outside near the grill. However, there were so many people eating during the specified hours, that these small ice dispensers would run out of ice every day. So, they would bring out huge tubs of ice with a scoop in it. Each person would use the scoop and then throw the scoop back into the ice--handle and all! Now just imagine where these hands have been. I even saw people grabbing the scoop out of mostly ice water and skimming what little ice they could into their glass. This just made me sick. I don't think that would fly in the United States. In my opinion, a Carnival worker should have been there with gloves on scooping the ice for people. That way there would have been ONE clean gloved hand involved in the ice instead of all the nasty hands. Overall the rest of the cruise was great. We did the highlights and shopping tour where we visited Discover Mexico and we also went to Hacienda Antigua (museum of a tequila factory) complete with tasting many different types of tequila. I'll be ready to go cruising again in October, and I can only hope that the ice situation will not be the same on the Elation as it was on the Fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onthehighseas606 Posted May 4, 2010 #2 Share Posted May 4, 2010 As someone told me on another thread--"don't even go there if it bothers you that much!" :rolleyes: Yeah I hear you, but the bottom line is did anyone get sick because of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCo9 Posted May 4, 2010 #3 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Ice is 32 degrees or less, germs multiply when it is 40-140 degrees. No germs were being spread, they were dying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah@Sea Posted May 4, 2010 #4 Share Posted May 4, 2010 We got off the Fantasy this morning. The cruise was great, and we loved the ship. We took the Behind the Scenes tour and specifically asked the captain about the oil slick. We went around it but who knows what will happen as the slick migrates further east. This was our sixth cruise with our seventh already booked for October 2010 on the Elation. Now for the NASTY part. The Lido buffet area inside had two small ice dispensers with the same outside near the grill. However, there were so many people eating during the specified hours, that these small ice dispensers would run out of ice every day. So, they would bring out huge tubs of ice with a scoop in it. Each person would use the scoop and then throw the scoop back into the ice--handle and all! Now just imagine where these hands have been. I even saw people grabbing the scoop out of mostly ice water and skimming what little ice they could into their glass. This just made me sick. I don't think that would fly in the United States. In my opinion, a Carnival worker should have been there with gloves on scooping the ice for people. That way there would have been ONE clean gloved hand involved in the ice instead of all the nasty hands. Overall the rest of the cruise was great. We did the highlights and shopping tour where we visited Discover Mexico and we also went to Hacienda Antigua (museum of a tequila factory) complete with tasting many different types of tequila. I'll be ready to go cruising again in October, and I can only hope that the ice situation will not be the same on the Elation as it was on the Fantasy. I've seen this done...at a major hospital's cafeteria....either use it or move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokergirl34 Posted May 4, 2010 #5 Share Posted May 4, 2010 I worked in a restaurant in college and we used this same bucket and scoop to haul ice from the ice maker to the soda machines....no one EVER washed either the scoop or the bucket and we'd handle money/credit cards, then go over and scoop the ice into the bucket and throw the scoop back into the bucket. Oh yeah and that was definitely in the good ol' U.S. of A. At least they aren't handling money before they scoop the ice :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulf Breezer Posted May 4, 2010 Author #6 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Thanks for your replies. I just wanted to post a simple observation about how unsanitary I thought this was. I chose not to use the germ-laden ice, but I'm ready for my next cruise!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtalum Posted May 4, 2010 #7 Share Posted May 4, 2010 This is why we have immune systems. I don't know why so many Americans are so "germophobic". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemurCat Posted May 4, 2010 #8 Share Posted May 4, 2010 This is why we have immune systems. I don't know why so many Americans are so "germophobic". I blame it on the Johnson Family of Products myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyrisong1 Posted May 4, 2010 #9 Share Posted May 4, 2010 OP I agree with you in a way, however think about the buffet...... same thing can be said there. Tons of people, no idea how their hand hygene is but they are helping themselves to the food with the same scoop you are, and handles can go further into the food where hands have touched. I feel like it's kinda the same thing. But I am put off by buffets too. Mostly because I notice how many people wash their hands in public restrooms, and it's scary. I especially love the ones that rinse the fingers of one hand with no soap and think they've washed:rolleyes: There are tons of hand sanitizers around and as others have said, the ice killed the germs mostly. But think more of your HANDS after touching the scoops anywhere. And then WASH. Cheers, Carole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridacruzin Posted May 4, 2010 #10 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Ice Ice Baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulf Breezer Posted May 4, 2010 Author #11 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Shigella and Giardia come to mind and it does not matter how great your immune system is with these bacteria. I'm not OCD or a germaphobe. It just amazed me how people didn't give it a second thought. By the way, I have an aunt who lives in Bradenton. I live in Pensacola--cautiously watching and waiting to see what the oil slick will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fre1fred2 Posted May 4, 2010 #12 Share Posted May 4, 2010 it's not the germs....but who wants sweaty crotch residue from somebodies dirty hands in their drink???? yeah..I know...sounds disgusting... :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCbaby817 Posted May 4, 2010 #13 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Ice is 32 degrees or less, germs multiply when it is 40-140 degrees. No germs were being spread, they were dying. Actually, most germs are not killed by cold. They simply go into like a hibernation period. Once they are reheated, such as the nice 98.6 in your tummy, they can once again grow and multiply. That being said, I kinda have to agree with the OP. Kinda nasty. I wouldn't have used the ice from the bucket, either. Glad you enjoyed the trip overall, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtalum Posted May 4, 2010 #14 Share Posted May 4, 2010 it's not the germs....but who wants sweaty crotch residue from somebodies dirty hands in their drink???? yeah..I know...sounds disgusting... :eek: So I take it you never order drinks in sit-down restaurants? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemurCat Posted May 4, 2010 #15 Share Posted May 4, 2010 it's not the germs....but who wants sweaty crotch residue from somebodies dirty hands in their drink???? yeah..I know...sounds disgusting... :eek: Don't you think that happens every time you order a drink from a place that uses icechests instead of ice machines? What about people scooping ice cream? The possibilities of encountering sweaty crotch residue are endless ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemurCat Posted May 4, 2010 #16 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Actually, most germs are not killed by cold. They simply go into like a hibernation period. Once they are reheated, such as the nice 98.6 in your tummy, they can once again grow and multiply. That being said, I kinda have to agree with the OP. Kinda nasty. I wouldn't have used the ice from the bucket, either. Glad you enjoyed the trip overall, though. Yes, I agree it's nasty. I also agree I'd wait patiently for a working ice machine. That said, if you really think about the possibilities of encountering other people's dirt inadvertantly, it's pretty mindblowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fre1fred2 Posted May 4, 2010 #17 Share Posted May 4, 2010 So I take it you never order drinks in sit-down restaurants? ;) There is a difference between knowing and not knowing. I'm going to try and avoid doing it when possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveler353 Posted May 4, 2010 #18 Share Posted May 4, 2010 OP: I noticed the same thing on the Fantasy a couple of weeks ago. Never gave it a second thought, I needed ice so I scooped away. So I guess that I was one of the people that made you sick. I have also seen it done my whole life in the US, so yes the same thing does happen here. The way people complain about the so called "bacon police" I could just hear the comments it they started handing out ice also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemurCat Posted May 4, 2010 #19 Share Posted May 4, 2010 At least they provided a scoop. I've seen bartenders scoop glasses in to an icechest, which is a recipe for disaster should the glass shatter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kap Jack Posted May 4, 2010 #20 Share Posted May 4, 2010 I just add more alcohol to my drink to kill the germs. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck53 Posted May 4, 2010 #21 Share Posted May 4, 2010 I agree it does sound nasty but that aside I am glad you enjoyed your trip. After bartending for some years, in our state if a glass breaks in the ice chest or even in in the big ice making machines, it all has to be dumped. If not you could have a law suit. As Kap Jack said alcohol helps too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustardStation Posted May 4, 2010 #22 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Eww :eek: I'm one of those germaphobes mentioned earlier, it's actually a huge problem. Though I can deal without ice, the thought is scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDINGOateMyBaybay! Posted May 4, 2010 #23 Share Posted May 4, 2010 It's the same stuff they put in your ice buckets in your room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunu Posted May 4, 2010 #24 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Nasty Ice is a good band name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulf Breezer Posted May 4, 2010 Author #25 Share Posted May 4, 2010 It's the same stuff they put in your ice buckets in your room. There are ice machines on each floor for the room stewards to draw from. These machines are not accessed by multiple nasty hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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