Princess Golden- Hygiene

[blackfoot]

Just returned from my 1st cruise on Princess. Overall, I was impressed that Princess offered a good value in cruising.

 

However, The ship Golden out of Seattle cruising to Alaska was the only cruise ship I have been on,that did NOT have hand sanitizers throughout the ship.I can only recall seeing hand cleaning stations only outside the dining room where the buffets were served.Every other ship i have been on had sanitizers outside every restrurant, restroom, the public rooms, bars,departure areas etc.This was NOT the case w/ Princess!

 

I think that this needs to be addressed because of the risk of illness!

 

Just one guy's opinion.

[spongerob]

It's a bit counterintuitive, but the hand sanitizers might actually increase the prevalence of disease by leading people to believe that proper hand cleaning can be ignored.

[Times Prince]

No doubt you also got the note from the ship's doctor stating the best prevention is frequent washing of hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. They do provide hand sanitizers around the ship and even more will appear if they start to see cases of communicable illness brought aboard ship by the passengers.

 

There is a lot of discussion about hand sanitizers and their effectiveness. We are somewhat religious in their use, especially when returning to our cabin or before eating anything. But the current thinking I've heard from the medical community is that they are at best a suppliment to good cleanliness and washing.

 

We've been onboard ship when there have been Norovirus (which was the case on all ships, all lines, in the Caribbean at the time), and can assure you that much stronger and extensive measures are taken to avoid further contamination. They do a great job.

[donna5]

They do have them on the Golden in the D.R. but not at the door. Just ask and they will show it to you and squirt some on your hands.:)

[Coracii]

Just returned from my 1st cruise on Princess. Overall, I was impressed that Princess offered a good value in cruising.

 

However, The ship Golden out of Seattle cruising to Alaska was the only cruise ship I have been on,that did NOT have hand sanitizers throughout the ship.I can only recall seeing hand cleaning stations only outside the dining room where the buffets were served.Every other ship i have been on had sanitizers outside every restrurant, restroom, the public rooms, bars,departure areas etc.This was NOT the case w/ Princess!

 

I think that this needs to be addressed because of the risk of illness!

 

Just one guy's opinion.

 

For the most part, the hand sanitizers are in place more for peoples' psychological well-being than they are for their physical well-being. They are a very small part of preventing contamination on a ship (or anywhere else for that matter). They can even lead to a false sense of security and have people not taking as many precautions that make a bigger difference in preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Wash your hands regularly and properly, be careful about not touching surfaces then putting hands on your face, sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands, etc.

[cruiseron36]

The Captain on the Ruby last spring was asked this at one of our CC meeetings and his reply was that they do not put them everywhere because many pax will be led to believe that this is a cure-all when, in fact, it does little to prevent the spread of noro. The surest way is a tghorough washing of hands with soap and water frequently during the day and before dining.

[snrlnd]

According to the Centers for Disease Control, this is what they say about preventing norovirus.

 

How to prevent getting and spreading noroviruses

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food. Wash hands more often when someone in your home is sick. For hand washing tips, click on the following link: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/Handwashing/HandwashingTips.htm

Avoid shaking hands during outbreaks.

Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with handwashing.

[Coracii]

According to the Centers for Disease Control, this is what they say about preventing norovirus.

 

How to prevent getting and spreading noroviruses

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food. Wash hands more often when someone in your home is sick. For hand washing tips, click on the following link: www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/Handwashing/HandwashingTips.htm

Avoid shaking hands during outbreaks.

Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with handwashing.

 

Well, that's slightly different from what they state but a similar idea. They recommend the sanitizers in the absence of proper hand-washing facilities, not in addition to hand-washing. But, as long as people are properly and thoroughly washing their hands also it doesn't cause harm to use the sanitizers:

 

What about alcohol-based hand sanitizers?

 

 

• CDC recommends that cruise ship passengers use warm water and soap to wash their hands. Washing is always best.
  
• If water and soap are NOT available (perhaps on excursions), use an ethanol alcohol-based (a minimum 62%) hand sanitizer, preferably in a gel form.
  

Looking at the CDC Data, the number of reported incidents per year are definitely trending down. Probably a combination of people being better informed and cruise lines getting on top of the illnesses faster when the first reports onboard appear. They only have to report the outbreak if it exceeds 3% of the population onboard.

[2fercruzin]

Dr. Oz reported that the CDC says the biggest source of NORO virus is a computer keyboard. So for those who are addicted to the Internet Cafe, you might want to take a hand wipe to the keyboard before you type, and when finished, before eating or going anywhere, go wash you hands thoroughly.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Dr. Oz reported that the CDC says the biggest source of NORO virus is a computer keyboard. So for those who are addicted to the Internet Cafe, you might want to take a hand wipe to the keyboard before you type, and when finished, before eating or going anywhere, go wash you hands thoroughly.

 

Does anyone NOT do that? I do it before I even sit down - every single time. And, I include the mouse too. They have wipes right by the computers to use.

[MattOsprey]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I was wondering if Times Prince would be so kind as to contact me. I need some info on returning art to Princess.

Thanks.

Matthew

[PescadoAmarillo]

However, The ship Golden out of Seattle cruising to Alaska was the only cruise ship I have been on,that did NOT have hand sanitizers throughout the ship.I can only recall seeing hand cleaning stations only outside the dining room where the buffets were served.Every other ship i have been on had sanitizers outside every restrurant, restroom, the public rooms, bars,departure areas etc.This was NOT the case w/ Princess!

I think that it really depends on how many noro cases have been reported on each cruise. When the Ruby went to Code...something, I forget what, but it was fairly bad, the sanitizers appeared on every lateral surface and we were strongly urged to use them. I'm allergic to the copper in the Purell bladder bags, and so I would actually open one of my own sanitizer single packs and use it where whoever (usually the greeter in the dining room) could see me do it.

[spyro1952]

Just returned from my 1st cruise on Princess. Overall, I was impressed that Princess offered a good value in cruising.

 

However, The ship Golden out of Seattle cruising to Alaska was the only cruise ship I have been on,that did NOT have hand sanitizers throughout the ship.I can only recall seeing hand cleaning stations only outside the dining room where the buffets were served.Every other ship i have been on had sanitizers outside every restrurant, restroom, the public rooms, bars,departure areas etc.This was NOT the case w/ Princess!

 

I think that this needs to be addressed because of the risk of illness!

 

Just one guy's opinion.

 

Try washing your hands with soap and water. It is still the BEST way to keep your hands clean. Unfortunately, the more these anti-baterial/anti-viral cleansers are used, bacteria and virus just replicate and become more resistant. The less they are used, the better for us. We do not have the antibiotics and anti-virals to kill these super-bugs created by over use of various "hand sanitizers".

[Cruisers from WA]

When working in a hospital, Our protocol was "foam in" (anti-bacterial foam), wash hands with soap and water in patient's room, do my job with newborn patient, wash hands with soap and water, leave room patient's room and "foam out"....it does become a habit!!!

 

If the sanitizer is not an automatic type....you are also picking up what was on the previous persons hands when you use the pump on the sanitizer bottle

[Putterdude]

About the only dining venue that I have seen hand sanitizers in recently in the Horizon Court and going in for the pub lunch in the Savoy on the Diamond a few weeks back.

[caribill]

If the sanitizer is not an automatic type....you are also picking up what was on the previous persons hands when you use the pump on the sanitizer bottle

 

Often when it is a pump type, Princess personnel will push the pump for you. Just have to hope his/her hards are OK.

[blackfoot]

I should of been clearer on my post:I was talking about a complete lack of NON CONTACT ALCOHOL dispensers on board the Golden. The dispensers are to be used in addition to good common sense normal washing of hands-because of hand contacts w/ hand rails,door knobs,tables as you live onboard the ship etc.

 

They are NOT used only after an outbreak but are used to PREVENT!

[Coracii]

I should of been clearer on my post:I was talking about a complete lack of NON CONTACT ALCOHOL dispensers on board the Golden. The dispensers are to be used in addition to good common sense normal washing of hands-because of hand contacts w/ hand rails,door knobs,tables as you live onboard the ship etc.

 

They are NOT used only after an outbreak but are used to PREVENT!

 

Except they are ineffective at preventing an outbreak, they are only a small part of the overall battle against Noro. If people aren't taking the precautions recommended by the CDC they could douse themselves in the alcohol gel and it wouldn't do a bit of good. They're a psychological remedy more than they're a physical remedy to contamination.

[1 HappyCruiser]

If the sanitizer is not an automatic type....you are also picking up what was on the previous persons hands when you use the pump on the sanitizer bottle

 

That's true but what about using the tongs & spoons at the buffet that were handled by all the people before you who haven't even washed their hands? It seems to me that if you're going to bother using the sanitizes at all you'd be better off getting your food & then returning to use it again before eating.

[Cruisers from WA]

That's true but what about using the tongs & spoons at the buffet that were handled by all the people before you who haven't even washed their hands? It seems to me that if you're going to bother using the sanitizes at all you'd be better off getting your food & then returning to use it again before eating.

 

The exact reason we only eat in the dining room....and have never got NORO on any ship that had high numbers of passengers with NORO according to the Captain, even the CD cleaning railings in the atrium.

[Colo Cruiser]

The exact reason we only eat in the dining room....and have never got NORO on any ship that had high numbers of passengers with NORO according to the Captain, even the CD cleaning railings in the atrium.

 

 

Reinforced by the guy I saw in the HC using his fingers to eat shrimp and dipping it in the cocktail sauce right at the serving stations.

Disgusting!! :mad:

[cruiseron36]

Reinforced by the guy I saw in the HC using his fingers to eat shrimp and dipping it in the cocktail sauce right at the serving stations.

Disgusting!! :mad:

 

Was he double dipping or triple dipping or just single dipping?

[jlp20]

....Golden out of Seattle cruising to Alaska was the only cruise ship I have been on,that did NOT have hand sanitizers throughout the ship...I think that this needs to be addressed because of the risk of illness...

 

Time to drag out the dead horse for its biannual beating. The major threat to cruisers, biologically, is the Noro VIRUS. Hand sanitizers are alcohol based and are quite effective against BACTERIA.

Unless something new has come along, the standard hand sanitizer goop will kill BACTERIA in 3-5 seconds if it is on your hands that long before evaporating. To kill a VIRUS, you would need to keep your hand wet with the stuff 5-15 MINUTES.

 

1. Wash your hands often using soap. Soap doesn’t kill the bug; it just makes it easier to rinse off down the drain.

 

2. If you think your sick don’t get on the boat.

 

3. Try to avoid touching hand rails and elevator buttons. Yes I know impossible, just do your best.

 

4. Do what mom told you; keep your fingers out of your eyes, nose and mouth.

[1 HappyCruiser]

 

2. If you think your sick don’t get on the boat.

 

 

Try and tell that to a person who has paid their fare and doesn't have any insurance.

Good luck.

[janacin]

Just returned from my 1st cruise on Princess. Overall, I was impressed that Princess offered a good value in cruising.

 

However, The ship Golden out of Seattle cruising to Alaska was the only cruise ship I have been on,that did NOT have hand sanitizers throughout the ship.I can only recall seeing hand cleaning stations only outside the dining room where the buffets were served.Every other ship i have been on had sanitizers outside every restrurant, restroom, the public rooms, bars,departure areas etc.This was NOT the case w/ Princess!

 

I think that this needs to be addressed because of the risk of illness!

 

Just one guy's opinion.

 

 

We were on the Golden last October. We were quite surprised to find that hand sanitizers were not to be found in or outside the dining rooms with the exception of the buffet. When I mentioned this to the maitre'd he politely told me that they really don't do much good and hospitals are not using them much any more. WRONG! The Canaletto dining room where we dined each night was down a flight of stairs to a lower deck and there were no rest rooms on that part of the ship. If you held on to the handrails on the stairway after washing your hands on a higher deck, you were subject to whatever bacteria was there from the person ahead of you. When I mentioned this on Cruisecritic I got several snarky comments saying that the sanitizers were no good for viruses. Perhaps so, but what about plain old bacteria?