Gem - Code Red during 4/8 Sailing

[PathfinderEss]

Thank you for your report. Really sorry about the Roaches, yuck. Glad you had a good time in spite of everything.

[dutchess43]

Regarding the buffet I feel that the crew should serve you with gloves on, this way you do not have to worry about hands not knowing where they were doing the serving.

[babygirl722]

It was cabin 10073 and it was fully sanitized and fumigated! As for the buffet, I fully agree with duchess.

 

In any case, stuff happens and in no way did we allow it to impact the amazing time we had. We're back on this beautiful ship in February.

[rzdj96]

This all makes me wonder a few things. We've never been on a cruise from any other port than New York that has acquired the Noro Virus. On the Noro-dam it hit, on our recent Jewel cruise also. Now the GEM. ALL out of the New York Piers. How often are those piers fully and properly sanitized? The wife said the bathrooms were nasty. You'd believe with thousands of passengers passing through there, they'd be on top of it. Not only the bathrooms but the chairs, counters and other public areas. Even on the Jewel, we had passengers that were isolated into their cabins but couldn't get a hold of room service, so they'd go to the buffet. There's a requirement for a ship to contact the CDC after a certain # of outbreaks. Maybe that number needs to be changed so the determination can be made as to where it's either originating from or possibly congregating at. I also realize that the virus is "shell based", so eradication isn't that easy. I just don't believe only sanitizing the ship suffices.

[richm20]

Regarding the buffet I feel that the crew should serve you with gloves on, this way you do not have to worry about hands not knowing where they were doing the serving.

 

Gloves are more for show then anything. Last week I went to my local deli, the guy made my sandwich with gloves on, then came to ring me up, took the cash made change then off to make the next sandwich. Having never changed his gloves, they are now just as dirty as the $ in my pocket. Im not really that concerned with this (I handled the $ and wasn't planning on washing my hands prior to eating) but it reminded me that the gloves don't mean clean.

[che5904]

Regarding the buffet I feel that the crew should serve you with gloves on, this way you do not have to worry about hands not knowing where they were doing the serving.

 

As wonderful an idea is this is, it would defeat one of the purposes of buffets. Which is serve yourself and cut down on staff needed.

[babygirl722]

This all makes me wonder a few things. We've never been on a cruise from any other port than New York that has acquired the Noro Virus. On the Noro-dam it hit, on our recent Jewel cruise also. Now the GEM. ALL out of the New York Piers. How often are those piers fully and properly sanitized? The wife said the bathrooms were nasty. You'd believe with thousands of passengers passing through there, they'd be on top of it. Not only the bathrooms but the chairs, counters and other public areas. Even on the Jewel, we had passengers that were isolated into their cabins but couldn't get a hold of room service, so they'd go to the buffet. There's a requirement for a ship to contact the CDC after a certain # of outbreaks. Maybe that number needs to be changed so the determination can be made as to where it's either originating from or possibly congregating at. I also realize that the virus is "shell based", so eradication isn't that easy. I just don't believe only sanitizing the ship suffices.

 

Wow! This is eye opening. The general sentiment on our cruise was the outbreak was due to the overwhelming amount of kids on this cruise. I also heard that the crew was infected and passed it on. Who knows.

 

 

I do feel that our pet roaches were as a result of the dirty NYC pier.

[jaja]

 

I do feel that our pet roaches were as a result of the dirty NYC pier.

 

 

I agree....the NYC piers are so busy...I doubt they ever get cleaned no less sanitized:eek:

[camz]

As a germ a phobe, all I can say is yuck, yuck and YUCK! :eek:

[richm20]

Wow! This is eye opening. The general sentiment on our cruise was the outbreak was due to the overwhelming amount of kids on this cruise. I also heard that the crew was infected and passed it on. Who knows.

 

 

I do feel that our pet roaches were as a result of the dirty NYC pier.

 

It was all over the schools in Northern Nassau. I had the virus 2 weeks prior to sailing. With all the school kids passing it around and then getting on the ship, it was almost a guarantee that there would be a problem on the ship.

[Laszlo]

This all makes me wonder a few things. We've never been on a cruise from any other port than New York that has acquired the Noro Virus. On the Noro-dam it hit, on our recent Jewel cruise also. Now the GEM. ALL out of the New York Piers. How often are those piers fully and properly sanitized? The wife said the bathrooms were nasty. You'd believe with thousands of passengers passing through there, they'd be on top of it. Not only the bathrooms but the chairs, counters and other public areas. Even on the Jewel, we had passengers that were isolated into their cabins but couldn't get a hold of room service, so they'd go to the buffet. There's a requirement for a ship to contact the CDC after a certain # of outbreaks. Maybe that number needs to be changed so the determination can be made as to where it's either originating from or possibly congregating at. I also realize that the virus is "shell based", so eradication isn't that easy. I just don't believe only sanitizing the ship suffices.

 

She was right on about the bathrooms in NYC........just plain gross. One other thing that freaks me out is someone who picks something up from the buffet and then puts it back. I witnessed this 6-7 times on our Gem cruise. Come on people get a freaking grip, if you pick it up you own it...........don't put it back. And use a fresh plate whenever you come up to get food.

[fergusonvt]

All of the noro breakouts on the non-NCL ships at end of Jan. early Feb. were out of FL ports so I don't believe the ports themselves have anything to do with it. All it takes is one person not feeling great boarding the ship anyway and touching multiple surfaces to start an outbreak and if proper sanitization isn't done after an outbreak it just keeps coming back around. Not what you want on vacation but the virus is prevalent wherever large groups are close together.

[craig-n-carol]

The bathrooms at the port in the Bahamas are pretty foul also. I saw a large local man with a cigar in his mouth take a drink from the bathroom sink, and it looked like he was giving himself a sponge bath there, but there was no soap in the facilities. Thank god for the washy washy folks at the gangway!!

 

There are many times I have been in the restroom where men don't wash their hands after using the facilities. I just don't understand this. They probably head straight for the buffet afterwards. :eek:

[sdmike]

OK this thread is a little frightening. I will be sailing on the NCL (Gem) for the 1st time next year. The buffet thing is seriously disgusting. I lost it when a woman used the chicken tongs to pick up a piece of shrimp then put it back with the chicken. I snatched those up & gave them to one of the servers before anyone else could use them. Also told the server to take the chicken away. This was on another cruise line. But putting your actual hands in the food????? OH MY GOD

 

If I had a severe allergy there is no way I would "trust" the community utensils. I would probably stay away from the buffet altogether

[davesgirl51]

The bathrooms at the port in the Bahamas are pretty foul also. I saw a large local man with a cigar in his mouth take a drink from the bathroom sink, and it looked like he was giving himself a sponge bath there, but there was no soap in the facilities. Thank god for the washy washy folks at the gangway!!

 

There are many times I have been in the restroom where men don't wash their hands after using the facilities. I just don't understand this. They probably head straight for the buffet afterwards. :eek:

 

There are plenty of women who don't wash their hands and plenty of kids.

As I said in my earlier post, it doesn't do any good to wash your hands and then turn off the faucet or open the door without a paper towel. As for automation that rzdj mentioned ... where is responsibility ? sheesh.

[Studebaker59]

I wonder if the roaches might have been brought into the cabin in the previous passengers' luggage.

 

We're going on our fourth Gem sailing in January, and have always found the ship very clean.

 

As for bathroom and buffet manners, I agree there are many unthinking and uncaring people out there.

[babygirl722]

I wonder if the roaches might have been brought into the cabin in the previous passengers' luggage.

 

We're going on our fourth Gem sailing in January, and have always found the ship very clean.

 

As for bathroom and buffet manners, I agree there are many unthinking and uncaring people out there.

 

I guess this is another possibility. I do agree with you in that the ship is very clean so this was quite a surprise for us. The disgusting people at the buffet, well, not so much!

[salty dingo]

I was very impressed with the sanitation on our Spirit cruise. You could not get into an eating venue without someone squirting you with disinfectant. Bravo!!

[MCAT48]

Anywhere you go to eat there is going to be germs whether on a ship or on land. What grosses me out it thinking about how many dirty hands have touched the menus at restaurants the mustard ketchup salt and pepper that is on the tables.....they do not sanitize these things yet everyone is always talking just about the buffet lines.

[xcolie616]

I used to work at a restaurant for ten years and they sanitize wipe every menu at the end of the night, or they are supposed to. Condiments are supposed to be wiped as well. But we all know this probably doesnt happen everywhere. Germs are everywhere, thats why we have immune systems. Though people at the buffet should be more sanitary, hopefully they washy washied on the way in. As for the roaches, ewwwwww. I hoping for no bed bugs!

[cabincop]

JMO but after 40 cruises I have learned that if I stay away from the buffet I lower my chances of getting sick. I have also noticed how some people piclk up food on buffet put it back with their hands and I also saw God Forbid someone took a bite of something and put it back yeccchhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I know it is not the norm or I hope not but still gross. Also ab...Just gotta be carf lets face face it it56out public bathroons I wash and get a towel to turn the handlee Life is a crap shoot so ya gotta roll the dice enjoy

[deewal]

Even though the service, activities and amenties were lacking, our party made our own fun! But on our day back, Sunday, my daughter and I got sick with a stomach virus. I called Norwegian's guest relation to find out about the virus before calling our doctors but they had no clue and advise me to send an email and they would respond in a week or so, really! Also another teenage and a mom got sick.

 

 

There were people taking food and placing it back. For example, on the first day, a woman thought her hot dog bun was hard so placed it back!:eek:

[NLH Arizona]

Hopefully those that see bad behavior (putting food back with fork or hands, taking a bite out of food and putting it back, etc.) are saying something, instead of just watching.

 

I will call for a server and say loud enough so the person that did it hears, "this woman/man just touched that roll with their hands, can you throw it away and all the food around it, because it is unsanitary". Hopefully the offending person gets the hint, probably not but those around that person will know what kind of scum they are.

[Ghengis Klown]

scum <----lol

[johnmpcny]

The very reason we spend very little time at the buffets, MDR for me.