Let’s talk about silverware… yes, silverware

[sail7seas]

I was shopping on line to buy a bridal shower gift tonight.

This thread stuck in my mind and decided to buy the bride her stainless, everyday flatware she registered for. :D I was determined she'd have plenty on hand and wouldn't be jostling dirty forks so got her place setting for 16. That should serve her well. :D :)

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Which is why during HAL's first 48 hours of a cruise there is no self-serve anywhere and there are no condiments on the tables. Protects us from the noro germs, etc. that might be brought on board by embarking pax. After that, wash hands often, use hand wipes often and Purell when entering the dining venues.

 

Only in the Lido.

In the dining room we still have salt and pepper shakers on the table. The butter and rolls are on the table. When a ship is in Code Red -- the wait staff in the dining room serve you your rolls and butter and there are packets of salt and butter upon request.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That's another thing that can be annoying (my list grows longer). They set up all tables with wine glasses, then remove them if you don't order wine. On a Celebrity cruise last year, I watched the wine steward spend a ridiculous amount of time retrieving glasses, then running off to store them somewhere. The result was that it was almost impossible to get wine unless you were one of the first tables he came to. The inefficiency of that routine is mind boggling. He was busy as h*ll, and working hard. But, he wasn't getting anything done.

 

Just my $.02.

 

On HAL if you notice, the first couple of days of a cruise, the tables are set with wine wine glasses. When you don't order a bottle of wine, the wine steward removes them. Watch where he goes - to one of the service areas in the dining room that is no longer being used because of the cut backs in staff.

On many of HAL ships, the wine stewards only sell bottles of wine. Your ding room steward takes orders for cocktails and glasses of wine. On one of our cruises, so few bottles of wine were ordered that the few wine stewards stood around most of the time doing nothing.

[G&G]

Only in the Lido.

In the dining room we still have salt and pepper shakers on the table. The butter and rolls are on the table. When a ship is in Code Red -- the wait staff in the dining room serve you your rolls and butter and there are packets of salt and butter upon request.

 

Absolutely correct. As previously posted we do not live in a sterile bubble; and thank goodness. We were all exposed to various germs and bacteria while growing up and have built up resistance to these germs. Salt and pepper shakers can have just as bad germs as utensils not cleaned or wine glasses removed from a table and reused.

 

On our first Oceania cruise in April 2013, all food in there Lido Restaurant (Terrace Grill), was served by the staff for the whole cruise. It was very efficient and probably cuts down on "sick" ships.

[mowmow]

Please don't think that using Purell will protect you from Noro. It doesn't. Washing your hands with soap and water is still the best defense. Use the bathroom closest to the dining room and don't touch the door handle on the way out.

 

Hopefully the person so industrially scrubbing down rails, buttons, etc. is changing the cloth often and using a 10% bleach solution which WILL kill most bad bugs. Otherwise they're just being spread all around.

 

I don't even want to think about what I'd do if I saw other passengers "sampling" "dipping fingers" or putting dirty tongs back on the buffet. Hopefully they'd be so embarrassed when I got done with them they'd eat in their room the rest of the cruise. I'd make no attempt whatsoever to be tactful or kind. There's no excuse for that behavior; every adult knows better.

[arewethereyet]

Please don't think that using Purell will protect you from Noro. It doesn't. Washing your hands with soap and water is still the best defense. Use the bathroom closest to the dining room and don't touch the door handle on the way out.

 

Hopefully the person so industrially scrubbing down rails, buttons, etc. is changing the cloth often and using a 10% bleach solution which WILL kill most bad bugs. Otherwise they're just being spread all around.

 

I don't even want to think about what I'd do if I saw other passengers "sampling" "dipping fingers" or putting dirty tongs back on the buffet. Hopefully they'd be so embarrassed when I got done with them they'd eat in their room the rest of the cruise. I'd make no attempt whatsoever to be tactful or kind. There's no excuse for that behavior; every adult knows better.

Interesting post. I'm right in line with you. Hand washing at least allows whatever debris you disturb on your hands in the course of washing, to be rinsed off of your hands. Purell just pushes it around and leaves a film on your hands.

 

The most interesting part though is about your comments to the offenders. One of the downsides of being socialized as adults, is that we are often inhibited from giving honest and unguarded expression to our thoughts, even when they might me necessary.

[Wakepatrol]

Do the same people who don't pay attention to what other people are wearing.

 

Spend all this time watching silverware and wine glasses:eek:

[MR NW GUY]

Hello everyone…

 

Wow, what an interesting mix of replies and comments. There also seems to be the typical CC mix of opinions shared on this thread.

 

The mix of responses is what makes this forum an interesting place to exchange information and ideas.

 

I hope that some CC cruisers who are getting on a HAL ship this week will report back and let us know what they see and hear.

 

Cheers! "With a spotless wine glass" :D