Do you use the hand-sanitiser?

[Tudorcruisers]

On a recent cruise we noticed so many passengers just walking past the hand-sanitiser dispensers situated at the entrance to cafes and the MDR and the staff didn't seem to be even pointing out to people to use them.

 

In Wind-jammer on many occasions the tongs were actually left lying in the dishes which would mean if some-one hadn't cleaned their hands then any germs could end up on the food.

 

Made me realise no wonder certain sick bugs can travel so quickly around the ships.

 

Just out of interest wanted to see how many wash your hands in the wash-room or use the sanitiser or not?

[Keith1010]

We take every advantage of using it plus we carry our own too.

 

Keith

[Lionesss]

Yes we do!

I agree, I have witnessed some scary things.

We make the time.

We take a mini bottle of sanitizer on excursions also.

I don't want that noro curse.

Sea Ya

[Clarea]

We use them too, even though I've read they have no effect on Noro.

[Keith1010]

We also bring those wipes for the door handles to our room.

 

Keith

[hollon]

Yes, and we also bring the wipes

[Merion_Mom]

I am one who may not. Often I have JUST walked from the restroom where I thoroughly washed my hands, then opened the door with a paper towel, and walked without touching anything to the Windjammer.

 

I dislike that stuff a lot. Soap and water are a much better preventative for passing germs.

 

:)

[jules815]

After washing, sanitizing and wiping down everything in our stateroom with antibacterial wipes, I still caught noro on our last cruise. I always wash my hands and use sanitizer, but this was the first time I decided to wipe everything down in the cabin, and go figure, it was the time I got sick.

[jules815]

Soap and water are a much better preventative for passing germsn.

 

Yes!!

[Bitterangel87]

I do use them. I'm a nurse and use it a lot every day. And the previous poster was correct- noro virus can't be killed with hand sanitizer. That's why it's important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

 

 

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[edjny]

Most of the disinfectants do NOTHING to kill the norovirus. Here is some info about it. The key item mentioned is the following:

 

"Noroviruses are difficult to eradicate, because they can withstand hot and cold temperatures, as well as most disinfectants."

 

I use the disinfectants, but I don't believe that they do much except make me feel I am trying to avoid the bug. Washing hands and keeping your hands away from your face will work a LOT better.

[Eileen2]

I usually do but on the last TA a few days into the cruise and my hands broke out in a itchy rash. Using soap and water and cloth wipes was fine. I did note that most people did use the hand sanitizers.

[Zigggypup]

I do use them. I'm a nurse and use it a lot every day. And the previous poster was correct- noro virus can't be killed with hand sanitizer. That's why it's important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

 

 

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If the virius can't be killed with the hand sanitizer, then why bother using it all? Why not just go with the soap & water instead? Is Royal Caribbean trying to give people a false sense of security with all these hand sanitizer stations?

[slugger27nj]

Yes we do. "Washy washy!"

[runner15km]

I carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my pocket and use it before eating.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I use it, but don't trust that it will actually prevent Norovirus. I think it's there largely to make people feel like the cruise line is being pro-active.

 

I use soap and water as my main disinfectant and don't worry about sanitizing everything in the cabin; lucky so far as to catching anything. Knock on wood.

 

I think after years of teaching elementary school my immunity system has built up a resistance to almost everything!

[Bitterangel87]

If the virius can't be killed with the hand sanitizer, then why bother using it all? Why not just go with the soap & water instead? Is Royal Caribbean trying to give people a false sense of security with all these hand sanitizer stations?

 

Hand sanitizer is good against 99% of viruses and germs. Unfortunately, noro virus is in that 1%. So is a nasty bacteria called clostridium difficille.

 

 

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[OCruisers]

I usually do but on the last TA a few days into the cruise and my hands broke out in a itchy rash. Using soap and water and cloth wipes was fine. .

 

They make my hands break out too!

Before eating I stop by the rest room and wash my hands.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[cariad1000]

I usually do but on the last TA a few days into the cruise and my hands broke out in a itchy rash. Using soap and water and cloth wipes was fine. I did note that most people did use the hand sanitizers.

 

I'm glad you said that. I thought I'd broken out in prickly heat, which I've never suffered with before but it was only on my hands. It makes perfect sense that it must have been caused by the Purell:( I'm a fervent hand washer anyway so I'll take my own sanitizer next time and avoid the ones provided.

[luvscruising2007]

I hate hand sanitizer. I use it sparingly. But, I wash my hands with soap and water quite often.

Sometimes I use it to make the other people around me feel better. But I hate the feel of it. Yuck.

[Paulxyz2004]

I absolutely refuse to use them, but most will not notice I don´t:D.

 

As I don´t want to waste any vacation time arguing with the greeters about the nonsense of the sanititzers and they are just doing their Jobs with no knowledge about the whole thing anyway and I don´t want to make their jobs harder, I have figured out to move my Hand under the dispenser, trigger that little sound indicating sanitizer has dispensed, but I have moved my Hand to the side already and all sanitizer just went down to the waste:D

 

Never got sick not using it and when I will get sick I´m sure using the sanitizer wouldn´t have prevented it.

[GaryfmCol]

We sanitize down our cabin with wipes upon check-in.

 

I ALWAYS carry my PURELL in my pocket and, have 3-4 larger bottles per cruise in the cabin and, we both always wash in the restroom.

Plus, I Purell after sitting at the table and, after

using the menus...

 

So far, we have had good luck...

and, I try not to shake hands, but, if I do, I will

use the Purell immediately, discreetly, afterward... :o

 

I used to live in Europe and, I have spent too many of my years

in hotels, so, I think I might have some immunity..but, it

pays to be cautious...still....:)

[Ladysilver]

Yes, we use them. On our last cruise on the Mariner, the "sanitizer police" got pretty aggressive after severl people refused to use the sanitizer. Not a pretty sight! :eek:

[Motorman23]

I started my career as a Medical Laboratory Technician working in a microbiology laboratory in a hospital and have seen many results of poor hygiene (in addition to many other sources of infections). Did you know that a study done last year showed that 33% of Americans bypass the sink and do not wash their hands after using the bathroom (ugh). A study done last month shows that only 5% of Americans wash their hands sufficiently to remove bacteria (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2013/06/22/hand-wash/2438613/). So.... do I think antiseptic soap or hand fluids help.... yes but proper hand washing as Merion Mom mentioned is essential and requires reinforcement through training (parents?). Now I am off my soapbox (;)) and moving on the next interesting tidbit on cruise critic.

 

Mike

[BeachChik]

On a recent cruise we noticed so many passengers just walking past the hand-sanitiser dispensers situated at the entrance to cafes and the MDR and the staff didn't seem to be even pointing out to people to use them.

 

In Wind-jammer on many occasions the tongs were actually left lying in the dishes which would mean if some-one hadn't cleaned their hands then any germs could end up on the food.

 

Made me realise no wonder certain sick bugs can travel so quickly around the ships.

 

Just out of interest wanted to see how many wash your hands in the wash-room or use the sanitiser or not?

 

I prefer to just wash my hands and use hand sanitizer if for some reason I can't wash my hands. I personally think hand sanitizer is over used and not as effective as people like to think. Because of the high alcohol content in most sanitizer my hubby actually has a reaction to it where it starts to peel off the skin on his hands. His doctor told him not to use hand sanitizer for this reason unless it was an alcohol free kind.