What Steps Does Royal Caribbean Take To Keep The Buffet Clean?

[LetsGetWet!]

Once I saw a crew member who was refilling a drink dispenser drop the lid into the drink then fish it out of the liquid with his hands. Yes, his hands were in the drink-totally gross and disgusting.

 

By the way, I now wear gloves when serving myself at a cruise buffet. I won't subject myself to illness from hundreds of people serving themselves with the same utensils.

 

I shudder to think what goes on behind the scenes on any dining venue onboard. When serving masses of people, corners need to be cut and I'm sure sanitary policies suffer too.

I guess if wearing gloves at the buffet makes you feel better somehow...

 

But its not really accomplishing much, because those same hundreds of people have touched the handrails, elevator buttons, door handles, etc. etc.

 

If I see a kid scooping up fries with grimy hands, or someone replacing utensils off the floor - I'll call it out and get the staff to address the specific issue. But just like the poster a while back who inquired about putting the cabin's television remote in a ziplock baggie to avoid its germs, wearing gloves is pretty "out there." I eat at the buffet when I'm wanting a quick meal onboard, I also eat at buffets often at our country club as well as other places without spending much time worrying about it. You simply can't protect yourself from all germs without enclosing yourself in a bubble, but you CAN worry enough to take the enjoyment out of lots of activities! :)

[cjdixon4]

Just out of curiosity how clean and sanitized are Royal Caribbean's buffets?

 

 

 

 

To be honest with you, I'm not certain that anyone could really ever know. I've seen the workers scrape off wasted food, and wipe off the serving counters with sponges and rags. Are they clean/sanitized? I don't know. All that I can say is that my family and I have been blessed to not contract Noro or other airborne germs. I don't do an inordinate amount of thinking about it when I'm in the buffet area...that would pretty much ruin a great vacation for me. All that I can control are MY cleanliness habits; hot water and lots of soap before each meal! ;)

[seeshore]

I guess if wearing gloves at the buffet makes you feel better somehow...

 

But its not really accomplishing much, because those same hundreds of people have touched the handrails, elevator buttons, door handles, etc. etc.

:)

 

I disagree because I am extremely cautious as to what I touch. As a cancer patient I've decided to live my life to the fullest while at the same time taking proper precautions.

 

Oh yes, since you don't know me, I am not taking the enjoyment out of everyday activities, just the opposite. You should be careful not to make assumptions when you don't know someone's personal situation.

Edited March 5, 2014 by seeshore

[LetsGetWet!]

I disagree because I am extremely cautious as to what I touch. As a cancer patient I've decided to live my life to the fullest while at the same time taking proper precautions.

Best of luck with your cancer treatment.

 

Proper precautions, indeed - but again, unless you're going to wear gloves most of the time all over the ship, I honestly don't see what difference there is in touching a serving spoon handle, or touching a hand rail or an elevator button or a door handle? The same hundreds of other hands have previously touched each of those things...

Edited March 5, 2014 by LetsGetWet!

[seeshore]

Best of luck with your cancer treatment.

 

Proper precautions, indeed - but again, unless you're going to wear gloves most of the time all over the ship, I honestly don't see what difference there is in touching a serving spoon handle, or touching a hand rail or an elevator button or a door handle? The same hundreds of other hands have previously touched each of those things...

 

Thank you-I don't touch the elevator buttons or hand rails and my hubby opens doors for me (he's such a gentleman).

[connes1]

Ok I just wanted to post my experience last month on the Indy...they do they not have plates to rest the serving utensils on in the windjammer. After somebody serves themselves using a serving spoon, tongs... they place the spoon, tongs... directly on the food. The handle is touching the food directly. It is very similar to actually touching the food. I did bring it up to staff but the did not care. I don't know why they cannot put out plates to rest serving utensils. I tried to avoid the windjammer and if I went I picked food from the very back of dish.

 

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[WetToes]

Ok I just wanted to post my experience last month on the Indy...they do they not have plates to rest the serving utensils on in the windjammer. After somebody serves themselves using a serving spoon, tongs... they place the spoon, tongs... directly on the food. The handle is touching the food directly. It is very similar to actually touching the food. I did bring it up to staff but the did not care. I don't know why they cannot put out plates to rest serving utensils. I tried to avoid the windjammer and if I went I picked food from the very back of dish.

 

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So it's okay for you to REACH OVER the food to get your 'clean' serving?

This may be better for you, but what about those behind you?

[PAcruiser25]

bouhunter, thank you. I was wondering why this poster would mention the ethnic background of the passenger? Strange indeed.

[Ocean_Waves]

bouhunter, thank you. I was wondering why this poster would mention the ethnic background of the passenger? Strange indeed.

 

I think what the poster to the "Asian man" post might have been trying to say was, different cultures have different practices.

 

The cruise ships are filled with many different people from many different cultures / backgrounds and not everyone has the same type of practices as we are taught (some may not utilize) here in America.

 

To the "Asian man" it may be perfectly acceptable to reach through and grab what you want with your hands, to where with what Americans are taught, that is not ok. He even said the man acted oblivious to the fact after confronted.

[cndljen]

Just out of curiosity how clean and sanitized are Royal Caribbean's buffets?

 

I was reading about how people should not act in the cruise ship buffet, which suggested that people should not touch food and contaminate it. If you want to read about how not to act in the buffet you may enjoy this:

http://www.embarkandaway.com/1/post/2014/02/what-you-should-not-do-in-the-cruise-ship-buffet.html

 

Have you ever witnessed anybody make the food or buffet contaminated? Does the crew respond quickly to contaminated buffet food?

 

Thanks!

 

I am so OCD about germs and constantly aware of what's going on whenever we go eat anywhere. We don't usually eat at buffets because, well they just aren't sanitary. I cannot stand to see people that allow their young children to serve themselves. How many times do you see a child (not knowingly) wipe their nose or stick their fingers in their mouths and then touch something. Adults are no different, people in general just get set in their own world that they do something not thinking about it. Next thing you know they've gotten their sneezing or coughing germs all over the food. Not to mention the tong/serving utensils they've touched and then the germs spread to the food. A lot of the times the temps are not regularly checked and bacteria grows rather quickly given the right conditions. We've only eaten at one buffet in a local casino that I wasn't concerned a bit. As the cooks were out there tending to the food constantly and it was just as hot as if it just came out of a pan/oven. So food for thought be aware of the germy things you touch and pass on..haha Oh and take Echinacea (immune support) and help avoid getting sick. But also if you get food from a buffet and it just isn't hot enough, stop eating it. You're more likely to visit the bathroom more than you prefer by continuing to eat it. Look for the food that has steam rising from the food itself. And don't eat any cold items that are not cold enough they have to be kept at 40 or below to be safe otherwise they begin growing bacteria. Oh and pay attention to cross contamination issue/situations. Where something may have been cooked and raw meat added to it during the cooking process. Ewww not sure I will be able to go to the buffet on our cruise now. Don't take anything for granted we watched a waitress take food off our table that we didn't order (someone stuck their finger in it) and she took it to the correct table. She didn't know that one of our friends did it he thought it belonged to our table and everyone was like no it's not ours. I immediately jumped up and went to that table and told the lady she may want to reorder and told her what happened. I couldn't believe I saw that happen!! Happy eating and sailing in good health!!

[cndljen]

Once I saw a crew member who was refilling a drink dispenser drop the lid into the drink then fish it out of the liquid with his hands. Yes, his hands were in the drink-totally gross and disgusting.

 

By the way, I now wear gloves when serving myself at a cruise buffet. I won't subject myself to illness from hundreds of people serving themselves with the same utensils.

 

I shudder to think what goes on behind the scenes on any dining venue onboard. When serving masses of people, corners need to be cut and I'm sure sanitary policies suffer too.

 

This isn't really meant to sound mean. But you are naïve if you think these things do not happen at any other restaurant. You wearing gloves only protects your hands. You seem to not realize that germs spread and bacteria grows on food not kept at correct temps. You touching serving utensils with gloves only moves the germs to your silverware, napkins, drinking glass and anything else you touch with them. Most likely the germs are already on the food from the germs of those that have touched those utensils. Even if they did provide a dish to lay those utensils on the food would still get germs spread to them. I take vitamins every day including Echinacea that helps build/support your immune system. I can be around someone sick with a cold and I don't get sick while taking it. If I were around someone and I had not been taking it I get sick in a heartbeat. Really the only thing you can do to protect yourself is be aware of what others are doing around you when getting food. Or eat where you are served.

[Drama(mine) Queen]

Maybe it’s me, but I’m more concerned about “catching” something from public restrooms. Especially from facet handles and doorknobs. I always touch objects with disposable towels and use hand sanitizer religiously.

 

Don’t let your guard down in your room either; it’s been used by a couple hundred strangers in the past year.

[connes1]

So it's okay for you to REACH OVER the food to get your 'clean' serving?

This may be better for you, but what about those behind you?

 

It does not matter the utensil handle is touching the food so yes it is OK

 

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[connes1]

Does anybody have a problem with the handle actually touching the food? I don't know if I am being overly cautious but if somebody sneezes I to their hand touches a serving utensils and then places that serving utensils handled directly on the food wouldn't that create contamination of the food?

 

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[steamboats]

I wish Royal Caribbean would enforce that if you are a kid you must have your parents with you.

 

Sorry to say but I´ve seen more adults touching food with their bare hands not using the serving utensils than kids. And it´s definitley the fault of the parents obviously not having educated their kid how to behave on a buffet. Of course a kid should be observed by the parents as long as it´s not of an age to serve itself on a buffet.

 

My DD never ever touched any food at the buffet. She does use the sanitizer (although she knows it´s more or less senseless especially regarding Noro). And she does use the serving utensils.

 

BTW I was standing in line for pancakes (no, that wasn´t an RCI ship but another well known cruise line). There were only 2 pancakes left on the plate. The cook behind the counter took the plate and refilled it. No, he didn´t change the plate. No, he didn´t remove the two old ones. So far not so good. But then he took the tong (yes, the used one, not a fresh one) and placed it over the fresh pancake the handle part touching the food. There was no space infront of the plate to lay it down there (on an extra small plate). But he didn´t even try to place it in a way the handle won´t touch the pancakes.

 

steamboats

[kyriecat]

Some people seem to think that having the staff serve you is better than allowing the passengers to serve themselves. However, the many of the staff aren't any better about sanitary procedures than the passengers.

 

I saw a staff member refilling muffins one morning. She stopped to wipe her nose with her gloved hand then used that same gloved hand to handle the muffins.

 

Another time the staff was serving people due to an issue with salmonella onboard. I wanted an ice cream cone. The staff member serving the ice cream was wiping off the machine using a dirty-looking rag that had been dipped in a bucket of grey water. He grabbed the cone using his gloved hands, but he didn't change gloves before touching my cone. Those same gloves had previously been touching the dirty rag and dipped in that grey water. I refused the cone and asked him to change gloves before touching my food. He said they were running low on gloves and wasn't supposed to waste them by using multiple pairs.

 

Personally, I would rather have bare hands that have been frequently washed touching my food or utensils than have gloved hands that were previously touching garbage, dirty rags, or wiping noses.

[connes1]

Some people seem to think that having the staff serve you is better than allowing the passengers to serve themselves. However, the many of the staff aren't any better about sanitary procedures than the passengers.

 

I saw a staff member refilling muffins one morning. She stopped to wipe her nose with her gloved hand then used that same gloved hand to handle the muffins.

 

Another time the staff was serving people due to an issue with salmonella onboard. I wanted an ice cream cone. The staff member serving the ice cream was wiping off the machine using a dirty-looking rag that had been dipped in a bucket of grey water. He grabbed the cone using his gloved hands, but he didn't change gloves before touching my cone. Those same gloves had previously been touching the dirty rag and dipped in that grey water. I refused the cone and asked him to change gloves before touching my food. He said they were running low on gloves and wasn't supposed to waste them by using multiple pairs.

 

Personally, I would rather have bare hands that have been frequently washed touching my food or utensils than have gloved hands that were previously touching garbage, dirty rags, or wiping noses.

 

Good point...sometimes when people wear it can give a false sense of security. I would rather have washed bare hands then dirty gloves.

 

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[WetToes]

It does not matter the utensil handle is touching the food so yes it is OK

 

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NO it's not. It is OK for the person doing the reaching, but not for others. Why is the reaching over any better than the utensil handle touching the food? As is said, 2 wrongs don't make it right.

Who knows what's clinging to your arm/sleeve?

[vivianmarie244]

Some people seem to think that having the staff serve you is better than allowing the passengers to serve themselves. However, the many of the staff aren't any better about sanitary procedures than the passengers.

 

I saw a staff member refilling muffins one morning. She stopped to wipe her nose with her gloved hand then used that same gloved hand to handle the muffins.

 

Another time the staff was serving people due to an issue with salmonella onboard. I wanted an ice cream cone. The staff member serving the ice cream was wiping off the machine using a dirty-looking rag that had been dipped in a bucket of grey water. He grabbed the cone using his gloved hands, but he didn't change gloves before touching my cone. Those same gloves had previously been touching the dirty rag and dipped in that grey water. I refused the cone and asked him to change gloves before touching my food. He said they were running low on gloves and wasn't supposed to waste them by using multiple pairs.

 

Personally, I would rather have bare hands that have been frequently washed touching my food or utensils than have gloved hands that were previously touching garbage, dirty rags, or wiping noses.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. We really don't know what the servers or cooks may have done right before touching the food or serving utensils. We have no idea what they used to "clean" them. If I eat at a buffet, which is rare, I just try not to think about it. Unless I actually see it. Then I skip over the food that I actually saw contaminated. We can't live in a bubble. Just my two cents.

[knittinggirl]

In regards to the Asian man mentioned earlier, back in the 80s when I visited China, all the toddlers had split britches, and while I didn't notice any toddlers relieving themselves, some members of our tour saw a woman take a child up toward the restroom and let the child relieve himself right outside the restroom! Culture does matter! I hope things have changed.

 

Those heat lamps in the Windjammer are HOT! I got a nasty burn on one that resulted in a couple of trips to medical.

 

I know they switch the food from one side to the other in Windjammer. It's rare that they are both open. Gives them a chance to clean.

 

On Celebrity, in their Island Cafe (their equivalent of the Windjammer) they served us the whole cruise.

Edited March 6, 2014 by knittinggirl

[seeshore]

This isn't really meant to sound mean. But you are naïve if you think these things do not happen at any other restaurant. You wearing gloves only protects your hands. You seem to not realize that germs spread and bacteria grows on food not kept at correct temps. You touching serving utensils with gloves only moves the germs to your silverware, napkins, drinking glass and anything else you touch with them. Most likely the germs are already on the food from the germs of those that have touched those utensils. Even if they did provide a dish to lay those utensils on the food would still get germs spread to them. I take vitamins every day including Echinacea that helps build/support your immune system. I can be around someone sick with a cold and I don't get sick while taking it. If I were around someone and I had not been taking it I get sick in a heartbeat. Really the only thing you can do to protect yourself is be aware of what others are doing around you when getting food. Or eat where you are served.

 

Thanks so much for your condescending and yes mean reply. You are such a font of knowledge. The gloves only protect my hands? I would have never known that if you hadn't told me. Naive, I don't think so, I'm more aware than ever. I never said these things do not happen at any other restaurant-you did.

 

Keep taking your vitamins and Echinacea and spare us your boring lectures.

[bouhunter]

Thanks so much for your condescending and yes mean reply. You are such a font of knowledge. The gloves only protect my hands? I would have never known that if you hadn't told me. Naive, I don't think so, I'm more aware than ever. I never said these things do not happen at any other restaurant-you did.

 

Keep taking your vitamins and Echinacea and spare us your boring lectures.

 

I agree:D. Naive is thinking that a vitamin pill with echinacea provides some kind of magic prevention for colds and flu......;):rolleyes:

[LetsGetWet!]

I agree:D. Naive is thinking that a vitamin pill with echinacea provides some kind of magic prevention for colds and flu......;):rolleyes:

Without stepping into the middle of the current brouhaha, I'll say that I'm a converted former skeptic with regards to echinacea (preferably echinacea/goldenseal.) Is it "some kind of magic protection?" Of course not. But my personal experience is that it WILL result in less colds and the ones I get are less severe and I'm over them quicker when I'm taking the echinacea.

[cndljen]

Thanks so much for your condescending and yes mean reply. You are such a font of knowledge. The gloves only protect my hands? I would have never known that if you hadn't told me. Naive, I don't think so, I'm more aware than ever. I never said these things do not happen at any other restaurant-you did.

 

Keep taking your vitamins and Echinacea and spare us your boring lectures.

 

 

To each their own I didn't intend it that way and stated that in my first sentence. Clearly you are touchy. I my self not so much I could care less that you were the one being condescending However you did say you shudder to thing what happens at others buffets. I was merely pointing out it happens everywhere not just buffets. If you don't like someone's response then move on it certainly was not meant to pick a fight with you rather to give everyone some good information. And maybe help prevent someone from getting sick. So sad that people can't be grateful for advice anymore

 

 

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[cndljen]

I agree:D. Naive is thinking that a vitamin pill with echinacea provides some kind of magic prevention for colds and flu......;):rolleyes:

 

 

Maybe before you try to jump ship and attack someone you should go research. The point of echinacea is to provide immune support. And yes it does help prevent you from getting sick if you take it regularly. It builds up oh yeah your immune system to fight off colds. I never said flus so I don't know why you referenced it. And I never said magical either. It's a vitamin just like all other vitamins. If you wait to take it when you're sick sure it might help shorten the duration. But I don't wait I take it daily. To each their own.

 

 

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