No code orange?

[cruz chic]

One of the problems, too, is the total LACK of people paying attention to the Purell and washing stations. My husband, a doctor, usually points out to the person who is at the entrance of the Lido, etc. that there are people going around him…they need to insist that they use it. Defeats everyone else's efforts if only a few use the precautions.

 

The "Cruise Crud Colds" are a different thing…see people hacking away in the library, Lido, MDR, etc…they need to try to stay in their cabins when they are actively sneezing, hacking, etc. We have no ability to prevent getting colds from that.

 

With your husband being a doctor wouldn't he realize that the purell is not effective against norwalk? I'd like to see them insist that people use it. I'm one of these folks that does use purell but I wonder what good it does. I'm a fanatic about washing my hands. On my last cruise one of the people reached into the bread basket and broke a bun in half and left the other half there. I'm amazed at how clueless some people are.

Edited September 24, 2014 by cruz chic

[Lizzie68]

With your husband being a doctor wouldn't he realize that the purell is not effective against norwalk? I'd like to see them insist that people use it. I'm one of these folks that does use purell but I wonder what good it does. I'm a fanatic about washing my hands. On my last cruise one of the people reached into the bread basket and broke a bun in half and left the other half there. I'm amazed at how clueless some people are.

 

The way I look at it - even if there were concrete 1005 evidence that sanitizer is useless, it still doesn't hurt to use it. It's an extra step that just might help, you never know. Personally, I am also a fanatical hand washer, and my elbows are used on elevator buttons, and I don't touch handrails, either. I've also seen some horrifying things in the Lido buffet, and I prefer to use a paper napkin on the handles of the tong thingies at the salad bar.

[cruz chic]

The way I look at it - even if there were concrete 1005 evidence that sanitizer is useless, it still doesn't hurt to use it. It's an extra step that just might help, you never know. Personally, I am also a fanatical hand washer, and my elbows are used on elevator buttons, and I don't touch handrails, either. I've also seen some horrifying things in the Lido buffet, and I prefer to use a paper napkin on the handles of the tong thingies at the salad bar.

 

The point I was trying to make is that I don't think you can insist that people use it. C'mon, they don't enforce their own dress code:D. A good cruise for me is one where I don't have to eat in the lido. It never fails to surprise me at how dirty people are. This is why I hate any kind of pot luck and they seem to like to do it at work. Once again I do use the hand sanitizer.

[Oceanwench]

I got the sense that it was working, just because I don't see many Code Red threads here.

I could be wrong ... but it just seems there are fewer than ever.

[ScriptOhio]

Veendam had two of the hand washing stations at the Lido Pool port side entrance to Lido. I'm not sure if there were any starboard side. I was skeptical and after day two or three tried one and liked it more than I expected.

 

 

I tried it once; but was afraid that it might eat (i.e. lose) my ring, etc. I guess I could have taken off the ring and do one hand at a time, but it just didn't seem worth it. They still had the hand sanitizer dispensers located just about everywhere.

 

[sail7seas]

I tried it once; but was afraid that it might eat (i.e. lose) my ring, etc. I guess I could have taken off the ring and do one hand at a time, but it just didn't seem worth it. They still had the hand sanitizer dispensers located just about everywhere.

 

 

I worried about my rings, too.

 

I dislike the feel of my hands after using the gels. They feel sticky and unclean to me. I far prefer soap and water. I see no sense to using gels when I have washed my hands well and am aware that is far more effective against Noro Virus than the gels. However, for the sake of not upsetting crew or fellow guests, each time it is presented at the MDR doorway, I do as asked.

[frankc98376]

I worried about my rings, too.

 

I dislike the feel of my hands after using the gels. They feel sticky and unclean to me. I far prefer soap and water. I see no sense to using gels when I have washed my hands well and am aware that is far more effective against Noro Virus than the gels. However, for the sake of not upsetting crew or fellow guests, each time it is presented at the MDR doorway, I do as asked.

 

I agree and the gel drys my skin. We love the Pinnacle- no one shoving gel at us, no one else touching our bread, no frantic servers with too many tables, and easy to engage in small talk with neighbor tables but not forced to with table mates. Most important- it's quiet.

[PathfinderEss]

I tried it once; but was afraid that it might eat (i.e. lose) my ring, etc. I guess I could have taken off the ring and do one hand at a time, but it just didn't seem worth it. They still had the hand sanitizer dispensers located just about everywhere.

 

 

I wear several rings and I would be very upset if I lost one in that thing.

To take them off would take to long, so this wouldn't be for me either.

[LHT28]

I tried it once; but was afraid that it might eat (i.e. lose) my ring, etc. I guess I could have taken off the ring and do one hand at a time, but it just didn't seem worth it. They still had the hand sanitizer dispensers located just about everywhere.

 

 

Is this a vacuum system or how does it work??

How would you lose your rings??

never seen one of these devices before

 

On our river cruise they had a box on the wall you put your hands in & were sprayed with the sanitizer

[sammiedawg]

I like the hand sanitizer system and the code orange system that should continue for the duration of every cruise. I dislike self serve buffet on land and on sea. I love the Oceania buffet where everything is served to you.

On HAL I have seen major cutbacks in Lido staffing especially at breakfast. The food line staffing was bare bones recently on Prinsendam, quite often two or three people manning the lines. Table service was almost nonexistent other than a bus boy picking up dirty dishes but he rarely used any cleanser. The bus boy just laid down a new silver wear packet.

Forget any table side beverage service in the lido which really annoys me. It is a nuisance to jump up and down for drinks but the bigger issue is is how difficult it is to keep the drinks sanitary. I've seen people pick up the pre poured counter juices to smell them, then they laid the juice glass back down on the tray.

So if the 48 hour code orange ends it is another cutback in service and makes the Lido less sanitary.

[ScriptOhio]

I tried it once; but was afraid that it might eat (i.e. lose) my ring, etc. I guess I could have taken off the ring and do one hand at a time, but it just didn't seem worth it. They still had the hand sanitizer dispensers located just about everywhere.

 

 

Is this a vacuum system or how does it work??

How would you lose your rings??

 

There's multiple high pressure rotating sprays (with soap and then a rinse) followed by a very forceful blow dry. With the force of the soapy water spray coming from 360 degrees the machine could wash/blow off a ring and you probably would not even feel it, especially if the rings are a little lose to begin with.

 

Here's what the manufacturer says it does:

 

"When the user steps up to the CleanTech hand washing machine, and inserts hands into the two wash cylinders, the 12-second wash-sanitize-rinse cycle automatically starts. The rotating cylinders — with high-pressure, low-volume jets — spray water and mix in a proprietary soap formulation. The 20 spray jets in each cylinder are placed in a spiral configuration to clean fingertips, hands, wrists, and under fingernails. The 12-second cycle performs a precisely measured and controlled pre-rinse, wash and post-rinse. The user leaves their hands in the system until the cycle stops, then immediately dries their hands using a no-touch paper towel dispenser or a no-touch air dryer."

[LHT28]

There's multiple high pressure rotating sprays (with soap and then a rinse) followed by a very forceful blow dry. With the force of the soapy water spray coming from 360 degrees the machine could wash/blow off a ring and you probably would not even feel it, especially if the rings are a little lose to begin with.

 

Thanks that is very interesting ...great for crew

not so great if you are on your way to dinner in your finery

[CowPrincess]

ScriptOhio, is there a big sign advising that the set-up is a hand washing station? Looking at the picture, I would presume it was some sort of garbage or recycling station.

[Hlitner]

Have to admit that we love those hand washing machines and use them on a very regular basis whenever we happen to be passing by. But we agree that they could cause issues with rings (other then basic wedding bands). So I asked DW about the ring issue and she quickly responded that there is no way she wears her rings during the daytime on a ship. We sometimes will go in the pool or hot tubs and DW prefers to leave her rings locked in the safe.

 

Hank

[ScriptOhio]

ScriptOhio, is there a big sign advising that the set-up is a hand washing station? Looking at the picture, I would presume it was some sort of garbage or recycling station.

 

It was obvious that it was a hand washing station and not for garbage. I don't specifically recall what the sign looked like; but it had to have been appropriately identified somehow. I found another picture on the internet:

 

[aliaschief]

When we were on the Veendam Captain Pieter Bos advertised the hand washers daily and if the hand wash count was down he let us all know.

[cruz chic]

It was obvious that it was a hand washing station and not for garbage. I don't specifically recall what the sign looked like; but it had to have been appropriately identified somehow. [/img]

I agree. I can't recall how they were marked but I remember it being pretty obvious.

[PathfinderEss]

Never seen one of those hand washing station. Maybe not on the ships we've been on or I just miss seeing them..

[cruz chic]

Never seen one of those hand washing station. Maybe not on the ships we've been on or I just miss seeing them..

 

I want to say it's only on the Veendam which I know is your fav:D. That said, if they are on other ships I will be corrected.

[PathfinderEss]

I want to say it's only on the Veendam which I know is your fav:D. That said, if they are on other ships I will be corrected.

 

Oh yeah one of my favorites.................like not. Wonder why just her, is she the still the guinea pig ship?:D:eek:

[Hlitner]

We agree that those hand washing machine can easily be mistaken for a garbage container. While on the Westerdam we met an executive for the company that puts those machines on HAL (he was actually on the ship while we were in port servicing his own machines) and we mentioned that many passengers ignored the things because they thought they were garbage cans. He pointed out the signage but acknowledged that it could be a problem. Not sure they have done anything to fix the problem, but we will know for sure in a few days.

 

Hank

[Scrap Addict]

Used the auto hand washers on the Carnival Sunshine and loved them! They felt really good.

[sail7seas]

I want to say it's only on the Veendam which I know is your fav:D. That said, if they are on other ships I will be corrected.

 

:) It was definitely Veendam where I saw and used the hand wash machine.

 

 

 

 

Used the auto hand washers on the Carnival Sunshine and loved them! They felt really good.

 

I agree they did feel good. I was skeptical but they weren't too vigorous and my hands felt clean after using.

 

 

[idiebabe]

We had them on Zaandam in March, too! Love those Hand Washers! :) I'm allergic to the Sanitizer Gels and get severe Eczema but had no problem with the Hand Washers on Veendam or Zaandam.

 

Also, didn't have any problem with my rings or splashing on clothes, etc.

 

Hope all the Ships get them!

[madera1]

We were told last week by the culinary arts person on the Prinsendam that Holland will be tweaking its code orange policy. There may be color coded utensils to determine how long a salad has been on the counter. We noted that like others mentioned, we too could obtain our own drinks from day one of our trio.